How did you become a triker?

[Big_Un]

I've been riding off and on for about 35 years. After a few years of an "off" phase I got back into it. After a couple years of my wife seeing how happy adn relaxed I was when I came back from a ride, she decided to ride with me. Well, she is the "squirming" type (you folks that have ridden on two wheels know what that does to the rider). She wasn't really comfortable on the back and I wasn't comfortable having her back there. Kept having visions of laying the bike down and her getting hurt (never too worried about me... just not her). So she decided she wanted to ride her own! Problem is she has bouts of vertigo... not a good thing to have hit when rounding a curve on two wheels at 45 mph. I told her if she'd ride a trike, we'd get her one. Well... she wasn't real pleased with that idea. When she thought trike... she thought GW. And she didnt' like the look of them. Then one day we went to a customer appreciation day at a local dealer who had a Suzuki C50 with a Lehmann Tramp kit on it. She fell in love!!!! Two days later we picked it up. That's been three years ago this month and she's still an avid rider!

I'm starting to have balance issues and her C50 just isn't nearly powerful enough to cart both of us (both two fairly good size folks). Since I've always had as much fun on her trike as I do on a bike... we're going to trike my '05 Yamaha Roadstar. CAN'T WAIT...

 

[jim peacock]

Will be 71 may 3rd.
Started riding when I was 14 on the farm and surounding gravel roads.
:wave4::wave4::wave4::wave4::wave4:

 

[wa.bound]

Welcome to Trike Talk Mag5049.

I've been off and on bikes since I was about 13 I suppose. In my early 30's
(I'm officially out of my 30's in 4weeks + 2days...I know, I know-I'm the young'in. My hubby will be 51 a week after I turn 40-if that counts for anything. He rides an Intruder 1500)
Anyway...I suffered some health set backs and neck injuries. I've tried for a couple years to comfortably ride my own bike but just couldn't "get there" for safety reasons due to those health and injury challenges. As for my being a passenger-I'm still too much of a control freak I think. LOL
In the last 6-8 weeks I've sold my Volusia thinking I was going to have to give up riding altogether, found the trike solution doable, purchased my Honda VTX, delivered it to the shop to get triked and the rest will soon be history... **fingers crossed**

 

[screwball]

Wife and I were avid 2 wheelers. A bout with cancer and chemotherapy left my wife with numbness in her hands and feet, couldn't tell when her foot was down, kind of hard to balance her Harley Deluxe, so we got her a Harley Tri glide.... she loves it. In January I had open heart surgery to repair a valve. Decided that it was time for a little help with the balance. Bought HER a new 2011 Tri-Glide, I'm inheriting her 09. We are lovingly referred to by our neighbors as the crazy old folks on Harleys. I'm 65, she is almost 60

 

[COTriker]

I wanted to be free. Having rode b!tch for to long, bought a little Sportster, had a "little" mishap, ( nice folks at the ER ) and thought I was done with my dream to be free and ride my own.
Started looking at the Trikes and options for me to see if this would fix my spirit. Long story short, bought a 2011 Ultra Glide Classic and still have bugs in my teeth from smiling so much.
Also because of my mishap my foot is still not happy, so the thought of balance on 2 wheels would not work, I don't have enough stability with it. Also, I am only 5' nothin tall, so I was worried the Trke would be to big and I would look like I was on someone else Trike.. not the case it is just perfect.
So here I am happy as a lark with Mr. Blue.

 

[Jackal08]

I liked the look of the trikes and being someone that does not like being the same as everyone else I bought one. My Mom used to say that I was definitely not a trend follower. Now when I go on rides my friends are on two wheelers and I am the oddball on a trike....Nothing like standing out in the crowd...lol. I love the stability and comfort of the trike and my back does not hurt near as bad when riding. It's a good way to meet new people too because folks are going to come up to you and ask questions / comment about it.

