Newbie wants "old timers" advice

[Scrap Man]

Hello,

New on the site as you can see. I have been lurking and reading for a bit but seems hard to find the answers I am looking for without just asking. So here is the situation.

The wife and I have a 1989 GL 1500 now and love it. We are not big tourers or anything mostly use it as a nice day play toy and go for rides on country ( paved) back roads.

I am only 43 but am going through a very painfull SI joint problem in my back and my right leg does not work like it should. Once I am in the saddle I am ok, it is getting on and off and stopping and putting that leg down to hold us. I have gotten pretty good at left leg only landings but as you all know that is not possible all the time.

Here is where the problem lyes, we can no way afford an 1800 model trike, it is just not possible. So I have been looking at 1500 models and even a nice one of those will push our limits. But we are not willing to give up riding a Wing yet, so we are saving our butts off!

Help I would like is I know allot of the guy's and gal's on here with 1800’s had to have started with a 1500 trike and I would like to know if there were conversions that were considered better back then or not? And are the 1500’s still a good trike? Hell, their a great bike IMO ! Most of all the post on here have to do with 1800 trikes that is why I am asking for this help.

Sorry for being so wordy, but wanted you to have some background on our situation.

Thank you!
Scrappy

 

[Nana]

Welcome Scrappy! We have several 1500 trikers on here and they all say it is a great trike! I'll try to locate some of the previous discussion and give you some links .
Here is a recent one to get you started: http://www.triketalk.com/forum/honda-trikes/7775-98-1500-worth-triking.html

 

[Ozarkryder]

We have a '95 GW1500 Motortrike, and love it. The 1500's have more room for the pilot, but still ample room for the passenger. The 1800 was designed to be sportier, and the fairing is not as protective on the 1800 compared to the 1500. The headlights on the 1800's are ugly (IMNSHO), look much better on the 1500. We have an GL1500SE, has CB, casette stereo radio, (I installed an adapter to plug in an Mp3 player), footwarmer vents (on the SE) and is supposed to put out 98HP at the crank. When we travel we pull a loaded Bunkhouse camper, and it is easy to forget it's back there. Plenty of power. Saw it for sale at the Davis Rally and paid in the mid-teens for it with 46,000 miles on the clock. (Not even broke in yet!)

Some will say it is too old, but there isn't any reason not to trike the ride you have now. If it is in good mechanical shape, you know the history, and you plan on keeping it for a while, (we have no plans to get rid of Her Purpleness- she should last another 100,000 miles with normal upkeep) the cost of triking what you have will be a lot less than a new to you turnkey unit.

 

[Smoken'JOE]

Welcome Scrappy.................here is a really nice kit for you bike. The one I bought I installed myself with help from a Bro. If you are at all handy with tools, you can do this. I e-mailed the company and asked for the install instructions, read through and decided I can save myself about $3000.
Just a thought;
Trikes: HT1500 : Roadsmith Trikes

 

[Lucky]

Welcome! Glad you joined us. I triked my 1990SE/Motortrike when it had 52000 miles and have never regreted one bit.As far as I know all the kit builders offer kits for 1500's.If you are a good wrench you mite look into triking it yourself,but that limits your opitions a bit.GOOD LUCK>RIDE SAFE

 

[skuuter]

I own a 1800 Trike, but the 1500 makes a Fine Platform for a Trike Build, especially when You already own it. I've ridden several 1500 Gold Wing Trikes now since joining the "Triker Ranks" and They were fine...ThumbUp....and that statement about You and the Wife don't do long Tours...that might change after Triking the 1500.....

 

[Scrap Man]

WOW....Thanks for the responses! Smoken'JOE now you really have me thinking. I wondered what was involved but reading on here the last week or so I got nervous about doing one myself because everyone talks about how important a good install is.

I have built from ground up around 15 Hot Rods, 5 dune buggies, restored two Harley FLH's etc.... You get the idea, so I can wrench myself and have all the tools on hand except for any specialty ones that could be needed.

Now I really was not considering our bike as it has 83k on it and is just starting to "puff" a little blue at startup after sitting between rides, other then that nothing wrong with it however.

We don't make much money, wife is the bread winner and I am a metal scrapper, but hey, were happy!! So having to go to a trike is a big financial situation for us. I CANNOT BELIEVE HOW EXPENSIVE THEY ARE !

When I first started reading this forum I almost did not sign up simply because most of the posting is on 28k plus trikes, and we can't play that game ! But then I saw a few 1500 owner's post and thought, "ah, what the heck"...lol...lol

 

[Smoken'JOE]

WOW....Thanks for the responses! Smoken'JOE now you really have me thinking. I wondered what was involved but reading on here the last week or so I got nervous about doing one myself because everyone talks about how important a good install is.

I have built from ground up around 15 Hot Rods, 5 dune buggies, restored two Harley FLH's etc.... You get the idea, so I can wrench myself and have all the tools on hand except for any specialty ones that could be needed.

