She may like the Freewheeler trike better. No fairing to block her view and may be easier to handle.
Sometimes a Cigar is Just a Cigar.....
2019 Tri-Glide.......
She may like the Freewheeler trike better. No fairing to block her view and may be easier to handle.
Retired trike builder
America's first lady trike builder.
With all of the excellent responses to your original post, just wondering, what have you two decided will be the next action to take? Keep us posted and know that we're cheering for her success!
Don't know if you would be interested at all, but I have a Suzuki Volusia trike for sale. It is a smaller base trike but still big enough to do anything you want. My wife and I ride 2 up with no problems. You can check out pictures in my albums and I also have an ad in the for sale section here. Best wishes and good luck with whatever decision you make. Ride safe and enjoy every mile.
Never ride faster than your angel can fly !
Paws, I'm sorry - work, family, & things I need to get done around the house has kept me really busy the past few days & I haven't had much time to spend on the internet.
As it is, I'm writing this at work....
Nancy is still interested in a trike, & she still is drawn to a Tri-Glide as she likes how they look. Rental season is over here in NE Ohio, so renting one for a day is out for now. I think we'll probably put this on the back burner until late winter or early spring. I'm not convinced a smaller trike wouldn't be a better choice going in, but we'll see. I think we may have to roll the dice & buy something, then fit it to her, then have her learn to ride it. In that scenario I'd rather go for a late model (2014 or later) used HD. The options for fit are numerous, & in the event it didn't all work out (which I believe is unlikely) I think we'd be able to recover most of the money spent. I have a good relationship with the dealer where I bought my Ultra Limited, & I'm also a fan of the ABS & linked brakes on the newer models.
I'm not sure if I mentioned this in another post, but she's owned 4 motorcycles & never test rode any of them before we signed the papers. If she says she can do it, I'm inclined to believe she can.
Many thanks to all those who have posted advice, suggestions, & similar experiences.
Nancy isn't one to participate in forums, but I read many of the responses to her & she was comforted somewhat just knowing this isn't unique to her & her alone. Additional comments are welcome & I'll update this whenever we make a move. To all those living in warm climates: I hate you but be safe riding this winter while we begin to hibernate up here next month...
As she already has a bike she rides and is comfortable on, Have you thought of a Outrigger Style Trike to get the "feel" of a trike setup,
I installed a voyager kit so my wife could manage my GL1500 Goldwing.
I must admit after driving this unit for some time now I don't think I want to remove it.
Just something to think about at a LOT less money...
My bride is a small petite woman. 5'3' 110 lbs soaking wet. She really loves our 650 Suzuki Burgman Trike. No shifting, Just give it gas & go & has enough power & comfort for all day touring. A true trike is a rare find in the Burgman world, Because the conversion kits are about the worth of the bike. But there out there.
2012 650 Burgman Trike
2006 650 Burgman
1989 Honda PC 800
1978 Honda GL 1000
I'm glad I had the chance to read your post BECAUSE:
Due to a medical situation, I am forced to trike out my beloved 2010 Goldwing.. It is in a trike shop Now as we speak, getting converted to a Roadsmith model..
I, myself have never ridden a trike before, so now after reading this post: I'm thinking to myself, "gulp" did I just make a mistake, spending lot of money getting it triked first, instead of even test riding one.....? Todays date is 11/24/16 and I still have not even sat on the bike/trike as of yet, (still being built).......
It's beginning to sound like I'm in for a new learning experience..(hence the reason I'm on ttalk in the first place) wish me luck when the time does come to test ride my new Roadsmith GL Honda 1800 Goldwing.....
I have been riding motorcycles fifty yrs since my Honda 50cc bike in highschool (1967) to my second Goldwing (7 bikes in-b-tween)..............
Let the new learning experience begin!!
Thanks all
Ronnie
Springfield, Massachusetts
Ronnie the best advice I can give is read the threads in the sticky section about making the switch also in the Honda forum in the sticky there is one about handling.Those will give you a basic idea of what to expect.Don't take off at a spirited clip like you've been doing it forever.Take it slow and cautious.Its not like cranking on a steering wheel small movements of the bars will get the job done the majority of the time.
Do not argue with an idiot.He will drag you down to his level and beat you with experience.
Its dog eat dog world and i'm wearing milkbone underwear.
1989 GL1500 Goldwing (SOLD)
2006 GL1800 CSC
Originally Posted by Burnerboy
I have been riding motorcycles fifty yrs since my Honda 50cc bike in highschool (1967) to my second Goldwing (7 bikes in-b-tween)..............
Let the new learning experience begin!!
Thanks all
Ronnie
Springfield, Massachusetts
If as you say you have been riding for 50 years' You are far from being a Nimrod... So Theres no reason you why you can't or think you can't ride a trike... Theres only three things to Un-learn.. No counter steering... No putting your feet down.. And remember a trike is wider than a bike. And you'll do just fine...Honest.
Sometimes a Cigar is Just a Cigar.....
2019 Tri-Glide.......
My wife is 5ft. 2 in. 108 lbs. and when she decided she wanted her own bike she tried a 2 wheeler but wasn't comfortable on it so I found a Honda 750 with a motortrike kit on it and she took to it right off and rode it for a couple years then decided to go bigger so I bought her a VTX 1300 with a Motor Trike kit now she really hauls ass on that thing.
