Making The Switch - Bike to Trike - Great Info!

[Mr.Wizard]

If this is not the right thread to make this post, my apologies.

I have a HD 2 wheeler and I pull a Bushtec trailer. With the weight I currently have, I lose speed on longer steeper grades
So, when I convert this bike to a trike, it seems reasonable that I will have to beef up the engine to accommodate the additional weight of the trike kit.
So, my question, did many / any of you do any engine work before you did your conversion?
thank you

This is what I did. All motor mods before converting.

My reasoning was to make absolutely sure I was happy with the motor mods before I spend a boat load of cash on the conversion.

 

[Rubiconcruiser]

If you're converting to three the motor upgrade you should use is the 110. The cam setup unless done by Screaming Eagle parts is not enough to haul the Bushtec. Youll be shifting forever. QUOTE=sportthedog;243659]If this is not the right thread to make this post, my apologies.

I have a HD 2 wheeler and I pull a Bushtec trailer. With the weight I currently have, I lose speed on longer steeper grades
So, when I convert this bike to a trike, it seems reasonable that I will have to beef up the engine to accommodate the additional weight of the trike kit.
So, my question, did many / any of you do any engine work before you did your conversion?
thank you[/QUOTE]

 

[brianl]

If this is not the right thread to make this post, my apologies.

I have a HD 2 wheeler and I pull a Bushtec trailer. With the weight I currently have, I lose speed on longer steeper grades
So, when I convert this bike to a trike, it seems reasonable that I will have to beef up the engine to accommodate the additional weight of the trike kit.
So, my question, did many / any of you do any engine work before you did your conversion?
thank you

I converted my Goldwing GL1500 last year. On my first test ride, I had the dealer as my passenger. (What a brave soul!) As I went on my first hill in 5th gear, I couldn't believe what little power I had. The dealer said "shift into a lower gear". DUH! That's what I do whenever I don't get a good running start up a hill. You'd be surprised how fast you can go in 4th gear. I would suggest get it triked first and then see if you have enough power. My guess is you will.

 

[RTwing]

I have 3 trikes and never noticed any horsepower loss. We just went out to North Carolina and even pulling a trailer fully loaded our friends on a standard two wheeler (Ultra) were downshifting and couldn't keep up. I never downshifted in hills or to pass.

The kind of trike kit/brand is the key.

 

[John Luciano]

I can drive pretty much in total 5th gear. I can drop to as low as 30 in 5th with out down shifting. As Brian said. You always have 4th. Good for up to 85 MPH. I pull a 500 lb trailer. If the road is relatively flat.( hilly but no steep,as trucks shift to low gear , hills. ) I can cruise at 45 / 50 all day in 5th.

 

[bikerbillone]

John, didn't you have a Spyder??

 

[tom w]

I cant testify about the 110 upgrade as my ultra had the 110 before the conversion. I did go back and ride a couple of two wheelers with both the 96 and 103.
not to knock either one but.........there is a big difference !.( there is No Replacement for Displacement.) I have no problems with pulling hills as long as I stay in an appropriate R.P.M. range.

if I could afford it I would do the 120R

 

[dbruce56]

Just finished reading the WHOLE thread. Lot's of great info that'll be a help once I get my trike. As I've never ridden a 2 wheeler, the learning curve shouldn't be as steep but, there will be one.

Thanks to all that have taken the time to contribute the preceding info. :clapping: I'll definitely be reading this thread more than once more before taking that first ride. :GL1800:

 

[Rubiconcruiser]

There is a major switch for your 1800. The power will create an unexpected for of excitement and the testosterone one really flows. Check your heart rate as it will really grab your attention. A trike is not steered. It's pushed the harder you push the greater your ride. Stay safe I'll see you on the road

 

[aussietriker]

one thing to remember when riding a trike is that were ever you point the front wheel the rears will follow. i have a habit of getting the trike sideways on sections of roads that i know i can do it safely which is mostly at roundabouts or turning at intersections. a roundabout in the wet is great for this and the first time you do loose traction in the wet on a roundabout or turning at an intersection it will frighten the shit out of you but once you understand that the rears will always follow the front tyre you will be comfitable with the rears sliding. i know alot of riders will think this is a dangerous thing to do which to a certain extent is right but remember this, if your in the twisties and you hit a oil patch or water and the rear goes then you wont panick because you know that the rears will eventually fall into line with the front tyre and you continue on the ride. if the first time ever the rears let go in the twisties or anywhere else your going to shit yourself because in your mind you have lost control and will most likely crash because you try to correct it like you do in a car by turning the opposite direction. years ago i aquaplaned in the wet and was being pushed into the path of a truck coming straight at me and the first thing i did was steer to the side of the road and when the front trye got traction again the trike speared straight off the road in the direction i had the front trye directed, this all happened at 65 mph. one thing to remember if you do practice this just be careful of the road surface as holes and bumps will spear you off the trike if not tip it over, yes it,s dangerous but sliding can also save your life.

