one year later

[bigjoey38]

Well it been a year now that I have been a VW trike owner. I purchased my trike from a guy in Ks and drove the trike back to Colorado. 12 hrs later I was home ...what a cold ride.... During my fuel stops I felt that the engine was not going to turn over. seem the carb was getting a lot of fuel. I also knew timing adjustment was in order. About a week later I wanted to go for a short ride.. took it out rode down the hill and the fuel pump went out.
I was not happy but said ok... I had the electric fuel pump replace, carb and timing adjusted and added a fuel pressure kit. about a week after I got that fixed I said let me go for a spin ..the wife and I was out and about..90 miles out we broke down on the interstate... As u can think I was not very happy again ... got it to the shop and found out the points broke... Got that fixed..
During this time I was turned off and I don't think I even took the bike out again. At this time I was having issues with the oil light coming on. Well after a few months and talking to people on the forum I decided to give it a chance again... At one point I had it up for sale but was talked out of it.
Well in March I decided to give it a new look and that is when the red/black came in to play. Thanks to ABA added the spoiler and it looks cool. I replaced the oil pressure switch and no more light coming on... Now with the weather is getting warmer its time to get it ready. Got my new front tire that needs to be put on and will be going to electronic ignition. Now the wife and I have taken 2 x 45 min ride locally and it seems to run fine... Its getting to a point where I need to make a 100 mile run so hopefully I will attempt that next weekend ....

What to hear from other VW air cool trike owners do u trust your ride?

[americanbadass]

I feel your pain Joe.....once a series of malfunctions happen, you begin to not trust and even become resentfull of a vehicle.
My 1955 Panel truck is like that, I have spent a fortune, and tons of labor hours on that truck fixing little sh!t, and big stuff...it is like a new truck mechanically....but I just don't trust it to drive it distances. I have worked on it for the 8 years I have owned it, and have learned a lot on it..but I have developed an attitude of indifference toward it.
Sometimes you just gotta say "FU@( IT" and just not care about reliability....if it pisses you of bad enuf you will get rid of it! All of my friends just drool on my fitty five, I on the other hand think it is a pain in the ass! I have been driving it a lot this spring, and added towing to my ins!

[bigjoey38]

I hear u ABA....Sometimes I would like to get a trike with a V-6,V-8 engine

[slick rick]

Yep BJ38 ,,take it any where I want to go 100 mile trips are nothing but it does require more attention than any of my bikes did . I traveled 350 miles to get this one and rode it back ( NERVOUS AS A CAT ) to the house . The first thing we did was change to electronic ignition along with tightning front wheel spacers and other little things to get it road worthy ,,,to my standers . Now I don't mind tearing into a new bike to see what makes it tick and that's not for everyone but with the right amount of patience and MONEY almost anything can be dependable . Like I said earlier it does require wrench turning just got mine put back together , was replacing front trans mount and decided to do the back while I was there , which requires pulling engine , so while I'm there put a clutch in . Now while I have the body off go ahead drop one of the hidden gas tanks fix it , change both fuel filters , went ahead changed trans fluid and any other little things I could think of . Still didn't change to hydraulic clutch ( WILL NEXT TIME THOUGH ) but did replace clutch cable . Now that sounds like no fun but I do that sort of thing at the beginning of any summer and any bike . A bike is like a wife you've had for 32 years takes a lot of attention , soft hands , willing to work on it , and a lot of money . Even though it does require more attention I love the fact that it's different from any thing else and it does draw a crowd ....pepper pepper,,,

[slick rick]

I feel your pain Joe.....once a series of malfunctions happen, you begin to not trust and even become resentfull of a vehicle.
My 1955 Panel truck is like that, I have spent a fortune, and tons of labor hours on that truck fixing little sh!t, and big stuff...it is like a new truck mechanically....but I just don't trust it to drive it distances. I have worked on it for the 8 years I have owned it, and have learned a lot on it..but I have developed an attitude of indifference toward it.
Sometimes you just gotta say "FU@( IT" and just not care about reliability....if it pisses you of bad enuf you will get rid of it! All of my friends just drool on my fitty five, I on the other hand think it is a pain in the ass! I have been driving it a lot this spring, and added towing to my ins!

I love the old panel and would be interested but you got me afraid to ask

[Doug D.]

Hey, Big Joey!

Like you, when I brought mine home it needed a ton of work, including some stuff I missed when I looked it over prior to the purchase. First priorty was the wiring. I knew it was a mess when I bought it, but figured it could be repaired. WRONG! After about ten minutes of what was like wallowing in a barrel of snakes, I decided to tear it all out and start from scratch. I'd never done that before, so it was definitely a learning experience.

