How did you become a triker?

[bigballer]

My brother was telling me one day that when he retired he was going to get back into riding. We stopped by a bike shop and the fever hit me. I had never ridden before and thought it would be cool to ride together. However I have had one knee replaced and the other not 100% and was not comfortable with the presure from the lean on my replaced left knee muscles. Hince I started looking at Trikes as an option. Well I read alot, took the MCS class, bought a 09 Triglide and the rest is history. As someone said earlier--- can't figure why I waited so long to start riding period.

 

[champsman97045]

Like all the other posts I also waited to long before getting my first trike, but had ridden 2 wheels most all of my life, but then kids and bills made rideing wait for a few yrs.
One day while working I saw a rewaco ride past me and i chased it for over 30 miles to ask questions, as when I was younger I had fallen in love with the styres trikes and the rewaco is the closest to what I had in mind .
Five yrs later after much research and many long distance phone calls, and I had to spend a day in Las Vegas so i walked over to the rewaco importer and I was sold, now to convince the boss (wife) about a year later she said order it as she had been saveing the money to reside the house and decided to spend it on trike and save for the house, took delivery ob August 11, 2007, and in january 10, 2008 the house burned to the ground and the trike was spared it was parked outside, at least the money wasn't wasted and ride it anytime the sun is out.

 

[joncallihan]

Yet one more familiar story -- my first bike was in '67 (I was almost 30 years old). In short order -- three Honda trail bikes (step thrus) a Hodaka Ace 100, a Jawa 250 single (a completely different sort of beast) a Montessa Cota, a Montessa King Scorpion, a BSA B50 (my first "road-going" bike) a Rickman Zundapp 125 (beautiful little bike), a Yamaha TX750 (the best Brit bike ever made in Japan IMHO) and two BMW K bikes (a 100LT and an 1100LT).

When advancing arthritis made getting on the BMW very difficult and after dropping it at a stop sign, I sold it, bought a Honda Silverwing scooter. Two years later and even more of the feeling of I'm not sure that I can keep this thing standing up at stop signs/stop lights a visit to the Danson dealer near home brought me my current ride.

 

[rdking647]

we both rode 2 wheels when i saw an ad on ebay for a trike very near our house (10 years ago). My wife liked the idea of being on 3 wheels instead of 2 so we did some research and bought it. I wouldnt take passengers on a 2 wheeler since im short as it is and felt it wasnt safe but we used the trike for riding 2 up while i still had my bike.

Just traded in her trike and my bike for a new tri glide.

 

[rrunner]

My trike evolved from a pedel trike I constructed a couple of years ago. It was a recumbant style adult trike which I rode a few times and even won a first place trophy in the local fair. Anyway the thought of a motorized trike crept into my head and over the course of the following year I began to gather the pieces for a VW based trike. I traded computer work for a Yamaha 650 and later purchased a 69 VW pan complete with motor and transmission. I finally had the major pieces for my trike. At the time I did not think out my plans too well but I began my build. It took me about three months to complete my project and get it titled and registered. I am now enjoying riding it as long as the weather is warm. The plan for the winter is to completely redo the front with a leading link suspension and also to extend the frame to provide more passanger room. I hope to have all this done by the time the 2011 riding season. The wife really enjoys riding but is hesitant to drive, hopefully I can trun that around... Maybe it's better to leave that alone, she just might want a trike of her own...

 

[j3jim]

Started out a coupla days ago (all right aeons) on a 1949 Indian Super Chief and had a slew of bikes since. Ariel Square Four, BMW, BSA, Trumpet (Triumph), Royal Enfield, Zundapp (similar to Beamer), Moto Guzzi, Vincent along with several Japanese ones and the odd Harley or two. Once I got a tad older and into the forgetful age I figured it be most embarrassing to forget to put my foot down at a stop sign and I figured that a Trike would help solve that problem. It DID!!! Both my Trikes were expertly built in Dothan by your friend and mine-----BAZOOKA (aka Randy).

