Food for thoughts on new Trike build

[Soulmann]

Hey everyone, been doing my homework now for about a year.. everything is pretty clear to me as far as the build goes...

Economically, I am going to have to really pinch to get this done... But I am sure with the experience in this Site, I will get a lot of useful and concise information and advice.

Here is what I have in my mind and some on paper as to what my considerations are for this build.

a) Economics; obviously I am looking for the most bang for my buck so-to-speak... so my considerations there are size 750cc max/insurance/fuel mileage/reliability/availability of parts.

b) I live in a hilly area, am 5'11 230lbs. so will a 750 carry me and perhaps a 130 lb passenger with enough power to pull us around with some authority up hills.

c)Geometry specifics; wheelbase/rake/trail distance... high speed vs low speed stability, where is the "comfort zone"

d) Technical information; most of the mechanicals I believe I will be fine with, spent mosta my life wrenching so got the basics.. The Drive shaft adaptation has me a bit curious still, so any leads on that would really help me put the rest of the build together in my head.

I am looking seriously at the early to mid-eighties Yamaha 750 Maxim.. they seem to be plentiful, as are the Honda DOHC 750's my second choice...

would LOVE to go Kawi for those extra ponies, but they just aren't as plentiful...

I am leaning towards the Yamaha xj series... are these frames adequate to handle the stresses a Trike will offer?

I have a background in metal fab and 1/4 milers... so have taken that to my rear suspension design... now am actually considering making it a bolt-on Hardtail... will there be as big a difference with a Hardtail Trike vs Softail, as there are with a Hardtail vs Softail bike? *I have rode many bikes in my years, so am aware of the different characteristics.

I have read much in here and other places to try to get as prepared as I can for this, and make as few mistakes as possible... I do believe failure is a reflection of unpreparedness.. and I plan not to fail.

...any and all information in regards to any of these points/thoughts, or ones I may not have considered or missed, would and is greatly appreciated... Thanks

I know enough to know I don't know enough...

[vw driver]

A 750cc is going to be pushing the limit in my opinion. The trike conversion will add some weight and riding two up is probably going to force a 750cc to work very hard. Then there is the issue of finding a good match between transmission and differential gearing and rear tire diameter. A hard tail is easier to build if your back can handle it. Do a search on rake and trail, there are a lot of opinions and a lot of information already written. I built a 900cc Honda trike in the past and wasn't very satisfied with it, under powered and too much shifting. I've since built a 1600cc VW trike and all is well.

[Soulmann]

YA I hear that VW Driver... mostly I will be riding Solo, but on those occasions I am putting around with someone on the back, it will prolly be short durations anyways.

The Next Insurance break is 751cc to 1100cc's, and between the added insurance costs and the larger cc's which will = extra fuel costs @ approx $1.50/liter... No point in paying the same insurance cost for a 900 when an 1100 will basically cost me the same, this is not staying cost effective though and I am already buying rice by the 15lb bag...

BTW I love Veedubs, can build em in my sleep to this day.. went thru over a dozen of em as a teen, fix em up, drive em, sell em... oldest one was a 59.

As for the hardtail, my back is already fubar so was looking at making up to it by installing an air ride seat... have read some great DIY's on them.

[Soulmann]

I have read a fair bit about rake and trail, I guess what I am looking for is people that have had enough different experiences to know all the subtlties to the changes and differences between a telescoping fork or a springer etc... I remember the springer on my Trumpet bein hellacious, 18" over with iirc (I didn't do the build) around a 9deg rake and 4" stretch, so stood tall, hardtail and slippery as all bleep takin off around corners in the city. I drove a VW trike a buddy had and it REALLY wanted to go in a straight line and pushed that front end all over. Prolly just poor balance.

- - - Updated - - -

I found this to be a very interesting combo... VW/HD

[stacebg]

i have built a few... all bike based...my first was suzuki t500 2cyl 2 stroke hard tail.... i rode the piss out of that thing but i was about 21 then... every thing since is independent rear suspension.... really not that much work... if you are going shaft remember if drive shaft is on the left of the bike a car rear will need to be upside down... dont worry about running the gears the wrong way not an issue... as for the front end i find i like about 1.5 - 2.5 inches of trail with the rake around 30 - 35 deg... if you use a telescopic front u WILL need raked trees.... willing to bet that was the biggest problem w the vw you rode had toooo much trail...

make it very hard to turn but most ever trike i have done i was happy with how the handled nothing is cast in stone and there is no best way...

ask 100 different people u will get 101 different answers couple pics below..

[skuuter]

i have built a few... all bike based...my first was suzuki t500 2cyl 2 stroke hard tail.... i rode the piss out of that thing but i was about 21 then... every thing since is independent rear suspension.... really not that much work... if you are going shaft remember if drive shaft is on the left of the bike a car rear will need to be upside down... dont worry about running the gears the wrong way not an issue... as for the front end i find i like about 1.5 - 2.5 inches of trail with the rake around 30 - 35 deg... if you use a telescopic front u WILL need raked trees.... willing to bet that was the biggest problem w the vw you rode had toooo much trail...

make it very hard to turn but most ever trike i have done i was happy with how the handled nothing is cast in stone and there is no best way...

ask 100 different people u will get 101 different answers couple pics below..

NICE Fabrication.....

[stacebg]

NICE Fabrication.....

thanks