T Gs

I

iaff84

Mar 7, 2011
1,032
29
Muncie, IN
Name
Dennis
How many out there have had a TG for a few years and love them? (or hate)

We have a 2011, use it for everything, short and long trips as well as just to take a ride. Like our folks did with us except we ride instead of drive the car.

I live in Indiana, not a state that folks visit for the scenery. I just say, Indiana is beautiful, just have to look harder.

Since buying the TG, I had a few issues that did not allow riding as much as normal but we have managed to enjoy it for 32000 miles to date.

Love how stable it is. Feel comfortable on it. It is different than the two wheelers, different kind of riding style on three but still very enjoyable.

Looking back on owning it, I think I started off expecting too much out of it. After all, it is larger, wider and heavier than the Ultra we traded in. Found now that we prefer traveling on three. I quit trying to compare it to my two wheeler, different animals, both great rides.

Like most, have changed a few things over time. Biggest change has been the trailer for the longer trips. Even with the weight added to pull, we like the convenience of it. A few years back I would have passed a setup like ours now and wondered why?? Now I really do not care what others wonder about, I am enjoying myself.

No major regrets to date. How has your experience been?

Dennis<o:pThumbUp</o
 
Good topic Dennis.I bought my 2011 in late August of 11.I live out in the country.20 miles to anywhere that has anything.Once the snow&salt are off the highways in spring,my truck is parked & i'm on the trike the rest of the year.I'm single & travel alone more then half the time.If i can fit it in the trunk or figure a way to strap it to the passenger seat,i haul it.I've been lucky that i have not had some of the problems with my trike that you read about on this forum.Most all my dealings with the trike are things that i wanted to do,not had to do.

When i first purchased my trike i thought it was the biggest mistake i had ever made.I've almost always been on two wheels & the first so many miles scared the hell out of me!I have aprox.30,000 miles on it now,& wouldn't go back to 2 wheels for anything.I live in Il. & my scenery is probably alot like yours,either corn or beans,or beans & corn.Matter of fact i live almost straight west of you maybe 150-200 miles.I like the trike enough that when the new ones have been out for a lil while longer i 'll be getting one.I've traveled roads out west that were not paved,but were some of the best views & scenery imaginable.Had i been on a motorcycle i would of turned around.So to sum it up,I LOVE MY TRIKE MAN! HAHA
 
Most all my dealings with the trike are things that i wanted to do,not had to do

I resemble that remark! ThumbUp (that is what "she who must be obeyed says !")
 
Dennis, I have grown to love my TG. There was some growing pains but with the help of M3 we worked through them. I have traveled and seen more beautiful scenery because of it. I would have still went to the same places with my 06 Ultra but the TG made it much easier. With both of my knees being replaced ( Still having problems ) my riding years would be done. I can now look forward to many more trips. M3 and I are thinking of heading back to SD next year.

It also helps to be retired so I can enjoy when ever my Bride and I want to.
 
Dennis, I have a feeling your story is about like mine, but health issues forced me to a trike in 2010. The Spyders were new around here then so I tried one and for the first time my wife was willing to ride with me on 3. The Spyder experience was not a good one so we moved on to a TriGlide, absolutely the best move I could have made. The bike and the dealership have been great. We chased the right setup for us for awhile, but we are completely happy with it now. We now set the entire month of June aside for travel on the trike, mainly out west (we like cool weather). To sum it up, I'm as happy as a pig in mud with mine and I can't keep the wife off of it. We also pull a trailer, just bought a new Bushtec last Monday.
 
I've had my 11 Tri Glide for 22,000 miles and love it. Like you I've changed things on it but everybody changes things to make their bike their own. I did have my doubts at first as I had never road a trike before but after a few miles and getting used to the differences from 2 wheels I'm very happy I bought mine. I'm as comfortable on it as I was on my old 08 Ultra. I did have a couple issues with mine at first but got them taken care of and have had no troubles since.

When I decided to get a trike I decided it would be the Harley Tri Glide for a couple reasons. One, I've been very happy with my previous Harleys. Two, I wanted a factory built Trike and not a conversion. Three, I wanted a new one and not a used one. The cost of a new bike with the conversion cost added to it was considerably more than the cost of a new Tri Glide. The only other factory built trike available was the Can Am and I sure didn't want one of them. I also considered the fact that if I'm on the road and do have any troubles a Harley dealer normally isn't had to find. Insuring a factory built Tri Glide was less costly than insuring a conversion. Also there are insurance companys that will not insure a conversion but will insure a factory built Tri Glide.

