How to Ride a Trike

[Maryland Triker]

I was browsing the trike sites and came across this interesting article on the Lehman site.
http://www.lehmantrikes.com/img/cms_doc/RoadRunner_April2010_HowtoRideaTrike_Low.pdf

 

[Boscoporp]

Thanks for the information. Any idea about the short video they refer to watch????

 

[tfdeputydawg]

maybe they need a little education:
All units have a hand brake. NO THEY DON'T
The wheel base of a trike is the same as that of a 2 wheeler. NOT ALL OF THEM! MY HANNIGAN HAS A LONGER WHEEL BASE WHICH IS ONE OF THE REASONS IT RIDES SMOOTHER THAN THOSE NOT EXTENDED!
Having 2 rear wheels doubles the power of the rear brakes. I BELIEVE IT IMPROVES BRAKING BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF RUBBER IN CONTACT W/THE STREET BUT DOUBLED-I'M NOT SURE OF THAT. ESPECIALLY ON BIKES THAT ARE ABS EQUIPPED
Even in panics stops a trike stays straight. NOT IF YOU'RE IN A CORNER WHEN YOU "PANIC".
THE HEAD WOBBLE @ LOW SPEED TALKED ABOUT IS NON-EXISTENT IF YOUR FRONT FORKS ARE PROPERLY RAKED AND THE HEAD BEARINGS ARE PROPERLY TORQUED, ESPECIALLY IF YOU CHANGE TO TAPERED BEARINGS.

 

[bumlbe]

maybe they need a little education:
All units have a hand brake. NO THEY DON'T
The wheel base of a trike is the same as that of a 2 wheeler. NOT ALL OF THEM! MY HANNIGAN HAS A LONGER WHEEL BASE WHICH IS ONE OF THE REASONS IT RIDES SMOOTHER THAN THOSE NOT EXTENDED!
Having 2 rear wheels doubles the power of the rear brakes. I BELIEVE IT IMPROVES BRAKING BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF RUBBER IN CONTACT W/THE STREET BUT DOUBLED-I'M NOT SURE OF THAT. ESPECIALLY ON BIKES THAT ARE ABS EQUIPPED
Even in panics stops a trike stays straight. NOT IF YOU'RE IN A CORNER WHEN YOU "PANIC".
THE HEAD WOBBLE @ LOW SPEED TALKED ABOUT IS NON-EXISTENT IF YOUR FRONT FORKS ARE PROPERLY RAKED AND THE HEAD BEARINGS ARE PROPERLY TORQUED, ESPECIALLY IF YOU CHANGE TO TAPERED BEARINGS.

I suspect that they should have had a title HOW TO RIDE A LEHMAN TRIKE.

Its an interesting issue about the hand or park brake. Every Lehman conversion has one if I am not mistaken.

Roadsmith is another conversion that has a parking brake as standard equipment. On their website they show the requirements set by the National Hiway Administration. One is that a parking brake is required on all trikes. I am not sure if all manufactures offer hand brakes, I know that Motor Trike does, and its not cheap.

One thing that they don't mention. I rode four wheelers a lot so when I got on a trike, it was no problem for me. I never once thought about putting my feet down or leaning.

When I was shopping for a trike conversion for my wing and asked what the price was for the parking brake, several sales people would say you don't
need that.

Their price was more competitive when they didn't include the parking brake.

I got a parking brake on my Motor Trike and I would like to think that I need it!

 

[Triker Mike]

Roadsmith is another conversion that has a parking brake as standard equipment. On their website they show the requirements set by the National Hiway Administration. One is that a parking brake is required on all trikes. I am not sure if all manufactures offer hand brakes, I know that Motor Trike does, and its not cheap.

I have a 2008 kit(Roadsmith) on my 96 wing & it didn't come with a parking brake. I wish it did cause now it is too dam* expensive to put one on

 

[tfdeputydawg]

RoadSmith is another conversion that has a parking brake as standard equipment. On their website they show the requirements set by the National Hiway Administration. One is that a parking brake is required on all trikes. I am not sure if all manufactures offer hand brakes, I know that Motor Trike does, and its not cheap.

I have a 2008 kit(RoadSmith) on my 96 wing & it didn't come with a parking brake. I wish it did cause now it is too dam* expensive to put one on

Need a little help here. Your statement, highlighted above, would mean some trike conversion companies are producing and marketing illegal products?
I searched both RoadSmith and NHSTB web sights.
I can not find any mention of a parking brake requirement!
Can you please post a link about it, especially to the place on the RoadSmith sight that shows trike requirements.
If they are required, they would have to be standard equipment on all trike conversion kits, not optional!

