riding a trike after years of..

[Hank62]

man after riding 2 wheels all of my adult life it is a big change going to a trike, on two wheels going down the road straight you sit straight up in the seat, but on trike the road may be straight but it can lean left and right at angles. or a in the road only on 1 tire make it feel weird for me, I knew it would be different going around curves and it is, then throw in that the road also is not flat and its a different feeling, I also feel like I am closer to the front end of bike because back end is higher than it was when it was on two wheels .

but the one thing that it does, strange feeling or not, It puts me back in the wind where I belong, soon as I get the weave taken care off I will start with daily rides from 50-100 miles for a few weeks working up for the longer rides out west, two wheels or three wheels I belong on the back of a motorcycle

Hank

I could not load photos here but trike can be seen on facebook under hank kettler

 

[Gorilla]

man after riding 2 wheels all of my adult life it is a big change going to a trike, on two wheels going down the road straight you sit straight up in the seat, but on trike the road may be straight but it can lean left and right at angles. or a in the road only on 1 tire make it feel weird for me, I knew it would be different going around curves and it is, then throw in that the road also is not flat and its a different feeling, I also feel like I am closer to the front end of bike because back end is higher than it was when it was on two wheels .

but the one thing that it does, strange feeling or not, It puts me back in the wind where I belong, soon as I get the weave taken care off I will start with daily rides from 50-100 miles for a few weeks working up for the longer rides out west, two wheels or three wheels I belong on the back of a motorcycle

Hank

I could not load photos here but trike can be seen on facebook under hank kettler

Hank,

As you ride more and get accustom to three wheels all your concerns will disappear. A lot of us on here went through the same learning curve. I'm 70 and have been on 3 wheels since 2009. @ wheels prior all the way back to pre teens. I have well over 100k miles under my belt on 3 wheels and really do not miss 2 wheels at all. Ride to Live Live to ride. Ride safe.

 

[FuzzyWuzHe]

+1 .... the more you're on three ... the more ya love it.

 

[Hank62]

just a few more miles

I road to the little store again today check how front end handles, I have learned about pushing to steer, but it still feels weird, some of the curves are nerve racking thinking it was not going to make it, my top speed in curve was 45 mph and its all posted 55. I have not take my feet off of floor board even once as I would at stop sign with 2 wheels, making sure back tires don't eat my legs.

A friend rode over from indiana today and he followed me up to store on his 2 wheeler watching how the trike looks going down the road he said it looks like it tracks straight as a arrow front and back wheels all look good from all point from the back of trike.

Hank

 

[Sloride]

My advice is to take it to a large empty parking lot and set up some cones (pack of 20 off of Amazon for $30.00) set them up with some challenging 60-90-120 deg corners. Start slow doing the same 90 deg corner and increase your speed slowly. Once you begin to trust the trike you will find out that it will out corner a two wheeler through tight cornering. At first you think it feels like it's going to tip over, nothing is further from the truth. These things will corner like their on rails, you just have to crank that wheel around and believe. I got mine doing a 40' Center Line 180 deg radius turns at 20 MPH and never lifted a wheel...try that on a 2 wheel HD.

IMO...it's only through pushing your trike in a controlled environment (no traffic) that you will build the trust needed to get comfortable and not having to think and plan every corner you approach.

SLO

 

[FuzzyWuzHe]

+1 on practice. The only thing I could glean from your posts is that it's a Harley conversion. So, I will give you some generic things to check.

As well as pushing to steer, pull the other bar. This will make you feel more "centered" on the bike and reduce fatigue if you're in twists for awhile.

If you know anyone that has trike experience, have them ride it and get their feed back.

Tire pressure - play around with the rear pressure. On a tri for example, most people are running low 20's. Remember you're now riding on car tires (rear). They don't need much pressure to sit flat. Less air will improve the ride and handling.

Tire balance - If they are out of balance, this too will effect the handling.

Front Steering Head Bearings - If they are loose or worn, this will great be amplified on a trike and again affect handling.

Alignment - Since the trike tracks fine. I'd say you probably are good here. But if all else fails, have your builder check it out.

There are other things that will effect your feel and handling, but, I've given you a starting point.

Good luck.

 

[kybigmac]

Main thing is you're in the wind! Now just go ride ride ride and before you know it it will be second nature! Good luck and enjoy.

 

[Hank62]

+1 on practice. The only thing I could glean from your posts is that it's a Harley conversion. So, I will give you some generic things to check.

As well as pushing to steer, pull the other bar. This will make you feel more "centered" on the bike and reduce fatigue if you're in twists for awhile.

If you know anyone that has trike experience, have them ride it and get their feed back.

Tire pressure - play around with the rear pressure. On a tri for example, most people are running low 20's. Remember you're now riding on car tires (rear). They don't need much pressure to sit flat. Less air will improve the ride and handling.