Financing was also a big factor in my choice. My bank would finance the new Tri Glide with no issues. If I got a conversion they would have no trouble financing the new bike but they would consider the cost of the conversion an accessory and would not include that cost in the loan so I would have had to figure out how to come up with the extra money for the conversion. I know there are some that are able to pay 10, 20, 30K or more cash for things they buy. I'm not one of them. I'm just an average working man and don't have that kind od cash laying around.

My Tri Glide will be paid for before I'm retired and on a fixed income. Also titling and registering a new bike with a new conversion here in Nebraska isn't an issue but it is an added process one needs to go through to get it done. That may be done by the dealer that installs the trike kit or the person that actually owns it. If the dealer actually owns the bike when it's converted the dealer needs to go through the process. If you actually own it when the conversion is done you need to go through the process. On a new bike which way it would go would depend on how the paper work goes. If the paper work is done before the conversion is done the buyer would be considered the actual owner and he would need to go through the process. If the conversion is done before all the paper work then the dealer is considered the actual owner and they would need to go through the process. Either way in most cases the dealer that does the conversion will normally assist you in going through that process.

The process is that one needs to take the conversion in to the state for an inspection and the state certifies that the vehicle that has be altered from it's factory condition is legal and safe and meets all state requirement to be licensed and operated on public roads. Once that is done the state issues a certificate which you take to the DMV and the vehicle then can be titled and registered in the state of Nebraska. Also there are no blue book values listed for trike conversions so one would also need to have their trike conversion appraised by a reputable appraiser and take that appraisal to their insurance company and pay what ever the insurance company determines the premium may be to insure the vehicle for the appraised amount should it be considered a total loss. That premium normally is not cheep.
Dan
 
Dennis glad I ran across this thread I just bought my first trike last Tuesday and had never road on one before. by the time I got to leave the dealer it was dark outside and the ride home was less than enjoyable, did not know where everything was and the controls did not have lights in them.I think if the dealer had still been open I would have carried it back. I have only been able to put about 150 miles on it but I am liking it more and more. I am glad to see I am not the only one that had second thoughts on the trike.
ps: 2014 Triglide
 
Great topic! My wife and i enjoy our triglide much as we can as i still work and dont have the time we would like to ride. It was the best decision we made its just a pleasure to ride and comfortable on longer trips. Im looking forward to retirement with the triglide!
 
Interesting topic Dennis. For health reasons my wife said if we were still going to ride we needed to trade for a trike. I did not want a conversion so the Triglide was the only choice. We traded our Ultra Limited in March 2011 and now have 40,000 miles on the trike. We have taken a few trips and it has been wonderful. My wife feels even more safe on the trike. We manage to ride year round being in Florida for the winters.

After hitting a deer last week we are even more in love with the trike. The third wheel kept us up! Neither of us were injured, the deer died, the trike now needs a bunch of parts. When we get back to Florida next week we will take it into a dealer and get it repaired, soon I hope.
 
65k miles on my '10 TG. Never needed a tow. Never a flat tire. Local dealer way to slow doing things. No regrets. Typing with thumbs. This is as long as my answer gets.
 
I have a 2013 Tri-Glide that I bought a month before the 2014's came out. I have had a trike since 2008 before Harley offered one. If you looked at my trike then outside of the Road Glide fairing it looked just like what Harley Built. It was an 07 Police Road King with a Champion conversion. I first went to a trike because my wife is riding a Stallion trike. I had dropped the Road King a couple of times in the garage so I said what the heck. Since we are both on 3 wheels we are going everywhere. We ride 10 to 15 k per year. I purchased the TRI GLIDE because I wanted the Warrantee and the peace of mind that if something goes wrong 1000 miles from home the HD dealer is close and they will have no problem fixing it. Best thing we ever did was to get trikes. We love it and are always planning our next trip.
 
Bought my 09 when they were hard to get. Waited 6 months till I could get Red Hot Sunglow. Could have had black or blue, but wanted red. Have changed and added a ton of parts till I have it the way I want it.
Ride on long and short trips and when I get a chance. Would like to get a 14, but don't know if I will. Have turned 41,700 riding thru the Hoosier National Forest yesterday, to Little Nashville and ate lunch at Story.
Got the Triglide because of the wife. Didn't think I'd like it , but I do.
 
