Ground affects

[3W-lonerider]

Those who have the ground affects on their trikes. Whats your opinion. Are you happy with them or do you wish you wouldn't had them put on. I'm assuming they keep your feet dry when it rains. But what about the hot days. Do your feet cook. Deciding if they are worth putting on the one I'm about to order. Btw this will be a csc. But all trikes have a version of them so all opinions welcome.

 

[Bluewaterhooker0]

I have the ground effects kit on my 2008 GL1800 with 2018 CSC Viper conversion. I love the looks of the kit. I get an amazing number of comments in parking lots from total strangers regarding the overall conversion. Mine is the Pearl White. If there is a down side to the ground effects, I don't know of one, and have no knowledge of it. I've never had a trike before, and don't ride rain very much, but found no issues with rain. It does complicate access to the front cowl, but that's a minor issue. It's a beautifully crafted piece of body work.

 

[FRR]

I've had them on my last two Trikes and would not have a Trike without them. They are great. No extra heat in the summer, great in the rain and the cooler weather. Without ground effects Trikes just look like motorcycles with big asses, just like the Triglide. Passengers liked them and they really add to the lines of the Trike. IMHO they are surely worth the extra money.

 

[coolpoolken]

I have the ground effects on a 2004 wing wlith a 2013 CSC Cobra XL kit on it. I also like the looks of it. Finishes off the trike .Also do not see any down sides to having them on the trike.....Ken

 

[3W-lonerider]

Thanks for the replys fellas. I like the looks of them to. So i think I'll have them installed.

 

[CrystalPistol]

I thought about them, priced them, almost ordered a set from Lehman back when they were available, but then sat on one with them and discovered they were not so friendly to my backup style (I like to pull up near where I am parking, go to N, then drop feet and give a shove. I almost never use R). I also was concerned about summer's heat & my feet … and then there were some concerns about access to trike's parts at my services (I do my own service, so that was important to me).

Bottom line, I crossed that bridge then and they are no longer available. My feet are usually in good boots.

 

[3W-lonerider]

I thought about them, priced them, almost ordered a set from Lehman back when they were available, but then sat on one with them and discovered they were not so friendly to my backup style (I like to pull up near where I am parking, go to N, then drop feet and give a shove. I almost never use R). I also was concerned about summer's heat & my feet … and then there were some concerns about access to trike's parts at my services (I do my own service, so that was important to me).

Bottom line, I crossed that bridge then and they are no longer available. My feet are usually in good boots.

i know what you mean i do all my own work to. iv'e worked on several wings that had those on and it was miserable trying to get under the trike.but with a csc kit i should'nt have to get under it as much as i did the motortrike. not sure how easy or hard they are to remove and re-install, guess i'll check into that.

 

[Grote55]

I have a Hannigan kit and the ground effects are weight bearing. I removed the drivers foot pegs and rest my feet on the running boards. Gives me a couple more inches and a more comfortable riding position. It is a pain when I have to work on the bike, but I just back the trike up onto a set of car ramps and have no problems with access.

 

[3W-lonerider]

Decided not to have the ground affects installed. Number 1 reason. Getting under the bike will be easier. Number 2 reason. According to the picture the ground affects are very close to the rear floor boards. And stick out past by around 6 inches. Making it more difficult for my wife getting on.

 

[CrystalPistol]

Decided not to have the ground affects installed. Number 1 reason. Getting under the bike will be easier. Number 2 reason. According to the picture the ground affects are very close to the rear floor boards. And stick out past by around 6 inches. Making it more difficult for my wife getting on.

Then there is that to consider.

My wife gets onto the trike front pegs first, then steps her feet onto the rear passenger boards and holding the handlebars, stands up like and sits back on the passenger seat area. I either pull the back rest (if I get there first) or she tilts it forwards.

 

[rvance]

I like them

I have the Motor Trike Aqua Shields and I really like them a lot. They have cost me an extra $600 over the last three repair/upgrade sessions because of the extra labor. And they keep me from doing things to the trike that I would normally be doing myself. But I am 69 years old and I know better than to think "practical" about anything related to the Wing, or motorcycles in general. We prefer riding it with shields and that's that.

