do all trikes have handlebar shake problems?

[krazybob]

I recently bought a 2007 Kawasaki Vulcan 1500 Classic with a Voyager kit installed. I've been riding two wheels for many years, but thought I'd try a trike. I didn't want to spend $25-30K for a trike just to see if I would like it, so I bought this bike with the kit in case I didn't care for riding the trike, I could revert back to two wheels. I set the preload to 1", and pumped up the rear shocks to 80% and inflated the bike tires to their correct setting. Then took it for a local ride. Some of our two lane country roads have a few rough patches, and found that going throgh them at the posted speed, the handlebars really shook bad. My question is, is this just how a Voyager rides, or do regular 3 wheeled trikes have the handlebars shake when riding rough roads too ? Riding the freeway at 70-75 is smooth with no vibrations at all.

 

[Gorilla]

Krazybob, If you were to rake the front forks it would improve your situation tremendously. But being that you are dealing with a voyager that can be removed you might not want to do that. The rake on the bike without the voyager would not be good. Rake besides making the steering easier helps cancel out the fork shake.

 

[Loner]

Tighten (or have someone tighten) your steering neck torque (tighten bearings a bit) and I'll bet you will see a moticeable improvement in your handling. As you reralize the Voyager kit is a compromise, but the bike usually will not pick up any major bad habits like you describe without an adjustable cure (other than harder steering).

 

[oldman]

RELAX you will see you will have a lot less handlebars shake when you stop feighting the handlebars your arm are your shock and yes i had to tighten the steering neck a bit in my 93 GW know i only have little shake at 2or3 mph at very slow speed and that is in a turn in parking lot no shake out on the road

 

[Woolie]

Progressive fork springs took care of the front end shake on my Kawasaki Voyager w/voyager kit, that and tightening the bearings a little. You probably had a little bit of shake without the kit but didn't notice it. A good test is; at about 10 to 15 mph let go of the grips (but keep your hands ready to grab hold again) and slap either bar (left or right) with your palm and see if the shake starts. Be ready to grab hold and stop the shake because it can get pretty wild real quick. This test works on a 2 wheeler also and I have seen shake on several makes and models with and without trike kits but a little tightening usually takes care of most of it.

 

[Boscoporp]

My 2003 Honda Gold Wing don't!

 

[Duffy]

My 05 1500 Classic w/Voyager kit does at low speed w/ rough roads. A loose grip certainly helps.

 

[berngren]

My 09 RSV with Hannigan kit don't.

 

[krazybob]

Actually, the shaking occurs on bumpy roads, and the hard shaking occurs on very rough roads. Other than those instances, it rides just fine.

 

[morrishuckeba]

No handlebar shake on my Roadsmith kit, I have not put on a rake kit.

 

[krazybob]

I guess I have no option other than live with the beast :-( Shake on !!

 

[ricle41]

Krazybob, If you were to rake the front forks it would improve your situation tremendously. But being that you are dealing with a voyager that can be removed you might not want to do that. The rake on the bike without the voyager would not be good. Rake besides making the steering easier helps cancel out the fork shake.

I have a '04 Honda VTX 1300 that I will probably add a trike kit this spring. I am thinking Voyager or Trigg so I can go back and forth to two wheel. I have seen this statement before, about rake not being good for two wheeling, yet on other forums, they add rake to customized two wheeler all the time.

What's the best? Why is rake bad for two wheeling?

 

[PARTICLE]

My GL1800 does at low speeds if I hit a small bump. Need to keep at least one hand on the handle bars.

 

[leo3wheel]

My 09 RSV with Hannigan kit don't.

Wow Bernie! Same bike as ours, but customizations really give it a different look. She's a beauty!! ThumbUp

 

[paulmac1]

My 1800 wing had the head shake problem until i installed a fork brace, that solved the problem and i left the brace on when i triked the bike, i also added a five and one half degree rake kit, its one sweet ride now

 

[berngren]

Thanks Leo. This was the owner of the shop idea. He wanted different appearance. It really came out nice. Hopefully, you'll see it in 2012 on my way to Americade.