 

[RottieLuvr]

Kinda got into triking by accident (no NOT A collision) My first car was a VW bug. Mowing yards back then wouldn't buy much. It ran but was R U S T Y! Got a better car but couldn't part with bug. Couldn't afford a motorcycle, so after seeing a VW trike I decided to do it, Got lot a lot of attention with it and rode many miles. Looking back, it would scare the bejeebers out of me to ride it today. 1" plumber pipe frame, homemade springer, plywood body, get the idea. Have had & built several trikes over the last 40 years. Just have a soft spot for 'em

 

[pbgilley]

At 66 I decided to get my bucket list Goldwing. So in 07 bought a new Nav Wing and loved it. However due to 5 back operations and the accumulation of many miles on my poor old knees I dropped my beautiful Wing...naturally in front of the maximum amount of people....I had kept my 750 Aero so had a bike for the two wheel fixes when needed...one day I went to the mailbox and there was a check for about the amount to convert to a trike from the VA. (backpay) I it as a sign from God and had it done immediately at the Trike Shop in Daytona...it has been sweet ever since....rode from Jax to Bangor, Me last summer and may go to Alaska one day....when I get a little older.....

 

[tfdeputydawg]

Started riding when I was 16, now 66. To many bikes and to many stories for here!
The trike deal started over 5yrs ago with a demo ride because my CMA Chapter set up at an open house at a trike dealer.
The HOOK had been set.
Over the next 4yrs I digested everything I could find on major conversions, test riding where/when possible and dreaming of doing my own conversion.
Then wife and I visited the Hannigan factory in Murray, Ky. where John Lee treated us to a tour of the facility and allowed a looooooooong test ride on a brand new Wing/Hannigan.
After about 5 miles, wife leaned up and said this is the one, isn't it. Yep, was the response.
Then came the bad news- No you can not install your Hannigan yourself. Either we do it or a trained dealer must do the install. No, you can not do it here under our supervision. No, you can not pay for the training and do yours while training.
Then came the period of thinking about buying another brand so I could do it myself.
None if the ones I could do rode anywhere nearly as smooth as the Hannigan!
Then came the hunt for the right installer.
Finally, last summer my 06 Wing was delivered w/my Hannigan conversion.
My wife and I are more amazed all the time at the smoothness of this conversion.
The story of searching for the correct installer is for another time. To much to tell here. The promises, the truths, the untruths, the bragging, the stories about why not to have my competition do it, no you can't have the take offs back, might not get a perfect paint match, straight is better than IRS-later now that I sell IRS, it's better than straight, no discounts off MSRP, no it will not void the bike warranty and on and on! Yes, I must tell this story some time!

 

[Missouri Charley]

Like lots of you I started riding in '69, rode for years with my dad. We both rode harleys, in '05 I bought a new Ultra Classic EG. As luck would have it in '05 I also had open heart surgery, when I got back on my feet I couldn't stand that vibration in my chest so I traded for a new '06 Goldwing. In '07 I fell off of a tractor I was working on and cracked 2 vertabrae in my neck, while going through all the x-rays and mri's they discovered a spot in my left lung. After fixing my neck and recovery time I went in for the lung surgery (laproscopic), when I woke up I had been opened up like cleaning fish, not enough muscle left to hold up a bike. Then I too went to Hannigan (just 65 mi.). The rest is nowhere like history LOL, just wish I had done it sooner. I have a '10 Nomad bike for one up crusing and the trike for mine and Becky's traveling. Charley

 

[0tolerance]

I am fairly new to trikes but thought I would post something. After years of watching my brother and my father enjoy their harleys, I decided to get my license and work on getting a starter bike. I had looked at various Trikes since then for about 7 years. Unfortuntely in that time my father passed and left me his harley. I tried riding it, but just couldnt get comfortable. After a mishap earlier this year with a con man at a custom bike shop, I walked into a honda dealer and found a used 98 goldwing, with lehman conversion. I had seen a lot of wing trikes around las vegas, and knew the price tag was very high, 30 plus thousand. Well the price was right after some negotiation and I was able to get it. I couldnt be happier, I am definitely comfortable on it, and it is definitely what I always wanted. Looking forward to some serious road trips.

