Champion trike ride is very hard

[Comanche]

I am brand new to trikes. Just got a 2006 GL 1800 with a Champion built trike.

Whenever I ride over the least rough spot of road I get jarred badly. The thing is almost unforgiving. I have 36 lbs in front tire and 22 in rear.

This is what I was told to put in the tires, but am not sure about the best setting for the suspension. Whenever I try to change it I get an error message.

What is the optimum setting for a 200 lb rider with no passenger?

 

[Smoken'JOE]

Is the ride hard because it's not Independent suspension?

 

[TrikeTradersLLC]

My first question to you is which Champion kit do you have, the older zero-flex or the new independent?

With the independent, the preloader for the rear is no longer used, which would explain the error message. The independent should not ride as rough as you describe, I would be taking it back to the installer to get it checked.

If it is the zero flex, they do ride stiff. Playing with air pressure in the rear tires can help some, but running 22lbs is usually pretty good. The suspension error message would concern me in this case though, because it is supposed to work on the zero flex kit. So, your main bike shock/preloader may be faulty, which could be the cause of the unforgiving ride. I weigh about 185 and when I ride a trike alone, I put no preload in the rear suspension at all, so 0.

We've developed a way to make the Champion zero-flex conversion ride better, but are exploring the logistics of putting our idea out to market.

 

[Comanche]

I'll volunteer to provide my trike as a guina pig. Just a suite in a 5 star hotel is all I ask to subject my trike to testing.

 

[Papa Zook]

Having built dozens and dozens of Champion trikes and I would have to say that I respectfully disagree with the idea that Champion Trikes inherently ride rough. The customers we have built Champion Trikes for LOVE them. Look on any trike board out there and talk to multiple Champion trike owners and you will just not hear this complaint. Champion is one of the largest and most respected trike manufacturers out there and if there had been ongoing complaints about a to-harsh ride it would have been resolved long before now. Poor ride quality = Loss of sales....not a situation Champion would sit back and let happen.That said, an independent suspension setup certainly has some advantages in rough, pot-hole riddled areas but under normal riding conditions it is difficult to discern any huge difference in ride quality. My opinion...yours may be different and I respect that.

Comanche, unless I missed it, did you say whether you had an independent or solid rear setup? I do agree with TT on the error message...your installer should check that out.

 

[Nana]

Comanche, I am NOT a mechanic, but my solid suspension Champion kit does not ride at all as you describe! Of course it is a little more rough than when I was on two wheels -- that is inevitable with the three points on the ground, I'd think. I will say I rode a trike without the front end raked before triking mine, and it was definitely harder, rougher ride than a trike with the rake. You don't mention if yours is raked, and perhaps your issue is entirely different, but I wonder if that would make any difference for you. Bazooka or Ultraboy of one of the others who are mechanics could certainly speak to that possibility.
All I can say is that I love my champion trike! It is a pleasure to ride, and it wouldn't be if it was as rough as you describe.....

 

[Road Runner]

I have had both. Solid axle on 05 GL 1800, rode pretty good, somewhat rougher on pot holed roads. With one up, not much preload needed, # 5 or so. Now riding 09 IRS Champion. It is a noticably smoother ride, especially on rough roads. Wife likes it much more.:yes:

 

[Comanche]

Since I got the vehicle already triked I was not privy to or knowledgeable enough to ask about the suspension. I am pretty sure I have the solid axle as this is an O6 Champion as is the GL 1800. No, the bike is not yet raked. Gary Pogue from another forum is selling me a 5.5 degree rake kit and has said in that forum that the raking will make the ride easier. I only posted the question here as after 24 hours on that board my question had not been answered.

As to the error message, I will take the trike to Austin, TX (No, I don't plan on running into the IRS building) to have the rake kit installed and will discuss the suspension error with the mechanic.

Thanks for your help.

:yes:

 

[TrikeTradersLLC]

Agree w/ Bazooka, not saying the Champion zero flex is inherently a bad ride....not at all. A properly built Champion is a great trike. We've built probably about a hundred or so of them over the years, and also have almost all satisfied customers. They are a good ride, built well, simple to work on, nice straight forward install and look sharp.

Problem is, we don't know what Comanche's expectations are. He admits he's new to triking. If I was used to riding in luxury cars and my first trike ride was on an 1800 wing with the Champion zero flex, no EZ steer, and took it over some rough roads, I might feel the same way. The EZ steer will go a long way to making the ride feel better. Getting used to the trike and learning some trike driving techniques will help also. For example, trying to take things like speed bumps, railroad tracks, and runoff dips as head on as you can, so both rear wheels encounter it at the same time...less side to side jostling.

