Am I making a mistake returning my trike?

[oldtimer]

I heard this yesterday is this true, the 1st service call is at 1,000 miles and is $500

It was indeed true in my case but of course it would depend on the labor rate and parts markup of each individual dealer. As in my case, generally it will be more in major metropolitan markets.

My dealer charges a 1 hour surcharge to do the 1K (and what else?) on a trike!

[Memnoch451]

It was indeed true in my case but of course it would depend on the labor rate and parts markup of each individual dealer. As in my case, generally it will be more in major metropolitan markets.

My dealer charges a 1 hour surcharge to do the 1K (and what else?) on a trike!

I"m not that old... But, when I was in my early twenties wasn't it free???

[Oldmsocko]

I"m not that old... But, when I was in my early twenties wasn't it free???

The 1,000 is still free at some dealers.

[oldtimer]

The 1,000 is still free at some dealers.

Yeah, I wish.

I've heard a rumor my dealer is thinking about putting in pay toilets...

[rhino 2]

Yeah, I wish.

I've heard a rumor my dealer is thinking about putting in pay toilets...

My 1 thousand and 5 thousand were free Going in for my 10 thousand Tuesday that one is on my dime. That's probably when he'll make it up. But still No charge for a dump.

[patriot]

I've had a GW CSC trike and I have a Tri Glide right now. Most of what I've heard in this discussion is heat. What about ride? My T-Glide rides just as good as the GW. My spouse likes the way the T-Glide seat sits. I believe handling is just as good as the GW. the heat is an issue, but the crotch coolers have really helped. So there are ways to works things out. By the way, wait till you equip a GW to Tri-Glide standards.

[2fromTX]

got our '08 Ultra Motortrike 3 months ago after having a 2000 GW Motortrike for 2 years. I personally prefer the HD over the GW. The Harley is a smaller more nimble machine IMHO and the sound/feel of it just put's and instantaneous smile on my face when I roll on the gas.
The wife was not a fan at all of the Harley,she said the GW had way more "room" and she could stretch out better. She also could go on shorter rides wearing only her sandals/capri's(her favorite summer attire) whereas on the Harley she has to be fully geared up because of the heat.

Modifications are in process,we moved the tour-pak back and taking the trike to the shop tomorrow for a set of "tru-duals" which will eliminate the cross-over pipe that runs right by her footrest,and a new air breather. Stage II or III kit with a good tune to be installed this winter will hopefully cool it down a bit more.

Both machines are/were solid axle,and I think the HD rides and soaks up bumps WAY better than the GW(could just be 8 more years of engineering)....I am also a huge fan of the newer electronics on the HD(GW still had a cassette player LOL)

BUT one of the biggest feathers that HD has in its cap(and no other moco has ever thought of),is "motorclothes" which will keep the wife happy as long as she can shop for stuff everytime we hit a dealer

[TattooZ]

I prefer to look at this question in several ways.

1) How much does it cost?
Putting in some after market parts to make the bike feel right for you vs. WHat's it going to cost for the gold wing + conversion. Even money the Gold wing wilkl cost about 3 to 7 thousand more. (sales price new)

2) Gold Wing front suspension SUCKS! It will cost you 2 thousand plus to fix that and the
rear hydrolic suspension.

3) Ride a goldwing first, then decide if it's comfortable for you and the wife.

What you really want is a comfortable ride regardless whom manufactures it.

Harley triglide runs warm. There are several ways to cool it down but we're talking 800 to 1500 bucks or so. The rear should be lifted IMHO. That can be solved from $250 to $1600 plus labor.

The GW has heat issues as well, not as bad as my 2100 TriGlid had. But Hot never-the-less.

Personally I find the Gold Wing to have much more power and much more uncomfortable for me. That's why I traded my 04 Wing for a Harley. Get what fits you and rides the way you want it to ride. It's still going to cost you some money.

[screwball]

There have been 2 or 3 others on this and the 'other' trike board who bought a new Tri and didn't like it. They ended up trading for a 2 wheel Harley. If you are unhappy with it, get rid of it. It isn't going to appreciate any sitting in your garage. Every year it is worth less, the beating won't get any better.

