Do you think Trikes are Safer than Bikes?

[SMSgt]

I believe both are inherently unsafe because we don't know the mental state or abilities of the idiot in the cage next to or behind us. I believe the trike would sustain the collision better, so I guess that makes them safer. IMHO

[the13bats]

Well it depends, delta trikes especially higher ones do not handle so great drivers of them have to get to know them, lower ones seem to do a bit better,
I believe that trikes can in most cases be seen better than 2 wheels,
I always have more lights on my trike than the mother ship from Zeta Reticuli which also helps being seen,

I always notice the sad reports of people hurt during bike week, but it's not the cruiser cats on their Hogs it's the squirrels on their crotch rockets getting stupid, well, seems to me trikers are more cruisers taking more care and enjoying the road so perhaps trikes help us be safe.

Here is wife on trike with about 1/2 the lights one...lol

[riverdoc]

1. Visibility - trike
2. Road surface - trike
3. Braking - trike
4. Low speed management - trike
5. Load distribution - trike
6. Ability to accelerate - bike
7. Safe riding two up - trike
8. Curves - trike
9. City traffic (stop and start) - trike
10. Clearance (gas stations, passing, etc) - bike
11. Wind management - trike
12. Weather (rain, snow, etc) - trike

RiverDoc

[Brewster]

I believe that trikes are safer than 2 wheelers. They are larger and I have never had to pick my trike up yet from falling over.

[aussietriker]

ok this is my own personal thoughts on the topic, which one is safer.
i,ve been riding trikes for 8 years now and have experienced a few things that happen on both trikes and two wheelers.
1. yes the trike is more noticeable due to it,s size but at the same time cagers do pull out in front of you because there busy doing something else, e.g. texting, talking on phone, reading a map whilst driving or getting up the kid in the back seat for playing up or whatever they did. i do not take it for granted that the cager has seen me and it,s registered in their head. i had one experience where the driver looked straight at me then pulled out and by the time we both came to a stop i,m looking straight down at the driver through there door and guess what, she had a map on the steering wheel and was more interested in reading that than concentrating on her driving.
2. i ride my trike hard at times but always away from suburbs and i,ve had the rear end sliding going around corners but not for one minute do i beleive that it wont tip over. all it takes is a pothole or the surface to drop away quickly for the tyre to dig in or be on a bad angle at speed and tip the trike over.
my trike is a yamaha roadstar with a solid rear axle and this thing does stick to the road like shit to a blanket and my arse is just 2 feet above the road and on the right or should i say the wrong surface it will slide sideways.
3. aquaplaning i have done and anybody would have done the same thing on this bit of road. a drop of 4 inches with water flowing over it and in heavy rain you dont see these road conditions until it,s too late. all three wheels aquaplaned me towards a truck, the driver seen me say oh **** and then it gripped on the front tyre and speared me off the road away from the truck.
4. here,s one that i never imagined happening and i bet not one of you guys would think it would happen. i snapped a handle bar riser going around a corner and had no control what so ever. they go straight when this happens and it,s a wild ride till they stop. lucky it was in town and the intersection was clear at the time. if this had of happened out on the highway i would,nt be here now.
5. dont ever think that because you ride a trike that it,s safer than a motorbike or a car or whatever because shit does happen no matter what your in control of because Murphys law will come into play at some stage.
6. enjoy riding your trike no matter what type it is but always ride within yours and the trikes limits and you should be safe out on the road but remember your driving for everybody else on the road not just yourself nowadays.

steve.

[Rubiconcruiser]

Trikes are inherently more dangerous especially to the new rider who is used to a two wheel setup. You're running into very dangerous territory riding two wheel style. You lean we push. Kinda crazy. But fun.
Be careful

[rhino 2]

Absolutely 3 wheels are safer than two. I've been riding bikes for over 40 years [still do]. I ride all year and that's where Trikes come into my life.
It snows , I just Wait for the plows to go by and I'm out riding the same day, Never been able to do that on my bikes [safely]

Bump..........

[cavie]

"Remember the topic is "safer than" not "totally safe"

[skuuter]

Traveling down the road with the "General Public" is ALWAYS a Risky Venture....Ride Safe no matter whether it's on a Trike, Motorcycle, Scooter, or Your 4-Wheel Transportation...Each has it's safety advantages and disadvantages....but never be lulled into the "If it balances itself, it has to be safer" syndrome...Ride/Drive Them all like They're dangerous...THEY ARE.....

