BMW R1100RT two pac insta trike

[cobia6620]

Hi group
just found this forum and it's great
I have a 1998 R1100RT and just installed an Insta Trike kit from Tow Pac with 12 in wheels. I'm struggling with the adjustments. It came really stiff- high preload on outrigger wheels and it hanlded OK but with high steering force. I called the factory and they said lighten up on the wheel preload where the wheels just barely touch the ground. I did and it didn't work. Now it's spongy and very hard to handle with excessive lean. I called the factory again and they said to go back to original setting-- basically trial and error. I'm going back to a stiff setting and will have to experiment. I live in very south Louisiana and the roads have a crown in them making handling the trike diffricult. I hope the stiff setting will result in a more controllable ride.

Have any of you ever put this kid on a R1100RT? How will two up riding affect the setting? I'm new to trikes and that first ride is really fun. It will take time to get used to steering rather than leaning but I know it will get better with time.
thks

 

[DanB]

I can't comment on the BMW as mine is installed on a Goldwing. If the adjustments haven't helped, do you have air shocks or are they adjustable? Of course this doesn't affect steering but harshness of ride. What is your air pressure in the TP tires?

Comparing steering to 2 wheels, I think it's very stiff for everyone who has this conversion. Changing the rake improves this but then you can't go back to 2 wheels. When coming into a turn make your entire arm rigid like a lever and rotate from the torso pushing against the handlebar grip and pulling with the opposing hand. That way you don't muscle your way through the turn exhausting your arm. I use this same technique in kayaking as I do a trunk rotation as the power behind the paddle in the paddle stroke and not the arm muscles.

 

[jmk865]

I also, am new to triking, having just gotten a 1994 Kawasaki Vulcan 1500 with an Insta Trike already on it. Our local roads are crowned tar and chips and somewhat difficult to ride on with the kit. Having ventured onto a nearby flat paved road made a huge difference. I'm thinking I'll leave my adjustments alone and just stay off of side streets as much as possible.

 

[dadztoy]

I just readjusted my Tow Pac IT after I rode down to the factory and they installed it... I noticed it was very fatiguing riding in the right hand lane with the bike wanting to pull right constantly... I looked at their trouble shooting chart and decided to raise the right wheel a bit... I noticed when I started this adjustment procedure that the right side of the frame was already lower than the left which would exacerbate this problem to begin with...

I raised the right side and lowered the left side so there is now about 1/4" difference between the two, with the right side being the higher side as measured on the rear of the wrap around part of the frame...

The bike handles a lot better in the right hand lane now and isn't too bad in the center lane either...

Les

 

[jmk865]

Outrigger tire pressure also will effect handling. When I checked the outrigger tires, the previous owner had them at 24 psi. When I checked this forum and the manufacturer; I found the concensus was to run them at 40 to 50 psi. I adjusted mine to 45 psi and the handling improved greatly....even on our lousy side streets. Highway riding is great now......Can't believe I didn't get into triking several years ago. Asking for advice on this forum has proved invaluable; these guys and gals know their stuff.

 

[bremp]

BMW R1100rt with Tow Pac

Hi guys. I have the BMW R1100Rt and and considering the tow pac trike kit. Do any of you have any photos of a kit installed on this model?

 

[Jack Klarich]

Hi guys. I have the BMW R1100Rt and and considering the tow pac trike kit. Do any of you have any photos of a kit installed on this model?

Hi Robert, :welcome: to Trike Talk and your first post

The last traffic in this part of the forum was 2013, so not much activity.