Champion Trikes

[jim peacock]

I have read on several different web pages were people have been having different problems with their champion trikes.
What is going on is it the installer are the trike kits themselves?

 

[1800 06 Champion Trike]

Re: Champen trikes

I have zero problems with my Champion Solid Axle Trike. I think this was because of the super dealer and the excellent staff that I bought it from.
From what I've read, most seem to be from the installers(over fill rear ends,
water leaks, etc).
On the IRS ones, I have read about parts not holding up(bolts to small, heim joints, etc).
JMO, I would buy another SA one in a minute.

 

[Nana]

Re: Champen trikes

I also have had only good experience with my Champion solid axle. The installer/dealer I used is very experienced, building 20-30 trikes/year at his Harley dealership, and he has continued to check the trike and service it since '06 when he installed the kit. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the Champion solid axle to anyone, and will certainly go that route again in the future.

 

[skuuter]

Re: Champen trikes

This is just a "Many, Many Years of Riding" off the cuff evaluation statement, but.....

It has been my observation over the years that any manufacturer that gets quite a few VIN numbers out on the market, stays in business many years, and grows it's Market Share produces a Good Product. Cars, Motorcycles, Trikes, Scooters, etc., etc. all seem this way. The "Bad Ones" get weeded out early. The "Weak Link" tends to, more times than not, be "Bad Dealerships". Good Dealerships even address the Manufacturers about "teething pains" that surface with New Models, and cures that may work......obviously I prefer the IRS Gold Wing 1800 Motor Trike, but that in itself doesn't make it the best...it just makes it my preference. There are a lota' Great Choices in the Trike Arena now, and a lota' major players. I'm glad it has become that way......Nothin' beats 58 Flavors.....:wtg: :wtg: :wtg:

 

[1800 06 Champion Trike]

Re: Champen trikes

I think you are correct that the over fill is the problem on those and not seals leaking.

 

[Comanche]

Re: Champen trikes

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<img src="images/misc/quote_icon.png" alt="Quote" /> Originally Posted by <strong>1800 06 Champion Trike</strong>
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<div class="message">I think you are correct that the over fill is the problem on those and not seals leaking.</div>

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Approximately six weeks ago I though I had a rear seal blown as I had a large amount of oil on the differential and inside of the right real wheel.<br />
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I took the trike to a dealer who checked the seal (good) he then checked the level of the oil. Also where is should be.<br />
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Inspite of this, the trike continued to spew oil. The dealer says the vent system is faulty. Champion says the oil is contaminated. I had the oil replaced and will report back in a couple of weeks. <br />
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They also found that two of the drive shaft bolts were missing and the third and last bolt was very loose. <br />
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I sent Champion President Jim Pinto a fax today asking for them to evaluate thsee problems.

 

[Gorilla]

Re: Champen trikes

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<img src="images/misc/quote_icon.png" alt="Quote" /> Originally Posted by <strong>jim peacock</strong>
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<div class="message">I have read on several diffrent web pages were people have been having diffrent problems with their champen trikes.<br />
What is going on is it the installer are the trike kits themselves?<br />
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</div>My straight axle Champion is great. Maybe because of the installer doing a great job. OH that was me.

 

[bigbear422]

Re: Champen trikes

I am going to be converting a 2005 Harley FLHPI (police) road king to a champion trike IRS any thoughts, or problems i might run into on the conversion.

 

[Nana]

Re: Champen trikes

Hey bigbear. Welcome aboard! Champion makes a wonderful kit! I love mine and would definitely lean that way if I were replacing this trike. Mine is the straight axle, but based on Champion's commitment to quality and service, I expect you'll have a great product with the IRS kit too! tmigala, in the post just above yours, triked his with a Champion also. He has the touring model like yours, so he would be an excellent contact for your questions. Not to mention, he is a great guy!!!

 

[Lucky]

Re: Champen trikes

welcome bigbear you have found a great place.Lots of good folks and information.RIDE SAFE

 

[Gorilla]

Re: Champen trikes

I am going to be converting a 2005 Harley FLHPI (police) road king to a champion trike IRS any thoughts, or problems i might run into on the conversion.

Hi bigbear and welcome aboard. If you go to my album you will see a few pictures of my build. I do not know if you are aware you can go to the Champion web site and down load the installation instructions for your build. Gives you a good idea of what's involved. If you have some wrenching skills it is a do-able project for you. I would do another in a heart beat. Reverse is something that is not required because trikes are very easy to push. A raked triple tree is very close to a must have. Ask any question there are some real experts on this site.

Thank you Nana for the compliment. Like most here I try to contribute.

 

[retdpd]

This past June the shaft broke at the yoke. THERE WAS NO CHIRPING OR OTHER WARNINGS

Only had 25000 on the Champion kit but it was out of warranty.

My bike is very well maintain probably to the excess.

The replacment cost was $523.00.

Champion could care less what could have caused the failure . The mechanic feels it was defective at install. Champion could care less.