 

[Beeper]

How did you become a triker? . . . Why, it was my destiny (I'm still on my knees giving thanks!!) :yes: epper:

 

[Ndvtxrdr]

Hi, I have been a member for awhile but I just recieved my trike last Monday, 5/2/11. I started biking 45 years ago and like most of us went through a variety of bikes but the last 3 where Goldwings. Long distance touring was what I like the best. As I have gotten older I started an interest in trikes but never "ready" to commit to one. Unfortunately in August '08 I had a catastrophic accident that left me some what disabled. I continue to have trouble with my hip and back but missed riding. I came across an 03 1800 VTX with only 11000 miles and in the heat of the moment bought it. I soon discovered the trouble with my hip, it just wasn't safe to ride. I decided to convert it. I read about several, have ridden a few and decided on a RoadSmith conversion. I did not take a motorcycle safety course for trikes, hopefully will yet this spring. Yes I broke the first rule in the first few miles of riding it and put my foot down. I did in fact run over my own foot, in fact it took me off the trike. I managed to sprain my ankle and twist my knee..........and almost terminally destroyed my pride! I did scratch the fender on my way by. I have since spent some time in the local Home Depot parking lot (abandened) and about 100 miles on the trike. I feel much better about it, am thinking it was definately the right move for me.

 

[hot wheels momma]

This is my 1st post on here. Hubby and I just joined. I am responsible for us having a trike. Fell in love when I kept seeing trikes coming and going as I traveled with my job. We never owned a bike before but I wanted 1 so bad. Finally took his butt to sit on 1 and that was all it took. Bought our HOT WHEELS in Dec. of 09. We have logged 21,000 + miles since we got her. Tail of the dragon last Sept. and from Fla. to Az. in april. AWESOME rides i must say. we bought a GL1800 with roadsmith kit and have gotten hooked on tupperware and just the ride. equipped him with an airhawk cushion and we are good to go. we have the audio/nav set up. TRIKES rule. lol

 

[Nana]

Welcome aboard, Hot Wheels Momma! Good for you acting on your wishes and at least exploring the possibility. Obviously it was more than possible, and you are both addicted already . I can sure think of worse problems!

 

[Blondie Gal]

Hey, HW! Glad to welcome you to the Forum! Also happy to find another couple who enjoys what we call 'big trips'! We're getting ready to come East for the Trike Talk Rally in the Valley, June 23-26 - would love to meet y'all there!! Post some pictures of your rides; we looooooooooooove pictures!

 

[Gorilla]

welcome aboard HotWheelsMomma, glad you 2 joined us.

 

[vonkcommish]

In 1976 I gave up smoking for motorcycles, a smart call. Started with a Honda 125, then a 400, then a 650 Silverwing then a 1200 wing, then a 1500 wing. In 2005 I purchased an 1800 wing and life was good. The couple we were riding with retired from biking and my wife retired too my Vett ragtop. That was okay with both of us but she still liked to take short rides of 200 miles or less. In August of 2009 I was hit head on in one horrific accident. The bike was totaled and I was almost totaled. Because of a badly injured leg as a result of the accident I bought a Suzuki Volusia with a Lehman kit. It's no Goldwing but it does put a smile on my face and is part of my rehab. I plan to take an overnighter or two to see how I do this summer. I've logged over 2000 miles this spring and have had a couple of 150-200 mile days on it. I'm thankful to be riding and thank the Good Lord for each additional day.
Ted vonk
Have Bike Will Travel

 

[c50triker]

