Stopped at a HD dealer today

[robandlyn]

Stopped at a HD dealer today just to get an opinion on the Roadsmith
trike kit we are thinking of doing to Lynn's SG. Now it has her second
guessing again about adding a kit versus buying a HD trike.
Tried to tell us that most kits handle like crap around corners
and that the new Tri Glides have better reinforcing for their kit.
We are going to Laconia this week so gawd help all the trike riders
we get to talk to that we can find .... LOL .....
Could all the Roadsmith riders post how long and how many miles
they put on their bikes (and what make/model bike) ?
Thanks ....
Rob .....

[Nana]

Hi Rob,
I have a 2000 Fat Boy with a Champion kit (straight axle, not independent suspension). I cannot speak for the Roadsmith ride, except to say I hear great things about it. But I can tell you that just a month ago there was a group of us riding the Dragon --- 318 sharp curves in 11 miles in the Smokey Mountains. Believe me, my trike handled those curves with ease! No doubt the TriGlide would too, though. In our group that day we had a Stallion, my trike, a VTX1300/Champion trike, a Road King, and my husband's Street Glide. On my trike I was easily "pushing" my husband and his two wheels around the corners when I was behind him -- and believe me he is not a timid rider!

I like the TriGlides, don't get me wrong, but there is nothing wrong with converting Lyn's Street Glide with a kit. Neither option is right or wrong---it is personal preference on the vehicle in question.
Nana

[John Luciano]

I agree > I personaly think that the Champion the DFT or the Roadsmith/trikeshop would make you a better choice. She like the ride she has why not just trike it

[shiney b.]

rob,
got our roadsmith this week(97 goldwing), and have put about 800 miles on it so far. had a motortrike before this one on a 1300 honda vtx. really like the roadsmith so far. thursday i rode over 400 miles, and could have went another 400. it rides that smooth. the independent suspension is really nice. i highly recommend them. hope this helps in some way.
dave

[Gorilla]

Tri-Glides are a nice trike. They have the trunk leak problem, but that's minor. With that being said any salesman that trashes conversions/kits and says they handle poorly does not know anything about trikes. As far as I'm concerned your best option is the kit route because of what you have in your Street Glide. It's a great bike and will make a great bases for a trike from whatever conversion you decide to purchase. Many of these conversions are a better trike, but it depends on what you are looking for.

[spiritdream]

Tried to tell us that most kits handle like crap around corners
and that the new Tri Glides have better reinforcing for their kit.

He's working on OLD information, or he wants a sale! TriGlides are nice, don't get me wrong - I'm not trashing them in any way. But when it comes right down to it, the TriGlide is a Lehman conversion. HD "designed" the trike, but with considerable Lehman input - HD manufactures the bike and many/most of the trike parts, but it's Lehman that puts it together. And Lehman has been converting HD bikes for years!

As far as trikes handling badly in corners, that's crap. Talk to your friend in Keene, and definitely talk to all the trike owners you can at Laconia. And personally, I would be NOT be having that dealership do the conversion ~ but that's MY opinion.

[robandlyn]

Here is what I come up with so far ...

New Tri-Glide =
Her Bike (07 Sg with 17k miles and $6k of add-ons).
Her bike traded to Dealer.
$16,000 to Dealer.
$800 Sales Tax (one time only).
$800 Excise tax 1st Year than goes down about $100 every Year after.
Insurance would definatly go up (haven't even priced that yet)
Pros .....
New bike with bigger motor.
Made purposly to be a trike.
Cons .....
Will have to deal with heat issues again.
Does not get to decided between straight axle or independent suspension.
Besides more money that trike kit you have to add Sales & Excise Tax & extra Insurance costs.

Trike Kit (Roadsmith or Motor Trike or Champion) =
Her Bike (07 Sg with 17k miles and $6k of add-ons).
She keeps her bike.
No Sales Tax.
Excise tax is at $200 and will get cheaper.
Insurance stays same.
Pros ....
She keeps her bike (customized the way she likes it now).
Price for kit lower than money that would go to Dealer if traded in
(so we been told BUT have not got written quote yet - told about $13k).
She gets to decide straight axle or independent suspension.
No Sales Tax or increase of Excise tax or Insurance.
Cons ....
No bigger motor (but can do that later if needed or just add cams for more low end).
Have to add reverse (all ready in kit price) and maybe Easy Steer (not in kit price).
Not a NEW bike .... LOL .....

Decisions, Decisions, .....
We are also headed up to Laconia this week and will ask every trike owner
there questions about their trikes .... ya I feel sorry for them already .... LMAO .....
Posted at HDforums also and PM'ed a trike member there with a Roadsmith (with 13k miles)
that just bought a Tri-Glide (only 500 miles so far). I gave him our phone number to call us
and we just talked for a half hour about them. As for the ride of the Roadsmith, he told us
not to worry the ride. He said it was fine and she would easily get use to cornering in time.
Rob ......

[ben721364]

While I cannot comment on the Roadsmith kit installed on a H-D, I can state from experience that the Roadsmith kit on a GL1800 is an excellent value and a very good piece of merchandise. I own one. I agree with the comment (above) about trashing other brands. There is no excuse for such behavior in my opinion and I would not do business with someone who operates in that manner.

All currently available trike kits are well engineered and to my knowledge, most installers are quite capable and honorable people.

One more quibble. Like the others, the Tri-Glide is a kit installed on a motorcycle.

[Gorilla]

Just to be fair to HD. The Tri-Glide does have some frame and fork mods that are different than the ones on the normal touring models along with the 103 engine by HD before the unit is sent to Lehman. Ted