How fast is too fast?

[hdchaplain]

What is a true safe top speed on a trike? Do they become unstable at some point?

 

[Trent]

101 for me, just to see if it could. Trike felt solid and wanted to keep going but my walnut sized brain started becoming wobbly and unstable, so I backed off.
I cruise at 80 to 90 very frequently with no stability issues. Drives straight and true. The freeway speed limit here is 80 with a lot of wide open spaces, so 85 to 90 is a very common speed for many of us.

 

[tfdeputydawg]

I would be surprised if a good trike, those based on the larger touring type bikes, would ever be unstable, at the top speeds they are capable of.
Especially those w/conversions that lengthen and widen the "stance", such as a Wing with a Hannigan conversion.
Talking straight line runs here.

It is very possible to turn one over trying to corner to fast. The shorter the wheel base and the narrower the width the easier it would become unstable in extreme hard cornering.
I have lifted the inside tire on mine while cornering, running Deal's Gap. That's according to the friend following me on his Can-Am. Never felt it lift, never felt unstable:clapping:

 

[DK Custom Products]

Smooth straight road, bike in good condition, no traffic, I don't think the engine can propel it to a speed that is unstable.

I've been over 100, but am comfortable cruising at 90 (in the right conditions) and speeding up to 95, but not maintaining.

Just gotta keep in mind, everything happens MUCH faster at speed. Swerving around road debris at 70 is one thing...even seeing it, and then swerving at 90 is another.

Kevin

 

[jaxbobg]

I've run over 110 mph for short stretches on 2 different trikes and never noticed any shimmy or instability problem.

I usually don't run more than 75 or 80 on the highway to allow sufficient reaction time for road hazards and unpredictable cager actions.

 

[rhino 2]

On open roads I've gone 90/95 for short bursts.. No handling problems.
But the thought of a Woods Rat coming out in front make's me slow down a little and enjoy the scenery..

 

[trikermutha]

I say give it a shot and see how fast it will go if it will shimmy ,shake or just ride a smooth as if you were driving 30 MPH..

But do it on a open rodeThumbUp

 

[Sunman]

Had my Freewheeler to 95 and it was stable as a rock.

Sunman

 

[JetDoc]

Dunno... The last time I tried to see how fast my bike would go, the nice man in the car with the flashy lights on the top suggested I should slow down a bit.

 

[trikermutha]

Come around the Chicago area speed limit 55..average speed 65..Others drivers 80 plus..
If you don't keep up with the drivers you will get run over around here..

 

[pcombe]

A wise man on this forum once said if it tips over or you loose control.



Back off 5 mph. and try it again?

I think that was Rollin Thunder? Maybe M Socko?:clapping:

 

[geezerglide11441]

On open roads I've gone 90/95 for short bursts.. No handling problems.
But the thought of a Woods Rat coming out in front make's me slow down a little and enjoy the scenery..

Don't understand all this talk about 80, 95, 100 plus!! Although my trike will most certainly go that fast and faster, I ride to enjoy the scenery most of the time, and I will say when I get much over the speed limit, my focus is on the ROAD and not the scenery. I appreciate how quick my trike is in a passing situation, and not how fast it will go "balls out" (if that makes any sense).

You guys ride safe!!

Roger

 

[Trent]

I have no problem seeing the scenery, or lack of it, at 80 to 90 mph. Specially on the freeway. It occurs to me many of the places where I can easily run that fast, and do, there is no scenery. There are many areas out here in Idaho, Nevada, and Eastern Oregon that are so desolate and not so scenic, specially if you have already seen it a couple of thousand times, that the faster you can get thru it to actually get to some scenery, or shade, or something green, the better. When all you can see is sagebrush for 20 miles in front of you to the horizon, that is a good time to sit back and let 'er rip man. Just keep your eyes open for the occasional Antelope and be smart about where ya do it. Everyone has their own comfort zone and M.O.

 

[tom w]

Im good til about 80mph then I start having a loud noise from behind me and a lot of thumping on top of my helmut.

 

[JetDoc]

I have no problem seeing the scenery, or lack of it, at 80 to 90 mph. Specially on the freeway. It occurs to me many of the places where I can easily run that fast, and do, there is no scenery. There are many areas out here in Idaho, Nevada, and Eastern Oregon that are so desolate and not so scenic, specially if you have already seen it a couple of thousand times, that the faster you can get thru it to actually get to some scenery, or shade, or something green, the better. When all you can see is sagebrush for 20 miles in front of you to the horizon, that is a good time to sit back and let 'er rip man. Just keep your eyes open for the occasional Antelope and be smart about where ya do it. Everyone has their own comfort zone and M.O.

