New from west Texas

[richardnorton]

I am right now a wanna bee, have a new '08 GL1800 that I had a bad accident on about 4 years ago and it is looking like I have not healed completly from the head injuries from that accident. I am a retired army helicopter pilot and a disabled vet also and now I walk around like I am drunk or had a stroke. I do NOT want to give up the bike and ridding so I am figuring that a trike might be the way to go and am looking for someone to do te conversion. I have a name and address for a guy in Decatur (not close to me) and a guy in San Angelo (about 90 miles). So I am looking for someone that can do a first class trike conversion, so I can get back to riding, I have been ridding a bike of some type since '69 and am really missing it.

[Woolie]

Hello Richard, Sorry to hear about your accident, hope it doesn't keep you from riding much longer. There are a couple dealers near lubbock Smiths Motorcycle/Trike/Conversions
and COWBOY TRIKES & MORE we do motortrike conversionson on motorcycles. We also sell used trikes, and used motorcycles. . Not any closer than San Angelo, but these guys do a pretty good job. Cowboy trikes did my conversion and I know Smith's has been in business a long time. Who is the dealer you are looking at in San Angelo?

[Gorilla]

welcome aboard Richard. Hang in there you will love triking.

[richardnorton]

Hello Richard, Sorry to hear about your accident, hope it doesn't keep you from riding much longer. There are a couple dealers near lubbock Smiths Motorcycle/Trike/Conversions
and COWBOY TRIKES & MORE we do motortrike conversionson on motorcycles. We also sell used trikes, and used motorcycles. . Not any closer than San Angelo, but these guys do a pretty good job. Cowboy trikes did my conversion and I know Smith's has been in business a long time. Who is the dealer you are looking at in San Angelo?

The dealer in San Angelo is Dream Rider Trikes, looks like thehy don't have a web site, there is a dealer in Abilene (30 miles from me) Max's motorcycles and he sells the Lehman trike kits but I was told they don't do the conversion, but not an issue unless someone else picks up the close business. Any way next time I to the big city (Abilene) I am going to check with Max's and see what they do and don't do.

[richardnorton]

welcome aboard Richard. Hang in there you will love triking.

Thanks Gorilla, I should enjoy it I love getting out on a bike and it looks like at my age this problem ain't gonna get better, Also I was tol by someone that they make a frnt end kit that you probable need, he said it is like adding power steering to you car, can anyone tell me what that is.

[don graham]

Good luck on the trike. The front end kit you are talking about is called a rake kit. You can get it in varying degrees. I have a 4.5 on mine. Handles good for me. My understanding is the higher you go such as 5.5,6, or 6.5 the easier the steering is. But there is a point where the steering will start turning very easily and you may have to work at keeping it straight. My builder reccommended the 4.5. Others on here can probably shed some more light on it.

[Jax]

Good luck and Welcome from the Texas Hill Country.

[paws]

Hello! Welcome to Trike Talk. There is so much information here your head will be swimming! It's a GREAT place to "read all about it!".

We have 2 trikes. Both are 2008 GL1800s. One has the Lehman Monarch II kit which is a solid axle. The other has the Motor Trike Adventure kit which has the independent suspension. We love 'em both!

The Motor Trike kit was put on by Cowboy Trikes near Lubbock by the prior owner when the wing had 20,000 miles on it. They seemed to have done a good job with it. We have owned it since April this year and are well-pleased with it.

The Lehman trike was triked brand-new by Family Powersports in Lubbock in 2008 and we've not had a bit of trouble from it either. It only had 2500 miles on it when we bought it last November. I don't know if Family Powersports (they have several locations ) are doing anymore trikes, or if they have switched trike conversion brands maybe due to Lehman being in/out/in business in the last several months. We've been to the DreamRider facility in San Angelo several times. They have a nice facility and are nice folks but haven't been in business too long..

Your being closer to the DFW Metro-Plex and Central Texas I'm sure people on this forum can direct you to several trike coversion facilities over that way. There are a lot more facilities in that part of the state than west of Abilene.

Hope you get it done soon so you can start enjoying it!

[skuuter]

SORRY on Your Accident.......Hope You get Your Conversion sorted out soon, and WELCOME to TRIKE TALK.....

[richardnorton]

Hello! Welcome to Trike Talk. There is so much information here your head will be swimming! It's a GREAT place to "read all about it!".

We have 2 trikes. Both are 2008 GL1800s. One has the Lehman Monarch II kit which is a solid axle. The other has the Motor Trike Adventure kit which has the independent suspension. We love 'em both!

