Our first Saturday ride on the trike

[TerryD23]

Well, after picking up our new (old) trike last weekend me and the wife took our first Saturday ride today. Yes I putted around a little during the week after work but that was all. Today we traveled about 150 miles over four hours in northeast PA. Weather was gorgeous! About 80 degrees blue skies with puffy white cumulus. Almost no breeze at all.

I'm used to riding a Road King but sold it three years ago and haven't ridden since. We now have a 2005 Goldwing GL1800A with 2014 Motor Trike Adventure conversion. Never rode a trike for more than a test ride or two so while on one hand I was excited on the other I was just a bit tentative wondering how I would feel being truly on the road as opposed to just a local brief test ride. All I have to say is that I / we had a great time! Trike handled very well. Other than the fact that I've found I'm more challenged making left turns vs right. Making a right turn just comes more naturally for some reason. I just pull the right grip and for whatever reason the feel is more natural than when I turn left. By the end of the ride my lefts were improving but there's still a deficit vs the right. In time I'm sure it will improve.

LOVED the stability of three wheels. Yeah you don't get to lean into turns like on two wheels but the tradeoffs are worth it for both me and the wife. Of course we had our favorite playlist blaring all along the way with a pizza stop in the middle (in Milford PA) then a milk shake in Marshalls Creek. We were both very comfortable on the trike and very happy! Looking forward to our next ride tomorrow! I can definitely see us taking the trike on much longer rides than we would have considered with the Road King.

[roadking2]

That's pretty much how it goes for everybody. Wondering how you will like a trike, then you actually get one and ride it some and the love affair begins. So far I have met exactly nobody that went from 2 wheels to 3 and regretted doing it. The only nay sayers I've talked to are people that never tried it or never got much farther than the parking lot on one. The ones that I really don't understand are those that say they would never get a trike because you can't lean in the curves. Well, a trike has it's own unique set of thrills that a 2 wheeler doesn't have IMO. To me it's like the difference between bungee jumping and sky diving. Each is thrilling, but different and each is no less fun and enjoyable than the other. I hope you ride the wheels off your new old trike and enjoy the heck out of it.

[ol' school]

Terry, glad it was an enjoyable ride! It only gets better from here. The more you ride it the more you will love it. Trikes are made to eat up the miles.

[alienwulf]

As stated it only gets better..Been on 3 wheels for two years now love it have meet many others on 3. Joined the American Legion Riders, Patriot Riders seems the trike has opened up more friends my own age than 2 wheels ever did. Enjoy the alone rides at some point you will be riding with others.

[paws]

Terry...try this in doing turns..

On a left turn press down on the floorboard with your right foot.

On a right turn press down on the floorboard with your left foot.

It seems to counterbalance the feeling of the trike trying to push you off the seat.

Honestly...these tips work...and I got them from the guys right here on TrikeTalk.

Try it tomorrow!

[Jack Klarich]

Very nice

I dunno why I waited so long

[TerryD23]

Terry...try this in doing turns..

On a left turn press down on the floorboard with your right foot.

On a right turn press down on the floorboard with your left foot.

It seems to counterbalance the feeling of the trike trying to push you off the seat.

Honestly...these tips work...and I got them from the guys right here on TrikeTalk.

Try it tomorrow!

I will - thx!!

[Lucky]

The FUN Has begun. May want to try figure 8's starting large and gong to small. Helps a lot with the pushing and pulling. (turning) RIDE SAFE

[TerryD23]

Terry...try this in doing turns..

On a left turn press down on the floorboard with your right foot.

On a right turn press down on the floorboard with your left foot.

It seems to counterbalance the feeling of the trike trying to push you off the seat.

Honestly...these tips work...and I got them from the guys right here on TrikeTalk.

Try it tomorrow!

Had the trike out for just about 50 miles today but through a lot of twisty windy country back roads. (love country back roads!) Your suggestion to put pressure on the outside foot was definitely helpful. Thank you. I also am realizing that my right arm is apparently much stronger than my left so my right turn "pull" is much firmer and deliberate, making for easier right turns. After realizing that, the combination of pushing on my outside foot and adding increased energy on left turn "pull" made a huge difference. I still have to think about left turns more than right, which comes more naturally but today's ride lesson was extremely helpful. Thanks again!

[paws]

Glad it worked for you!

[David357]

Terry, sounds like you had a really enjoyable time. Glad to hear it was a pleasant learning experience

[graygoat]

Terry, it only gets better! Congrats!

You already know about pressing down with your outside foot in turns. You talk about "pulling" the bars to turn, if you aren't doing so yet, also "push" with your outside arm and "pull" with your inside arm. This push/pull helps with leverage on the bars.

Enjoy the ride!

[Tynker]

Had the trike out for just about 50 miles today but through a lot of twisty windy country back roads. (love country back roads!) Your suggestion to put pressure on the outside foot was definitely helpful. Thank you. I also am realizing that my right arm is apparently much stronger than my left so my right turn "pull" is much firmer and deliberate, making for easier right turns. After realizing that, the combination of pushing on my outside foot and adding increased energy on left turn "pull" made a huge difference. I still have to think about left turns more than right, which comes more naturally but today's ride lesson was extremely helpful. Thanks again!

3605.7 in reply to 3605.5

Here also, is some very good info ; http://www.lehmantrikes.com/assets/d...ook-master.pdf

[desertclassic]

3 years on the trike, it gets better with every ride. I look back and think about why did it take me so long to go to 3 wheels. Jim

[TerryD23]

3605.7 in reply to 3605.5

Here also, is some very good info ; http://www.lehmantrikes.com/assets/d...ook-master.pdf

Excellent article. Thank you!