The antelope don't bother me... It's the freakin' jack rabbits that jump out in front of you! Ya' might want to keep an eye out for that "Bear in the Air" too. I know Nevada uses them quite frequently along Interstate 80.

 

[pcombe]

The antelope don't bother me... It's the freakin' jack rabbits that jump out in front of you! Ya' might want to keep an eye out for that "Bear in the Air" too. I know Nevada uses them quite frequently along Interstate 80.

The Antelope sure Bother me here in Wyoming, we have vastly more of them than people. :Coffee: The Antelope is the only animal more stupid than a cow and they have the tendency to jump out of the barrow ditch when your right on top of them and run in front of or try to race you. I get at least one close call every year on the bike and have hit several in a semi and a couple in a car over the years. Riding at night is an invitation to tour the coroners office. I never lost a battle to a jack rabbit though?

 

[Trent]

Im good til about 80mph then I start having a loud noise from behind me and a lot of thumping on top of my helmut.

Oh... Me too... I only go over 80 if by myself or I have this knocking sound at the back of my head. I have passed Nevada HP doing 20 over the limit and he didn't even look at me. I think they kinda give motorcycles a little bit of a pass. I know they do here in Idaho too. I have had them only wag a finger at me and smile. Paul... I can remember when Wyoming was gonna make the flat asphalt rabbit the state animal. Back in 70's when we used have rabbit killing drives in E Idaho there were so many flat rabbits on the highways it was like driving on a washboard.

I never see a single rabbit for weeks at a time anywhere these days... Just dumb antelope. And you are right about them wanting to race you. Many times I have had then run right along side me for a long time before veering off..

 

[rhino 2]

And you are right about them wanting to race you. Many times I have had then run right along side me for a long time before veering off..

I've had Deer [woods rats] Act the same way a number of times, The wife says its the soap I use, Or did she mean the lack of it....:blush:

 

[tom w]

with or with out antlers ?

 

[WildWilly]

with or with out antlers ?

soap with antlers? You'd have to be very careful washing your private parts.:laugh:

 

[Trent]

I've had Deer [woods rats] Act the same way a number of times, The wife says its the soap I use, Or did she mean the lack of it....:blush:

Don't use that Deer Musk soap man!!! You are inviting disaster every time..!!

 

[pcombe]

"Officer burned his hand on the third bike and didn't check the other two"

Who says police don't learn? a cop in Utah once tried to blow up a bike at a traffic stop and burned his lips on the exhaust pipe!:laugh:

 

[Trent]

I grew up in Utah and go down there often to check on Mom and visit the kids, grandkids, and sibs. One of my Son's in Law is a police chief there too. I have several friends that are in the Utah HP and are Sheriffs deputies also. But I am always careful down there. Have the radar detector in operation when in my Pickup and only go 5 over when on the Trike. Used to go to Grand Junction and then Denver all the time in my truck driving days too.

 

[MB1953]

What you have to watch for here in FL is the gators and hogs. On back roads at night, a gator will literally blend into the road. Ran over one in my truck at about 35-40; it was like hitting a boulder! Hate to think what it would have done if I was on the bike. And hogs can be huge, and move very quickly into your path from out of nowhere. Lots of wildlife here!

We have lots of wide open roads, but I have to concur with the "slow down and enjoy the scenery" thinking anymore.

'Course, it is fun to crank it up every once in a while!

 

[dolamiti]

I'm an old drag racer....now your talking. My 09 Triglide is running Wyrd Brothers XH-66 cams, Big City Thunder Baffles in the headpipe. Homemade exhaust baffles.. pulls hard to 5 grand. Had it up to 110 here in Michigan but that's it. It's only designed for 104 due to aerodynamics, that was from a Harley Engineer in Yucca, AZ. Cruising around 75 to 80 is fine.
www.warlockdragracingteam.20m.com the good ole days................

diesel

 

[Trent]

To the original poster: Since your question was about higher speed handling and driving characteristics, and not about how slow we should all be going, I hope you got your question answered before the conversation veered off topic a little.
{ Mmmmm.... Roadkill! A new BBQ section thread for Sully! }

I think we can all agree that a Trike handles and drives very well at higher speeds than some riders would care to operate at.

 

[lboos]

delete

 

[jaxbobg]

Seems like Trent pretty well summed it up.

Ever noticed how some threads wander off into the weeds because folks don't read or understand the original post?