Here's the thing....all trikes ride nice in a straight line on decent roads. And a solid axle trike is a cornering machine, they're nice & flat & stable. But there's little arguing that an IRS rides softer on rough roads....and some IRS's better than others, especially when also cornering on rough roads. If their sales were not falling, why else have major manufacturers with a history of non-IRS kits, like Champion and MotorTrike, spent so much time, effort, $ and marketing on new IRS conversions? Because the trike community/buyer is becoming better informed, and leaning towards the softer ride of the IRS conversions. They were seeing their market share shrink, while Roadsmith's, Hannigan's & DFT's grew....and they didn't want to be left behind. Smart move on their part. We'll see what Lehman does, now that they lost the Harley deal, will they also change their philosophy and build an IRS??

Thanks for the offer Comanche, but we already have a guinea pig for our 'improvement', and so far him and his wife are loving the softer ride. He had considered selling his Champion zero-flex trike and getting a newer wing with a Hannigan conversion. This may convince him to stick with the Champion for a while. If we end up working out logistics on this thing and making it available, it will be posted here on the boards for any who may be interested.

 

[Comanche]

Problem is, we don't know what Comanche's expectations are. He admits he's new to triking. If I was used to riding in luxury cars and my first trike ride was on an 1800 wing with the Champion zero flex, no EZ steer, and took it over some rough roads, I might feel the same way. The EZ steer will go a long way to making the ride feel better. Getting used to the trike and learning some trike driving techniques will help also. For example, trying to take things like speed bumps, railroad tracks, and runoff dips as head on as you can, so both rear wheels encounter it at the same time...less side to side jostling.

.

I am a guy that has ridden a dirt bike Elsinore 250 and and although I have luxury cars, I do not begin to equate the ride of my Cadillac and a trike to be anywhere similar. That said, yesterday I drove over a a very small patch of unimproved road and the buffeting I took jarred the heck out of me. It was bad enough that my teeth rattled and my rotten shoulders really hurt.

I have travelled unimproved roads in Jeeps in Vietnam and South America and those rides were much more comfortable than the jarring I took yesterday.

Sunday or Monday I will go back to that area and take a photo or two of the road to show that the roadway was not that rough, but when I went over it at about 15 MPH I was shaken, but not stirred.

Not trying to flame any brand of trike I love being on one, but expect a smoother ride or will invest in something to make the ride better.

 

[TrikeTradersLLC]

Thanks for the input, gives us a much better idea of where you're coming from. It certainly sounds to me like your trike is riding much harder than it should, and would suggest taking it to a Champion dealer to have it looked at. This is not typical of the ride quality of a properly built and functioning Champion. I hope you can get this figured out....I'd say bring it to us, but we're halfway across the country. If Gary of LoneStar is sending you to his man George in TX, you should be well taken care of.

 

[Gorilla]

Possibly bad shocks?????? My Champion straight axle rides very nicely on roads like you are describing.

 

[1800 06 Champion Trike]

We love our Champion Solid Axle.
I bought it new and played with the suspension and air in the tires.
I now have it set perfect.
Now have over 20,000 miles and we love it.

 

[Comanche]

Gary Pogue from Lone Star Trikes has sold me a 5.5 degree steering kit. I am taking the bike to Austin, TX tomorrow to have that installed. Gary said that with the rake kit installed that will smooth out the ride. Thanks for all of the inputs.

 

[JJTRIKER]

Commache also check those rear shocks if you are running to much air that also can reek havoc with the suspension. You want the rear lower than the front. I ride a champion with no rake because they dont make one for mine. I also suggest running michelin pilot active rear tire reversed rotation with 41 lbs. Of air. Since they will already have the front end off now would be a great time to do the tire. In all the trikes i have had you mess with the year shocks everything else needs to be addressed.
Thats my nickels worth

 

[John Luciano]

Going out on a fence here Have you tried different tire gages. Just a thought . bigg difference between 24# and 22# . i ride my late friends 2002 Goldwing Champion. That is one of the earliest ones. Yes if I hit a real bad highway bridge separation I get a complaint from my rear passenger. Other than that the ride is good.( My personal ride is a DFT ). Now are you talking about the side to side movement. Unlike a 2 wheeler you don't get the rocking horse effect. the bike will wobble on uneven surfaces.<br />
<br />
{They were seeing their market share shrink, while Roadsmith's, Hannigan's & DFT's grew....and they didn't want to be left behind.

Smart move on their part. We'll see what Lehman does, now that they lost the Harley deal, will they also change their philosophy and build an IRS??}<br />
Where did you hear this ?

 

[BoomBoom61]

I have a champion trike kit and it just floats under me..Boom

 

[Comanche]

The trike is at a mechanic's house for a rake kit. I will ask him to check the suspension and shocks. He already told me that the brake line was floating in the air (he has to build a bracket to hold it) He also said there were a few other things that were not built right. Until he got mad and quit he was the lead mechanic at a local Honda and BMW shop. <br />
<br />
As I find out more about this I will report back.

