OK, I think I'm moving into "Phase 2"....

[lgjhn]

It's now been the third week with the trike and about 400 miles or so.
The first couple of times I rode it (about 24 miles each time), I was totally put out and frustrated with the darn thing. Totally disgusted with myself for "ruining' a perfectly good Wing, I almost went to the Kawi shop and bought a new Concours sport tourer and said to heck with this thing....LOL. My wife said: "Give it some time". So I gave it time and some more miles. It's now where it seems a little more "ok" and I've gotten a little more comfortable with it.....I still have a ways to go but as long as it keeps getting better, it will be ok.ThumbUp

 

[Nana]

Hang in there.... you will suddenly realize you are loving it!

 

[Lucky]

It will get so good you will be throwing rocks at that Concours.RIDE SAFE

 

[Rod69]

You'll make it. Practice, practice and more practice. You'll love it.

 

[mhgoldwing]

One of the key points is to not over steer it. Most new trike riders use way too many steering inputs and it keeps the trike unsettled. Let her have her head just a bit, relax your grip and enjoy the ride.

 

[FRR]

Riding a trike is very different than 2 wheels. BUT, after saying that I truly believe you will learn to love it. I've never heard anyone say they regretted buying one, and most say they wish they had done it years before. It just takes a different mindset, but you will get the hang of it soon enough. You are almost there. Took me about 500 miles to get comfortable with the change.

 

[msocko3]

As others have said riding a trike is different, you just have to get some miles under your belt and learn the good parts about a trike. I road my 2012 Gl1800 2 wheels for almost a year after getting rid of my Harley Triglide, I had planned on riding it 2 years. I couldn't wait, I missed not having a trike so I get it done a year early and couldn't be happier. IMO there is just something about hitting the corners and traveling on a trike I get a lot of pleasure from.

 

[Konrad]

Hang in there.... you will suddenly realize you are loving it!

And that was exactly my experience: a few days of frustrated steady riding and constantly saying to myself "STEER, don't lean!" And then, quite suddenly, it became totally automatic - the tension drained from my body and my mind - and I LOVED IT! pepperpepper

 

[dadorfman]

When I bought the trike, it was with the expectation that it would take 3000 miles to decide if it were a keeper. Both the C50 and the trike have their advantages and disadvantages. On 2 wheels, the big negative is lack of vertical stability and the advantage is turning by leaning. The big negative of the trike is dependence on upper-body strength and mobility, which are not my strengths, and the big positive is that, barring an accident or testosterone poisoning, it is not going to fall over. I still think, after 1000+ miles, my original estimate was right. A major factor will be whether my wife, who won't ride with me on 2 wheels feels comfortable as a passenger on 3. Keeping both is a possibility because both were bought with cash.

 

[RdKnB]

It will get better

 

[dougv]

I first rode a trike around a parking lot at a dealers in Albany,NY and the steering part was OK, I had to get used to the shifter after riding a Vulcan 900 for a few years.

The next trike I tried turned out to be the one I eventually bought but on the test ride I wasn't sure, it had a funky heel toe shifter and it seemed very twitchy on the road. I wondered if I was up to riding a trike. Later the same day I tried another one with a stock shifter and it seemed better.

Well the dealer swapped the shifter for me and all it took was the 20 miles back home to get used to it. As soon as I got home, I told the wife to grab her gear and off we went. Honestly I only bought this two weeks ago and we haven't put a lot of miles on it but we both got comfortable with it pretty quick. I did readjust tire pressures to what everyone recommends and it made a difference in handling.

Also depending on your suspension, make sure the settings are at the recommended settings for your weight, that made a big difference too.

Have fun and ride safe....

 

[Shimpy]

You just need to re-program yourself to steer like a car. Afterall, a trike is like a 3 wheeled sportscar. You have the advantage of the stability of a trike and at the same time are on a motorcycle.

 

[lgjhn]

One of the key points is to not over steer it. Most new trike riders use way too many steering inputs and it keeps the trike unsettled. Let her have her head just a bit, relax your grip and enjoy the ride.