We bought our first 2 wheeled bike, a Suzuki VS1400, in 2005, while our daughter was out in Sturgis getting married. It totally shocked her and our new son-in-law. One year later we had 4 bikes, the 1400, a VS800, a Honda Rebel (wife's bike, which we then sold and bought her an LS650 Suzuki). I then spent a summer building a "motorcycle room". I started customizing the VS800, and made that for the wife. We then bought a 2005 C50 Suzuki. We rode that for 2 years and started customizing my VS1400 in May of 2009. We went to Ohio Bike Week in June 2009. Life was good. In July 2009, things changed a bit. I ended up taking a chopper ride (not the good kind of chopper, either) to the hospital due to a hemmorhagic stroke. I was doing pretty well and was shortly thereafter stricken with spasticity on my right side. The doc said I'd never be able to ride a 2 wheeled bike again. I was devastated, but couldn't give up.

In January 2010 we went against all rules of good sense and bought a trike, sight unseen, off the internet, from a (luckily) very honest gentleman in Virginia. We bought a 2005 Suzuki C50 trike with the Lehmann kit and had it shipped to Ohio. I'm still relegated to the passenger seat and my wife is the driver for now. This year I rode it for 3 miles myself in the pilot seat and the spasticity popped up due to the road vibration. (It's hard to pilot a trike one-handed!)

The more we ride, the more comfortable I become and we're taking longer and longer rides. My wife doesn't mind being the pilot as long as she gets her back rubbed by me when she starts to get tired. Life is good and we hope it only gets better.

We've sold all of our other bikes and only ride the trike. My wife says there's no way she'll go back to a 2 wheeled bike now. She loves the trike (except she still can't find that darned kickstand!)

Oh yeah, my mother just turned 90 and announced that she would like to go for a ride on it (has never been on a bike before), so tomorrow we're hoisting her up on it for her maiden voyage. epper:

Roger & Mary
Litchfield, Ohio
USAF '69-73

 

[Nana]

Hey C50 -- Love your story .

 

[Gorilla]

Love it C50 when there is a will there is a way.

 

[rwhgme]

I have been riding since I was 14. My first bike was a Hodaka Combat Wombat. I used to ride it to a local construction site and tear up the hills. After military service I bought a GS 1100e Suzuki. Fast as a lightning bolt. Sold it to get a torn up HD Sportster. Rebuilt it only to sell it and buy a hopped up GS 1100L. Faster than a lightning bolt. I broke my ankle and found I had lost a lot of function and couldn't move my left foot up enough to shift. I gained a lot of weight and had a health scare. Had to lose the weight so I started to ride a bicycle. Got good, fast and healthy. Turned 55 and told wife she owed my a bike at 50(her promise to me for meeting and becoming friends with Rusty Wallace and family) but she said she wouldn't get on a bike, she felt they fall over too easy. Went to a Harley dealership, saw a Triglide, she sat on it while I was talking to a salesman. Saw out of the corner of my eye, her mouth moving saying "this'll do" and BOOM! That's my story and I am sticking to it!:woohoo:

 

[Blondie Gal]

Has everybody in TrikeTalk heard our story? Seems like I've told just about everyone . . .

When I met John, he had both a 100th anniversary Sportster 1200 and a 100th anniversary Ultra Classic - both black, chromed out to the max; the Ultra had the most wonderful images of Indians, wolves, bears, western scenery - magnificent! Lots of tschotschkes all over it, too. Sportster was all fringe-y and chrome-y with studs and wonderfulness.

We put a lotta, lotta miles on em - trips to Padre Island, Mexico, Big Bend and more.

One Saturday morning two years ago I heard, "Get your shoes on; we're gonna go get a new vee-hickel." I just KNEW we were going to the Corvette place to get my dream car!!

Uh, no.