Great topic Dennis. I'm 66 now and traded our '09 ultra in for a '11 TG in the fall of 2010. At first I thought I made a very expensive mistake after being on 2 wheels all of my life. I considered a conversion at first until I talked to my dealer and he showed me the benfits of a TG plus the cost was nearly $2000 cheaper. The wife and I do a lot of traveling since my retirement from teaching 2 years ago and just have turned over 57000 miles. We're heading for Daytone in 2 weeks for Biketoberfest.

Never did worry about what other people think about what I ride because I just love to ride. Needless to say I thing riding a TG is GREAT..........:10::10:


Gary
 
OH MY GOD the heat! I can't steer it. The breaks are shot, It makes 'funny' noises and vibrates. The seat is uncomfortable. I hated the '09 so much we bought an '11 to keep it company in the garage.

We were avid 2 wheelers for a bunch of years. Old age and infirmities gave us the choice of rocking chairs or trikes. Sure glad we made the right choice..... but everyone here already knew that!
 
I am just under 55. Went to a Triglide a few months ago by choice, due to some medical issues that would force it on me eventually. I decided better to do it in my time rather than when it's forced. Took me a bit to get used to it, a bit longer for my wife to get used to riding on the back. 3700 miles on the Trike I bought less than 3 months ago (I'm full time on the road and only get home every other weekend, so riding time is limited). We love it, and wouldn't go back. Might ride on 2 wheels every once in a while just to do so, but not on a regular basis.
 
good '09 t/g trike bought in nov '08. sure glad i did the S&S gear cam upgrade, & the
p/m brakes upgrade i got on-line for 800.00. also installed p/m calipers,& p yaffes (classic) bagger bars. thanks H_D for no CAT.
BUT at times i DO like to take the "79 shovel out for a spin too!!
 
Cool Thread.

After an accident I could not hold up a touring bike anymore. Was going to build my own trike out of a Dyna.

Mary and I went for a test ride on a Tri-Glide, just to see what riding a Trike was like.

A week later I had sold the Dyna that was going to be converted, and we purchased a Tri-Glide.

I still ride 2 wheelers (softail & sporty), but for Touring or bad road conditions we use the Tri-Glide. We are closing in on 50K miles and really enjoying it. Like Dennis said, it is different than 2 wheels, but just as much fun...sometimes MORE fun.

There are definitely some sights we would not have seen on two wheels, that we were able to on 3.

Even though we had a few things to mod on it in the beginning, I am completely happy with it, Mary loves it, and we're looking forward to many more miles of memories.
 
We love our 2013 triglide, We both drive it, I was never comfortable with my skills on a two wheeler and hubby has back issues. (he still has a two wheeler, but two up means the trike.) I get it out for just about anything, needed eggs today, so of course got out the trike :) We have taken one trip on it and loved it. Like others we considered triking my sportster, but was easier to finance a triglide. Hated it at first because it is big, but love it now that I am used to it.
 
I love this thread. I don't yet own a trike and have been riding a few years,not nearly as long as most so getting used to a trike should be easy. I have sat on a few but not road one yet. I am so excited to have one and ride with other trikers as well.

I'm the kind of guy who pays cash for everything and doesn't finance things much. So I'm only a few months away from a 2014 trike. This is providing the dealer will deal or at least install all the extras I want for a cheap price. We will see.
 
Been riding two wheels since the early seventies along with my wife who started riding her own in 1975. Started off on Japanese bikes and got my first Harley in 1990 with my latest one being a 2008 Ultra Classic. In 2010 my wife and I took a trip to the Grand Canyon and we rented a trike as we had always wanted to try one. We both loved it!! In 2012, I converted my wife’s sportster to a trike using a Frankenstien kit and she is back riding again and loving it. During our August vacation this year, we took a day trip and she asked if she could ride with me for a change.

As we are both in our mid 60’s, it was an eye opener for me riding two up again, especially in stop and go traffic. She could tell I was very nervous about starting and stopping and going around corners. She said if you want to keep riding, you should really look into getting a trike. The next week I went down to the dealership and picked out a 2013 Tri-Glide Anniversary Edition about 4 days before the 2014’s were released.

I put on over 700 miles on it in the three weeks I had it, a lot of it riding two-up!! I was really disappointed when I saw all of the changes the 2014’s had and kept saying, “If I had only waited a few more days I could have had a 2014!!” Well the wife said, if you want the 2014, you better get it now as this will be your last one!! I picked up my 2014 on 9/4 and have not regretted my decision.

