first trike ride

[al704]

So I just rode my new to me 2012 for the first time....wow this is awful....I know, I know, it will get easier with some miles but right now this thing scares the s**t out of me. Turning is absolutely frightening, cruising at highway speed front end is very touchy, I know it will get better but at 65 yrs old with 50 years on two wheels I didn't expect this much of a learning curve. Still I believe I will learn to love it.

 

[bomber43]

first time

What model trike?

 

[graygoat]

Congrats on your new ride! Just take it nice and easy, your comfort level will grow with practice. Don't forget the width of the rear end around curbs & gas pumps. Enjoy!

 

[al704]

What model trike?

Triglide

 

[Mykneesbehurtin]

Triglide

Everyone is different,for me i have been on the street on two wheels for 46 years and i can say that it took me an honest 2000 miles to really get comfy with my first trike.A few things I have learned,dont fight the front end keep a comfortable grip,dont white knuckle it.Do a lot of back roads until your confidence level increases.When going into curves lock your elbow and push with your upper body,when going into for example a right hand curve push down on the left floorboard this will keep you from feeling you are going to tip over and the same for a left,push on the right board.

When i first got my trike i felt the same way,I just didnt really like it,but now my wife and I love it.Give It some time and you to will learn to love the trike.

 

[Fearless]

Welcome and congrats

I would suggest check tire pressures sounds like front tire is low I run 36-37 lbs. poor quality ride check air in rear tires I run 21-22 lbs in my rear tires. Air shocks may be out of wack I run 34/38 depending on what I'm doing. Trikes are not motorcycles steering if you push and pull at the same time you will be surprised how well they handle. Get a few more miles in take your time and put miles on if you ever rode an ATV it may help adjusting on how handle it. Good luck and congrats. you are not the only one that thought Holy S#%t this was a mistake. In a few weeks you may not want Two wheel back....:Shrug: . .ride safely Fred

 

[hddocfl]

I have 200 miles on my 2017 Tri and like you It scared me at first, Getting better everyday. Over 50 on Harleys for me 2 wheel ones Good luck with it. Doc

 

[al704]

I would suggest check tire pressures sounds like front tire is low I run 36-37 lbs. poor quality ride check air in rear tires I run 21-22 lbs in my rear tires. Air shocks may be out of wack I run 34/38 depending on what I'm doing. Trikes are not motorcycles steering if you push and pull at the same time you will be surprised how well they handle. Get a few more miles in take your time and put miles on if you ever rode an ATV it may help adjusting on how handle it. Good luck and congrats. you are not the only one that thought Holy S#%t this was a mistake. In a few weeks you may not want Two wheel back....:Shrug: . .ride safely Fred

Your right Fred, front tire is low and shocks are 20 lbs...but I am good with rear tires 21 lbs. You're only about 100 miles from me, after I get a little more comfortable on the trike maybe we could meet up somewhere. You have done some of the mods I'm interested in (2+2 wide sweepers, tank lift, 9" LRS, DK lift) Like to get a look at your trike to help me make decisions on which way to go.

 

[David357]

Al,

I cannot add really much more than has already been mentioned in the other posts.

Relax the handgrip and enjoy the ride.ThumbUp

Be safe.

 

[Fearless]

Coffee in Clearfield?

When we get a little better weather possibly have coffee in Clearfield need to do a little shopping there as well. Let me know we will keep in touch private messages work real well here check them out. I will send you one so you see them coming. :Coffee: ride safely Fred

Your right Fred, front tire is low and shocks are 20 lbs...but I am good with rear tires 21 lbs. You're only about 100 miles from me, after I get a little more comfortable on the trike maybe we could meet up somewhere. You have done some of the mods I'm interested in (2+2 wide sweepers, tank lift, 9" LRS, DK lift) Like to get a look at your trike to help me make decisions on which way to go.

 

[chairdr]

When I took my first test ride the dealer said, "You'll love it or hate it!" I was just like you, over 50 years on 2 wheels and came back thinking... This is weird! It was kind of like my first beer, didn't like it at first, but I learned to love it!

I totally agree with Mykneesbehurtin, it takes about 2,000 miles before you feel 'at home.' I just passed that mark and am now remembering to leave myself a little extra room at the gas pumps. Just about every biker likes to walk around his bike at the pump, you can tell a rookie trike owner as he squeezes sideways between the pump and the fender!

And we are all different, if I push and pull, it feels squirrely, but if I just push and add a little throttle in a curve it feels solid and planted. You will find out what works for you as you go down the road. Have fun!

 

[Gorilla]

Just take it slow and allow yourself to adapt. It will come to you.

 

[FuzzyWuzHe]

Just take it slow and allow yourself to adapt. It will come to you.

