Distance on VW Trike

[bigjoey38]

Hello

Just like to know hoe far you have driven a VW trike?

I had purchased one before and broke down 2 times not very far from home. Then I sold it..

Maybe I just had a bad one but willing to try again.

[Sidecarbill]

My trike was built from a VW that had 26000 miles on it when I built it. Its been to the west coast and anything in between. I'd leave for another trip tomorrow no hesitation. But these things are like old harleys, people think they're simple. And do more harm than good trying to repair them.Quality parts are almost non existent. Add the fact they're 50 years old, and they aren't a good choice for most people. If you like to wrench it maybe for you. Keep in mind a new chevy crate motor is probably about 1600 dollars. Now a new VW motor that probably won't have any VW parts on it and no warranty will probably be 6000 dollars. I'd be looking elswhere unless you can find a Boom trike or something similar. Just my opinion and you know what they say about that.

[grandpanystrom61]

That is about the truth of it Sidecarbill.

If you are just after the ride of a trike and the enjoyment of road trips, might look at some other model trike.

If you are looking for a project that you can ride and enjoy and get road trips from, a VW trike can be it, but it will have it's cost and some down time, unless you get to purchase a truly restored VW "turn key " trike.

If you are looking at the tinkering side and making the trike yours, well that could be a VW engine and style trike, or it could be any thing you can make it, again if that is what you are after.

I wanted to ride, knew the trike needed some attention, but all just went to this and that, and than the biggie was when I discovered the front end damage, they tried to fix it, but it was only a nice try. So no riding yet, but building a new front end with disc brakes and soon we will be on the road.

[Fowler]

I have about 50,000 miles on my Heathen trike http://3fowlers.com/

The farthest I have ridden it on 1 run is about 500 miles

[the13bats]

I have been putzing with vws about 40 years,

I worked for the biggest kit car web site and owned another, owned many vw vehicles.

My dad put over 200k miles on a type 3 wagen and the guy he sold it to another 100k after a head swap,

Ive owned two trikes both vw, i dont like high short trikes, like the munsters look of many vw trikes,

Many vw based customs are built from worn out crap, then blamed for being junk when it was lack of maintenance,

They are what they are, an antique engine drive train that like with any vehicle needs its care,

But i also have learned for me the acvw is a novelty now, my kit car stuff all got sold off to fund vintage vette builds and as much as i love my vw trike if and when the current transaxle or engine takes a dump ill replace it with some small automatic front wheel drive engine and trans from some Asian import, because i can do that cheaper and gain so much more.

Sad perhaps but how i see it,

Your question though, i believe my current trike could drive to cali and back no problem, i dont drive it daily but when i do its at least 100 miles,

Cheers

b

[sonny8l3]

Hello, I've had my '71 stock 1600 about 4 years, it's my only transportation, and I probably average 1000 miles a month. I replaced 4 clutch cables in 2 years before my mechanic and I figured out how to run one that wouldn't break. My clutch went out last year and had to be replaced. New breaks, motor and tranny mounts when I bought it because the fella I bought it from in Ok. was a bit less than honest. I have the valves adjusted every 6k and every time my mechanic says I could have waited another 3k. I pull a 10 ft. plastic boat on a trailer and a 4x8 flat trailer regularly. Last year I made 2 trips of 700 miles round trip. If need be, my mechanic will do a complete (top and bottom) rebuild for about 2 grand and has no problem getting new parts. He has been the only one to work on it since I bought it. I've been told that VWs are just big lawn mower motors, but I have never seen one at a lawn mower repair shop and my mechanic does not work on lawn mowers. I think that if anyone buys a vehicle that is not under warranty and they are not a mechanic, they should have a good and honest and honorable mechanic (which maybe hard to find). I have free towing up to 250 miles with Geigo. I reckon I will keep this trike for a very long time and figure on Mable and I putting a whole bunch of miles on it. If you decide to buy another VW and move within a reasonable distance to Baton Rouge, I can introduce you to a heck of a good mechanic.

Thanks for your time

[the13bats]

Im not taking anything away from you in fact my hats off to you for using your trike as you do but vws are pretty darn simple to work on and i cant imagine being at the mercy of any mech,

If i didnt do my own work never could i afford my vette hobby,

Ive never taken offense at calling a vw engine a big lawn mower engine, why would i?

Of course i am very jaded to so so called professionals, lots of stories, only about one in one hundred are worth a flip,

And think about it, if a person isnt savvy on vw tech how do they know their mech is honest and or good, because their trike runs good?

Granted at the risk of sounding pompous im very mech inclined,

Either way to me your reply best sums up an answer to the threads original question,

Nothing beats the simplicity of a vwac engine, just for me what i want ive gone about as far as i can with veedubs.