 

[nomad06]

one thing i would say when you first start to ride look for quiet roads that you know take your time .ride single try a lot turn ,stopping, and learn the size of your unit. curbs and post can damage rear fender,tires and rims.

 

[Trikindan]

WOW!! Just spent all morning reading this entire thread.:Coffee:!!! GREAT INFO. Thanks All

 

[Jolie]

Awesome information. I will be re-reading this again and again until I get my trike home and it warms up!

 

[RTwing]

I am now on my 5th Trike - 2007 Victory Kingpin conversion. I started the whole trike thing 6 years ago and wish I would have done the RT route 20 years sooner.
I ride any kind of road from interstate to dirt, even grass covered cow trials. Every ride is now a new adventure and a new road, mostly gravel and dirt for me.

 

[RickDeVon]

I can't explain it but the trike became second nature to me quick ... curves are not a problem and I feel I could ride this ride twelve hour days without a problem...

 

[Steve on 3]

Traffic jams are now just an excuse to drink some water or grab a piece of gum or candy. Coming back from Daytona, my buddy on two wheels is weaving and duck walking....you know..too slow to maintain a straight line and to slow to keep the bike upright so you put your feet down and duck walk or tend to weave rather than a straight line. I'm sitting there with the trike in neutral with the parking brake on , reaching into the tour pack to ask him if he wanted a cold bottle of water. He looked at me like I had a third eye and said, "How in the hell would I open it, I have both hands full?' I replied "Trade it for a trike? "

 

[FuzzyWuzHe]

Traffic jams are now just an excuse to drink some water or grab a piece of gum or candy. Coming back from Daytona, my buddy on two wheels is weaving and duck walking....you know..too slow to maintain a straight line and to slow to keep the bike upright so you put your feet down and duck walk or tend to weave rather than a straight line. I'm sitting there with the trike in neutral with the parking brake on , reaching into the tour pack to ask him if he wanted a cold bottle of water. He looked at me like I had a third eye and said, "How in the hell would I open it, I have both hands full?' I replied "Trade it for a trike? "

Attaboy ... spread the word

 

[TwoBye]

Attaboy ... spread the word

Fixt

 

[dirtdobber]

I didn't realize at all the convenience that a trike had. I have had off and on since 2010 but never really spent a lot of time riding. There were just in case.
now that I ride one of the trikes almost always now find how useful they really are. I refused to get a handicap tag for a 2 wheel bike. Something is not right about that.
i got my tags on my tikes and truck, a blessing.
no worry about picking something up,
Some things like not having to stop when loaded, or in 2 mph traffic. It's different for sure but I'm digging it.

 

[RTwing]

I first started in 2009 after trying out a CanAm Spyder. The thing that grabbed me was here is a vehicle that can go off the highway and down the gravel and dirt roads of the back country yet do the 300-400 miles in relative comfort to get to these locations.
Well as it turned out the CanAm is ill equipped for this kind of adventure riding so I just designed and built my own reverse trike out of an ST1100.
I no longer have the ST, this one was cut up and scrapped but I do have the 2nd prototype which is my 99 Valkyrie interstate. Last year I did just over 21,000 miles mostly gravel with the Valk3. If you chase trout you need to be agile in the stream and on the back roads.
I currently have 5 trikes and just love these things, I wish I would have got into this 30 years ago, the sights I would have seen over the years.
Even though I have owned over 100 2 wheel bikes and done well over 1 million miles on two wheels - three wheels in this configuration is far more exciting and practical for my life style.

There are a lot of good tips here for those who are going to try a trike ride for the first time. Best advice I can offer is forget it's a motorcycle, if you have ridden a snowmobile or ATV then ride it like that and you will be fine. It takes an hour or two to get used to an RT so the learning curve is quite fast. And as with all trikes there is a little waddle and as in prior advice just relax and in short order you will not even notice this. I normally tell first timers to ride one handed or with your left hand laying on the grip not holding it this allows the bike to do it's thing without the over corrections we humans tend to do. There is no jiggle or hard steering on the RTs so one handed will do in almost all cased except hard cornering.
Another bonus is - your riding along and all of a sudden there is road construction or that sign that says "pavement ends" on a two wheeler you would probably turn around and look for another route. Not me I just keep going knowing the worst that will happen is I will have to spend 10 minutes washing the bike tonight
BTW anyone attending the Trike Rally in Deadwood July 16-19?
www.d3wr.com