coverting a Trike Glide to independent suspension

[clint44]

Converting a TG to IRS doesn't make much sense,financially.

 

[GARYD]

I live in Illinois too; where do you find "mostly good roads.....95% of the time"? And, yes I do have a bad back - probably due to the Illinois roads! $6K I could probably justify but I understand that the current price is more like $8K + 12 hours labor makes it about a $10K proposition. That's insane and waaay out of my reach!

I haven't found a bad road yet - except every street in the city of Chicago....which I do not go to. If I do find a bad road, I will go around it in the future - a no brainer. Our chapter rides every weekend and so far they haven't found a bad road either. ThumbUp

I just got back from Rolling Thunder. Trip was 2450 miles round trip - other then the streets in DC we didn't encounter any bad roads. I don't know where all these bad roads are that would require an IRS. I'm glad I can't find them.

Clint44, I agree with you 100% - for me even $500 would be too much.

 

[GARYD]

Just returned from Rolling Thunder, boy have TriGlides really taken off. 4 years ago when I got my first TG there were very few there, this year they were everywhere and in packs. LOL. Goldwing trikes too.
On the way home instead of doing the Cherohala Skyway, we left the Blue Ridge Parkway, and headed to the Dragon. I wanted to see if I could repeat my challenge to debunk the myth that TG's can't handle. A couple years ago I reported on my quest to ride and keep up with some rice rockets on the BRP. I succeeded. Now I wanted a real challenge and decided on the Dragon. I waited for some bikes to come by and jumped behind 2 Harley Limiteds. No problems - kept up with them for about a third of the length of the Dragon (they were not riding sedately either - I think they were trying to escape from me - fat chance -

). I had to pull over to wait for my traveling buddy to catch up. I did get a good workout on that ride. Thankfully, going to the gym every other day really helped. It was invigorating. LOL
If someone says TG's can't handle, they don't know what they're talking about.<!-- google_ad_section_end -->
Don't know if an IRS would have made any difference or not.

 

[chiefski76]

Bad Roads

I haven't found a bad road yet - except every street in the city of Chicago....which I do not go to. If I do find a bad road, I will go around it in the future - a no brainer. Our chapter rides every weekend and so far they haven't found a bad road either. ThumbUp

Gary you need to ride more on the secondary roads of "Crook" (Cook) County - then you'll find them. There are times when it isn't an option to avoid stretches of rough road.
I believe you made an earlier comment about test riding a trike with IRS and found it smoothed the bumps out as compared to a straight axle trike.
The biggest negative factor that I can see with the IRS conversion is the extremely high cost.
When you consider how much Harley gets for a Tri Glide Ultra you'd think that they'd put a smoother riding rear suspension on it; not an old Servicar design.

 

[clint44]

Gary you need to ride more on the secondary roads of "Crook" (Cook) County - then you'll find them. There are times when it isn't an option to avoid stretches of rough road.
I believe you made an earlier comment about test riding a trike with IRS and found it smoothed the bumps out as compared to a straight axle trike.
The biggest negative factor that I can see with the IRS conversion is the extremely high cost.
When you consider how much Harley gets for a Tri Glide Ultra you'd think that they'd put a smoother riding rear suspension on it; not an old Servicar design.

Please do not interrupt Gary when he's ranting about IRS. He is so entertaining. :laugh:

 

[chiefski76]

Speaking About Ranting -

Please do not interrupt Gary when he's ranting about IRS. He is so entertaining. :laugh:

I can understand why he rants about IRS. I went from a Road Glide to a Tri Glide and wound up trading bad knees for a bad back. And that's not to mention head shake which is another great trike feature. Certainly keeps my self-winding wrist watch wound!

 

[trikermutha]

Well I know the roads in the Chicago area are not the best..Drive south down 55 sometime and hope you don't hit any of those large pot holes. They patched most but still have to cross lanes at times and have to drive over a ruff surface.
Not sure who they contracted to resurface 55 at the time but never seen that much damage after one winter.

Or my favorite is your driving and don't see that pothole until the last second it sure jars the bones. :xzqxz:

 

[GARYD]

Like I said, I stay away from Cook county/Chicago. 95% of our riding in west and north and some south - I stay away for going east as much as possible.

Yes, I did say the IRS was better on bad bumpy roads (no one disputes that fact) - I also said I stay away from bad bumpy roads as much as possible.

You are absolutely right about the cost as being the biggest negative for IRS.

I bet if people stopped buying the TG and telling the dealers it's because of the solid axle, Harley would put in an IRS immediately, but since that's not the case, the TG will continue with the solid axle, and they will sell every one.

Clint, How does giving my opinion on the IRS/solid axle make you say I'm yelling angrily, loudly and wildly???

Am I not aloud to have an opinion? I give both pros and cons on it. ThumbUp

 

[clint44]

Like I said, I stay away from Cook county/Chicago. 95% of our riding in west and north and some south - I stay away for going east as much as possible.

Yes, I did say the IRS was better on bad bumpy roads (no one disputes that fact) - I also said I stay away from bad bumpy roads as much as possible.

You are absolutely right about the cost as being the biggest negative for IRS.

I bet if people stopped buying the TG and telling the dealers it's because of the solid axle, Harley would put in an IRS immediately, but since that's not the case, the TG will continue with the solid axle, and they will sell every one.

Clint, How does giving my opinion on the IRS/solid axle make you say I'm yelling angrily, loudly and wildly???

Am I not aloud to have an opinion? I give both pros and cons on it. ThumbUp

Of course,you have a right to your own opinion,Gary. Sorry you thought that wasn't the case. If you or anyone else were offended,I apologize.

 

[Fireman Will]

I can understand why he rants about IRS. I went from a Road Glide to a Tri Glide and wound up trading bad knees for a bad back. And that's not to mention head shake which is another great trike feature. Certainly keeps my self-winding wrist watch wound!

I have the best of both worlds, RoadGlide with IRS! just saying it can be done!epper:

 

[chiefski76]

Road Glide TRike

I have the best of both worlds, RoadGlide with IRS! just saying it can be done!epper:

Whose conversion kit is it and who did the work for you? Distinctive looking ride!
In retrospect, that's what I wish I had done. Hindsight is always 20-20, isn't it?

 

[Fireman Will]

Whose conversion kit is it and who did the work for you? Distinctive looking ride!
In retrospect, that's what I wish I had done. Hindsight is always 20-20, isn't it?

Hannigan Motorsports kit. Bazooka from Triketalk.com hooked me up. ABS, Trailer tow, progressive suspension and more.

 

[GARYD]

I have the best of both worlds, RoadGlide with IRS! just saying it can be done!epper:

Looks awesome.

 

[dannymax]

Not sure if this is covered elsewhere in the forum but there is a conversion kit for the Tri-Glide & Freewheeler on Flea-Bay.

Made by IMC Trike Factory and distributed by Trikers Choice.

A little pricey at $8500, some buying options can reduce that to $7500, and it's a bolt on kit.

Did I mention it's $8500? :xzqxz:

 

[MDO]

OMG! For that price, my FW rides just fine.

 

[dannymax]

OMG! For that price, my FW rides just fine.

Mine too!

 

[Jack Klarich]

OMG! For that price, my FW rides just fine.

Mine too!

Me three:clapping: