Leaning Trike
- Thread starter DblTrbl
- Start date
Theres been a few threads on this.....Lota pros and cons....
interesting
Id like one but the price and Wash state is too far to try it.
My wing trike has allot more storage but I dont feel good about the moutain
switchbacks verses 2 or 3 wheels leaning. Time will tell once we get back west verses Fl.
happy day
Id like one but the price and Wash state is too far to try it.
My wing trike has allot more storage but I dont feel good about the moutain
switchbacks verses 2 or 3 wheels leaning. Time will tell once we get back west verses Fl.
happy day
All I can say is my Paggio MP3 500 is pretty cool . Forget about the 2 front wheels, just ride it like a 2 wheeler. Just can't be as aggressive as on 2. As any thing, man just has to know his limitations!ThumbUp
The TMW trike appears to be well constructed and the workmanship is first rate. As advertised it does lean and rides and handles very much like a standard 2 wheeler. I know this peaks the interest and to be honest I dabbled with this concept also. CanAm and HD both have and shelfed the idea same as me for one good reason. If it's so much like a 2 wheeler - Why?
Why pay 10-13 grand for an extra wheel that does nothing special? Traction is not improved as traction is down pressure combined with footprint and both are divided in half as a 2 wheel up front design. Ground clearance is still a problem and that extra wheel is 200 dollars extra every time you have to replace tires.
It's a fun concept but just a novelty idea at best.
A non-leaning wheels forward unit offers faster cornering, more storage even more than that on most conventional trikes and now ground clearance issues. Also 3 inexpensive automotive tires that last over 40k and cost around $250 for the full set.
Plus riding off the paved roadways is now a given with the greater stability and handling which is inherent to a trike designed around steering and aerodynamic profile.
Off course I am bias but only due to the fact I did try that concept first and decided it just was not a good idea to pursue.
Why pay 10-13 grand for an extra wheel that does nothing special? Traction is not improved as traction is down pressure combined with footprint and both are divided in half as a 2 wheel up front design. Ground clearance is still a problem and that extra wheel is 200 dollars extra every time you have to replace tires.
It's a fun concept but just a novelty idea at best.
A non-leaning wheels forward unit offers faster cornering, more storage even more than that on most conventional trikes and now ground clearance issues. Also 3 inexpensive automotive tires that last over 40k and cost around $250 for the full set.
Plus riding off the paved roadways is now a given with the greater stability and handling which is inherent to a trike designed around steering and aerodynamic profile.
Off course I am bias but only due to the fact I did try that concept first and decided it just was not a good idea to pursue.
Slightly off topic but... After talking with a trike engineer in Daytona and test riding for 3 days straight, I understand that all trikes are "leaning trikes" in a regard.
Some trike manufacturers use a single rear coil over shock, which is essentially a solid axle being sold as independent suspension. The sway bar is basically used as the 2nd spring in this case. These have the least lean but stiffest ride.
So, if you ride brand X (let's say Champion) with true independent, and then brand Y (let's say CSC) with 1 shock and a sway bar as big as an F150 you will quickly notice that one may slightly "lean" around turns but rides excellent and the other rides like a semi-truck in comparison but corners excellent with little lean.
If you have a stiffie for 4 hours or more consult your doctor... a chiropractor.
Some trike manufacturers use a single rear coil over shock, which is essentially a solid axle being sold as independent suspension. The sway bar is basically used as the 2nd spring in this case. These have the least lean but stiffest ride.
So, if you ride brand X (let's say Champion) with true independent, and then brand Y (let's say CSC) with 1 shock and a sway bar as big as an F150 you will quickly notice that one may slightly "lean" around turns but rides excellent and the other rides like a semi-truck in comparison but corners excellent with little lean.
If you have a stiffie for 4 hours or more consult your doctor... a chiropractor.
A well designed trike does not lean but in a hard corner you will get some body roll which is a combination of some sway bar flex and tire deformation. If the swaybar is rubber mounted it can be very rigid and offer great control yet soft ride. One thing that is unique about 3 wheels is the suspension can be stiffer than that of a 4 wheeler as the body will pivot on the single front/rear wheel.
The most common CanAm aftermarket purchase is a stiffer anti-sway bar and it's a good choice.
Along with this the RT's have the advantage of 3 automotive tires so low inflation pressures of 16psi front and 26 rear offer a softer ride and up to 50k tire life. The trade off is a slight body roll due to tire deformation but there is compromise in all things especially engineering.
The steering dynamics are quite complex when one comes right down to studying all the factors involved and in every adjustment is compromise. In the RT setup there are roughly 9 items that focus on ride plus handling. On the CanAm 6 of those are non-adjustable and only ride height, sway and toe is adjustable. Ride height controls the roll center and toe simply keeps tire wear in check and sway keeps it stationary.
A few folks are duped into laser adjustment for toe however toe is really just an approximation and does not affect handling too much of a degree. It's main purpose is to control tire wear as the other 8 things do the handling part and as stated they are for the most part factory set and non-adjustable.
This is just a rough example - http://reversetrike.proboards.com/thread/343/vehicle-engineering-visualized
The most common CanAm aftermarket purchase is a stiffer anti-sway bar and it's a good choice.
Along with this the RT's have the advantage of 3 automotive tires so low inflation pressures of 16psi front and 26 rear offer a softer ride and up to 50k tire life. The trade off is a slight body roll due to tire deformation but there is compromise in all things especially engineering.
The steering dynamics are quite complex when one comes right down to studying all the factors involved and in every adjustment is compromise. In the RT setup there are roughly 9 items that focus on ride plus handling. On the CanAm 6 of those are non-adjustable and only ride height, sway and toe is adjustable. Ride height controls the roll center and toe simply keeps tire wear in check and sway keeps it stationary.
A few folks are duped into laser adjustment for toe however toe is really just an approximation and does not affect handling too much of a degree. It's main purpose is to control tire wear as the other 8 things do the handling part and as stated they are for the most part factory set and non-adjustable.
This is just a rough example - http://reversetrike.proboards.com/thread/343/vehicle-engineering-visualized
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