Tire balance - If they are out of balance, this too will effect the handling.

Front Steering Head Bearings - If they are loose or worn, this will great be amplified on a trike and again affect handling.

Alignment - Since the trike tracks fine. I'd say you probably are good here. But if all else fails, have your builder check it out.

There are other things that will effect your feel and handling, but, I've given you a starting point.

Good luck.

I have check all that you mentioned and I am the builder. its first trike build but I have done many from the ground up build on 2 wheeled harleys, i'm 62 have not been with out a running driveable harley since I was 19

 

[Hank62]

My advice is to take it to a large empty parking lot and set up some cones (pack of 20 off of Amazon for $30.00) set them up with some challenging 60-90-120 deg corners. Start slow doing the same 90 deg corner and increase your speed slowly. Once you begin to trust the trike you will find out that it will out corner a two wheeler through tight cornering. At first you think it feels like it's going to tip over, nothing is further from the truth. These things will corner like their on rails, you just have to crank that wheel around and believe. I got mine doing a 40' Center Line 180 deg radius turns at 20 MPH and never lifted a wheel...try that on a 2 wheel HD.

IMO...it's only through pushing your trike in a controlled environment (no traffic) that you will build the trust needed to get comfortable and not having to think and plan every corner you approach.

SLO

thanks for advice and suggestion i may just have to get some cones and see what happens

hank

 

[FuzzyWuzHe]

I have check all that you mentioned and I am the builder. its first trike build but I have done many from the ground up build on 2 wheeled harleys, i'm 62 have not been with out a running driveable harley since I was 19

If all that is good, then it's just the learning curve on a trike. Lots of practice and lots of experimenting and you will learn to love it.

 

[Gone2Three]

Main thing is you're in the wind! Now just go ride ride ride and before you know it it will be second nature! Good luck and enjoy.

If all that is good, then it's just the learning curve on a trike. Lots of practice and lots of experimenting and you will learn to love it.

Yeppers... :Agree: what they said, welcome and enjoy your new ride!

 

[GRR]

man after riding 2 wheels all of my adult life it is a big change going to a trike, on two wheels going down the road straight you sit straight up in the seat, but on trike the road may be straight but it can lean left and right at angles. or a in the road only on 1 tire make it feel weird for me, I knew it would be different going around curves and it is, then throw in that the road also is not flat and its a different feeling, I also feel like I am closer to the front end of bike because back end is higher than it was when it was on two wheels .

but the one thing that it does, strange feeling or not, It puts me back in the wind where I belong, soon as I get the weave taken care off I will start with daily rides from 50-100 miles for a few weeks working up for the longer rides out west, two wheels or three wheels I belong on the back of a motorcycle

Hank

I could not load photos here but trike can be seen on facebook under hank kettler

Hank,

I tried looking at your photos on facebook, but it doesn't look like they are public.

 

[pcombe]

Why is the back end higher than the front?

Does it have a raked triple tree on it?

The tree kit should come with fork extensions to level the bike?:Shrug:

 

[Hank62]

Why is the back end higher than the front?

Does it have a raked triple tree on it?

The tree kit should come with fork extensions to level the bike?:Shrug:

I'm not sure iback end is higher, it all looks level looking and bottom of frame, it just feels different, I have frankenstien triple tree installed and I did not get any kind of fork extensions,

Where would be best place to measure from to check if back is higher?

 

[Hank62]

Hank,

I tried looking at your photos on facebook, but it doesn't look like they are public.

I went and changed the settings on facebook so photos are open to public

 

[Burnerboy]

I'm on my first season, riding a trike, and rode two wheels for over 51 years, NOW THAT I'M USED TO MY TRIKE, i'll never go back to two :clapping:

Ronnie

 

[pcombe]

I'm not sure iback end is higher, it all looks level looking and bottom of frame, it just feels different, I have frankenstien triple tree installed and I did not get any kind of fork extensions,

Where would be best place to measure from to check if back is higher?

Looking should be about all that's required? Once you kick the front end out with the tree I would assume it would be obvious if extensions weren't added?

If you have Frankenstein triple tree I would assume extensions came with it.

 

[Hank62]

Looking should be about all that's required? Once you kick the front end out with the tree I would assume it would be obvious if extensions weren't added?

If you have Frankenstein triple tree I would assume extensions came with it.

like i said in previous post it is a frankenstien trike but no fork extensions came with it, on their web site it says extensions are not needed

 

[pcombe]

like i said in previous post it is a frankenstien trike but no fork extensions came with it, on their web site it says extensions are not needed

interesting, I will have to look at their design?

 

[Burnerboy]

I'm new to 3 wheels this season, BUT will never go back to two, once I got used to riding the trike, I couldn't even think of of riding two... (66 years old) been riding 2 for over 51 years.... "just can't get rid of this "sugar" eating grin off my face!

Ronnie