We get a bunch of people that bought a Harley for the first time in a lot of years, raising kids etc and this is their Mid Life Crisis toy. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Those of us that bought trikes because of health reasons are just damn glad to still be riding, not occupying a rocking chair. If it isn't right for you, trade it for a car, boat, air plane.... anything that will make you happy, instead of giving you worry wrinkles. My neighbor Dave always wanted a Harley. On his 53rd birthday he bought himself a brand new shinny 2008 Deluxe. In 2011 he sold it with 920 miles and a ton of chrome goodies on her. It just wasn't the right dream.

Good Luck.

Another suggestion. If you do buy that wing, go join a wing board. People, especially Harley people get tired real soon of X Harley owners residing on Harley boards talking about what a piece of crap Harleys are and how we all should buy a wing.

Again, good luck.

[Lakeman]

Well said

[msocko3]

There have been 2 or 3 others on this and the 'other' trike board who bought a new Tri and didn't like it. They ended up trading for a 2 wheel Harley. If you are unhappy with it, get rid of it. It isn't going to appreciate any sitting in your garage. Every year it is worth less, the beating won't get any better.

We get a bunch of people that bought a Harley for the first time in a lot of years, raising kids etc and this is their Mid Life Crisis toy. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Those of us that bought trikes because of health reasons are just damn glad to still be riding, not occupying a rocking chair. If it isn't right for you, trade it for a car, boat, air plane.... anything that will make you happy, instead of giving you worry wrinkles. My neighbor Dave always wanted a Harley. On his 53rd birthday he bought himself a brand new shinny 2008 Deluxe. In 2011 he sold it with 920 miles and a ton of chrome goodies on her. It just wasn't the right dream.

Good Luck.

Another suggestion. If you do buy that wing, go join a wing board. People, especially Harley people get tired real soon of X Harley owners residing on Harley boards talking about what a piece of crap Harleys are and how we all should buy a wing.

Again, good luck.

I get this feeling your kind of aiming this my way, boy did you miss the boat. I'm in no mid life crisis and I was buying a new Harley's every year while I still had kids at home, the one year I bought 2 new Harley's. I stopped buying a new one when I purchased my 2006 Ultra Classic which I still own and will continue to own. The dealer I used to do business with had an owner who knew what customer service meant and a service department to back it up. I could walk in an take any bike they had out for a ride to see what I thought. I took a new 2007 Ultra classic for a 150 mile test ride to see if I wanted to trade my 06 in on an 07. I road freeways, some slow easy cruising 2 lane and stop n go city driving. I found the 07 to be bad ju ju, it was one hot running bugger compared to my 06 and the transmission sounded like bolts where being tossed around in it when it was in 5th gear.

Thus the end of my new Harley every year streak, that is until they came out with the Triglide. I checked out my dads and was pretty happy with it, I was looking for something the wife could comfortably travel on for long distances. She has a bad knee that stiffens up which causes her to either get off and walk around or move around a lot on the bike. A trike is a perfect mode of transportation for someone like that because it is a stable platform, she could break dance in the back seat and not upset anything. I learned there was another issue with traveling long distances for the wife, she is deaf in her left ear and her right ear is very sensitive to certain noises and wind buffeting. After riding for 12 hours on the Triglide she was having some serious issues with her hearing due to the wind noise, I tried several things to help it but to no avail.

I can tell you my decision to switch brands was methodical studied and planed, I didn't just jump to a conclusion, I came to a very well educated conclusion. I spent the $360 to rent a 2012 GL1800 and ride the heck out of it to see how it met mine and my wifes expectations, 1st thing the wife noticed was her right ear didn't hurt after riding freeway speeds and long distances due to the Wing having less wind blasting onto the passenger. I spent weeks reading everything I could on the GL1800, FWIW I've even turned wrenches on them in the past. One other thing I bet you don't know, I plan on triking the Wing after I put a couple years of miles on it to make sure there will be no glaring warranty concerns. No mid life crisis here, just the Triglide didn't fit my needs and I'm pretty disappointed in quality difference between my 06 Ultra Classic and my Triglide, to me the 06 has a much more solid feel.

