Am New member and have worry about buying tirke,

[tims1224]

Am thinking about riding a trike had a severe accident jun/07 kid pulled car right in front of me. After settling court case and rehabbing am now want to go back to riding-- My friends are a group of Harley riders. I tried a triglide at a dealer, rode it a few miles, it seemed tippy and it is sure different steering, Do you get used to that? Also if you ride w/ two-wheelers can you keep up? Any info will help. I will be back tomorrow to read replies- have to go now thanks in advance! tims1224

 

[Tango]

Tim you need to try some other trikes. Give them a good ride. California Side Car and Roadsmith have wheelbases 10" longer than others. And most are coming out with independent suspensions which handle fantastic. Trikes can be ridden very fast. Once you become proficient with them you should have no problem keeping up with most 2 wheelers. You also want to try trikes that have been raked. Hope that helps some. You are in the right place to ask. Welcome. Tom

 

[John Luciano]

I question is , will they keep up to you . Get the tippy notion out of your head. My trike would rather slide than tip going around a corner. I have heard that people have raised the inside rear wheel a few inches off the ground but I have never seen it. I feel the steering learning curve is at lest 500 miles .It took me all of that to get use to mine . After 30,000 i can now pretty much take any corner at 10 over the speed limit sign . I can take most corners ( curves ) with only my right had on the grip. If I had the front raked I could do all of them one handed.

 

[katfish16]

John, is correct, can they keep up with U???? Maybe someone will post the link to the U-tube video of Nana and JUJU on the dragon.. that will show U how well a trike can handle and how a 2 wheeler keeps up with them....
Welcome to the board.. Also I would ride several different brands, because ur friends ride Harleys does not mean U have too...since U R paying for it U might as well make sure U R going to be happy with it..
good luck..

 

[Gorilla]

tims1224, I have a HD 07 Police bike converted with a Champion conversion. Did all the work myself. 5 degree rake. I have 30k miles under my 3 wheel belt and 40 years+ 2 wheels. I have ridden very aggressively on 3 wheels and you will not tip it so do not worry. Get a trike that is properly raked and the steering also becomes a none issue. I am a Harley person but the other major bikes make fine trikes also. Go for what you like, try it and do not worry about what your buddies say. Your real friends will still be beside you.

 

[Ozarkryder]

As far as you feeling the trike is "tippy", think about how a bike and a trike turn. A 2 wheeler leans over in a curve along with your body. The forces on you and the bike are mostly along the line down the middle of your body through the bike to the road. A trike doesn't lean over, so the forces on you are pushing you to the side, more like when you take a corner in a car. You are used to being pushed down into the motorcycle seat in a curve, and the trike feels like you are going sideways. Not being used to that, the brain interpets it as that tippy feeling.

I have been able to keep up with pretty much any standard, cruiser or touring bike in the curves. Except for sportbikes with high pegs, on other bikes things begin to make sparks long before I think that a rear wheel will come up off the road on the trike.

As a side note, it is kind of traditional that trikes ride in the back of the pack. You'll hear lots of reasons for this like they block vision, they are slow, etc.
The real reason is that the bike riders don't want to be embarassed by having a trike so easily leave them behind.

 

[Nana]

Hi Tim...Welcome to the TrikeTalk family. Take riding easy to start out, but heck, you'll be leaving everyone in the dust once you get comfortable with it, particularly in the twisties . Once you find the trike that fits you, you'll be out there riding again in no time.

Here is the link katfish asked for:

YouTube - TRIKE TALK 2009

 

[sprt220]

Welcome to the forum.I have no problem keeping up with 2 wheelers. I agree it takes 400-500 miles to get used to the steering. Rake the front end. Mine is 6 degrees with a Champion kit.The first time I rode I thought,OMG this thing steers very weird and hoped I could get used to it.Well I love my trike and once you forget about leaning you will like it too. Good luck, Ken:yes:

 

[ricle41]

Welcome to the forum. You'll find a lot of great people and a lot of great info here.
I have put about 700 miles on my first trike. It is a '97 Aspencade with a CSC conversion ('03). This particular model has the solid ford rear axle and I love the way it handles. Haven't ridden the new independent suspension, but they would have to be really different to sell me any more than I am.
A couple of suggestions on cornering, one I got off one of these forums awhile back. When you go into a left turn (for example), concentrate on putting pressure with your left foot, downward on the left peg or floorboard. This is mostly for your head, but it does put you into more of an active role in cornering.
The second is: instead of thinking how much the trike is different than a bike in the corner, think more of comparing cornering of the trike to cornering a fine sports car. The rear of my trike gives me a very stable and solid feel as it comes around the corner. Although I haven't had the rear try to slip or slide, I have pushed it close to that point, and never did the trike feel unstable.
Just grin and ride, and in a few miles you'll wonder why anyone still rides on two! Oh yeah, the grin is only removable with surgery.