Wound up at a Honda dealer in Kyle, Texas, about 75 miles from home, walked in the front door. There it sat under the spotlights, shining like a malevolent god. Had OUR name on it. Waitin' for US. Made a deal, signed the papers (whole bunch'a papers). Came home, loaded up the two HDs in the big ol' trailer, and hi-tailed it back to Kyle. Took pix of both the babies - we loved 'em both, but we knew it was time - and I drove the truck and trailer home while John rassled with strange steering all the way back. (He still leans in the curves . . . )

I went from a fairly sane biker mama to a crazy triker babe in no time flat. John had only dropped me (really, my fault) a couple of times on two wheels, but that was enough to hate gravel lots. Some of you have heard those stories, complete with dramatic reenactments. Now, on three, we never think about it . . .

"We" pretty much got this one like he wants it, still a little room for more 'show chrome' yet to come. Friends over tonight pointed out a couple of places that need more 'embellishment' so another shopping trip might be in order soon.

We have put over 20,000 miles on Mariah in two years, with more to come, we hope. Lots more trips on our bucket list. With luck, we'll make 'em all!

 

[Charlie D]

Hey BG... YBYA you will ...lots a love Charlie D & the IMP.:woohoo::wtg:

 

[Biker-Dave]

My first trike experince was a 1950 Harley-Davidson servi-car. We would pull logs out of the woods with it. Guess I was about 10 or 12 then. I'm 48 now and have had a bike since I was 18. Started riding on a GS 750 Suzuki, then I moved up to a Honda VF1100S. The V-65 Sabre. Had the first one for just about a year. The bike was fast as it could be. At that age I had no fear, so you can guess what happened to the first one I had. LOL I got hit sitting still at a red light...The bike was a loss, I was fine. I liked that bike so much that I got another one. I road that one for several years. In 1989 at the ripe old age of 26, I got my first Harley touring bike, I was hooked. It was a 1982 FLH. I road that bike everyplace. In December 0f 1992 I walked into the Harley shop in Elkridge MD to buy some oil. On the floor was a 1993 90th Ann. edition FLHTC. I fell in love! Sold the old '82' and got me a new EVO. I road that bike until November of 05. Thats when I got a new 2006 Ultra. No one wanted my '93'. had over 100,000 miles on it. In my heart I did not want to sell it, so I sold it to my best friend to ride. The bike still lives here at my house, now with 200,000 miles on it. Feeling adventurous one day I got myself a Buell Ulysses. I wanted to get into the adventure riding world, and the Buell was a great bike. I loved riding the back dirt roads, you get to places not many riders are willing to go. In August of 2010 my riding buddy and I were returning from a weeks vacation riding through KY. On the last day out,our last little adventure stop was to go to the top of reddish knob in WV. On that small dirt road a pickup truck lost control and hit me. The force of the impact severed my left leg at the knee. After vowing to ride again, I started searching for ways to modify my '06' Ultra to ride. After spending a WHOLE lot of money, I had a bike that I did not feel safe on. That was when I decided to get a trike. I was going to trike my '06' out. I have 72,000 miles on it and as I looked at used trikes, I discovered that most trikes have low miles on them. So to get to the center of the topic....I am now the proud owner of a 2001 Ultra with the lehman kit on it. I have no idea how it rides. I've never drove it yet. As we speak it's in the shop getting the state inspection done, and having the shifter kit mover from my '06' to the trike. I look foward to using this site for info. I am finding out that trike riders are a breed all their own. I'm hoping to chat about the many rides that I will be enjoying from the seat of my trike. Ride safe.....Biker-Dave

 

[Gorilla]