As the OP to this thread, I want to provide an update to all - especially those who took the time to read & offer suggestions on how to proceed.
After the unsuccessful test ride, my wife did ride her 1100 a few times on some short hops with me & confirmed her feelings that she did NOT want to be finished with riding. And, although there were no mishaps during those rides, she confirmed again it was probably time to go to 3 wheels from just 2. As we live in NE Ohio & had reached the end of the riding season, there was no rush to make a move. My only comments were reaffirming my opinion that she could, in fact, ride a trike & that when the time comes we inquire with the HD dealer I normally deal with.
In late October, while at that dealership Nancy commented that they had no trikes on the floor. We were told there was a black Triglide coming in mid-November. Returning in mid-November for an unrelated event; when we asked the status of the incoming trike we were told it lasted on the floor 1 or 2 days & was sold. As I'm there often, I know trikes don't last long on the floor before they are gone. We were told a 2-tone red TG was coming in a few weeks but that color combination doesn't appeal to her. Looking at the schedule, we were told that a blue TG would be in mid to late December but that color wouldn't work either. Again to the schedule, there was another black one due in "sometime" in January - could be January 3rd, could be January 30th. Before leaving that evening, we decided to put a 100% refundable deposit on that vehicle. It's a way to lock that bike to Nancy if she decides she wants it; further if there is a reservation on it HD is not to change the production schedule for that unit.
We got the call on January 5th. The trike was in. I was actually hoping it wouldn't be in until late January! We store our bikes during the winter - actually at this dealership - and one thing we've wrestled with is plunking down $$ for a vehicle & then putting it in storage. But we told them we'd be in on the evening of the 13th. Oddly, my wife was not really motivated in going to look at it. "It will be exactly like the one I couldn't ride" and "I'm still not confident I can ride one of those" were some of the comments during our conversation. But I convinced her that some time had passed & she should take another look. The trike was in the showroom, & after a walk around & a while sitting in the saddle her whole demeanor changed.
We're buying the trike - actually she is buying the trike. We'll have a different set of handlebars mounted (Harley's Reach Bars), a rear bumper, & chromed front forks before we take delivery - & then roll it into storage! We are currently weighing the options on financing, but this should be a done deal by the end of this week or the next at the latest. If I can manage a pic or 2 I'll post them up here; & I will definitely update after we get the trike home in the spring & we both learn about it. More to come!
Kevin; Congrats on the NEW Bike. If your retired you shouldn't put the Bike away you should go south for the winter months like we used to do. Here in Arizona there are so many RV with Park Model home to rent or buy and the park we stayed in was fantastic with plenty of Bike riders also.
Plenty to do out here and PERFECT for riding. While the rest of the country except Fla is snow covered were riding. LOOK up SUN FLOWER RV RESORT. You and your wife could rent a spot for 3 to 4 months and have the time of your life in the warm Sun. We have since moved on and bought a nice home here 4 miles away from the RV Park with most of our friend now close by. If you can post pics of your bikes please do. ......Rick
This is just my opinion and I mean no disregard at all but after reading all of your comments it sounds to me that your wife really is not that interested in riding. If she was she would be dreaming about that trike day and night. As far a learning how to ride a trike it is not rocket science. Two year olds ride trikes and it takes them just minutes to learn how to steer.
Trikes can not tip over, they stop easy and turn on a dime. as far as them being wider so what, if your wife drives a car she will know how to judge for width. I would really not go and spend a whole bunch of money and then loose 10 to 20 percent of it if you have to get rid of it. Rent a trike first drive it to a quiet place with her on the back then let her ride it with you on the back then if she cant control it all you have to do is reach around her and take control by steering and stopping with the front brake
Congrats, to you both.
Tell her to take her time in "learning" the ropes on her new ride. Tell her to clear her mind of all the years she has been riding a two wheel vehicle, because most of it does not apply. I know this is very difficult, but it must be done.
Had a friend in the 60s say he could drive a trike, took our friends trike for a spin down our Central Ave. Hit three parked cars on one side of the street, then veered to the other side and hit more cars. Tried to lean into the turns, doesn't work on a trike!
BIG empty parking lots are the best!
I am sure she will do very well, as I know many ladies who would not give up their trike rides for a million dollars!
The open road awaits her future!
Rosy
No offense taken Gerald! But, in this case you are mistaken. While there may be some excitement, both my wife & I are very measured about large purchases. I currently ride a '14 Harley Ultra Limited that I bought new, but I had been talking about buying a new bike for 3 years before I pulled the trigger. Generally, if we find ourselves obsessing over something we'll wait until our emotions have leveled before we move forward. Obviously, the size of the purchase makes a difference but we both try very hard not to be emotional decision makers!
If anything, I think she may be having a little difficulty saying "goodbye" to 2 wheels. She learned to ride while we were dating & we have been married 17 years this fall. She'll be the first in our close group of friends to go to a trike. And, let's face it - this is a considerable purchase. But if it doesn't work out, we'll sell the bike & the loss will probably be about what we would spend on a nice vacation. If it works for her for a few years & then she's done - well, by that time I may be ready to move to 3 wheels. In any case, when I saw her going over the vehicle & checking it out with a smile I knew she was interested. After a while I pulled her aside & said, "Whatever you want to do is fine with me. Do you want this trike?". Her answer was immediate: "Yes". We'll see how it goes from here!
well then congrats on the trike I am sure it will bring some good times