Dick

 

[tims1224]

Thanks to all who replied- much useful info-- is anyone out there who has new 2009/2010 Harley Ultra (lehmann) tri-glide can share thier riding savvy, do I need to extend the rake as someone suggested on the stock trike? again, thanks in advance. Tims1224

 

[Gorilla]

Tims1224. The HD Tri-Glide comes raked from the factory. No additional rake required.

 

[tims1224]

thanks to TMIGALA - Iron butt guy for the info that new Harley trikes are raked already from the factory. I will probably go with the Harley Ultra trike; and if I do, I will give it a good 500 miles practice-riding as suggested to get the feel of it. This site looks to be of great information for newbies and oldtimer trikesters--- Thanks again for the quick response.

 

[tims1224]

Well it happend this'away, after trying some demo rides and renting a harley trike for two days, my wife wanted to see what a new triglide looked like she googled it and came up w/ a harley that was on e-bay that really was an eye catcher. Next thing you know we were bidding on it. Wal-lah! we win the auction and I am the new owner of a 2010 Tri-Glide. This is one beautiful trike. I have alread put 240miles on it only had it a week. All the good advice you guys gave me has paid off. Last night I was doing figure eights (one hand in the pocket) it don't tip!. Am enrolled in a trike/sidecar safety class at a Junior College near me in July. Thanks again for this web-site and good guys and girls on it!

 

[skuuter]

WELCOME to TRIKE TALK.....Glad You got a Trike, and joined the BEST TRIKE FORUM out there. The Course sounds like a Great Idea also...never too much knowledge. I too have 40+ years of Motorcycle Riding, and hundreds of thousands of miles on the 2-wheelers, but the Trike (Gold Wing 1800 w/Motor Trike IRS and 4.5 degree Rake Kit) has become my ALL-TIME FAVORITE BIKE in 5000 miles of riding it.......ENJOY.....:wtg:.......and Nana, I watched the Dragon Video...GREAT JOB Folks.....:yay::wtg:

 

[Nana]

<b>Look out world, tims1224 is out in the wind again! </b> <img src="images/smilies/grin.gif" border="0" alt="" title="big grin" class="inlineimg" /><br />
That is the best news ever! And you are making the adjustment to steering with no difficulty. I have a feeling we'll all be having trouble keeping up. Congratulations.

 

[John Luciano]

Read all the comments and jump in any time . Don't forget the only dumb question is the one you don't ask.

 

[triwinggirl]

I got hit by a car once. i died 5 times in the ambulance. hit my head hard. it took me awhile but i got another 2 wheeler. then i found out i could not ride 2 wheels anymore. it took me a while longer but eventually i built my JOY. I luv my trike it's just like riding the bikes i have loved all my life, it gave me back my heart and soul. with my 1800 goldwing DFT it's a matter if they can keep up with me. you are going to get comfortable quick and ride the tires off it. Glad to see you here you gonna have so much fun.<br />
<br />
<img src="images/smilies/wave4.gif" border="0" alt="" title="Wave4" class="inlineimg" />:clan::yay::yay::yay:

 

[John Luciano]

I had a guy say to me in the Stop and Shop parking lot. "I would not be caught dead on one of them death traps, all you got to do is take a corner too sharp and you tip over . " I said really and how sharp is that ? I got on it and cut a tire spinning doughnut in front of him . After I picked up his teeth off the ground I said . So did it tip over ? He shut up tighter than a clam .

 

[TNTriker]

Welcome to a great forum from East Tennessee!

 

[Gorilla]

Congrats tims1224. <br />
<br />
triwinggirl I'm glad you are still with us. When there is a will there is away.