Trike On

 

[grimm]

i'm on my trike compliments of a drunk driver that took my right arm. bastard...

grimm

 

[1550vt]

I use to drop my wife every time we took a trip. I have dropped her in every state in the union and even Canada. I never could teach her how to "abandon" the 2-wheeler when my foot would slip in the gravel or on some slick pavement, and land with both feet on the ground. Since we have had the trike, I have not dropped her even once. So.....it's because of my wife!

 

[1800 06 Champion Trike]

After riding 2 wheelers since I was about 12 years old, I decided it was time to go back to 3 wheels( age 65)
I sold my 1500 Wing and bought a brand new 06 Champion from Pete Hatfield Motorsports.
It was a great move.

 

[Carbon_One]

Like a lot of folks here I rode 2 wheelers for a number of years, stepped away raising the kids and then re entering the biking world again. We wanted a big touring type bike (Yamaha Venture) and rode it for a couple of years before dropping it in a construction zone. We faired ok with minor road rash but the bike needed some rebuilding. At this point we decided to either trike or side car rig the bike. Having had a vw trike back in the early 70's I was familar with three wheelers so decided that was our best path to go.
Loving being on three again and an added bonus is the Mrs enjoys riding with me more then ever before as well. Love the Venture trike I have now but been getting the build bug lately for a ride with more power, auto trans, and even more comfort. Don't know yet if that'll happen or not but sure know one thing and that is to be on 3 for as long as I'm capable of riding/driving a trike.
Larry

 

[eddiebolden]

i would weather have a trike then a to wheel motorcycle i thank ther better

 

[vol02]

My last time on a bike was over forty years ago and only then for a short period of time. I used to kid my wife that I was going to buy a big ol harley. Get two guys to hold it until I got on and take off. She would just shake her head and grin at me because I told her if it ever fail over I would have to get to guys to pick it up for me. We had plans when I retired to travel and I mentioned several times of getting a trike. Well she came down sick and that never happened. I retired early to take care of her and told her when she got better I was getting a trike and we were going places. Sadly that didn't happen either. Well with money short I purchased a used 02 Volusia in beautiful condition and bought a trike kit and put it together. Have plans for mods and add ons. With our rings on the key chain and her spirit in my heart we are going places.

 

[Nana]

That is a wonderful story, vol02! You can ride your trike with joy and honor to your wife and your time together. Welcome to TrikeTalk. You just joined a new family

 

[Denny Tattoos]

My first bike was a 1954 Harley flathead 45c.i. servi-car trike, I was 15 years old and gave $300.00 for it. It wasn't long before I wanted more cubic inches and less weight. I bought a Shovelhed motor new in 1973 and built a chopped bike around the motor: 18" over wide glide rigid frame, mechanical rear brake, no front brake, flames and pin stripe. I have rode a number of different bikes (2 wheels) most all of my life but about two years ago that came to a quick halt when I began to experience a wide array of symptoms. Dizzyness that comes on w/o warning and my legs will somtimes go weak also w/o warning. I knew I was not safe on two wheels so I tried to sell my Triumph Legend. Unable to get what I want due to the economy so I decided to trike it. I am stoked about it and can't wait for spring and getting back on the road.

 

[vol02]

Thank You Nana

 

[Gorilla]

My last time on a bike was over forty years ago and only then for a short period of time. I used to kid my wife that I was going to buy a big ol harley. Get two guys to hold it until I got on and take off. She would just shake her head and grin at me because I told her if it ever fail over I would have to get to guys to pick it up for me. We had plans when I retired to travel and I mentioned several times of getting a trike. Well she came down sick and that never happened. I retired early to take care of her and told her when she got better I was getting a trike and we were going places. Sadly that didn't happen either. Well with money short I purchased a used 02 Volusia in beautiful condition and bought a trike kit and put it together. Have plans for mods and add ons. With our rings on the key chain and her spirit in my heart we are going places.

Thank you for sharing. Welcome aboard glad you joined us.

 

[Blondie Gal]

My last time on a bike was over forty years ago and only then for a short period of time. I used to kid my wife that I was going to buy a big ol harley. Get two guys to hold it until I got on and take off. She would just shake her head and grin at me because I told her if it ever fail over I would have to get to guys to pick it up for me. We had plans when I retired to travel and I mentioned several times of getting a trike. Well she came down sick and that never happened. I retired early to take care of her and told her when she got better I was getting a trike and we were going places. Sadly that didn't happen either. Well with money short I purchased a used 02 Volusia in beautiful condition and bought a trike kit and put it together. Have plans for mods and add ons. With our rings on the key chain and her spirit in my heart we are going places.

