Do you think Trikes are Safer than Bikes?

[werewolf]

I don't know they are any safer.
This thought comes from recent close calls
with cars driven by clueless drivers.
After twice not being seen by drivers
in a town of 1200 population while
cruzin around at low speeds.
(in ONE day)
I think maybe the trike riders are better
and smarter due to age and experience.
This probably applys to anyone with
time on the road. (bike or trike)ThumbUp
I will be the first to admit, I don't
ride like I did at 16 yoa.

 

[rayg5102]

I will assume they are. At least that's what I will say to my wife. After I t-boned my 1100 Virago into a truck in 2003, I never figured she'd let me ride again..until she saw a trike up in Hd in York. She loved it, thought it was cool and 4 months later we have one. so YES it is safer. If you don't agree....don't tell my wife

 

[Bill Reber]

Rules of the road bike to Trike are almost the same and yes people will still pull out on you ! True trikes are more stable with the third wheel but that's about it.

 

[skuuter]

"Self-Balancing".....Definetly a safety plus in Parking Lots, Stop Sign/Traffic Light Situations, Gravel in the Road, Critters, Chased by Large Dogs, Tight Turn Radius Maneuvers.....ThumbUp

 

[onewing]

I am kinda pondering that dilemma. I had a trike built to see if i was able to ride again. I lost my right arm at the shoulder years ago and would watch bikes go by as life went by. I was talking to a friend of mine who has a custom bike and hotrod shop. He mentioned that i should think about a trike,maybe something not high dollar and he would make it so i could ride it with one arm.Amazingly a Voyager kit came into his shop and he put it on a 2002 Suzuki intruder 1500 and used a cable operated gas pedal to make it possible for me to ride.I have ridden for 10,000 miles and now am considering pulling the Voyager kit off as I am having steering problems and am wondering how safe or unsafe it will be...........Onewing

 

[rider1234us]

three wheels just don't maneuver like 2 wheels....i spent 40 plus years on 2 and the last 4 on three...just my opinion

 

[tom w]

like ron white said "you cant fix stupid"
I don't think it matters how many wheels you put on it

 

[orange winger2]

It all depends on the operator. I've ridden with both. I don't trust either with my life.:xzqxz: If I'm going to die or get hurt on either I want to do it self inflicted.

 

[captdanwh]

here are a few reasons i personally think trikes are safer. first , is you are a much larger object to be seen and i think that helps. second, is if ever forced off the road you have a good chance of keeping the trike upright and still be in the seat when it stops instead of the bike and you both lying down getting road rash or worse.

 

[Golden Dakota]

Yes, Yes and Yes again. To summarize:
They won't tip over under any of the many circumstances a bike can & will tip.
They can stop much quicker (in shorter distance) than a bike.
They will not skid and tip over in a panic stop.
They are much more visible in day and night to other drivers.
They will not tip over if your passenger makes an unexpected bad movement.
They will not skid and tip over if you encounter gravel or sand or rocks on the road.
They will not skid and tip over if you encounter gravel or sand or rocks in the middle of a corner(given you are riding sensibly).
They are much more stable on a wet or icy road.
Panic stops in the wet are much safer.
In extended stop and go traffic it is not fatiguing like a bike which can cause you to lose concentration.
It is not fatiguing when riding on extended gravel or sandy roads due to high concentration needed just to stay upright and on a straight line.
They are prone to being blown by high wind gusts but much easier to control than on a bike.
They can't fall over when you take them on the ferry and the weather turns bad.
Another area of safety not mentioned, is that they are much safer for a riders health, who has issues such as back problems - I have had 2 back operations and can't pick up a Goldwing when it tips, but I still try!
They are, all in all, more relaxed to drive on a long ride than a bike, which, IMHO must lead to a safer ride.

Now for the kicker....... I have just had my bike triked and only ridden it once so far, so everything I've said above is pure theory - but I will bet money that in a years time, I will still believe that everything I've written above is true!

Now, if I can only remember which way to push the handlebars when I want to make a turn..................

