VW TRIKE riding dynamics

americanbadass · Sep 18, 2012

I have become a real trike hore lately, my whole garage will be full of them if I don't control myself.
My question is: how difficult is it to get used to shifting a VW based trike, around town and in the twisties? It seems to me like you would be doing a lot of one handed steering, and the clutch pedal is where the shifter used to be, no front brake! I had a rough enough time adjusting to my HD trike conversion, I might need shock treatments or a lobotomy to do this!:AGGHH::AGGHH::AGGHH:

Rsw · Sep 18, 2012

Don't take long to get use to shifting with your left hand. The way the gears are, you can lug them down thru the twisties and still have the torque to pull without downshifting in the middle. Mine jumps out of third under acceleration so you have to hold it in. I can one hand the 35-45 mph turns and I have M/S with short bars. I wouldn't own one without a front brake. I wouldn't trade mine for a Harley or a Goldwing.

DeathBySnuSnu · Sep 18, 2012

You get used to it real quick and it is a grin to ride. I put my lever below left leg, behind my knee.

vwmaniac · Sep 18, 2012

americanbadass said:
I have become a real trike hore lately, my whole garage will be full of them if I don't control myself.
My question is: how difficult is it to get used to shifting a VW based trike, around town and in the twisties? It seems to me like you would be doing a lot of one handed steering, and the clutch pedal is where the shifter used to be, no front brake! I had a rough enough time adjusting to my HD trike conversion, I might need shock treatments or a lobotomy to do this!:AGGHH::AGGHH::AGGHH:

Get you an autostick[very little shifting] or get you a full automatic, no shifting at all and then you can ride and enjoy the breeze and scenry too.

Ozarkryder · Sep 18, 2012

The Blue Trike, a Trike Shop Runabout, had a full auto tranny. Gloria also had Dick at the Trike Shop put in a foot accelerator pedal so it had foot controls just like a car.

drumdoctor · Sep 18, 2012

If you put the shifter between your legs, you can shift with either hand---OR

go to full auto.

East Coast · Sep 19, 2012

drumdoctor said:
If you put the shifter between your legs, you can shift with either hand---OR

go to full auto.

I didn't think that vw made a full auto tranny?

saab9k · Sep 19, 2012

East Coast said:
I didn't think that vw made a full auto tranny?

Was in a station wagon, with pancake engine.

classicfins · Sep 19, 2012

saab9k said:
Was in a station wagon, with pancake engine.

How hard is it to convert over to one of the automatics? My trike has a 4sp, but I'm thinking of converting over to a full auto sometime down the road so my wife can ride it easier. I'm thinking it would probably be just a bolt in swap?

champsman97045 · Sep 19, 2012

saab9k said:
Was in a station wagon, with pancake engine.

my vanagon had a full auto and the only drawback was the waterboxer engine

duane43344 · Sep 19, 2012

East Coast said:
I didn't think that vw made a full auto tranny?

My RoadHawk has a full auto connected to a 2333cc VW @ 145 HP. Works like a dream

chromedome1964 · Sep 19, 2012

classicfins said:
How hard is it to convert over to one of the automatics? My trike has a 4sp, but I'm thinking of converting over to a full auto sometime down the road so my wife can ride it easier. I'm thinking it would probably be just a bolt in swap?

Switching over to an auto is not just a bolt in swap. The type 3 auto has a different mounting system than the type 1. You have to cut off the frame horns on the rear section and build a frame and weld it to the torsion tube to mount the trans. The auto is quite a bit larger than the manual transaxle. If you do find an auto, be sure and get the flex plate and auto specific gland nut as they are getting really hard to find.

classicfins · Sep 19, 2012

chromedome1964 said:
Switching over to an auto is not just a bolt in swap. The type 3 auto has a different mounting system than the type 1. You have to cut off the frame horns on the rear section and build a frame and weld it to the torsion tube to mount the trans. The auto is quite a bit larger than the manual transaxle. If you do find an auto, be sure and get the flex plate and auto specific gland nut as they are getting really hard to find.

She'll just have to shift.. lol

ea81slush · Sep 20, 2012

I have full VW automatic on Tweety.

In Australia they came out as an option is several designs around 1968-1975 the fastback, squareback (wagon) and notchback (sedan) and combi's.

It is certainly an easier ride and I prefer it over changing gears.

The flexplates are harder to get now in Oz. Although when I sold my VW 1916 engine and installed the Subaru ea81 the adapter plate came with a new custom flexplate as a kit. That was from John Sherman of VW conversions in Queensland. So if you are desperate try him.

One original flex plate had faulty rivets and one broke free and peirced the rear main seal on the engine. Wondered what that rattle was!!

The type 3 full auto tranmission is robust, smooth and easy to service. You can place the auto selector in the middle of your tank. A few more things:

- If you ever split the transaxle to the auto box use two seals there. They tend to leak over time and two will fit.

- I tend to overfill my transmission just a little. If fluid is on the full mark try going slowly up a steep incline. If you tend to lose transmission grip then your level is too low.

- The kickdown is controlled with two systems, one is with an electrical switch on your throttle. The other from a vacuum line to a solonoid at the back of the transmission. To adjust your kickdown pull the vacuum line off the solonoid. Use a small flat screwdriver on a tiny screw in the middle of where that tube goes in. To make the kickdown more reactive and allow it to hold gear longer unscrew the screw a turn at a time then test ride. There is also another adjustment on top at the front of the tranny. I suggest you leave that one alone. I think it adjusts a band. That one is for the experts...if you find one alive?

Dont expect miracles from this old fashioned transmission. Treat it well and it will last a long time in a 500kgm trike.

One more thing. Since I've supercharged the ea81 the limitations of the transmission have almost disappeared. The extra low end torque allows for much better engine response. Auto's can feel sluggish. but with 80 or more hp at the wheels it is a dream to ride and a dream to tow trailers. It has become a totally different animal. With both hands on the bars!

You can see the auto selector in this pic.

2blackbelts · Sep 21, 2012

Just like Duane, my Roadhawk has auto tranny with 140 h.p. Shift into drive and don't worry about shifting again until you stop. Plus, my RH cruises easy at 80 mph without a sweat.

2 bb

aussiepilch · Jan 11, 2013

vwmaniac said:
Get you an autostick[very little shifting] or get you a full automatic, no shifting at all and then you can ride and enjoy the breeze and scenry too.

Now ya talkin!

aussiepilch · Jan 12, 2013

Smoky, tell me again why we have full autos?
pilch

CAG · Mar 17, 2021

2blackbelts said:
Just like Duane, my Roadhawk has auto tranny with 140 h.p. Shift into drive and don't worry about shifting again until you stop. Plus, my RH cruises easy at 80 mph without a sweat.

2 bb

Hi Doc, I'm curious ... are your RPM's around 4K at 80 MPH? Mine are 3K at 60, 3.5K at 70 and 4K at 80. 70 MPH yields @ 18 MPG Hwy. Thanx, ^v^

rhino 2 · Mar 17, 2021

CAG said:
Hi Doc, I'm curious ... are your RPM's around 4K at 80 MPH? Mine are 3K at 60, 3.5K at 70 and 4K at 80. 70 MPH yields @ 18 MPG Hwy. Thanx, ^v^

Hawk......The post you are Quoting is from 2012......And CAG-Doc. Hasn't been online since 2017.....:Shrug:...