had a fire this morning.

[CrystalPistol]

I thought a trike leaning outward in turns was the norm. Are you saying that the irs I'm getting won't do that. Or won't do it to the extreme that the MT done it. Boy if it doesn't lean as bad as the MT. Boy will that ever make the wife happy.

From what I've seen over 15-20 years now, the MT SA (solid axle) rear with ladder bars & heim joints is something like a SA trying to identify as a IRS, some of both worlds, but great at neither, like a compromise somewhere in the middle.

IRS will lean out on turns, more with greater speed. At lower speeds or on straighter roads, you'll never notice it. How much depends on speed, turn, springing used just like a car, and then some trikes with IRS use a "anti roll" bar that is like a crossways mounted torsion bar which ties the action of both rear wheels together via spring to eliminate some roll out … but they do let the manufacturer use softer springing for straight line comfort. Tight curves like Rt 33 coming into Va. from WVa. or up on the BRP, or down at that Dragon Tail place, etc, then you'll feel it and notice increased steering effort. If it's all you know, you'll not notice much difference. At least with IRS you don't get a loose rocking movement from side to side, like when Co-rider mounts up.

The MT system is a copy of what drag racers used for straight line drag racing, it's a bolt together ladder bar system, no welding of bars to axle. It works very well for racing where parts get inspected & replaced as needed. If it allows leaning, it has slack. I've never followed a MT that didn't lean out in twisties. Every heim joint has a ball with a hole through it held in a "race" that allows the ball to rotate or swivel within limits depending on size of the bolt going through it. To do so requires that it have clearance, so it has slack even new. As it wears, as miles of pounding add up, weather, dirt, grit, lack of lube, etc, it only gets looser. There are 8 in the system. A little slack in each heim is magnified by bar lengths, it adds up to a lean when all the slack is taken up by forces in turns.

Mine is a solid axle with a rigid welded swing arm, there is no leaning in relation to roadway unless I have a low tire. It goes up & down only. If it does anything else, there is a crack or break. Some say it rides harsher like that, but I've ridden both at speed on highways and twisties, and while I feel some more road feed back, I also like the secure feeling. At the swing arm pivot, it uses OEM type tapered roller bearings. The swing arm and axle move about those points as if "one".

I rode a buddy's 1800 Champion IRS with adjustable sway bar from here (near Lexington) to Luray, Va. Went up Rt 11 & 340, was an enjoyable ride, very nice, but I smelled smoke. Looked underneath at a stop, it was just the sway bar end rubbing the tire's edge, it stopped smoking / smelling when it had clearance worn in. Minor issue, but it was then I noticed just how complex it all looked, compared to what I was used to seeing under mine … like a Jaguar compared to a Model T.

IRS shines on a vehicle with 4 or more points of contact with the roadway, but with 3 wheelers, you always sit on a tri pod. You are gonna feel the dips and the potholes, , and you'll hardly ever ride through a bad patch of pavement unscathed. People with IRS or SA trikes or MTs always seem to enjoy the rides we've been on, and that's the end goal.

Yeah, I write too much.

[3W-lonerider]

I currently have a Lehman Monarch II . I like it ok but if I were to go back to long distance riding as I used to, I would go right back to a Motor Trike Adventure which is an IRS trike. Best ride I ever had and went nearly 100k with no problems at all. Never had to replace a Heim joint at any time. I think if you do what MT tells you, you won't have problems. That is to use a dry lubricant on them and I always did. Now then, do they lean in corners ?, yes is the short answer but MT also has a feature others don't. It has air suspension that is adjustable on the fly. If you're going to be in the twisties then add air to the bags so it doesn't lean. I never had any problems staying up with anybody with my MT.

I believe ya. But you have to admit that the MT irs is well engineered compared to their solid axles from the 90's and early 2000 years. I got 100,000 miles out of the first set of heim joints. But was constantly replacing the bolts going threw them. Till i put special washers on them to keep them from loosening up. When the trike was first built. Everything on it was out of whack. And the front heim in the right ladder bar kept coming loose. I think it eventually wore the threads in the ladder bar. But i agree any minut play in those heims will be magnified.

[3W-lonerider]

From what I've seen over 15-20 years now, the MT SA (solid axle) rear with ladder bars & heim joints is something like a SA trying to identify as a IRS, some of both worlds, but great at neither, like a compromise somewhere in the middle.

