Just bought a trike

[mingus41]

Hi folks. We just bought a beautiful 2005 Honda VTX 1300 with new Champion trike conversion. New to trikes, we are looking forward to getting on the road as soon as it arrives.

 

[Nana]

Welcome to TrikeTalk, mingus! You are going to love this new experience <img src="images/smilies/grin.gif" border="0" alt="" title="big grin" class="inlineimg" /><br />
Be aware that you will have an adjustment period of 200-500 miles before you feel really at ease with the ride and the steering, so be careful to ride within your comfort zone and take your time. This thread will give you some great tips for beginning riders...enjoy:<br />
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<a href="http://www.triketalk.com/forum/general-forum/242-experianced-trike-riders-please-post-here.html" target="_blank">http://www.triketalk.com/forum/gener...post-here.html</a>

 

[Charlie D]

Welcome aboard Mingus! Enjoy your trike and look fprward to meeting you. TT is very helpful and a great bunch of guys & girls..Welcome Charlie D.&The IMP.

 

[Big_Steve]

Welcome aboard. I'm new to trikes myself. I have an '06 VTX 1300 with the Motor trike kit. After we put some miles on our bikes, we need to swap notes.

 

[2monkeys]

Congrats on your new trike

 

[Tango]

Congrats. You will love it! Tom <img src="images/smilies/smile.gif" border="0" alt="" title="Smile" class="inlineimg" />

 

[mingus41]

Thanking everybody for their encouragement, will let you know when it arrives.

Mingus

 

[TRIKERBOB69]

:yourock: CONGRATS, jmho but read evey post in the "general forum"s first post, it will give you a ton of tips from those in the NOOO!!

 

[Big_Steve]

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<img src="images/misc/quote_icon.png" alt="Quote" /> Originally Posted by <strong>mingus41</strong>
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<div class="message">Thanking everybody for their encouragement, will let you know when it arrives.<br />
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Mingus</div>

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</div>When do you expect it to be delivered? Is a local dealer doing it? Or is it coming from across the country?

 

[Gorilla]

Welcome aboard mingus. Very nice trike CONGRATS and ENJOY

 

[mingus41]

When do you expect it to be delivered? Is a local dealer doing it? Or is it coming from across the country?

Just arranging shipping from Florida so I guess it will take a while.

 

[ladyff1481]

You're going to love it, congratulations!!!!!!

 

[Big_Steve]

Just arranging shipping from Florida so I guess it will take a while.

The day I was supposed to take mine home (bike and trike were used) the dealer found a problem, and kept it overnight to fix it. Felt like a little kid the last week before Christmas.

When you get it, post photos!

 

[mingus41]

The day I was supposed to take mine home (bike and trike were used) the dealer found a problem, and kept it overnight to fix it. Felt like a little kid the last week before Christmas.

When you get it, post photos!

Don't have the Trike here yet, but I posted some pictures in my gallery.

 

[Big_Steve]

Don't have the Trike here yet, but I posted some pictures in my gallery.

I'm pretty sure I saw the ad for your bike on line a few weeks ago. I ALMOST thought the pic with the bridge behind it is my town. But there would be no buildings on the left side of the bridge if it were.

Where did you buy it? Clearwater?

 

[ricle41]

Welcome Mingus! I've only had my trike for a couple of months. I love it and this is the right place to be for learning. They accept all questions and someone always has a good answer. Happy triking!

 

[mingus41]

I'm pretty sure I saw the ad for your bike on line a few weeks ago. I ALMOST thought the pic with the bridge behind it is my town. But there would be no buildings on the left side of the bridge if it were.

Where did you buy it? Clearwater?

Steve:

Did you clear up your front wheel vibration? Got it in Largo, so 10 min down the road!

 

[Big_Steve]

Steve:

Did you clear up your front wheel vibration? Got it in Largo, so 10 min down the road!

I remembered the bike/photo. I looked at a Suzuki in Largo.

Dealer went through a lot of trouble to put labels on the inside trunk lids with tire and shock pressure. But they mixed up front and rear pressure. Once I figured that out, it rode much-much better.

 

[mingus41]

Arrived today - very nice but its been raining hard all day! It sounds great in the garage!