All, I appreciate the moral support and advice....and I'm determined this 3-wheeled beast is NOT gonna get the better of me. Not just because of the financial cost, that's not even in the equation. I WILL master this thing. The gauntlet has been tossed down..so to speak. You guys are great. Thanks.

mh,
I think you're "right on" with that "steering inputs" comment, and that's helped me probably more than any other advice I've gotten so far as it appears that is/was a lot of my problems. Thanks for that. I'm forcing myself to "steer" it way too much, too often, and with a too tight a grip because I'm about half afraid of what it is going to do...or not do. It being so different than the 2 wheelers I've been riding forever.....I don't know what it's going to do and I found that to be scary right off that bat from the first minute I sat on it.

I was so totally intimidated with the 2-wheeled Wing that I knew every little unique characteristic about it, especially in the steering. I knew exactly what it was going to do and how it would react to my every move and command. I don't have that "confident control" with this beast...at least not yet. I do know that the steering on this thing is "bad ass" sensitive (raked 6 degrees) and that's probably not helping me as a beginner triker. Taking your advice, I did go out on a non-busy open piece of smooth road (not too many of those around here in these parts...LOL) and kinda did what you said: "let her have her way a bit" and tried very hard to just relax the grip and my body some. DEFINITELY, an improvement in my confidence level!

Also, the trike seemed to become "more stable"? That's probably not the right word for it, but before, it seemed like we were actually fighting each other out there on the road, and when I let it win a little, we both did a whole lot better. As one poster above said, "practice, practice, practice". Now, if I can just get over the ribbing from my 2-wheeled friends about being an "old geezer" Oh, Wait! I am an old geezer.....

 

[Konrad]

I'm forcing myself to "steer" it way too much, too often, and with a too tight a grip because I'm about half afraid of what it is going to do...or not do.

Been there - and I'll tell you what I found: On a straight road I can take my hands completely off the bars (just hover the hands above the grips) and my trike will track straight as an arrow for three quarters of a mile! I measured it with the speedo. Going over a couple of bumps in the road did not affect it at all. The trike WANTS to go straight, and left on it's own - WILL. The only thing that will throw it off course is something that will deflect the front wheel from straight-on. So you are correct - you can oversteer. Unless you are making a turn - steering - the grips are just a convenient place to rest your hands - Lightly.

 

[Goldrush]

I was fustrated just like you in the beginning, I did the trial by fire as purchased my 1st Trike this fall in Ohio and drove it back to Minnesota with wife aboard (825 miles). Struggled the first day of riding, specially through big cities like Chicago. Eventually got the hang of it and now I really enjoy it, but still like riding my 2 wheel also - I like a change of pace every now and then. Hang in there, it gets better!

 

[nsm1979]

For someone who has only a few motorcycle rides in his life time, what can I expect? Sounds like motorcycle riders have an adjustment period.

 

[dadorfman]

At the trike course I took, we were told people who had not ridden the trike before the class would have an easier time learning because there were no bad habits to un-learn. You might be better off putting riding on hold and waiting for the class. Your coach/instructor will be experienced in showing and telling you the easiest and safest way to ride your trike.

 

[kimber45]

Gas it up and head to San Antonio. By the time you get back you will love it.

 

[lgjhn]

Just an update:
Today, my wife and I did a 400-mile day road trip with 4 other bikes. It was an absolute gorgeous day. Started off a little cool...about 45 degrees but warmed up nicely into the low 80s by noon. I've gotten a WHOLE lot more comfortable with this machine...especially riding 2 up. I've now have some "scuff" on that new front BattleAx tire and that has also helped some with confidence in the steering and twisties.

That sensitive steering I feared so much in the beginning, I'm now beginning to get used to and I really like it a lot. Riding with these other bikes (all cruisers) today also revealed to me that this trike will "stick like glue" in the twisties more so than I thought possible. The cruisers were slowing me down in the corners...LOL. I wouldn't say I'm totally Phase 3 yet, but a few more outings like today may do it.

 

[Grandpa1]

When I drove my new trike for the first time I was unsure too. I drove it almost 500 miles that day. From where I bought it to home. By the time I got home I was loving it.
I remember exiting on a cloverleaf off the Interstate and I learned right then you really have to push and pull the handlebars. It was a little scary until I realized these trikes are not going to turn over while driving it. I guess it would flip if you really did something stupid but normal driving they are really planted to the ground. It just takes more muscle to turn it because you can't lean the bike over.
I love mine now. I should have had one for the last ten years.
Keep riding and it gets better and better.