Edit

I made a cutout in front of the oil filter so I can run the longer filter and get a wrench on it easily. Barely noticeable unless you are looking. So I can easily change the oil and filter in 30 minutes and the shields do not get in the way.

 

[Tonto]

I have the Motor Trike Aqua Shields and like the finished look they provide. There are vents to allow incoming air to the feet area and are weight bearing. The draw back is that as they are weight bearing and as such there is supporting sub-structure that takes away some of your ground clearance. Not sure which trike kit you have so this info may be immaterial, but there it is. ​

 

[Montana Lee]

I have a 2010 Goldwing with the Lehman Monarch II with the floorboard type . On the Lehman, they are load bearing so you can use them as well is the footpeg. I have taken the footpegs off and that gives plenty of room for your feet. No problem for the passenger either. No problem with oil changes. the only downside I can think of is that having owned Goldwings ever since they started building them, I 've always had a stainless steel belly pan to protect the underside. That is not possible on the Lehman setup.

 

[Burnerboy]

I have a 2010 Goldwing with the Lehman Monarch II with the floorboard type . On the Lehman, they are load bearing so you can use them as well is the footpeg. I have taken the footpegs off and that gives plenty of room for your feet. No problem for the passenger either. No problem with oil changes. the only downside I can think of is that having owned Goldwings ever since they started building them, I 've always had a stainless steel belly pan to protect the underside. That is not possible on the Lehman setup.

I have the Roadsmith trike (2010 Goldwing also) with the running boards, and absolutely love the look of it as well, the use of the floorboard to put my feet on when on long rides, it allows me to move my legs around, for better comfort.....I can outride (time on the road/don't mean speed) many other rider's on two wheels.... Last month I rode with a friend that had to stop every 1/2 hour or 50(ish) miles so he could rest... We were on a (what should of been)5 hour ride that took almost seven hours cause this guy kept stopping (and complaining) on how tired he was...There's more to this story/but I won't get into that...O' I do have the stainless belly pan still installed on my bike.

So a Roadsmith model still allows the "belly pan"....

Ronnie

 

[paws]

I have a 2010 Goldwing with the Lehman Monarch II with the floorboard type . On the Lehman, they are load bearing so you can use them as well is the footpeg. I have taken the footpegs off and that gives plenty of room for your feet. No problem for the passenger either. No problem with oil changes. the only downside I can think of is that having owned Goldwings ever since they started building them, I 've always had a stainless steel belly pan to protect the underside. That is not possible on the Lehman setup.

Our 2008 Lehman Monarch II did not have those great big weight-bearing aqua shields but we did take off the peg and put the Kuryakyn heel/toe shifter/footboard accessory on it and installed the belly pan.

That footboard is weight-bearing and has plenty of foot room for us. Additionally, we added the Kuryakyn switchblade highway pegs in case the driver wanted to stretch out the knees on a longer trip. The heel on the switchblade holds your foot so that you don’t have to worry about your leg getting tired of holding it there and then possibly the foot sliding off onto the highway ...or... if you hit a good bump and jostles your foot off the peg onto the highway.

 

[Montana Lee]

If I would have had the choice Carla, I would have done just what you did. I bought the trike with only 6000 miles on it about a month ago and everything that's on it was on it when I bought it. BTW, I had a new Motor Trike built right there in Kerrville a lot of years ago. Actually in 2010.

 

[paws]

If I would have had the choice Carla, I would have done just what you did. I bought the trike with only 6000 miles on it about a month ago and everything that's on it was on it when I bought it. BTW, I had a new Motor Trike built right there in Kerrville a lot of years ago. Actually in 2010.

Can you tell me WHO built it or how to contact them?

 

[Montana Lee]

Can you tell me WHO built it or how to contact them?

It's been a long time since I had that done. The guys name was George and can't remember his last name. I rode the bike from Arizona to Kerrville and he and I built the trike. What you might do is contact a local auto painter there and see if he remembers George. George had him do lots of painting for different trikes. I stayed at a campground just north of Kerrville while I was there.

