Long distance trike purchase?

Jun 18, 2012
47
5
Iowa
Has anyone ever traded trikes a long way from home? Been doing a little preliminary research on a trike trade and it appears that a better deal just might be about 14 hours away. I'm wondering just how would one go about it, and how it would work out. I've always thought that you would get a better response for a problem from where you purchased the trike. Any experience out there?
 
What are you looking to trade and what are you looking to buy and from whom? There are dealers out there that specialize in long distance sales. If you are buying from a private party be sure that the title is clear and you may have to get your bank involved in the transfer. As for service, even if you don't buy from them, try and make friends with them. Good luck on your purchase.
 
I do need to add more details. I have an 02 Wing with a 12 Motor Trike conversion. It has 82,000 miles and is in very good condition. It has a few extras such as a Mustang seat, Garmin Zumo, back rests, arm rests, pegs, and others. I'm thinking about a new DCT wing with a Roadsmith conversion. From some preliminary research it looks like KD Cycle has very good prices, and the owner of Roadsmith told me they are his biggest distributor. I'm not opposed to trading mine to a dealer, but I realize I would do better with a private sale. I am somewhat nervous about buying a trike from a dealer 14 hours away, after sales service wise.

Sorry for not being more clear in the original post.
 
Good work, Keith, and good luck on your purchase. I'm sure you'll get a better price on your MotorTrike on a private sale, sort of goes without saying. The advantage of KD Cycles, you ride there, you do the deal, you ride your purchase home, nice clean deal. However you work it, be prepared for the financial blood letting, that's just he way it works.
 
Scenario#1.............

You buy a Trike 14 hours away.....You get it home and there aren't any problems with it.,

Then there isn't a problem with buying it 14 hours away.....ThumbUp

Scenario#2.............

You buy a Trike 14 hours away and you get it home and there's a few small problems , Little nagging ones, IE; A light or a switch is defective, Or something is out of line, Leaking shock ETC,ETC.....Then you take it to a local guy to fix it....If your lucky the'll fix it in a few weeks....Or they'll ask you why don't you take it back to the original installer ?

.....:(
 
I do need to add more details. I have an 02 Wing with a 12 Motor Trike conversion. It has 82,000 miles and is in very good condition. It has a few extras such as a Mustang seat, Garmin Zumo, back rests, arm rests, pegs, and others. I'm thinking about a new DCT wing with a Roadsmith conversion. From some preliminary research it looks like KD Cycle has very good prices, and the owner of Roadsmith told me they are his biggest distributor. I'm not opposed to trading mine to a dealer, but I realize I would do better with a private sale. I am somewhat nervous about buying a trike from a dealer 14 hours away, after sales service wise.

Sorry for not being more clear in the original post.

If you make the purchase, is there a dealer in your area that will do warranty work? I bought my HD trike in CA due to a great deal I couldn't pass up, but found a great dealer locally for service & it worked out for me. Me personally, without a local dealer for warranty support, I would pass.
 
I normally dont disparage other dealers and discourage others from doing so, I always suggest working out issues with the dealer, but to answer you question on a long distance purchase, I feel I need to address this.

KD Cycle is cheap for reason. You dont get a factory RS paint job, their paint jobs are mediocre to downright awful and you get a trike kit that is thrown together in one day. High volume, cheap labor, cheap in house paint jobs, fast low time builds, few to no options. Too many corners are cut to keep the price down.

I do a lot of warranty work for RS and most are his builds. Almost all have leaking trunks from the trunk seal not being installed properly, screws missing, tools left under the seat, etc, etc. This a what a one day build looks like and the reason most RS dealers refuse to do warranty work on a KD Cycle build, can you blame them?

He has tried to take on other trike manufacturers and all have refused to sell to him, that's why he's RS biggest dealer, no other manufacturer will touch him. Hard pass on KD Cycle.
 
Has anyone ever traded trikes a long way from home? Been doing a little preliminary research on a trike trade and it appears that a better deal just might be about 14 hours away. I'm wondering just how would one go about it, and how it would work out. I've always thought that you would get a better response for a problem from where you purchased the trike. Any experience out there?

I bought my 15 tri-glide 400 miles away off of cycle trader went great, got my bank to contact his bank had everything arranged with my banker to transfer money upon my approval his bank held title until money was transferred took bit to set up but went easily rode bike called bank ten minutes later I was on the road. If its a national chain like Harley no issues I know of dealerships pretty good about taking your money. disregard didn't know you were dealing with dealer.
 

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