You mention maybe X Harley riders should go to a Wing board, you missed the mark with me once again. I still own a Harley, and I also possess a great deal of knowledge which I enjoy sharing with folks. You on the other hand seem to be someone who is either disgruntled or used to having his own way by way of bullying, I have yet to see you add much constructive when someone is having an issue. If someone wants to know what cam they should select, I can give them knowledgeable feedback on the subject, your normal rant is its not meant for racing or some other bluster. If someone had a problem with the heat, your normal response is take it to a dealer even though the poor soul has been that route and the dealer and Harley Davidson is no help. With your limited knowledge of the inner workings of a modern Harley Davidson I can understand why your heavily reliant on your dealer.

In this thread I advised the OP to rent or try a Goldwing so he could make an informed decision, isn't that one of the reasons he ask for help? I do plan and sticking around and I'm more than willing to help anyone who has a question, and I'm sure if I wear out my welcome one of the Admin will surly ask me to move along.

[WalterM817]

The wings are nice bikes but then any bike is going to be smoother than a trike just because of the size and number of rear wheels don't you think.
I'm always amazed at how smooth any of my two wheelers are after getting off the Triglide too but you're hitting a lot more bumps on the rear due to the axle spread and relatively low weight on some pretty substantial tires.
That said there is a lot to like about those big old plastic rascals. They do ride great and handle well.
If you're worried about being a bit short there sure are a lot of folks riding them that are short and do well.
You'll get beat up either way but if you want a Wing then nothing else is gonna make you happy.

[SEAlaskan]

I get this feeling your kind of aiming this my way, boy did you miss the boat. I'm in no mid life crisis and I was buying a new Harley's every year while I still had kids at home, the one year I bought 2 new Harley's. I stopped buying a new one when I purchased my 2006 Ultra Classic which I still own and will continue to own. The dealer I used to do business with had an owner who knew what customer service meant and a service department to back it up. I could walk in an take any bike they had out for a ride to see what I thought. I took a new 2007 Ultra classic for a 150 mile test ride to see if I wanted to trade my 06 in on an 07. I road freeways, some slow easy cruising 2 lane and stop n go city driving. I found the 07 to be bad ju ju, it was one hot running bugger compared to my 06 and the transmission sounded like bolts where being tossed around in it when it was in 5th gear.

Thus the end of my new Harley every year streak, that is until they came out with the Triglide. I checked out my dads and was pretty happy with it, I was looking for something the wife could comfortably travel on for long distances. She has a bad knee that stiffens up which causes her to either get off and walk around or move around a lot on the bike. A trike is a perfect mode of transportation for someone like that because it is a stable platform, she could break dance in the back seat and not upset anything. I learned there was another issue with traveling long distances for the wife, she is deaf in her left ear and her right ear is very sensitive to certain noises and wind buffeting. After riding for 12 hours on the Triglide she was having some serious issues with her hearing due to the wind noise, I tried several things to help it but to no avail.

I can tell you my decision to switch brands was methodical studied and planed, I didn't just jump to a conclusion, I came to a very well educated conclusion. I spent the $360 to rent a 2012 GL1800 and ride the heck out of it to see how it met mine and my wifes expectations, 1st thing the wife noticed was her right ear didn't hurt after riding freeway speeds and long distances due to the Wing having less wind blasting onto the passenger. I spent weeks reading everything I could on the GL1800, FWIW I've even turned wrenches on them in the past. One other thing I bet you don't know, I plan on triking the Wing after I put a couple years of miles on it to make sure there will be no glaring warranty concerns. No mid life crisis here, just the Triglide didn't fit my needs and I'm pretty disappointed in quality difference between my 06 Ultra Classic and my Triglide, to me the 06 has a much more solid feel.

You mention maybe X Harley riders should go to a Wing board, you missed the mark with me once again. I still own a Harley, and I also possess a great deal of knowledge which I enjoy sharing with folks. You on the other hand seem to be someone who is either disgruntled or used to having his own way by way of bullying, I have yet to see you add much constructive when someone is having an issue. If someone wants to know what cam they should select, I can give them knowledgeable feedback on the subject, your normal rant is its not meant for racing or some other bluster. If someone had a problem with the heat, your normal response is take it to a dealer even though the poor soul has been that route and the dealer and Harley Davidson is no help. With your limited knowledge of the inner workings of a modern Harley Davidson I can understand why your heavily reliant on your dealer.