Thanks

 

[Comanche]

I cannot attest to laws regarding parking brakes on trikes in any other state but Texas. There is no requirement for a trike to have a parking brake in Texas.

 

[0tolerance]

Pretty cool, article, interesting at least. I have a parking brake on mine, and am glad I have one, dont always have a flat surface to park on, especially in my drive way.

 

[kj5ix]

Need a little help here. Your statement, highlighted above, would mean some trike conversion companies are producing and marketing illegal products?
I searched both RoadSmith and NHSTB web sights.
I can not find any mention of a parking brake requirement!
Can you please post a link about it, especially to the place on the RoadSmith sight that shows trike requirements.
If they are required, they would have to be standard equipment on all trike conversion kits, not optional!

Thanks

Trikes: HSC1800 : Roadsmith Trikes
About a third the way down under the heading Disc Brakes

Disc Brakes

Large disc brakes more than handle the stopping of this trike. Remember trikes stop faster and easier than bikes. With more tire contact area and much better stability, braking a trike is not the white knuckled balancing act that a bike can be. All the Roadsmith trike conversions come with the NHTSA required mechanically actuated parking brake. This feature is not only Federal law, but it is very useful when warming up or parking your trike on an incline. The wheel bearings, calipers and rotors are all from a high production automobile application known as the VW Beetle. Like all of our constructed drive train, we use everyday parts off the shelf for your convenience

 

[Ozarkryder]

Article is interesting and somewhat informative, but seems to be mostly a marketing piece to calm the fears of someone getting into triking. The video would be interesting to see.

Our own Experienced Rider thread is much more comprehensive.

 

[tfdeputydawg]

Trikes: HSC1800 : Roadsmith Trikes
About a third the way down under the heading Disc Brakes

Disc Brakes

Large disc brakes more than handle the stopping of this trike. Remember trikes stop faster and easier than bikes. With more tire contact area and much better stability, braking a trike is not the white knuckled balancing act that a bike can be. All the Roadsmith trike conversions come with the NHTSA required mechanically actuated parking brake. This feature is not only Federal law, but it is very useful when warming up or parking your trike on an incline. The wheel bearings, calipers and rotors are all from a high production automobile application known as the VW Beetle. Like all of our constructed drive train, we use everyday parts off the shelf for your convenience

Thank you. Now confused even further!
Mine is a Hannigan-No parking brake-not even an option! So is John breaking the law with each conversion sold or has that requirement been rescinded?

 

[kj5ix]

Hummmmmmmm!!! Now I really don't know but I have to call here in a few, and will find out,,,:Shrug:

 

[Papa Zook]

maybe they need a little education:
All units have a hand brake. NO THEY DON'T
The wheel base of a trike is the same as that of a 2 wheeler. NOT ALL OF THEM! MY HANNIGAN HAS A LONGER WHEEL BASE WHICH IS ONE OF THE REASONS IT RIDES SMOOTHER THAN THOSE NOT EXTENDED!
Having 2 rear wheels doubles the power of the rear brakes. I BELIEVE IT IMPROVES BRAKING BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF RUBBER IN CONTACT W/THE STREET BUT DOUBLED-I'M NOT SURE OF THAT. ESPECIALLY ON BIKES THAT ARE ABS EQUIPPED
Even in panics stops a trike stays straight. NOT IF YOU'RE IN A CORNER WHEN YOU "PANIC".
THE HEAD WOBBLE @ LOW SPEED TALKED ABOUT IS NON-EXISTENT IF YOUR FRONT FORKS ARE PROPERLY RAKED AND THE HEAD BEARINGS ARE PROPERLY TORQUED, ESPECIALLY IF YOU CHANGE TO TAPERED BEARINGS.

Dawg-
I read the article and want to point out that it was written by a contributor for Roadrunner Magazine, not anyone from Lehman. If you read what the guy writes, he says he took the riders training course at Lehman and was brand new to triking, this was apparently his first experience. He was basing his very limited info on the Lehman trikes he saw and rode and not all others.

I love to see all the recent positive press on trikes in the "bike" magazines. I would agree with every point he made in terms of braking, headshake, etc.


Interesting on the parking brake thing. As far as I know most states dont require one.

 

[tfdeputydawg]

Thank you, good explanation!

Zook,
Early in my trike testing days, the low speed head shake or wobble was very present in every trike I rode that did not have the raked trees and tapered bearings.

