2011 IceBear Zodiac questions

[scootertrike]

I have an IceBear 300cc Zodiac. I've had it a couple months. I got it running around town. My first question is where the heck do you get parts for these things? I talked on the phone to a guy in Texas who was vague about if they could get parts. And send an email to a place up north who never replied.

This is my first trike. (I've been a biker for more decades then I care to put out there.) When I ride this trike, it shakes the handlebars. Around town it is not too bad.

The trike had been sitting in my brother-in-laws garage for a few years so I thought the front tire might be flat in a spot and put new tire on front. When I changed the tire, I tried to wiggle the forks and they didn't seem loose. The front damper was real easy to move back and forth. I didn't know if that is the way it works. All in all, the front tire may have helped a bit.

In town the trike rides like there are no shocks. The rear shocks look like they can be adjusted, but I couldn't move the ring things. I found out that my brother-in-law had tried to adjust them and couldn't. I am looking for 230mm air shocks that I could switch out. I would settle for regular shocks, but if they are going to be the same cheap shocks as on now, why bother?

The speedometer doesn't work right and from GPS speed when I get to 40mph the thing starts shaking.

I think I should check out the front damper. But I thought for general riding comfort the shocks should be replaced first.

Did I mention that I'm only a fixed budget? Does anyone have one of these trikes that they have been able to set up to ride without feeling like getting off a bucking bronc.

Thanks for any thoughts.

Mary

 

[trike lady]

This seems to be the main office for these trikes, maybe you can get help from them. http://www.icebearatv.com/contact-us They may be able to help with parts https://countyimports.com/trikes___3_wheel_scooters

I located an owner's manual and it mentions the shocks aren't adjustable, no wonder it rides like a dump truck. Some of it reads odd with the Chinese to English translation. http://www.icebearatv.com/media/file/1521PST300-19 PST150-19.pdf

 

[hogcowboy]

I've never even heard of the trike. But I sorta like the looks. But already having one Chinese pile of stuff, a Bennche UTV. Ain't no way I'll get another. Parts are always the same cheap quality is what I'm finding if you can even find the parts. So I would suspect you'll have the same problem with your trike. One thing about Chinese products, even if you don't know how to wrench you'll learn. So I look at mine as an educational tool. I have to or I'd stay ticked off all the time.

 

[1dn5up]

Mary, It’s Chinese. Cost new is around 2k. It’s only a grocery getter. Good luck finding parts. :Shrug:. Shake, rattle roll!

 

[scootertrike]

I agree with all of the posts. To add salt to my wounds my brother-in-law bought my sister a Try-Glide last month. Riding her trike almost made me cry.

Trike Lady--thanks for links I hadn't come across those.

I am real close to ordering a pair of rear shocks. I want to measure the shocks one more time before ordering the new ones and the rain has kept me from getting down on the ground.

The thing I don't like about "Chinese" bikes(ok, I only have the one) is the lack of choices with parts(and lack of quality).

Deep breath while I center myself. I consider this a way for me to get back into riding. There is nothing like going down the road taking in the sounds, smells and the feeling of freedom. I am rebuilding my Honda '73 750CB to get it running again. I am looking at bikes that I can ride a few years, and convert to trike later.

I am learning about trikes. So far what I've learned are two words: Honda and Harley.

I'll update when I get new shocks installed. I liked the "dump truck" comment because that is what it is like riding around town.

 

[Gorilla]

Harley Davidson Sportsters 883 or 1200 can become very nice trike. I've seen several different conversions and they turned out very nice. A used 883 sportster can be found very inexpensive and low mileage. A lot of people buy them to start out on bikes and then upgrade. My neighbor has a 2008 with 2400 miles on it. It would make a fine trike. Sportster trikes can be had for around 10k or less if you get the right deal. You can buy a used one and convert it for less that 10k also. Defending on the conversion much less.

 

[trike lady]

If you could afford the payments there's a reasonable Goldwing trike out there. I found this one a few days ago: https://www.barnettharley.com/index.php/barnett/imagestest/15635U/0/ A fly 'n ride

 

[scootertrike]

I ordered shocks for the rear. I will fix up trike to do short trips around town. But I'm not going to do much more with it. I get a lot of "Hey, that's a cute scooter." from people in parking lots.

Yesterday I went through the plastic parts on the front and found one missing screw in glove box. Now the front does not jump around as much.

If anyone knows what kind of plastic they used so I can get a glue to fix piece missing in front fender and a couple cracks at screw holes that would be great. I picked up a shaker can of paint at NAPA that matches almost perfect for a couple scratches acquired before I realized just how fat my rear end is.

Luckily, I live in a collage town and once I decide to sell, I should find buyer easily.

It sucks not being able to order parts on the internet. I bought a throttle cable for Chinese bike and they are not universal.

Also, they don't tell you what the parts really are. So is the rear shock a 230mm, 260mm or something else?

I'm going to try to post as I tweek the trike and post what parts I am able to use, or how I got around the problem.

And I will not have this problem when the rear brake disks need replaced. Because the trike will have moved to new home.

I consider this a life-long learning experience and I'm a grad student of soft and hard knocks.

Be safe out there.

Mary