IRS will lean out on turns, more with greater speed. At lower speeds or on straighter roads, you'll never notice it. How much depends on speed, turn, springing used just like a car, and then some trikes with IRS use a "anti roll" bar that is like a crossways mounted torsion bar which ties the action of both rear wheels together via spring to eliminate some roll out … but they do let the manufacturer use softer springing for straight line comfort. Tight curves like Rt 33 coming into Va. from WVa. or up on the BRP, or down at that Dragon Tail place, etc, then you'll feel it and notice increased steering effort. If it's all you know, you'll not notice much difference. At least with IRS you don't get a loose rocking movement from side to side, like when Co-rider mounts up.

The MT system is a copy of what drag racers used for straight line drag racing, it's a bolt together ladder bar system, no welding of bars to axle. It works very well for racing where parts get inspected & replaced as needed. If it allows leaning, it has slack. I've never followed a MT that didn't lean out in twisties. Every heim joint has a ball with a hole through it held in a "race" that allows the ball to rotate or swivel within limits depending on size of the bolt going through it. To do so requires that it have clearance, so it has slack even new. As it wears, as miles of pounding add up, weather, dirt, grit, lack of lube, etc, it only gets looser. There are 8 in the system. A little slack in each heim is magnified by bar lengths, it adds up to a lean when all the slack is taken up by forces in turns.

Mine is a solid axle with a rigid welded swing arm, there is no leaning in relation to roadway unless I have a low tire. It goes up & down only. If it does anything else, there is a crack or break. Some say it rides harsher like that, but I've ridden both at speed on highways and twisties, and while I feel some more road feed back, I also like the secure feeling. At the swing arm pivot, it uses OEM type tapered roller bearings. The swing arm and axle move about those points as if "one".

I rode a buddy's 1800 Champion IRS with adjustable sway bar from here (near Lexington) to Luray, Va. Went up Rt 11 & 340, was an enjoyable ride, very nice, but I smelled smoke. Looked underneath at a stop, it was just the sway bar end rubbing the tire's edge, it stopped smoking / smelling when it had clearance worn in. Minor issue, but it was then I noticed just how complex it all looked, compared to what I was used to seeing under mine … like a Jaguar compared to a Model T.

IRS shines on a vehicle with 4 or more points of contact with the roadway, but with 3 wheelers, you always sit on a tri pod. You are gonna feel the dips and the potholes, , and you'll hardly ever ride through a bad patch of pavement unscathed. People with IRS or SA trikes or MTs always seem to enjoy the rides we've been on, and that's the end goal.

Yeah, I write too much.

i don't think you write to much and i really enjoy reading what you have to say. iv'e never ridden an IRS so this will be a new experience. as far as rough roads and potholes, its just a matter of which wheel do i wanna hit it with. once i get out on the road with the new one. i rode my MT for 5 years with no rake kit. then went with a 4 and 1/2 degree. after 5 years with that i went with a 6 degree. you could tell the difference with each one. so i'm sure you can tell a difference between trike kits and the way the suspensions are setup.

[CrystalPistol]

i don't think you write to much and i really enjoy reading what you have to say. iv'e never ridden an IRS so this will be a new experience. … etc … so i'm sure you can tell a difference between trike kits and the way the suspensions are setup.

Thank You. Going from what you had to this, I think "Momma" will be happy (keeping in mind a prior statement you made). MTs aren't bad, I like a lot about them, they are just different in my view. Yes, for sure, you can tell differences. I guess I just took a long way around to say you make trade offs to get what you like.

I love our trike, but I have never known it to be less tiring than my two wheeler Gold Wing. Four hundred (400) miles on it in a day is more tiring than 500+ a day ever was on my old '85 GL1200, but yet, still easier on me than just 2-300 a day was on my Triumph Trident. But the "Wife Unit" feels better on it, it handles a trailer well, and she just likes to see those fenders out beside her, I like it better in rain, etc. When she's happy, I'm happy. I also love the ability to pull over off the road almost anywhere to take a picture or just for a break, etc.

Funny, the first time I tried a trike (thinking I'd like one someday, it was at CSC's grand opening house over at their Colleen, Va. new home) …. I said "No Way!". A short year or so later, there I was. At first, after a couple local rides, I wondered if maybe I had messed up. Just 6 degrees after that, I was hooked.

[bikerbillone]

Pistol, guess you're finding it a bit cooler in the Shenandoah than The Villages, but man, that scenery.

[3W-lonerider]

pics of new trike in the csc forum. under post your pics.

[ol' school]

Good looking ride Rick!