Help me get started! (please)

[Big_Steve]

My VTX/Motortike is used, with 8000 miles. It goes to the right a little. I used the word "pulls" in another thread, but that's an overstatement. I don't have to fight to over come it. It's not a hard pull by any means. My tire pressure is 42 in front, 22 in each of the rears. Tires are wearing true.

In parking lots with the throttle locked, and going about 15mph in first gear it will drift right if I let go of the bars. If I turn around and come right back up the same stretch, it still goes to the right. So I know it's the trike, not the ground. If I coast, and apply only the rear brakes, it does not effect the drift at all.

This is pretty minor, but it bugs me. I want to get to the bottom of this, but not being a motor cycle mechanic I need a nudge as to where to start.

For starters, how do I determine if the the problem is being caused by the front forks, or the rear end?

BTW, I know someone has posted a Motor trike manual, but it's for a different model, and the instructions don't jibe with my hardware in back.

 

[Jimsjinx]

Now I'm no mechanic, but I went through the same deal with mine, and after many long hours adjusting the ladder bars, I found out the truth. It is SUPPOSED to pull a tiny bit to the right, to accomodate the way the suspension is set up. It does bug the crap outa ya, does'nt it? Anyway, we adjusted ALL the tilt outa mine, and got the thing to track perfectly with NO pull in either direction, and the ride/handling SUCKED!!! After about 60 hours of testing, (and zook was even involved in helping me in person), I have concluded, without a doubt, DO NOT attempt to change the set-up, unless you have a builder of trikes available. You could have to completely tear down and rebuild/set-up the entire rear suspention, if you don't know what you are doing! Ask me, I know!! The cool thing is, your trike is infinately adjustible, for ANY configuration. But these trike engineers already drudged through all this, and, assuming the builder/dealer is good, gave the adjustment parameters to the build shops, that will prove to be the most practicle set-up, for overall ride. I was able to minimize the pull enough that I don't notice it anymore. The dumbest mistake was trying to "level" the trike perfectly, only to have it lean to the right, and pull to the right terrible, cause of the "crown" in the road. (REALLY noticable in Florida, cause they really have a drastic watershed crown on thier roads.) Anyway, I hope my errors have helped give you food for thought! Good luck with it, I know it is a bugger. jimsjinx

 

[Big_Steve]

Jim, that's really interesting. I bought this used, and got a 50-50 guarantee. When I took it back, the dealer didn't charge me anything. And he said that all trikes (they only build motor trikes) pull a little to the right. He got about 50% of the pull out and told me that was all he could do. It does handle much better too.

Maybe I'm just being too fussy.

Thanks for your post, it backs up what he said. A lot of other riders say they have no pull at all. So it's a little confusing.

 

[Jimsjinx]

See? We trikers gotta stick together!!! I am glad my post "jives" with your service guy. At the very least, I know I didn't steer you wrong! (pun intended!) I promise you, you will notice it even less once the front tire wears a bit. So nice to hear that you were treated like a customer should be treated. Here lately, I have not been as fortunate! The ONLY persons I would let work on mine is Adventure Trikes. No, I don't work for them, I just really like the " no BS" at their shop. They will bend over backwards to help you. (As long as you're nice to them!LOL) Good deal, and I hope we meet on the road sometime! jimsjinx Oh, and I got a son in Panama Beach! Are you close to there? We really SHOULD hook up some time! I just love that place. We are praying for y'all and that damned oil spill. Keep the faith brother! Jim

 

[Big_Steve]

I'm in Sarasota, South of Tampa way down the coast from Panama beach. No oil problems here yet. No one really knows what to think about that with the gulf current and all. Have our fingers crossed.

 

[Papa Zook]

Jim thanks for the accolades but not sure I deserve that. I will say as far as the pulling to the right thing there area a couple of ways owners and dealers address this as it is common:

1) adjust the setup via the heim joint adjustments. best to have a dealer do this because you can get it WAY out of whack.
2) lower the air pressure on the left tire by a couple of pounds (not recommending this mind you but I have seen it done lots of times)
3) ride the oil line in the road and stay out of the grooves

 

[skuuter]

Jim thanks for the accolades but not sure I deserve that. I will say as far as the pulling to the right thing there area a couple of ways owners and dealers address this as it is common:

1) adjust the setup via the heim joint adjustments. best to have a dealer do this because you can get it WAY out of whack.
2) lower the air pressure on the left tire by a couple of pounds (not recommending this mind you but I have seen it done lots of times)
3) ride the oil line in the road and stay out of the grooves

Just a "Personal-Tried-That" statement regardin' #2 (I've tried everything I've read on TRIKE TALK just to see the results...).....Lower Left Tire air pressure feels fine on long, straight cruises..."but"...definetly not the "hot ticket" once You turn onto some twisty, not-so-new asphalt with off-cambers, and changin' radius corners....also seems to have a tendency to keep the rear wheel rebound very inconsistant on "patched" roads.......rear tires with different air pressures (IMO) seems like a "temporary fix" for a problem lookin' for a "real solution".....:yes:



Exactly right scuuter.