Then, I battled oil pressure issues. It never seemed high enough, but the engine ran strong and never ran hot. I found that the OP gauge was bad, so I left it at that and moved on. Later, the real problem was identifed only after she spun the #4 rod bearing. Once inside, my bug doctor discovered that the "engine builder" (also the clown I bought it from) had left out a bypass valve and had installed the oil pump incorrectly. $900 later, that issue was resolved.

Next were carb/fuel problems that I eventually traced to a bad gas tank, and so on, and so on, and so on...

Point is I guess, is that anything used, especially home-built, is gonna have some issues. And sometimes you have so much time and money invested, you don't have much of a choice but to see the project through and just work it out, especially if you hope to recoup any amount of your investment somewhere down the road.

At any rate, when all was said and done, I had either rebuilt, repaired or replaced everything but the frame and front end, and now have something I'm actually kind of proud of (hey, to each his own). It's taken me across six states and given me ten thousand miles of riding enjoyment in the two years since I finally got it road worthy. So to answer your question, yes, I absolutely trust my ride. I'd go anywhere on it, without hesitation. And I say that knowing full well, that if I ride it far and long enough (and I will), it'll probably leave me sittin' somewhere again, kickin' it and cussin' it just like old times...

[Doug D.]

Oh, yeah, ABA! That panel is bone cool! I gotta ask, how much?

[bigjoey38]

Thanks Guys we will see what happens this year.... Who know I may into the camping RV thing...I don't know...lol

[slick rick]

Thanks Guys we will see what happens this year.... Who know I may into the camping RV thing...I don't know...lol

..Whats wrong with both and throw in a Tahoe 225 deck boat just to keep it interesting ?.... .... Talk about no time to enjoy it all ....

[bigjoey38]

Yep BJ38 ,,take it any where I want to go 100 mile trips are nothing but it does require more attention than any of my bikes did . I traveled 350 miles to get this one and rode it back ( NERVOUS AS A CAT ) to the house . The first thing we did was change to electronic ignition along with tightning front wheel spacers and other little things to get it road worthy ,,,to my standers . Now I don't mind tearing into a new bike to see what makes it tick and that's not for everyone but with the right amount of patience and MONEY almost anything can be dependable . Like I said earlier it does require wrench turning just got mine put back together , was replacing front trans mount and decided to do the back while I was there , which requires pulling engine , so while I'm there put a clutch in . Now while I have the body off go ahead drop one of the hidden gas tanks fix it , change both fuel filters , went ahead changed trans fluid and any other little things I could think of . Still didn't change to hydraulic clutch ( WILL NEXT TIME THOUGH ) but did replace clutch cable . Now that sounds like no fun but I do that sort of thing at the beginning of any summer and any bike . A bike is like a wife you've had for 32 years takes a lot of attention , soft hands , willing to work on it , and a lot of money . Even though it does require more attention I love the fact that it's different from any thing else and it does draw a crowd ....pepper pepper,,,

Yea when I drove it from Warthena, Ks ( 500 Plus miles ) I was wishing I would not brake down... I did not have a plan b.... other then tow it to the nearest shop and pick it up later

[Mr Orange]

I can't speak to the reliability of the trike itself but to the engine. The air cooled VW is a very reliable power plant. I've owned a bunch of them and only once did I loose an engine and that was my fault. Once you get the bugs out it should go the distance with no problems. Going to a modern ignition will go a very long way.

[bigjoey38]

I can't speak to the reliability of the trike itself but to the engine. The air cooled VW is a very reliable power plant. I've owned a bunch of them and only once did I loose an engine and that was my fault. Once you get the bugs out it should go the distance with no problems. Going to a modern ignition will go a very long way.

Thanks for your response.... It is very positive to hear.

[pmascarenas]

i haven't taken mine on any long trips yet either, just around town. since i don't have the freeway gears i try to avoid the freeways. every one out here drives around 75 plus mph, it is really crazy on the freeways out here in southern California.

[slick rick]

i haven't taken mine on any long trips yet either, just around town. since i don't have the freeway gears i try to avoid the freeways. every one out here drives around 75 plus mph, it is really crazy on the freeways out here in southern California.

I do have the freeway flyer and still try to stay off the freeway . Part of the romance of riding a bike to me is seeing the country side , hard to do that dodging some idiot crossing 3 lanes to jump off the exit . If it takes me 50 more miles too do 300 and see the country , sign me up !!!..pepper pepper pepper