The Motor Trike kit was put on by Cowboy Trikes near Lubbock by the prior owner when the wing had 20,000 miles on it. They seemed to have done a good job with it. We have owned it since April this year and are well-pleased with it.

The Lehman trike was triked brand-new by Family Powersports in Lubbock in 2008 and we've not had a bit of trouble from it either. It only had 2500 miles on it when we bought it last November. I don't know if Family Powersports (they have several locations ) are doing anymore trikes, or if they have switched trike conversion brands maybe due to Lehman being in/out/in business in the last several months. We've been to the DreamRider facility in San Angelo several times. They have a nice facility and are nice folks but haven't been in business too long..

Your being closer to the DFW Metro-Plex and Central Texas I'm sure people on this forum can direct you to several trike coversion facilities over that way. There are a lot more facilities in that part of the state than west of Abilene.

Hope you get it done soon so you can start enjoying it!

Funy ing is I was born and knda raised in Ft Worth (when the Army didn't hve me off in some armpit part of the world , which was like always) but I graduated from high school and college in Ft Worth and alwayscalled it home. Nosw whe I retred and came hometo Texas the traffic was more than I cared to play in before and more now, so with San Angelo being closer ad Lubbuck about as close at Ft Worth, but SO much easier to get into and out of I will probably avoid the DFW area i I can.

[Blondie Gal]

I know you're a ways ('bout 175 miles) from Gatesville, but there's a WONDERFUL trike (and bike) place there, Mitchell Family Trikes (Mitchell Family Motor Trikes | Welcome), that have always provided us great service. If you can't find what you like any closer to home, give 'em a call and see what they can do for you!! They didn't build our trike (we bought it new from a Honda bike dealer), but they're the only ones we trust to service it, and they have several on their floor that they did build. Worth a phone call!!

[bustedwing]

Hello Richard, and first thing I want to tell you is Thank You for your service to our country and for my daily freedoms. I do not take that lightly. Second, I was also involved in an accident;vehicle crossed the centerline hit me head on. I spent the next 2 years under the knife for 9 suguries.I was 2mm from being paryalized from the neck down. Sure I have problems, but I could be worse.I wish you were closer to me, I am in the U.P. of Michigan,as I would be very excited to sit and talk with you and we could share our experiences. I am sure we have a lot in common.I am now on my third Gold Wing, but the only way I can ride is trike but that's ok. You get used to it and it's fun.After awhile you even forget to lean on corners!But what you do have to pay attention to is reation time;are you on pain meds now that might slow down your reaction time? Don't answer that because I don't really want to know, but I want you to think about it. On the road you need quick reactions. If you have been on the meds for some time and your body has gotten used to them then be honest and try some quick drills to see how well your reactions are.But It took me 10 years to get back on the road .

[motoadvrider]

Hannigan recommended Young County Customs to do our BMW trike conversion. We went to his shop and looked over another K1200LT he was finishing...the second one for that owner. George has a Goldwing he converted and rides as well as a Yamaha. His shop and home is just east of Graham, Tx. If you are interested in talking to him send Google YCC Trikes.

[weewilly]

Just to put my 2 cents worth in.... I live in San Angelo and spend a lot of time down at DreamRider Trikes. I would highly recommend that you look in on them. The owner Eddie Dean and his wife Sheila are really nice folks. They will do either Motor Trike or Champion (my pick)... Easy place to find and easy in/out... They are busy with trying to get their website up and running...... Stay safe and let us know if you get in town... 651-7910

[richardnorton]

Wow lots of answers, I will have to make choice soon, and as far as meds, I ain't doing that just now. I haven't talked to the shop I bought the bike from, Altus Motorsports in Altus OK, but they gave me the best deal I found anywhere and I had been looking for several years. Currently I have three bikes in the garage, looks like I with trike the GoldWing, maybe put a sidecar on the Kaw Drifter and momma will probably sell her Honda aero 750. I have always been of the idea if you buy the best piece of equiptment and get a crappy install job you are in trouble. I even spent some time talking to Motor Trike just south of Longview, but Altus OK wld be closer, and hey Gatesville is just a couple of hours down Hwy 36 from Abilene and of course San Angelo is by far the closest, with Lubbock and DFW being about the same distance in different dirrections, and Lubbock would be best the traffic in the DFW area get me into the four letter words for far too long. So I have some choices to make, in the mean time I need to see if I can find an area on here dealing with Motor Trike, I mean they are made in Texas and that could be important if we decide to secede, LOL.

[lspiece]

I had trouble with lonestar trikes. Also I talked to Hannigan and Roadsmith trikes at wingding in Fort wayne. In. and they said Lonestar was not an installer for them anymore.