Now I really was not considering our bike as it has 83k on it and is just starting to "puff" a little blue at startup after sitting between rides, other then that nothing wrong with it however.

We don't make much money, wife is the bread winner and I am a metal scrapper, but hey, were happy!! So having to go to a trike is a big financial situation for us. I CANNOT BELIEVE HOW EXPENSIVE THEY ARE !

When I first started reading this forum I almost did not sign up simply because most of the posting is on 28k plus trikes, and we can't play that game ! But then I saw a few 1500 owner's post and thought, "ah, what the heck"...lol...lol

Wow, with all that experience you wont have a problem with the trike kite. I did mine in the winter so there was no real down time. Got the instructions from Roadsmith and started the disassemble soon after. I had kit delivered to my house by freight carrier and Roadsmith threw in chrome front rims. All in all, I think kit $8000., rake kit $400,(not a must do right away) paint about $1900. but I had the whole bike repainted. (Plus painter is a very good friend) Can't count the chrome front rim. That's was a gift.

Hope this helps. Triking is very enjoyable and a great bunch on here with lots of info and all the help you can stand. ThumbUp

 

[Scrap Man]

Our Wing now......

If we cannot afford to go to a trike, this is what we will return to. But there is a difference in "driving" something and "riding" something. Even though they are both open vehicles, there is a difference....:Shrug:

 

[Lucky]

Scrap man you should pm ZOOK he has DIY kits.RIDE SAFE

 

[onebigtrk]

Scrapman another way is to put a TowPac unit on your !500. The cost is 4300 which includes a rear bumper and reverse. Did this to my 08 ElectraGlide Classic back in late may and I am really satisfied. Got the TowPac unit from GSK sales in arrora Col

 

[Papa Zook]

Scrap man you should pm ZOOK he has DIY kits.RIDE SAFE

Scrap Man- Shoot me a PM. I'll make you a good deal on a DIY conversion

Roadsmith
Champion
Voyager

 

[Scrap Man]

Zook, I am on your site now, still trying to learn all this stuff! Difference in conversions etc....

 

[Papa Zook]

If you have any questions feel free to give me a call

 

[rodeo1]

my first trike was a trike shop VW based trike, it was o.k. the second was my third 1500 goldwing triked, wow, the 1500 in my opinion is a true tourbike, the 1800 is a true something, but with zero handlebar adjustment and a sit on it, rather than sit in it, platform, in my opinion the 1500 was just the ultimate tour bike. i must have liked them to own 3 of them.

i ride with the CMA ministry so i tend to put a really lot of miles on a bike. i own a valkyrie trike now with a roadsmith kit.

i had a CSC kit on my 1500 wing, i would not do that again. trikes need an independant susp. under them (my personal opinion) the roadsmith gives you that, but with state of the art engineering, and a heavy sway bar to eliminate sway.

on my wing i ordered the kit with no rake kit. installed it myself and promply made a trip from colo. to calif. got caught in the wind and learned to hate the trike that day. onother triker told me i needed a steering kit. i called CSC and they agreed that a 6 degree kit would do the trick. i was very skeptical about it but tried it anyway, never looked back. power steering -- don't build one without a rake kit.

in my shopping for a valkyrie kit what i found was that roadsmith (the trike shop) was all that was left that would sell you the kit and let you install it yourself. the entire job, with rake kit, and i painted it myself, took less than a week. most of that time was paint time, the kit itself was installed and running in one day, including the rake kit.

in short -- if i were to go back to a wing, i would find a good low mileage 96 to 2000 wing and go for it. in my opinion (and i have ridden both) the 1500 wing is hands down the best trike. not as cool and fast as my valkyrie, but got 35 mpg where my valk gets 25. go with your 1500. you won't be dissapointed.

gone rodeo'n

 

[Konrad]

I have an 1800 Roadsmith (age 81) just troilked ion February and a froiend (age 76) just bought a 1999 1500 Roadsmith which I had to drive home for him - and what everyone says about the 1500's is true: couldn't tell any difference in power and the leg room was better - loved it! And Goldwings are famous for lasting forever. I just wish I had triked my bike years ago. Smokin Joe gave you some good advice and Bazooka is a great guy to deal with. Best wishes!

 

[Cycleguy]

The 1800 has substantially more power, to pull the extra weight. But the 1500 will do just fine. Arguably, the 1500 frame may suit triking better.

 

[rodeo1]

i agree, the 1800 frame is designed for a single side swingarm and makes a great crotch rocket posing as a tourbike. i wouldn't say that but i spent a lot of money buying one, rode it to arizona and back, hated it after owning 3 1500's. it just wasn't a tourbike in my opinion. then i did the unforgivable - i changed my own air filter. if i wasn't convinced before i was after that whore of a job - out the door went the 1800 and in the door came the valkyrie, been happy ever since.