Simple trike question

[Firea100]

Good morning to all!
I have a 2000 Honda Valkyrie/ Cali Side Car
trike. It is a solid rear axle trike. My question is this; As I come up or down over a curb type of driveway, when it comes time for the rear wheels to come to the curb, it effects the steering in the front, snapping the handlebars to the left or right, depending on which rear wheel hits first. Is this typical for all trikes or just solid rear axled trikes? Would an I.R.S. eliminate or reduce this? I love riding the trike with the exception of little things like this. My maiden voyage of 2067 miles was a blast! Can't wait for summer to get here to start riding again! Any thoughts or comments would be appreciated!

Larry in East China Mi.

 

[mhgoldwing]

It is normal as far as I know IF you hit the dip at an angle. My Wing is a 2011 Roadsmith with IRS and it does this on the driveway kind of dip. Don't really notice it anywhere else. I think this is just characteristic of the three wheel vehicle geometry. IMO.

 

[CrystalPistol]

Anytime you have one rear wheel meet resistance it will pull the handlebars in that direction as the front of your trike still has some "trail" in it. The tire contact patch at the ground is anywhere from 4.5-5 inches (no rake kit) to as close as 2-2.25 inches (6 degrees rake added in fork tubes with "rake kit") behind that point where an imaginary line drawn through the steering stem bearing centers would strike the ground. Trail is what maintains directional stability at speed, it is necessary. A rake kit will reduce it but not eliminate it.

Grandpa's old John Deere had ZERO (0) inches trail, the steering stem axis imaginary line hit the road exactly at the center of the tire patch ..... bumps, etc at the rear wheels did NOT pull it left or right, it would continue in a circle if not corrected even in a corn field, but such an arrangement would be dangerous on a trike at 70 mph.

Your trike's front end is like the casters on the front of a shopping cart except they have a handlebar attached that you hold onto and you put effort into that to turn the front wheel left / right. Higher speeds or more power added through throttle, effort increases because that caster wants to follow a path of lessor resistance. You force it with your inputs. When that wheel hits a curb, the center of mass is off to the side and tends to continue, while wheel wants to stop, ...... caster is willing to turn toward resistance, you feel that.

 

[Firea100]

CrystalPistol,
Thank you for the insightful answer to my question! I appreciate the time you took to explain it to me. It makes complete sense, once you've explained it with the examples. I've always wondered about the quick snap of the handle bars every time i come out or in to my driveway. I had a 1500 'Wing with a Motortrike conversion (for one summer) and now the Valkyrie with the California Side Car conversion and both did exactly the same thing. My next guess was about a straight axle vs. an i.r.s.axle, thinking maybe that would solve my "problem". I'm perfectly happy with the CSC/ Valkyrie package, so much so that I'm having it re-painted to my taste presently! (Pics to follow) So now I don't have to worry that something is wrong with the set up!

Thank You again for the explaination!
Larry Gill from East China Mi.

 

[Red Wing One]

I'm new to triking, and I have a Lehman with IRS. I also wondered about the same jerking you refer to.
What I soon learned to do is make an effort to hit the curb as square as possible (perpendicular to the curb)!
I often wondered if a fork brace would soften the blow?

 

[KWSchin]

Newbie'll Chime In

I've got a bit over 100 miles on my '09 Kawasaki Champion (IRS) conversion, and mine does the same. We live in the country, and our road out to the highway is not smooth, every little bump transmits to the bars, with the wheel bobbing right and left.

Keith "Shin" Schindler

South Central Texas

Champion '09 Kawasaki Voyager

'81 KZ1100 Bobber Project

'80 KZ1000E Shaftie Project

'78 Honda Hawk CB400T (Dad's Old Bike)

 

[Firea100]

Thanks all for the replies to my original post! I'm happy (I guess...) that it's not just a problem with my trike and that it's "just the way it is"!! As soon as I take my trike apart for the color change, I'll start posting pics.

Thanks everyone!
Larry in East China Mi.

 

[Lee H. Mann]

Good morning to all!
I have a 2000 Honda Valkyrie/ Cali Side Car
trike. It is a solid rear axle trike. My question is this; As I come up or down over a curb type of driveway, when it comes time for the rear wheels to come to the curb, it effects the steering in the front, snapping the handlebars to the left or right, depending on which rear wheel hits first. Is this typical for all trikes or just solid rear axled trikes? Would an I.R.S. eliminate or reduce this? I love riding the trike with the exception of little things like this. My maiden voyage of 2067 miles was a blast! Can't wait for summer to get here to start riding again! Any thoughts or comments would be appreciated!

Larry in East China Mi.

Does your trike have a Raked Triple Tree ????
I buy mine from these folks.....

http://www.vtx-treme.com/TripleTrees.htm

 

[Firea100]

Lee H. Mann,

Yes it does already have a rake kit. I'm not sure of the brand but it works fine.
Thanks for the tip though. Did you know that Zook sells them also?
I've heard great things about his units.

Larry in East China MI.

 

[Firea100]

This is a pic of my trike.

 

[2Trikez]

I've found over the years of driving my trike...ones grip of the handlebars also affects this "snap". The harder you grip the bars...it seems to make the snap worse. SO, I use a soft grip (hand grip pressure) as I approach & go over these large bumps/curbs, etc.. Many times I've found that suing less grip pressure solves or eliminates many of the issues on the machine. ThumbUp

 

[ol' school]

I've found over the years of driving my trike...ones grip of the handlebars also affects this "snap". The harder you grip the bars...it seems to make the snap worse. SO, I use a soft grip (hand grip pressure) as I approach & go over these large bumps/curbs, etc.. Many times I've found that suing less grip pressure solves or eliminates many of the issues on the machine. ThumbUp

+1 on that...

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This is a pic of my trike.
View attachment 34071

Nice looking ride!!!