My first trike experince was a 1950 Harley-Davidson servi-car. We would pull logs out of the woods with it. Guess I was about 10 or 12 then. I'm 48 now and have had a bike since I was 18. Started riding on a GS 750 Suzuki, then I moved up to a Honda VF1100S. The V-65 Sabre. Had the first one for just about a year. The bike was fast as it could be. At that age I had no fear, so you can guess what happened to the first one I had. LOL I got hit sitting still at a red light...The bike was a loss, I was fine. I liked that bike so much that I got another one. I road that one for several years. In 1989 at the ripe old age of 26, I got my first Harley touring bike, I was hooked. It was a 1982 FLH. I road that bike everyplace. In December 0f 1992 I walked into the Harley shop in Elkridge MD to buy some oil. On the floor was a 1993 90th Ann. edition FLHTC. I fell in love! Sold the old '82' and got me a new EVO. I road that bike until November of 05. Thats when I got a new 2006 Ultra. No one wanted my '93'. had over 100,000 miles on it. In my heart I did not want to sell it, so I sold it to my best friend to ride. The bike still lives here at my house, now with 200,000 miles on it. Feeling adventurous one day I got myself a Buell Ulysses. I wanted to get into the adventure riding world, and the Buell was a great bike. I loved riding the back dirt roads, you get to places not many riders are willing to go. In August of 2010 my riding buddy and I were returning from a weeks vacation riding through KY. On the last day out,our last little adventure stop was to go to the top of reddish knob in WV. On that small dirt road a pickup truck lost control and hit me. The force of the impact severed my left leg at the knee. After vowing to ride again, I started searching for ways to modify my '06' Ultra to ride. After spending a WHOLE lot of money, I had a bike that I did not feel safe on. That was when I decided to get a trike. I was going to trike my '06' out. I have 72,000 miles on it and as I looked at used trikes, I discovered that most trikes have low miles on them. So to get to the center of the topic....I am now the proud owner of a 2001 Ultra with the lehman kit on it. I have no idea how it rides. I've never drove it yet. As we speak it's in the shop getting the state inspection done, and having the shifter kit mover from my '06' to the trike. I look foward to using this site for info. I am finding out that trike riders are a breed all their own. I'm hoping to chat about the many rides that I will be enjoying from the seat of my trike. Ride safe.....Biker-Dave

Welcome aboard. Great intro. Glad you joined us and you hung in there on the bike.

 

[rodeo1]

i rode for 40 years, everything on two wheels it seems like. i have been working with the CMA ministry for 21 years now and had settled into valkyrie ownership (gotta love em)

last summer i was coming out of las vegas, headed home in colo. about midnight (i cover about 3 to 4,000 miles a trip, about 5 trips a year) i heard the sound of crunching gravel, i woke up just in time to save myself some real scratches. i had fell asleep riding.

riding that far with very little sleep was a big mistake. coming home and being silly enough to tell my wife what happened was the bigger mistake. 10 grand later i find myself on a roadsmith. she said she spent 5 years seeing me through throat cancer, she wasn't interested in losing me on some lonely highway, so no more two wheels for me.

and heck ! i kinda like it.

 

[Rider98Glide]

Broke hip at 40 so not as steady/safe on the Heritage as I used to be. Saw an Ultra Classic for sale with Voyager kit already on it. Bought it. If all the decent priced true trike rear end conversion kits were out on the market back when, I would of just kept the Heritage. Wife loved that bike. I did too, seeing how it was my third Harley, but my first and only so far off the showroom ride. Hindsight is 20/20. I am going to make the best with what I got or die trying. Fuel injection and stereo is nice.

 

[rhino 2]

My going to Trikes is simple, I got tired of not being able to ride in the winter,
Snow, salt, gravel, Etc.. So about 4 years ago i got a Trike.

 

[ladyff1481]

Bought this beautiful '07 Sportster but just kept dropping it. Went to Florida on vacation, stopped in Daytona Beach at Destination Daytona. The Trike Shop was there and they had a Sportster Roadsmith Trike on the showroom floor. That was it, I had to have one. When we got home the conversion began. Well sometimes I find things happen for a reason because while I was waiting on that Trike to be built I had 2 accidental falls resulting in repeated surgeries on my arm. I just was never meant to be on 2 wheels. Well last month we went to Florida on vacation and guess what? We went to The Trike Shop and they had this '11 HD Ultra Classic Limited Roadsmith Trike on the showroom floor....and it's mine now!