So being 200 miles from home I had no choice

The service Rep was very nice but had no decision making power. I was told I rec'd a $100.00 discount. I did a little investigating and found another person with the same problem paid $423.00 for the same shaft .

Maybe I paid more because I broke down on a Saturday HMMM

I called and got the SOS when I asked to t/t the owner I was told he wasn't in and they would leave a message for him to call me.

You guessed it NO CALL. I did receive an email saying the $523.00 is the price no exceptions. I emailed back to have the owner call-- you guessed it NO RESPONSE. I called again and as expected he wasn't in again on a Wedneswday morning at 10:30AM. So I left another message, AGAIN NO RESPONSE

I WOULD DO A LITTLE MORE RESEARCH BEFORE PICKING CHAMPION.

The bike never ran so smooth since it was triked. It seems even the installers have a hard time dealing with Champion on out of warranty issues.

 

[tfdeputydawg]

That is a shame and I feel for you, I really do.
One of the reasons I chose Hannigan was because the differential is in line with the shaft on my Wing placing much less stress on the drive train.

 

[Papa Zook]

I truly feel for anyone who has a problem, BUT if a product is out of warranty, then its out of warranty and in this economy many companies just aren't covering out of warranty issues like they used to. I have a year old stainless Samsung Refrigerator that just quit on me and is just barely out of warranty. I bought it through Lowes and thought for sure Lowes or Samsung would step up and help me out on it....wrong!...just sayin'.

 

[Papa Zook]

That is a shame and I feel for you, I really do.
One of the reasons I chose Hannigan was because the differential is in line with the shaft on my Wing placing much less stress on the drive train.

Have you ever thought of this: Every car and truck on the road runs an offset in their drive line. Drive shafts & universal joints are engineered to run that way.

 

[Greydog]

Re: Champen trikes

I am going to be converting a 2005 Harley FLHPI (police) road king to a champion trike IRS any thoughts, or problems i might run into on the conversion.

My builder is the same as Nana's and I also have a solid axel Champion kit on an '08 Ultra. My builder replaced his Champion solid axel kit with the Champion IRS and didn't like it so he replaced that with, I believe, a Motor Trike IRS kit. He says it handles much better in the curves than the Champion IRS. Personally, based on the handling of the Champion solid axel, I could not justify the extra expense of the IRS unit. My solid axel Champion handles like a dream. You will want (and need) the Easy-Steer but can probably do well without the Reverse. If you find you need reverse it can be installed after the fact just as easily as during the original conversion.

 

[tfdeputydawg]

Have you ever thought of this: Every car and truck on the road runs an offset in their drive line. Drive shafts & universal joints are engineered to run that way.

Not talking about up/down, I know that. I'm talking off center left to right.
That introduces another oscillation which has to put more stress on a drive line.
Plus, most cars and trucks that I was involved w/in my 41yrs w/GM, were designed to have the yoke coming off the rear diif. (on rear wheel drive vehicles, of course) in line w/the yoke coming out of the tail stock of the transmission. The U-joints are there to compensate for different vehicle loading and for suspension travel. Below is a pic of the Hannigan suspension showing the diff and output/drive shaft in line as I was trying to indicate.
Also, my thoughts were about the same as yours on warranty. However, in some cases of premature failure, a little customer assistance would seem appropriate. Such as providing the part at factory cost, not the much inflated over the counter price.

Dawg

 

[Papa Zook]

Not talking about up/down, I know that. I'm talking off center left to right. That introduces another oscillation which has to put more stress on a drive line.
Dawg

I respectfully disagree. The needle bearings in the ujoints don't care whether the offset is up/down or right/left...offset is offset and no such oscillation will be produced as long as it is within a certain range of tolerance (degree of offset) or unless the offset is a compound offset (offset both up/down and right/left) that is too great. In those cases, yes a noticeable vibration can and will occur. A vibration will also occur if the drive shaft is not aligned properly when installed and is more often the cause of the resulting failures in my opinion.

Ive had this conversation with three different trike company's engineers over the years and thats one thing they all have agreed on. Its a matter of tolerances. If it was a fact that this was an actual known problem and caused continuous failures, the thousands of trikes built with this configuration from several major trike companies would have never been produced nor would they still be being produced today. I really like the Hannigan design, but because they choose to do configure their drive line one way does not equate to every other manufacturer's conversion being mis-engineered. JMHO (now I'll get a call from John Lee...)

Not being argumentative DD, just a difference of opinion. Debate is a good thing.

 

[tfdeputydawg]

Not being argumentative DD, just a difference of opinion. Debate is a good thing.

OK, we'll agree to disagree on this one.
One of the manufactures I investigated(due to old age, can't remember which on now) was emphatic about explaining to how they had recently moved the diff to be "in line" w/the drive shaft to reduce wear on the U-joints.
I explained to him, ( which is in agreement w/ you)that wouldn't make much difference to an item that is designed for that very thing!
My concern is the forces exerted on the yoke with the sideways offset present. I'm not smart enough to know if there even are different forces at work on in line vs offset!
Dawg