I love all of the new changes and have put on over 600 miles on it just riding it to work and doing errands and a few short trips. I drive it every chance I get and wonder why I waited so long to get one. Will I ever go back to two wheels, probably not…. Having too much fun riding three!!! pepper
 
Good to hear from those who are enjoying these TGs for what they were made for.
We all have different reasons for having one with the common thread that we enjoy them.
I am going to follow the government today, shut down and go enjoy a ride on mine!!!
Dennis Swan ThumbUp
 
I have been riding motorcycles for most of my life. I am now 58. Dirt bikes, road bikes, you name it. The Harley bug bit me in 2003. Since then I have owned just about every Harley model they have made. Loved them all. My wife rode with me on the touring bikes I had, but really felt uncomfortable 2 up. She also sensed this. Bad knees and all I dumped our Harley with my wife on it in a parking lot. Besides a bruised ego not much else was damaged.

This led us down the road to look at trikes. But they were out of our budget.

A few years later we looked at the Can Am Spyders ( I think my mind left me) We bought one, and you know that sinking feeling you get when you think you made the biggest mistake in your life? Well that is what I was feeling. Got out of the Spyder. But the Spyder ownership made me realize we enjoyed the 2 up riding and loved the stability. I got to show the wife places she didn't get to go because of the 2 wheel thing. So we looked into Harley Trikes and thought we could get one. Got to pick mine up 9-5-13. We bought a gorgeous 2013 blue/black Tri-Glide.

Already have 1800 + miles on it. We really do love it, and my wife thinks it's perfect. I haven't done very many mods on it yet....but in time they will be done. I love this forum, I have learned alot from everyone. Everybody ride safe!!! :Trike1:pepper
 
Been riding all my life and Harley's have always been near and dear to my heart. in 2008 I finally was in a position in life where we could afford a new Harley and got me an Ultra (go big or go home!). LOVED this bike, but as the years progressed I noticed my passion was leaving me for riding. I am a kidney dialysis patient and my stamina was slowing deteriorating and it getting harder for me to ride with my bride. I think she knew what was happening to me, even tho I never said a word, and nudged me to try a TG.

Finally one weekend we were out and stopped at HD to buy poker chips when she saw this blue/black TG and wanted us to test ride it. WOW was I sold! My feet are getting bad from diabetes and with this I never had to touch pavement again! It's a joy to ride again, and my wife loves to ride as much as I do. We bought it on July 20, and have nearly 3k on her.

That's more miles that I put on the Ultra all last year!

Rax
 
Just got into a Trike this year (2010) Triglide. Love it so far. In the process in 2 weeks getting a Stage 1 done on it w/557 S&S cam,Arlen Ness Big Sucker AC, True Duals by V&H and Exhaust to boot! topping it off with a TTS tuner and being Dynoed by my Local and trusted Mechanic here in SE Michigan. Got over 2000 miles on it so far since buying off a good friend who can't ride anymore.Just got 8000+ and alot more to go. Thinking of taking it to Florida for the winter months (3). the ride gets better the more you ride and get use to it. Been 2 wheeling it since I was 15 and I am 63 now. this will probably be my last bike and I am going to ride it out as far as I can..Any Trike clubs around SE Michigan out there ??
 
JUST IN CASE my sarcastic wit was missed, Wife and I LOVE our tri-glides. Old age put us in a position where we couldn't tour like we had been for many years. Her Cancer and my arthritis and heart pretty much nixed 2 wheels. The trikes are a God Send. We just finished a 3300 mile run, we have gone over 2000 mile vacation since we bought the trikes, plus they are ridden almost daily just for fun. Problems?? nothing any worse than you get with a new car.
 
Well the government is closed another day! Too bad I can not do that for another day.
Did enjoy a full day of riding yesterday. 300 mile option added to the TG, best option to add.
Did gas prices go down in your area? Did around here, funny response to government shutting down. But who can figure gas prices anyway??
Dennis ThumbUp
 
0ver 23000 mile on my '09 TG and still enjoying it. the problem I've had were caused by me.
Yesterday, gas prices dropped from $4.31 to $4.25 a gallon for regular unleaded here.
Butch
 
Sunday wife and I rode to the Pacific Ocean for a grease burger at this dumpy little diner on the Marina in Ventura. Weather was glorius, T-shirt riding. Unfortunately premium gas out west is $4.20 a gallon. Thank you Gov. Jerry Brown for some of the highest gas taxes in the country.
 
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