 

[John Luciano]

A local shop/dealer ( Honda/Yamaha. Suzuki ) was written up I our local paper. They mentioned they will be building Champion trikes. Said it will fill in the winter time for the mechanics. Also said should take about 2 days to build. They never did one before and I can see they are in for a surprise. It takes time and experience . The first choice when choosing a trike is the builder. A great trike and a bad builder make a bad trike/and unhappy customer. . Still want to know about the Harley deal with Lehman

 

[Smoken'JOE]

A local shop/dealer ( Honda/Yamaha. Suzuki ) was written up I our local paper. They mentioned they will be building Champion trikes. Said it will fill in the winter time for the mechanics. Also said should take about 2 days to build. They never did one before and I can see they are in for a surprise. It takes time and experience . The first choice when choosing a trike is the builder. A great trike and a bad builder make a bad trike/and unhappy customer. . Still want to know about the Harley deal with Lehman

I was told Harley builds the front end of the bike and ships it to Lehman. They add the kit and ship it back.

 

[john]

Comanche i have a 08 wing with a 09 champion trike kit. we love it. it corners like a rocket on rails. i have my rear tires a 20 lbs my preload set at no. 5 and my front tire at 41 lbs. we think it rides great.

 

[John Luciano]

A statement was made that Lehman lost the Harley contract.

 

[JJTRIKER]

thats what i read. harley will be building them in house in pa.

 

[John Luciano]

Using what for a rear kit?

 

[BoomBoom61]

Before I had the EZsteer, it wasn't that it was a rough ride, it was hard to steer..one of the big dudes got on my trike and said he didn't know how I drove it..so I had the Ez steer put on, 4.5 rake, which was easier to turn..the roughness, seems more like shocks...Rock has a 2007 Boss Hoss 32 coupe..now you talk about a gut jarring ride front or back..he does not have the air-ride on the 2007..we live in Michigan and they are the worst roads in the USA..when I turn at a lite on a rough road I do squak one of my back tires..it is not independent suspension..otherwise I float along..my spirit is one with my iron horse..Boom

 

[1800 06 Champion Trike]

We stopped in at Lehman this past summer on our way home from Yellowstone.
Took a factory tour and they had the fronts of Harleys there waiting to be triked.
Also across the freeway, there were 10 new and used Goldwing/Lehman Trikes at the Honda Dealer. He said they were selling well.

 

[Comanche]

Saturday, I picked up my trike after it received risers (position 1) and a 5.5 rake kit. I had to drive it back from Austin, TX about 55 miles as the trailer my friend brought down to carry the trike back was too short.

Several people told me after the thing got raked it would be not only easier to steer. A big +++++ for that. I have a broken shoulder, neck bone spurs and arthritis through out my arms, shoulders and the trike steers like a cloud.

It also rides much smoother as well. Now, I look forward to riding. When I first got the trike is was not very pleasant. It sure is now.

Lot of opinions about tire pressure. My installer put 41 in the front and 25 in the rear. The low suspension is set at 4. and I like the ride just fine.

 

[Gorilla]

Saturday, I picked up my trike after it received risers (position 1) and a 5.5 rake kit. I had to drive it back from Austin, TX about 55 miles as the trailer my friend brought down to carry the trike back was too short.

Several people told me after the thing got raked it would be not only easier to steer. A big +++++ for that. I have a broken shoulder, neck bone spurs and arthritis through out my arms, shoulders and the trike steers like a cloud.

It also rides much smoother as well. Now, I look forward to riding. When I first got the trike is was not very pleasant. It sure is now.

Lot of opinions about tire pressure. My installer put 41 in the front and 25 in the rear. The low suspension is set at 4. and I like the ride just fine.

Glad it all worked out for you.

 

[grillmate]

Having built dozens and dozens of Champion trikes and I would have to say that I respectfully disagree with the idea that Champion Trikes inherently ride rough. The customers we have built Champion Trikes for LOVE them. Look on any trike board out there and talk to multiple Champion trike owners and you will just not hear this complaint. Champion is one of the largest and most respected trike manufacturers out there and if there had been ongoing complaints about a to-harsh ride it would have been resolved long before now. Poor ride quality = Loss of sales....not a situation Champion would sit back and let happen.That said, an independent suspension setup certainly has some advantages in rough, pot-hole riddled areas but under normal riding conditions it is difficult to discern any huge difference in ride quality. My opinion...yours may be different and I respect that.<br />
<br />
Comanche, unless I missed it, did you say whether you had an independent or solid rear setup? I do agree with TT on the error message...your installer should check that out.</div>

</div>
</div>
</div>I totally agree. Maybe you can help me with one problem. Since the kit was installed I have quite a vibration when I excelerate hard. I replaced the drive shaft and double checked everything I can think of but it still vibrates.

Any ideas?

 

[grillmate]

I LOVE my Champion kit. I did get eh independent suspension and its smooth as silk.