 

[SMSgt]

I believe both are inherently unsafe because we don't know the mental state or abilities of the idiot in the cage next to or behind us. I believe the trike would sustain the collision better, so I guess that makes them safer. IMHO

 

[the13bats]

Well it depends, delta trikes especially higher ones do not handle so great drivers of them have to get to know them, lower ones seem to do a bit better,
I believe that trikes can in most cases be seen better than 2 wheels,
I always have more lights on my trike than the mother ship from Zeta Reticuli which also helps being seen,

I always notice the sad reports of people hurt during bike week, but it's not the cruiser cats on their Hogs it's the squirrels on their crotch rockets getting stupid, well, seems to me trikers are more cruisers taking more care and enjoying the road so perhaps trikes help us be safe.

Here is wife on trike with about 1/2 the lights one...lol

 

[riverdoc]

1. Visibility - trike
2. Road surface - trike
3. Braking - trike
4. Low speed management - trike
5. Load distribution - trike
6. Ability to accelerate - bike
7. Safe riding two up - trike
8. Curves - trike
9. City traffic (stop and start) - trike
10. Clearance (gas stations, passing, etc) - bike
11. Wind management - trike
12. Weather (rain, snow, etc) - trike

RiverDoc

 

[Brewster]

I believe that trikes are safer than 2 wheelers. They are larger and I have never had to pick my trike up yet from falling over.

 

[aussietriker]

ok this is my own personal thoughts on the topic, which one is safer.
i,ve been riding trikes for 8 years now and have experienced a few things that happen on both trikes and two wheelers.
1. yes the trike is more noticeable due to it,s size but at the same time cagers do pull out in front of you because there busy doing something else, e.g. texting, talking on phone, reading a map whilst driving or getting up the kid in the back seat for playing up or whatever they did. i do not take it for granted that the cager has seen me and it,s registered in their head. i had one experience where the driver looked straight at me then pulled out and by the time we both came to a stop i,m looking straight down at the driver through there door and guess what, she had a map on the steering wheel and was more interested in reading that than concentrating on her driving.
2. i ride my trike hard at times but always away from suburbs and i,ve had the rear end sliding going around corners but not for one minute do i beleive that it wont tip over. all it takes is a pothole or the surface to drop away quickly for the tyre to dig in or be on a bad angle at speed and tip the trike over.
my trike is a yamaha roadstar with a solid rear axle and this thing does stick to the road like shit to a blanket and my arse is just 2 feet above the road and on the right or should i say the wrong surface it will slide sideways.
3. aquaplaning i have done and anybody would have done the same thing on this bit of road. a drop of 4 inches with water flowing over it and in heavy rain you dont see these road conditions until it,s too late. all three wheels aquaplaned me towards a truck, the driver seen me say oh **** and then it gripped on the front tyre and speared me off the road away from the truck.
4. here,s one that i never imagined happening and i bet not one of you guys would think it would happen. i snapped a handle bar riser going around a corner and had no control what so ever. they go straight when this happens and it,s a wild ride till they stop. lucky it was in town and the intersection was clear at the time. if this had of happened out on the highway i would,nt be here now.
5. dont ever think that because you ride a trike that it,s safer than a motorbike or a car or whatever because shit does happen no matter what your in control of because Murphys law will come into play at some stage.
6. enjoy riding your trike no matter what type it is but always ride within yours and the trikes limits and you should be safe out on the road but remember your driving for everybody else on the road not just yourself nowadays.

steve.

 

[Rubiconcruiser]

Trikes are inherently more dangerous especially to the new rider who is used to a two wheel setup. You're running into very dangerous territory riding two wheel style. You lean we push. Kinda crazy. But fun.
Be careful

 

[rhino 2]

Absolutely 3 wheels are safer than two. I've been riding bikes for over 40 years [still do]. I ride all year and that's where Trikes come into my life.
It snows , I just Wait for the plows to go by and I'm out riding the same day, Never been able to do that on my bikes [safely]

Bump..........

 

[cavie]

"Remember the topic is "safer than" not "totally safe"

 

[skuuter]

Traveling down the road with the "General Public" is ALWAYS a Risky Venture....Ride Safe no matter whether it's on a Trike, Motorcycle, Scooter, or Your 4-Wheel Transportation...Each has it's safety advantages and disadvantages....but never be lulled into the "If it balances itself, it has to be safer" syndrome...Ride/Drive Them all like They're dangerous...THEY ARE.....ThumbUp

 

[Shimpy]

I agree trikes are overall safer, BUT disagree that braking is better. My Gl1800 was able to stop much better before than after it was triked. Also as mentioned before hydroplanning is always a concern on a trike when going into standing water. You have 2 wide care tires in the rear with very little weight over them compared to a car.

