Motor Trike reliability

[Chappy KC]

This is for anybody with a belt drive trike of any brand bike that is using the Motor Trike Kit. I'm trying to decide if I should keep my setup or just bite the bullet and buy a Harley factory built trike.

May 2015 at 3000 miles my right rear wheel bearing locked up. Motor Trike covered it under warranty and replaced a bunch of other parts that may have been affected. No complaints about their actions but I was still down for 5 weeks.

March 2017 at 19000 miles I lost all power to the rear wheels. I thought it had slipped out of gear but that is not the case. The belt turns the pulley but the axle doesn't turn. Coasts really good like that though.

So now it is currently in the shop waiting for repairs and will probably be down for another month.

Both incidents happened while I was in 6th gear with cruise control set at 70mph on the interstate. I don't believe that is the issue though.

Is anybody else having issues like this or have I just possibly purchased a lemon? I really like the unit but I need something with dependability and serviceability nation wide. If I have a fluke then maybe I can work it out. But if this is pretty common then I will be getting rid of it. I just need some opinions please.

[Gorilla]

you kinda answered your own question with the serviceability nation wide statement.

[Chappy KC]

you kinda answered your own question with the serviceability nation wide statement.

Yeah, that was silly wasn't it. I guess if it didn't break down and leave me stranded 2x that wouldn't be an issue. The Vulcan part is very, very reliable though. I've never seen a Kawasaki dealership within 50 miles of anywhere I'm at like a Harley dealership though. Maybe reliability is the major issue I'm concerned with. If I get a Frankenstein kit it comes in pieces and I assemble it and then mount it. I know all about it. I work with the factory. I can get parts from them or from NAPA or someplace like that. Therefore that is serviceability. But I also know I will not get the awesome ride I get with my Motor Trike. What a quandary.

[RoadKingTrike]

My buddy and I both have MT conversions on our HD's. His is a 2001 Ultra and mine a 2010 Road King. Both triked about a year apart.

Haven't had any wheel bearing problems, and the unit is very well built with no cheap or mickey-mouse parts.

HOWEVER....one day my friends trike just stopped driving the rear wheels ! Just like you described. Turns out, on a HD, the machine screws that hold the axles in place are left hand-tight on the left side ( from the factory ) to facilitate the belt installation. The installer is supposed to torque these (6) screws after the belt has been mounted. On his bike, the screws backed out and so did the left axle, making the bike disconnected from the final drive ( which, as you know, is NOT a limited slip differential ). This was the fault of the installer, and all fixed under warranty without any delay.

SO....we both decided to install lock washers on both side of the differential. Problem solved. The holes for these screws are thru-holes, and it's very difficult to get them clean enough to use Loc-Tite once the differential has been filled with lube.

Hope this helps. I would not necessarily throw out MotorTrike. Their quality is high and their track record good.



And if your conversion is an IRS, you won't like the ride of a solid axle TriGlide.

ed

[Chappy KC]

HOWEVER....one day my friends trike just stopped driving the rear wheels ! Just like you described. Turns out, on a HD, the machine screws that hold the axles in place are left hand-tight on the left side ( from the factory ) to facilitate the belt installation. The installer is supposed to torque these (6) screws after the belt has been mounted. On his bike, the screws backed out and so did the left axle, making the bike disconnected from the final drive ( which, as you know, is NOT a limited slip differential ). This was the fault of the installer, and all fixed under warranty without any delay.

THANKS RoadKingTrike! That sounds like a simple fix instead of catastrophic. Was there any other damage involved? Could you easily see that the axle backed out? I looked under there but I was focused on the pulley and may have missed something else.

[RoadKingTrike]

No damage. Some of the screws were lost, but that was it. The screws in question also hold the CV boot flange, so there was grease spattered about.

On another occasion, there was a problem with the CV boots pulling out of the flange. MotorTrike never really told us what happened, but replaced both axle shafts and CV joints under warranty. Since then, no problems.

The CV joints and boots are VW/Porsche parts, although MT doesn't want you to know the part numbers so you will have to buy replacements from them if they ever need replacement.

Glad to be of help,

ed

[Chappy KC]

No damage. Some of the screws were lost, but that was it. The screws in question also hold the CV boot flange, so there was grease spattered about.

On another occasion, there was a problem with the CV boots pulling out of the flange. MotorTrike never really told us what happened, but replaced both axle shafts and CV joints under warranty. Since then, no problems.

The CV joints and boots are VW/Porsche parts, although MT doesn't want you to know the part numbers so you will have to buy replacements from them if they ever need replacement.

Glad to be of help,

ed

Thanks again RoadKingTrike. According to the dealer and MT, my bolts backed out too. Only mine were damaged and my outer CV joint was damaged. MT sent all new bolts and half shaft and CV joint to the dealer with the torque specs. They are 35 to 40lbs. I will check them regularly now that I have some info. The MT warranty tech is very helpful. He all but assured me I would not have a repeat problem like this if I checked them regularly. Since I like to pull the back wheels off and check and lube things about every 5k miles or every other oil change that will probably be good.

[Chappy KC]

After only 1200 miles since 2nd axle replacement I have another problem. My air ride suspension compressor is stuck on the inflate function. Even when they key is off! The only way to stop it is to disconnect it from the battery. But that also disconnects my reverse motor. My wife is afraid to go anywhere on it now. Me too. I guess it goes back to the dealer and sits for 30 days. This time I'm selling it and getting a scooter.

[RoadKingTrike]

Wow ! Never heard of that happening. Your installer should fix it now while you wait. Mine would, for sure. Did you call Richard at MotorTrike ? He's a customer-focused guy and very helpful. 903-842-3094.

Keep us posted, please.

[rhino 2]

You are a better man than me...Gunga-din

After the first five weeks of down time , Warranty or not , It would have been long gone....

After three weeks my Spyder was gone...Life's too short to worry about being stranded...And worrying when the next time will be....

[Chappy KC]

You are a better man than me...Gunga-din

After the first five weeks of down time , Warranty or not , It would have been long gone....

After three weeks my Spyder was gone...Life's too short to worry about being stranded...And worrying when the next time will be....

I'm at that point Rhino. Right now I'm waiting on the factory tech to email me some advice. I just think this thing is cursed.

[Chappy KC]

I almost took it to the factory but I couldn't get an appointment for about 10 weeks. So I found a different dealer and dropped it off. They diagnosed it while I waited. Turned out to be a bad relay. Of course they didn't have one in stock so I left it. One week later it was fixed. They replaced my handlebar switch and the wiring harness also. Then they wiped it all down before I picked it up. I was already working on trading it in but this new dealer has inspired confidence so I'm keeping it. FOR NOW! Their name is Cypress City Motor Sports in Poplar Bluff Missouri. The tech's name is Joe. He has built 36 of the trikes so far and they also build trikes from the frame up! Maybe my next one will be a V8!

[Chappy KC]

I finally threw in the towel and traded it for a Road King. After 4 months my wife wanted me back on a trike. We now have a Can Am Spyder. Big, big difference.