Beautiful story - you know she'll always be a part of every ride you take. :yes:

 

[Nana]

Denny, you are going to LOVE the stability of the three wheels! Come on Spring!!!!

 

[danbgt]

Started riding in 1964 with a '64 Honda C110A Sport. 50cc's of pure love. My wife rode on the back of it. Of course, at the time she was just one of the little girls that liked to go for a ride. When I got my drivers license at 16 I forget the little Honda and became a hot rod fanatic. I rode a bike here and there but didn't own one. Kids, mortgages, tuition, etc, etc. Fast forward to 2000. I'm driving down the highway and this guys goes passed me on a green V-Star. I didn't know what a V-Star was but a switch flipped and a couple of weks later I had a '91 Yamaha Virago. The wife rode on the back of it. Same little girl, different bike. A few bikes later, wife still likes riding, but not the idea of taking a trip on the bike. I decide that maybe if I have a big touring bike with better passenger comfort she will come around to touring. Now I have to mention that I am a polio survivor. I have a messed up right leg. It has never stopped me from doing anything except playing football in high school and servicng in the military. That being the case, I rode some of the large touring bikes and was very uncomfortable with the weight. The idea of loading a passenger and luggage on a 900 pounder and having to hold it up if it leaned to far to the right was scarry. I had seen a trike at a gathering we went to and was intrigued. All I knew about them was that they where expensive. In looking at the Valkyrie Riders Cruisers Forum, I saw a '99 Valkyrie Interstate Motor Trike for sale at the best price I had ever seen. I made a deal to buy it and mailed the guy a deposit. Then I told my wife "I bought this tike. It's in Wilmington, NC. We are going to fly out there and pick it up and ride it back home." (We live in Houston, TX). She said "No we're not. You've lost your mind!" After some discussions she finaly agreed to go with the stipulation that when she had had enough, I would stop at the nearest airport and get her a ticket home. We flew out to Wilmington on a Saturday morning. The guy and his wife picked us up at the airport and took us to a Home Depot parking when he had left the trike. I rode it around the parking lot a couple of time to get the hang of it. I handed him the check and we headed home. Kind of. We rode down into South Carolina, back up into NC, into Tennessee, down part of the Blue Ridge Parkway, up to Linchburg, over to the Natchez Trace, down to Louisiana and across back to Texas. We pulled into our driveway 7 days later with close to 2,000 miles under our belt and my wife, the same little girl that rode on the back of the '64 Sport 50, said, "That was a blast! Where are we going next?". That was in June 2006. Since that time we have ridden some 50,000 miles in 43 states and totalled one trike. My wife had rather be on the back of "her" trike than doing (almost) anything else. If it were not for the grandkids, the trike would be number one. Our trike is truly "her" trike. I am just the pilot.

 

[Reader1]

Not a triker yet, but planning on buying soon. My reason for wanting a trike probably sounds really silly, but here goes. I learned to ride a few years ago. My husband rides a Yamaha VMax and I rode a Buell Blast. We rode a lot and I made lots of excuses for only riding with my temporary permit, and not taking the full test. We rode back roads a lot, and I always rode too slow on turns. I took a motorcycle riding course, and did fine until the test, but went too slow on the turns. When I had to speed up on the turns to pass the test, I dropped the bike. I finally admitted to my husband that I am terrified of the lean. I understand and know how to do it, but I can't make myself do it. We discussed that the end result is going to be my going too wide on a turn and either running off the road, or hitting a car or truck head on. We both decided that I would stop riding. I started seeing a few trikes, and we think this is a solution. I know riding correctly seems so easy, but not for me. I am looking for a smaller trike, but one that has reverse.

