Reason for trike

[pisoiu]

I will definetely do that, but it will take 1-2 months at least. The most important mechanical problems are solved, yesterday I went out with it for the first time but only with the frame+engine. The fibreglass body is not installed. Fortunately, I have at my home access to a piece of private road, so I can play a bit even if it not yet registered. Man, those horses from the engine are surely mad...
There is still a lot of work to do at those side protection bars, lights, fibreglass body, etc.

[pisoiu]

As I promised, the story is here: http://www.triketalk.com/forum/threa...-Rewaco-RF1-GT

[TGCarol]

What a great story . Congrats on your beautiful trike. I hope you enjoy it.

My my reason for choosing a trike is non-medical. I learned to ride 2 wheels a little over 2 years ago. I had been wanting to ride for a long time and finally took the beginner class at Harley. All of my research suggested that I should start on a very light bike to build confidence so I found the lightest bike I could. It's a replica of the Mustang bike of the 1940's. Here's a pic... It weighs only 250lbs. It's really nice.

Well built, no cheap plastic parts, 250 cc engine and it seemed like a good fit for me. To make a long story short, even though I really like the bike, there is something wrong with it and I've tried everything to find someone to work on it to no avail. The ride is so bad that it scared me and I lost confidence. My own fault for buying a bike sight unseen. (This is a really condensed version of the story). My husband knew how much I wanted to ride and took me to see a Spyder that he had seen for sale on his way home from work. The sales guy took me for a test ride on the back and I instantly felt I could do this. We brought it home and a few months later, while taking the Trike Safety course at Harley, I found that the Triglide was the one for me. The rest is history. Loving my trike.

Sorry for for the long post.

[consitter]

In the picture below, you'll see the reason I went to a trike. I have a special needs daughter that LOVES motorcycles. She can't talk, but holds her hands out in front of her like they are on handlebars, and moves them back and forth like she's blipping the throttle when she sees one. She has atonic epilepsy (drop seizures) and couldn't stay on a regular seat of a 2 wheeler. We have added extra safety precautions, like armrests that extend out, and a backrest that I keep all the way back against her when she's riding. It keeps her boxed in. And not just because of the seizures she may or may not have--when playing music she dances like crazy in her seat, and squeals with delight!

Trust me...it was worth every penny changing over to three wheels just so this little girl can ride. As an added bonus, my wife will now ride with me on the occasions that we can find a baby sitter. She never would ride a 2 wheeler with me because she said she 'didn't feel safe'.

Anyway, look at the look on my daughter's face the minute we got on that trike at the dealership. My other daughter took the pic.

I sent it to my wife, who was at work, and she immediately texted back, "She looks so happy. Do you think we can afford it?" I was like, wow...yes, we will make a way. The rest is history. My daughter's name is Raeden, and she loves her TG...and her daddy.

[1dn5up]

The smiles say it all.

[TGCarol]

She's so beautiful! What a great smile and great reason to ride a trike

[tom w]

it was hard to change to a trike but it was a good choice for me. I could have stayed on 2 but the knees are bad and we were traveling more. after you pile all her stuff and my stuff and what ever you buy on the ultra, it was a little top heavy . branson ,mo is probley the worst for putting a stop light at the top of a 70 degree hill. very challenging to stop and wait 20 min for the light to change then turn right. Did it several times without dumping but this is not an issue on 3.

I use to like dirt bikes and found a great alternative for them too

[Texan]

Why do people wait for a medical issue to think about a Trike? Why do people refuse to think about a Trike if there is a medical issue? (" have to stop riding. Can't hold the bike up anymore") I think of my Trike as a Go-cart on steroids.

Rode 2 for 63+ years.....been to all 48, four corners, high and low on 2, ridden to Sturgis 30 times. Then 3 years started having a few balance issues. Parkinson's reared it's ugly head. So like you said "medical issue". Didn't want to stop riding so reverted to my early childhood and got me a tricycle.

Haven't put any Yogi Berra baseball cards in the spokes yet but it's a thought.

8~\o

[CrystalPistol]

Been on MCs since the early '70s, in 1995 we got our first GoldWing, a '85 Aspencade. In 1997 we got wind of a new chapter up the road an hour from us, soon met the charter members at a "Mall Show" and soon we were participating. In 1998 we saw that some of our new friends, CR & Dianne, had converted their new '97 GL1500SE into a trike with a Lehman kit. My "Wife Unit" and I fell in love with that trike and talked of getting a 1500 and doing us one. Many in the chapter started talking trikes, a few others did them from various manufacturers.

Year or two later we went to an open house at CSC and rode one, did not like it, rough as the devil. August 2004 the trike we loved became available, so recalling that experience at CSC, we knew we had better take a good "test ride". We found that we still loved it.

A couple weeks after we brought it home, I installed a Champion EZSteer 6 degree kit. We had it out Sunday, just "Wife Unit" and I, we still love it's ride, handling, & looks ....

and it's long ago paid for status.