 

[paws]

It's been a long time since I had that done. The guys name was George and can't remember his last name. I rode the bike from Arizona to Kerrville and he and I built the trike. What you might do is contact a local auto painter there and see if he remembers George. George had him do lots of painting for different trikes. I stayed at a campground just north of Kerrville while I was there.

Thank you Lee! I was really surprised to hear you say someone in little old Kerrville Texas was building trikes at one time! I’ll nose around and see if I can get some info. I know of a local custom hot-rod builder and classic car restoration business between Kerrville and Ingram that’s been here a long time...I’ll start with them. Thanks again!

 

[Jimer]

Do you guy's feel that the Ground Effects kit restricts air flow, thus more heat on your feet?

Jim

 

[Tonto]

Do you guy's feel that the Ground Effects kit restricts air flow, thus more heat on your feet?

Jim

The Motor Trike Aqua Shields installed on mine have vents that can be adjusted from open to closed, and can be turned to direct air depending on your comfort level. I have never had a heat issue. In fact, I believe the boards protect your feet from the heat emanating from the road.

 

[JaysGone]

I have the load bearing running boards from Motor Trike. I use them rather then pegs.

But

Keep in mind any ground effects added lowers your ability to go over some of even the smallest speed bumps.

I get tired of painting black all the yellow paint marks on the frame of my trike.

 

[3W-lonerider]

Yep ground clearance was another consideration. Seems around here they love speed bumps. And some are quite high.

 

[Jimer]

Here’s something else to consider about a Ground Effects Kit!

Here’s something else to consider about a Ground Effects Kit!

I’m shopping for a 2018 GL1800 - CSC and Ground Effects Kit is on my must have list. I like the looks, they keep your feet dry, deflects small debris and reduces (my opinion) highway heat.

I found a trike I liked, but it didn’t have a Ground Effects Kit, so I call CSC to get an Idea how difficult it would be to install. I spoke to Will at CSC and although there is quite a bit of removal before you can begin installation, the 3-4 hour job doesn’t seem extremely difficult.

But it’s what Will said next that surprised me: he recommended that I order the Ground Effect kit unpainted, rather than Color Matched; stating that he could almost guarantee that the large box would NOT survive the VA to AZ trip without sustaining some damage. A damaged Color Matched kit would be a major job to repair; whereas an unpainted kit could be body filled, sanded out and painted.

The next surprise he laid on me is: the factory is seven (7) weeks behind before production would even begin, add one (1) week for production and another ten (10) days for shipping.

Armed with that bit of information, I quickly decided that any trike I buy would already have the Color Matched Ground Effects kit installed. However, after further consideration, I’m now rethinking if Ground Effects is such a great idea after all, considering the hassle to get them replace should they become damaged?

This just some food for thought and will most likely be a coin toss decision for me.

Happy New Year,

Jim

 

[JaysGone]

Taken into account everything said about the boards added afterwards or as part of a finished trike.

If they get damaged. A lot more of the trike will suffer some sort of needed repairs as well.

Just another part as far as any insurance company will care.

So dont let that consideration even come into the decision. If getting a new or used bike that has the boards already.

If the boards get busted something else will too as in more then likely the front end. Or side covers something else will need repairs too.

Lets just hope you needing repairs isn't part of the equation.

 

[CrystalPistol]

If they get damaged. A lot more of the trike will suffer some sort of needed repairs as well.

Well, good chance of that, but maybe not. I was leading a group on the BRP a few years ago, crossing dark shadows, front tire clipped a piece of shale rock I think, tipped it up, busted lower front cowl and wrinkled the left exhaust header shield and put one hell of a dent in the left muffler. I found the two body pieces on Ebay that night, even the right color. Muffler is still under trike. I think it stood the rock up and it was caught between the trike & road to do the damage.

Later, I found tire was bruised too, but it never lost any air. I had another at home.

I know they look great usually, they do offer some pluses, if you like them, go for them.