 

[sabretooth2]

Yes and No.
With Trikes you have a stable platform, don't have to put your feet down and you probably go a little slower than 2 wheels. Also you can't go around road debris very well.
With Bikes you definitely have a lot more maneuverability. You can lean around objects in the road, lane change is much easier AND you can avoid an accident better, such as laying the bike down for a low side.
Which is Safer?
It Depends......................

 

[Retired Army]

No matter what the choice, the machine is only as safe as the operator. Perhaps a better question would be how safe is the operator?

 

[rhino 2]

No matter what the choice, the machine is only as safe as the operator. Perhaps a better question would be how safe is the operator?

:Agree: And just to add, How safe is the other guy driving;
'That's next to you ?......:AGGHH:

 

[robg]

I have a DFT trike conversion on a 2010 Ultra Limited. I guy ran a red light and broadsided me at 30 mph. I walked away bruised and sore, but walked away. The bike has been in the shop for 3 months getting rebuilt from a new frame up

 

[zman]

Trike's

I have had to dodge a deer on my Trike and then another one that ran behind the first one,and I believe I would have lost it on a two wheeler,the way it happened.
That one reason I believe trike is safer than a two wheeler.

 

[ray6576]

Spyder rider

I currently ride a Spyder and feel safe in it but you do have to watch out for other vechiles. Had an Electra Glide but wife would not ride on the back because I scare her on 2 wheels.

 

[markreed757]

As in any accident, the outcomes are hard to predict with statistics. Beside that, what type of stats are out there to compare an almost accident or a near miss? If you really want an "etched in stone" answer, ask your insurance man. Those guys can look up anything and put it into dollars and cents.

My personal opinion is I feel safer from other motorists, particularly if I have a nice loud muffler. I just feel like when another motorist looks at me when he's waiting to pull out into traffic, he's more likely to see a trike because of a fatter horizontal view.

 

[Phu Cat]

Trikes are a little bigger but that may not make them easier for those that can't see a 'Wing or EGlige to begin with. As for stability on a gravel road I can't argue with that, but what are you doing with a belt drive bike(not Honda's) on a gravel road in the first place? Especially one that does not have a rock guard around the belt? Belt drives and gravel roads aren't usually a good combination. Oops,my bad. Your bike, your call. As for stopping faster, I wish one of the bike mags would do a test. I've always felt our Tglige could stop faster than our old Eglides, but I'd like to see that test done independently.

Skuuter, I like your idea that just because they balance themselves doesn't mean they're safer. Great point!

PC

 

[Shimpy]

As for stopping faster, I wish one of the bike mags would do a test. I've always felt our Tglige could stop faster than our old Eglides, but I'd like to see that test done independently.
PC

I always felt my trike didn't nearly stop as fast as it did before triking. Best info I can find was in Motorcycle Consumer News Performance index in the Feb 2014 edition listing all their tests results over the years. They list Honda GL1800 Gold Wing 2012 model stopping from 60 to 0 in 127.4 feet.
The only trike tested that was comparable was CSC Cobra Triked Goldwing tested 1/11 that took 216.1 feet to stop.......That's 88.7 feet farther.
The trike weighed 1331 lbs compared to the 2 wheeler weighing 909.5 lbs.
Since reading this and knowing what I know about my trike I've added a lot more following distance. Of course there are so many variables to consider but I just wanted to give you some idea. I've got to say my rear brakes suck and I doubt I could lock them up.

 

[rhino 2]

Bikes stop faster than Trikes... ''If''.. the guy ON the bike knows what he is doing,
That said, If you have to do a full on emergency stop I would ratter be on a Trike, Much less drama when you lock wheels on a Trike, Not to mention no road rash..

I always thought the rear brakes on my T/G were not very good, Then one day last Summer I was travelling at around 45MPH when this pickup blast through a stop at probably 30 MPH like the stop wasn't even there. I stood hard on the brakes and the rear locked and the Trike stopped strait and true,.