I never did view trikes as something to have to someday accept, I thought .... like bikes .... that some were cool, some maybe not in my view. I like what I like and I've found a lot to like about trikes .... like they have wheels and take you places.

Real world, the bike has a smoother ride, jostles the body less or "none at all", is less tiring on a long day's ride, has a light feel, is easier to steer around and through pot holes without hitting any .... but trike handles a trailer easier, will make a U-turn anywhere there's not a cliff to fall off of, is easier to pull over roadside for that photo op, is preferred if caught in rain, and besides everything else .... when "Wife Unit" is happy, I'm happy.

If I'm alone, I prefer the bike usually .....

if two up, I know she usually prefers the trike .... and sometimes we prefer the GT or the FX4 or the Merc.

[waldo]

Great thread! New to TT My story. Like many of you grew up on 2 wheels. First MC a Bridgestone 50 at 13. Had some close calls when I was young and foolish but settled down when I met my sweetheart. Last 2 wheeler i had was full dress 1981 Honda 750. I rode that bike to work in July of 1985. While on the job (not the bike) i had an accident and became an instant paraplegic. Been in a wheelchair ever since. It was a sad day when I had to sell that Honda.

I resumed my life ran a business and was able to find ways to do what I needed to do. But it was always nagging me knowing or at least thinking i would never ride again. I researched it and read articles where people adapted bikes to ride from a chair or sidecar set up but that didn't appeal to me. Then I happened by a Trike shop 15 years after my accident. I asked the owner if he thought he could rig a hand shifter he jumped at the idea and set everything up no extra charge. i rode that 89 1500 with my sweetheart on the back for 14 years. I ran into a $ situation and decided to sell. Now only 2 years later with the big 60 coming I just put money down on a 95 Wing and will be back out there until I just can't do it. Trike people are good people and its been great reading your stories and now you know mine!

[RTwing]

I agree the trike market is changing, Thanks to the 2008 BRP introduction of the CanAm Spyder and the 2014 introduction of Endeavor SportTrikes the switch to trike is now becoming a transition to a sportier mode of travel that includes under maintained roadways and allows those with large cruisers and tour bikes to venture off the highways and out on those yet to be discovered unpaved roads.
I personally log 3-5k per year just on gravel and dirt mostly on my Valkyrie trike but also on the Victory and GL1800.
Unfortunately traditional trike sales philosophy has alway been trikes are for those who can't ride a 2 wheel motorcycle. Due to this it's hard for the younger able crowd to understand the benefits of a true SportTrike. And it's odd that many fear the non-lean aspect of trikes even though 99% of the vehicles we drive don't lean.

As with all change it just takes time........

[G.W. Viper]

Hi All, My name is Keith. I live in Rancho Belago Calif, near Perris Lake. I currently own a 2012 Street Glide, which I love, Been riding for about 30 years. I'm now 65, and thinking about trading in the Street glide for a Trike. This past wekend it took a test drive on one. When I first got on and started out, I was close to a curb, and started heading torwars the curb, riding tie trike like a 2 wheeler. the saleman shouted out steer it ! After that point it all seemed to come togeather some what. I did enjoy the short ride, about 20 minutes. I did notice it felt quite bumpy compared to my 2 wheererl Is this kinda normal ?

Steering was a little stiffer then what I was exspecting, but not a bad thing. I loved how I could now make short u turns and not worry about dropping the bike.

So in about 6 months from now I will be looking to buy a trike. One of the main reasons is, I cant get my wife to ride on the back of the street glide. She just doesn't feel safe. But now after working on her and telling her how much more safe and comfortable she will be, she is giving me the okay. Can't wait !

Keith

[rhino 2]

Hi All, My name is Keith. I live in Rancho Belago Calif, near Perris Lake. I currently own a 2012 Street Glide, which I love, Been riding for about 30 years. I'm now 65, and thinking about trading in the Street glide for a Trike. This past wekend it took a test drive on one. When I first got on and started out, I was close to a curb, and started heading torwars the curb, riding tie trike like a 2 wheeler. the saleman shouted out steer it ! After that point it all seemed to come togeather some what. I did enjoy the short ride, about 20 minutes. I did notice it felt quite bumpy compared to my 2 wheererl Is this kinda normal ? Steering was a little stiffer then what I was exspecting, but not a bad thing.

I loved how I could now make short u turns and not worry about dropping the bike.

So in about 6 months from now I will be looking to buy a trike. One of the main reasons is, I cant get my wife to ride on the back of the street glide. She just doesn't feel safe. But now after working on her and telling her how much more safe and comfortable she will be, she is giving me the okay. Can't wait !

Keith

All quite normal... With 3 wheels on the ground you can't avoid most potholes and sunken man hole covers like you can on a two wheeler..

[alienwulf]

Kferg Keith sent you a PM since we are so close might get in touch.

[Retired Army]

No mater what you ride or what you call it, it's an investment in enjoyment.

[bikerbillone]

Been riding 2 wheels since 1968, late 2011, I discovered that riding two up, and loaded, it was as bit much for trips to the mountains, therefore I made the choice and never looked back.