+1 ... empty parking lots make great practice places ... slow and easy wins this race.

 

[DblTrbl]

So I just rode my new to me 2012 for the first time....wow this is awful....I know, I know, it will get easier with some miles but right now this thing scares the s**t out of me. Turning is absolutely frightening, cruising at highway speed front end is very touchy, I know it will get better but at 65 yrs old with 50 years on two wheels I didn't expect this much of a learning curve. Still I believe I will learn to love it.

Congrats!! I will get more comfy with time in the seat. One very important suggestion...ALWAYS give yourself plenty of side room especially when stopping for gas. When I first joined here, I read numerous stories of guys customizing their rear fender at the first gas stop. Even after I read those, I almost did the same thing with my loaner trike...my heart sunk...even though I didn't wreck it.

 

[Recycledteen]

I agree with a big empty school parking lot! It becomes a lot of fun weaving in and out of the parking lines and see just where your tires actually are. One thing that helped me was going straight in line with the spaces and then stopping and looking how close my rear tire was from the line on the left while watching the stripes go past. I finally figured out where in relation to my handlebar grip and stripe was so it put my rear wheel at a safe distance from the center stripe on the road. This helped me more than anything, just knowing I could ride safely in the inside lane and that cars would not try to crowd me trying to go around when they were in a bigger hurry than me. Practice and have fun!

 

[Bubba49]

I'm on my third trike (TG, SG and TG) in 8 years with a Deluxe and sidecar in between the first TG and SG trikes, and I too was scared of the first TG I owned for about the first 200 miles. What I soon came to realize is they are much more stable than two wheels and as long as I realized that I had two extra feet of bike on each side I was fine. What this meant was allowing extra space at gas pumps and curbs and riding in the center of the lane on the highway instead of left or right of it. It also took a bit of getting used to pushing and pulling the handle bars to steer instead of leaning. Since my first 200 mile "scared of the three wheeler" phase, I've put over 150K miles on three wheels and have been on road trips over 3500 miles at a time and I haven't been afraid of it nor had any handling issues.

What I'd recommend is starting out slow, riding in town and your neighborhood at first. Then graduate to interstates and main highways. After awhile you'll realize what everyone else is emphasizing about riding a trike. They are fun, stable, and often times more maneuverable than two wheels (especially on the curves in the mountains and such). And as a bonus, they can carry a lot more junk (luggage). Now get out there and ride it like you stole it..

Bubba

 

[ISP-FL]

So I just rode my new to me 2012 for the first time....wow this is awful....I know, I know, it will get easier with some miles but right now this thing scares the s**t out of me. Turning is absolutely frightening, cruising at highway speed front end is very touchy, I know it will get better but at 65 yrs old with 50 years on two wheels I didn't expect this much of a learning curve. Still I believe I will learn to love it.

If I would have wrote down my thoughts after my first ride on my TG last year it probably would have been word for word what you wrote! The first time I sat on a TG was after I bought mine and my buddy and I left the dealership. We hit I-75 to make the 15 mile run to my house and I almost went back and cancelled the deal. My thoughts were that if I moved the handlebars an inch I would change three lanes at once!!!!

Coming up on 9,000 miles I really love riding this thing and would never go back. Hang in there for another month of riding and you will start to really get into it.

 

[Trampas]

You will get used to it with more miles under your belt

All for now Trampas

 

[al704]

Thanks for all the tips and words of encouragement, I have no doubt that things will get better with some more miles

 

[Bill G]

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I found all of this very interesting. I have read threads before about guys or gals having a tuff time getting use to riding a trike.

For me the first time I road a trike it was like second nature. I never had an issue at all (it all just plain came easy to me). I do see clearly and understand why it comes hard to so many learning to ride a trike after riding a two wheeler for years.

Steering a trike means throw out the window all your two wheel exsperiance other than how to use the throttle and how to use the breaks. Forget counter steering and leaning to steer, don't even try it. Work with the steering don't fight it..

With that said,

Ride centered and steer with your arms and your chest pretty much push pull, kinda like riding a off road quad. Steer right - pull back with right arm and push forward with left arm use chest and body weight as necessary at the same time leaning to the right with your body as needed.

Left turn is the same process push forward with right arm pull back with left arm use chest and body weight as needed now leaning your body to the left.

The trike when turning by nature like on a off road quad will try to pitch your body away from the derection your turning. The very reason for leaning in not letting the Trike pitch you outward. You will get the feel of this as you do it.

Go to a big open parking lot and practice and soon you will get the feel for it. Again forget trying to ride a trike like a two wheeler.

Best of luck you will get it down.

Ride Safe,

Bill G