Will get Title and registration done tomorrow. No owners manual with the bike - any ideas where I might get one?

 

[Big_Steve]

Mine is a Motor Trike, and Motor trike tells me they don't have owner's manuals. They emailed me a 2 page preventative maintenance print out. I guess contact Champion and ask. The bike I would ask the dealer if he has one. If not, try Ebay. I have an '06 VTX 1300. If you have any specific questions, I'll be happy to tell you what my manual says.

Great that you got the trike!

Have fun on it............:beerchug:

 

[Nana]

Congratulations on the new arrival, Mingus! I'll bet you are tempted to sleep in the garage tonight . I hope your weatherman produces some great riding weather tomorrow!!!!!

 

[Big_Steve]

So what's the first thing you're going to do to it? I couldn't ride mine the first weekend. Instead I put on a universal throttle lock and an air horn. When I took the seat off to get at the battery, it was a stock seat. Sales guy told me it was a Mustang seat when I was looking. I had been off bikes for 25 years, and the stock seat looked comfy (it isn't) so I didn't know any better. We kicked it around, and he's getting me a Mustang seat below cost (I confirmed that) but it's not in yet.

 

[mingus41]

I was looking for the Honda VTX owners manual. I found it cunningly hidden next to the mini toolkit in the secret locker. You kinda need a manual to find the manual!

If we don't like the Honda seat will likely get the X ultimate lowrider 2 piece (with the studs of course), but will give the stock seat a ride for a while. Also, I like a clock on a bike, Kuryakyn have nice goodies so will look there first.

 

[Gorilla]

Congrats mingus good luck and long rides

 

[mingus41]

First ride today – about 20 miles on rural twisties - to get used to a trike and a VTX (it's a lot bigger than all my previous bikes). The trike felt strange at first but I quickly got used to the bumpy road characteristics and the steering. I found open road corners are fun and I’m getting pretty good there. Slow speed turns, like a turn at a stop sign, still seem odd but I’m getting there.

The VTX is way cool but I’m not sure I like the heel & toe shifter. I’ve been able to just use the toe shift (I’ve about 35 years of practice with these). I found myself having to think about shifting with my heel which felt odd. Seems to me that the heel change lever is in the way of the floorboard – maybe I’ll get used to it. Also, the gearing seems rather high but that may be Champion's final drive ratio. These are minor issues, it’s certainly a real nice bike.

You can certainly do things a little different when you don’t have to put your feet down!

However, I think I will ride a few more miles before taking the boss on the back!

This is a one cool looking ride and gets a lot of attention at stops and even in the driveway.

 

[Big_Steve]

Sounds great.

I'm still trying to get used to that awful feeling when you're accelerating through a stop light left turn, and your front wheel runs over a reflector in the road. Feels like the whole trike is going to tip over.

 

[mingus41]

I've a few more miles now, getting used to the handling and liking the trike a lot. Will be doing some night riding this weekend to see how I like the standard Honda lighting. Lot of deer around these parts can make night riding tricky and good lights a must.

 

[Nana]

Sounds like you are having a great time, mingus! That's wonderful to hear.

 

[TrikerMimi]

Congrats! Looks awesome! Me and the hubby are just north of you and come down that way a lot on my our way to my hometown. (Peoria) Maybe we can meet up one day and ride together! Have fun!

 

[Comanche]

I've a few more miles now, getting used to the handling and liking the trike a lot. Will be doing some night riding this weekend to see how I like the standard Honda lighting. Lot of deer around these parts can make night riding tricky and good lights a must.

Lots of deer indeed. Last night while at a SCRC meeting one of our members who has a King Airflew it up to our meeting. He had to take it back to home base and a few of us flew down with him. He brought us back in his cage.

Anyway, it was totally dark when he dropped me off where I left my trike. I switched to my yellow glasses for better night vision and drove home. I live on a country road and always ride slower then the speed limit on this rode. Saw a handful of deer along the side, but none came out. Have fog lamps and kept the headlights on bright to give me as much light as I could. Plan to order running lights in addition to what I now have for more illumination.

Just look at my sig photo. This is on my front yard and two deer in the background.

The other photo is a fawn that was born on my front yard this week. Deer are everywhere.

Good luck with your new trike.