[Shimpy]

I agree trikes are overall safer, BUT disagree that braking is better. My Gl1800 was able to stop much better before than after it was triked. Also as mentioned before hydroplanning is always a concern on a trike when going into standing water. You have 2 wide care tires in the rear with very little weight over them compared to a car.

[sabretooth2]

Yes and No.
With Trikes you have a stable platform, don't have to put your feet down and you probably go a little slower than 2 wheels. Also you can't go around road debris very well.
With Bikes you definitely have a lot more maneuverability. You can lean around objects in the road, lane change is much easier AND you can avoid an accident better, such as laying the bike down for a low side.
Which is Safer?
It Depends......................

[Retired Army]

No matter what the choice, the machine is only as safe as the operator. Perhaps a better question would be how safe is the operator?

[rhino 2]

No matter what the choice, the machine is only as safe as the operator. Perhaps a better question would be how safe is the operator?

And just to add, How safe is the other guy driving;
'That's next to you ?......

[robg]

I have a DFT trike conversion on a 2010 Ultra Limited. I guy ran a red light and broadsided me at 30 mph. I walked away bruised and sore, but walked away. The bike has been in the shop for 3 months getting rebuilt from a new frame up

[zman]

I have had to dodge a deer on my Trike and then another one that ran behind the first one,and I believe I would have lost it on a two wheeler,the way it happened.
That one reason I believe trike is safer than a two wheeler.

[ray6576]

I currently ride a Spyder and feel safe in it but you do have to watch out for other vechiles. Had an Electra Glide but wife would not ride on the back because I scare her on 2 wheels.

[markreed757]

As in any accident, the outcomes are hard to predict with statistics. Beside that, what type of stats are out there to compare an almost accident or a near miss? If you really want an "etched in stone" answer, ask your insurance man. Those guys can look up anything and put it into dollars and cents.

My personal opinion is I feel safer from other motorists, particularly if I have a nice loud muffler. I just feel like when another motorist looks at me when he's waiting to pull out into traffic, he's more likely to see a trike because of a fatter horizontal view.

[Phu Cat]

Trikes are a little bigger but that may not make them easier for those that can't see a 'Wing or EGlige to begin with. As for stability on a gravel road I can't argue with that, but what are you doing with a belt drive bike(not Honda's) on a gravel road in the first place? Especially one that does not have a rock guard around the belt? Belt drives and gravel roads aren't usually a good combination. Oops,my bad. Your bike, your call. As for stopping faster, I wish one of the bike mags would do a test. I've always felt our Tglige could stop faster than our old Eglides, but I'd like to see that test done independently.

Skuuter, I like your idea that just because they balance themselves doesn't mean they're safer. Great point!

PC

[Shimpy]

As for stopping faster, I wish one of the bike mags would do a test. I've always felt our Tglige could stop faster than our old Eglides, but I'd like to see that test done independently.
PC

I always felt my trike didn't nearly stop as fast as it did before triking. Best info I can find was in Motorcycle Consumer News Performance index in the Feb 2014 edition listing all their tests results over the years. They list Honda GL1800 Gold Wing 2012 model stopping from 60 to 0 in 127.4 feet.
The only trike tested that was comparable was CSC Cobra Triked Goldwing tested 1/11 that took 216.1 feet to stop.......That's 88.7 feet farther.
The trike weighed 1331 lbs compared to the 2 wheeler weighing 909.5 lbs.
Since reading this and knowing what I know about my trike I've added a lot more following distance. Of course there are so many variables to consider but I just wanted to give you some idea. I've got to say my rear brakes suck and I doubt I could lock them up.

[rhino 2]

Bikes stop faster than Trikes... ''If''.. the guy ON the bike knows what he is doing,
That said, If you have to do a full on emergency stop I would ratter be on a Trike, Much less drama when you lock wheels on a Trike, Not to mention no road rash..

I always thought the rear brakes on my T/G were not very good, Then one day last Summer I was travelling at around 45MPH when this pickup blast through a stop at probably 30 MPH like the stop wasn't even there. I stood hard on the brakes and the rear locked and the Trike stopped strait and true,.