In this thread I advised the OP to rent or try a Goldwing so he could make an informed decision, isn't that one of the reasons he ask for help? I do plan and sticking around and I'm more than willing to help anyone who has a question, and I'm sure if I wear out my welcome one of the Admin will surly ask me to move along.

Don't you dare leave M3, you, wiz, Icebite and a few other have been a huge inspiration for this sight, you and others have been a big help for me with my engine build plus, you are what this sight is about. Some one else can leave.
Butch

[screwball]

Absolutely NOT aimed at you Mike. Couple months back guy hated his Tri, traded it for a Blue Street Glide. Another couldn't steer or handle his Tri, traded it for a 2 year old Wing. This guy has said several times he doesn't like the tri and thinks a Wing will fit him better.

[msocko3]

Don't you dare leave M3, you, wiz, Icebite and a few other have been a huge inspiration for this sight, you and others have been a big help for me with my engine build plus, you are what this sight is about. Some one else can leave.
Butch

Thank you for your kind words, I'm not going anywhere. This forum is chuck full of great folks and I do plan on triking my newest addition to the family once I pile some miles on it and make sure there are no glaring issues. While on the subject of triking, some food for thought when looking to trike a 2 wheeler. The manufacturer may very well choose not to warranty certain items due to the trike kit installation. This is the very reason I will wait until I see if there are any issues with the Wing I bought. A great dealer can make this process smoother by running interference between the customer and the manufacturer, thats is unless the manufacturer wants to see the issue first hand then all bets are off.

I'm building a new relationship with a dealer relatively close to me, so far I think their going to be pretty decent. The dealer I bought the Wing from is Off Road Express located in Erie PA, they sure were willing to deal.

[msocko3]

Absolutely NOT aimed at you Mike. Couple months back guy hated his Tri, traded it for a Blue Street Glide. Another couldn't steer or handle his Tri, traded it for a 2 year old Wing. This guy has said several times he doesn't like the tri and thinks a Wing will fit him better.

Its all good, looks like I read more into the post than I should have, for that I apologize. I promise I won't be a Triglide basher and will stick to helping folks deal with the specific issues. I love bikes and Trikes no matter which manufacturer makes them, each one has their own good and bad not matter who makes it.

[sprinkman]

Sure glad we got through that I enjoy reading both of your posts. Mike you help alot of people out with your knowledge on how too and Screwball I enjoy your posts also. That said we won't bring out the boxing gloves good luck to both.

[Sloufoot]

I was all set to return my 2012 TriGlide and buy a new Goldwing.
Later maybe have it triked.

Needless to say, I would take a beating.
Wife says it hurts her spline, I think it runs too hot.

But I worry I may not be able to handle the GW as I am only 5'6" and 26 1/2 inseam, and 59 years old.

Take a look at the Legend Air Shocks. I haven't had any experience with them, but there are a few posts out there with happy riders. They are around $1500 for the shocks , and that was a while back. You can do the install yourself if you're a little handy. But might be worth contacting them for a few answers.

[427dave]

I know a person that had a Harley with CSC trike conversion, did not like it so traded for a Goldwing with a CSC trike convesion, Had a lot of problems with Goldwing and didn't like it, Traded back for a Harley Ultra with a CSC trike conversion. It did not have enough power so now changed cams and dyno tuned. I guess some people are just not satisfied.

[screwball]

I know a person that had a Harley with CSC trike conversion, did not like it so traded for a Goldwing with a CSC trike convesion, Had a lot of problems with Goldwing and didn't like it, Traded back for a Harley Ultra with a CSC trike conversion. It did not have enough power so now changed cams and dyno tuned. I guess some people are just not satisfied.

That is the kind of stuff I'm talking about. We have had members here, we have all read their posts, that from the time they bought their Tri's have done nothing but complain about them. No power, too hot, won't steer, won't go straight when you let go of the bars, rides too hard, wind buffeting (my favorite), oh, the person that has been riding Harleys for 100 years and has trouble finding neutral.....and on and on. These are the people that will be selling a 3 year old Tri with every conceivable 'bling' bolted to it and 800 miles on it in a few years, then bitch about the beating they took. For the most part, these are TOYS not necessities. Enjoy it, or get rid of it before you get an ulcer worrying about it.