One of the worst was a Yamaha Venture with trike conversion fabricated at a Yamaha dealer in Southern Indiana. It with increasing force until you hit about 40, then went away! That dealer has since stopped fabricating conversions and is selling a couple of the major brands. He will not sell one without rake and tapered bearings! Did his fabricated conversion contribute to the front problem-probably. Do all trikes without rake/tapered bearings have the low speed shake/wobble-don't know but, all I rode sure did.

That was even a deal breaker on a very nice 1500 Wing w/Champion trike about 8yrs ago. When I questioned the shop owner, I was told the head bearings probably need torqued. My response, why wouldn't you check that before you let it out for a demo ride? Needless to say, didn't buy there!

 

[kj5ix]

Pretty much the same info as I just got also.

 

[Lunchbox1983]

Roadsmith is another conversion that has a parking brake as standard equipment. On their website they show the requirements set by the National Hiway Administration. One is that a parking brake is required on all trikes. I am not sure if all manufactures offer hand brakes, I know that Motor Trike does, and its not cheap.

I have a 2008 kit(Roadsmith) on my 96 wing & it didn't come with a parking brake. I wish it did cause now it is too dam* expensive to put one on

I too have a 96 wing but a 2010 Roadsmith kit and it has the parking brake, strange

 

[Jackal08]

Very good article...thank you for the link to it. I am still learning to ride my trike and am one of the ones that had to unlearn two wheeler habits. My 2008 Suzuki / Lehman trike has a parking brake on it.

 

[KRUZR]

I have been following everybody discussion on the forum about how to ride a Trike and which conversion is best. My Trike was delivered Thursday and after checking the tire pressure I went to a parking lot to practiced some the techniques I've learned from this forum. When I got over there I could go about 10 mph in a circle both ways and once I realized how much muscle it took to maintain running in a circle and that the Trike wasn't going to tip over, 20 mph is fairly easy . It's a Harley Davidson /CSC Daytona conversion. The head doesn't shake and it may ride better than my Honda Ridgeline truck. My 103 pushes it down the rode very well but the gas mileage has dropped 8 to 9 mpg at all kinds of speeds as fast as 85. It handles well! Thanks everyone!

 

[Gorilla]

I have been following everybody discussion on the forum about how to ride a Trike and which conversion is best. My Trike was delivered Thursday and after checking the tire pressure I went to a parking lot to practiced some the techniques I've learned from this forum. When I got over there I could go about 10 mph in a circle both ways and once I realized how much muscle it took to maintain running in a circle and that the Trike wasn't going to tip over, 20 mph is fairly easy . It's a Harley Davidson /CSC Daytona conversion. The head doesn't shake and it may ride better than my Honda Ridgeline truck. My 103 pushes it down the rode very well but the gas mileage has dropped 8 to 9 mpg at all kinds of speeds as fast as 85. It handles well! Thanks everyone!

Congrats nice trike and ride safe.

 

[icu2]

I have a GoldWing 1800. Whebn parking on uneven surfaces, I usually leave my Trike in reverse. When warming up my engine, I put my Trike in reverse. The Trike will not move until the reverse button is pushed requardless engine running or not running. Anyone else do this? I have no need for a parking brake on my Champion Trike kit.

 

[Cycleguy]

I have a GoldWing 1800. Whebn parking on uneven surfaces, I usually leave my Trike in reverse. When warming up my engine, I put my Trike in reverse. The Trike will not move until the reverse button is pushed requardless engine running or not running. Anyone else do this? I have no need for a parking brake on my Champion Trike kit.

Some do, some don't because they worry about it getting stuck in reverse. Hard to say how much of a problem that is, but it has been reported.

 

[Lehman Trikes]

Need a little help here. Your statement, highlighted above, would mean some trike conversion companies are producing and marketing illegal products?
I searched both RoadSmith and NHSTB web sights.
I can not find any mention of a parking brake requirement!
Can you please post a link about it, especially to the place on the RoadSmith sight that shows trike requirements.
If they are required, they would have to be standard equipment on all trike conversion kits, not optional!

Thanks

Good discussion on a topic with much misinformation circulated over the years. Vehicle Safety Standards are Federal. There are written standards and test criteria which manufactures are supposed to comply with, but no all-inclusive third party "certification". So in fact OEM manufacturers like Harley Davidson and Can Am choose to be compliant, as does Lehman. Others may not. These standards are quite extensive, but the park brake makes for good discussion because it is so obviously visible.

Here's the link on trike brakes, specifically 5.1.4 and 5.6 on pages 402 and 403.

http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/get-cfr.cgi?TITLE=49&PART=571&SECTION=122&YEAR=2000&TYPE=PDF