 

[Gorilla]

Not a triker yet, but planning on buying soon. My reason for wanting a trike probably sounds really silly, but here goes. I learned to ride a few years ago. My husband rides a Yamaha VMax and I rode a Buell Blast. We rode a lot and I made lots of excuses for only riding with my temporary permit, and not taking the full test. We rode back roads a lot, and I always rode too slow on turns. I took a motorcycle riding course, and did fine until the test, but went too slow on the turns. When I had to speed up on the turns to pass the test, I dropped the bike. I finally admitted to my husband that I am terrified of the lean. I understand and know how to do it, but I can't make myself do it. We discussed that the end result is going to be my going too wide on a turn and either running off the road, or hitting a car or truck head on. We both decided that I would stop riding. I started seeing a few trikes, and we think this is a solution. I know riding correctly seems so easy, but not for me. I am looking for a smaller trike, but one that has reverse.

good luck you will do fine. and it's not silly. we all have our reasons for triking. they one you will probably realize reverse is not required. they back up real easy by pushing.

 

[trikermary]

I just love the way Trikes look! For long trips/stability/storage/comfort..............can't be beat.......you don't have to have anything physicall "wrong" to love trikes.........when I was a kid growing up in NJ some of the Hudson county police would drive trikes, that was the first time I ever saw a 3-wheeled motorcycle and loved them since then and through the years when I saw more and more trikes on the road and how gorgeous people "decorate" them and the beautiful paint jobs, how could you not love trikes! I have been triking for 12 years so far and traveled many, many miles and would never go back to 2 wheels....too much fun on three......

 

[Lucky]

Reader1 welcome to THE trike forum.Great folks and info here.I think you will be real happy with your decision when it happens.I don't know if you have had your hands on one yet and although reverse is nice to have but trikes are real easy to push around.RIDE SAFE

 

[ectrike]

We have rode a motorcycle since 1975 without going down. when I was 68 year old my wife decided we were old enough to get a trike. so i told to go buy the one she wanted. she pick an Hannigan. we now have 58000 miles on it now. It's 02 1800 with a 05 trike

 

[Gorilla]

We have rode a motorcycle since 1975 without going down. when I was 68 year old my wife decided we were old enough to get a trike. so i told to go buy the one she wanted. she pick an Hannigan. we now have 58000 miles on it now. It's 02 1800 with a 05 trike

welcome aboard. glad you joined us. she has good taste.

 

[ronchi]

been riding a long time,but i have chronic angina and sometimes it was happening on 2 wheels. doctors said stop riding or i may become a statistic for dot. freind suggested triking my bike. a lot safer not perfect but i feel better when riding. i wish i had done it sooner.

 

[HickoryNCYellowTrike]

New Member here also, but been riding trikes since 96, saw one at Daytona bike week in 94, I was riding a two wheels, and that big 3 wheeler just looked so cool!!! ( turned out it is) Not many trikes around back then here in North Carolina but times have changed,
Got a 90 goldwing that winter and now have a 1500 Wing and a Valkyrie Interstate

 

[Gorilla]

New Member here also, but been riding trikes since 96, saw one at Daytona bike week in 94, I was riding a two wheels, and that big 3 wheeler just looked so cool!!! ( turned out it is) Not many trikes around back then here in North Carolina but times have changed,
Got a 90 goldwing that winter and now have a 1500 Wing and a Valkyrie Interstate

welcome aboard. glad you joined us. You are one of the old time trikers that started us down this road.

 

[gonzo]

Started riding in 1977, when I bought a brand-new Harley Superglide (still have it). Eventually bought a fuel-injected 1997 Roadking that I rode up until August 2008 when I hit a deer. Both the wife and I were airlifted to a trauma unit with all kinds of injuries. I have balance issues as a result of the fractured skull, so in the spring of 2009 I sold the RK and bought a 2005 Ultraclassic with a Motortrike conversion. My lack of balance isn't an issue with three wheels!
I never thought I'd own a trike, but it gives me the chance to put my face in the wind again and I can't wait for this snow to melt ; )

 

[greyfang]

been on 2 wheels now for right at 50 years. took the Sportster up to Sturgis this past summer and rolled into the Lehman factory. They had 4 or 5 trikes to test out during the rally and I really enjoyed them. Three months later and the Sporty is history. that 1958 Vespa 150 really started something and riding is still my passion. Hope spring comes early this year.