Some general questions

[roc54]

Greetings. I'm new to the trike scene, so still learning. I'm a re-entry motorcycle rider and have been riding for about 12 years now, mostly in the NorCal area in the Sierra Nevada. I currently ride a Honda Silverwing and I'm very pleased with it...this is my second one. I ride strictly one-up. I'm 65 and am anticipating switching over to trikes concurrent with our upcoming move to east Texas to be near our kids and grandkids. I understand that riding trikes is very different from riding motorcycles. I have driven a sidecar rig on one occasion, so I have a sense of how different it really is.

So, some questions:

1) Does Texas require a separate license endorsement for trikes?

2) What is a good resource for trike training?

3) Thinking about primarily two types of trikes

A) Harley Freewheeler: Service available at most trike dealers, prices pretty reasonable

B) Goldwing conversion: Larger, greater comfort, may be harder to get services.

I'd value some thoughts on these questions and also input on things maybe I didn't think to ask.

Thank you in advance for your consideration!

[graygoat]

Hi Bob, welcome to the forum!

A few basic things come to mind:

1 Trikes don't lean in turns. You steer them, push the outside bar & pull the inside one. Think ATV or snowmobile. More work for your upper body but not that big a deal.

2 The rear end is wider than a bike. Need to allow for this around gas pumps, ect.

3 Trike will ride a little rougher on poorer roads. You now have 3 wheel tracks instead only one on a bike. One of the wheels will likely hit the rough spot.

4 Since you don't lean in curves, you will feel like you will slide sideways off the seat. You learn to brace your legs against the side pull. Push down on the outside floor board with your feet.

5 DO NOT put you feet down at stops, you might run up on your foot.

Trikes ride different from bikes but they are still a blast to ride. Some folks get used to them after a few miles, others may take several hundred miles. Just takes time in the saddle and ride at YOUR own pace until you get comfortable with it.

Best of luck to you!

[nucseal]

Texas requires a motorcycle endorsement on your license. You have to attend a motorcycle safety course as well as pass the multi question DMV test.

Even though I ride a Tri Glide, I am partial to IRS that the vendors offer with their kits. Much smoother ride than the solid axle. Which would swing you closer to a Goldwing. Plus the Goldwing 1800 is pretty much is bullet proof as far as problems..

[roc54]

Cool, I have a CA motorcycle endorsement, which will hopefully cross over to my future Texas DL.

I like the Wings a lot, just not sure how available servicing is for them. Around here, the dealers tend to avoid working on trike conversions, so you have to find independent service shops that will do it. There are a few of those, but not many.

[FuzzyWuzHe]

Cool, I have a CA motorcycle endorsement, which will hopefully cross over to my future Texas DL.

I like the Wings a lot, just not sure how available servicing is for them. Around here, the dealers tend to avoid working on trike conversions, so you have to find independent service shops that will do it. There are a few of those, but not many.

Most Honda dealers will for sure work on the front end ... dealers here in Colorado will work on the whole ride.

Something to consider, a rake kit will make either trike seem like it has power steering. Might not be a biggie on a freewheeler as it kind of nimble on it's own. On the wings or any other bigger bike, it's a big advantage.

[Diablo]

1) Does Texas require a separate license endorsement for trikes?

Thank you in advance for your consideration!

Your CA endorsement should be honored when you get your TX DL...Can't help too much with the other questions but welcome to Trike Talk and if you'll be here in April join us in Kerrville! Where in East Texas? I'm in Gun Barrel City on Cedar Creek Reservoir.



Larry

[roc54]

Hi, Larry...good to know. That's kind of what I heard, so nice to confirm.

The kids live in Forney. We're looking east of there, both north and south...primarily in the Tyler area, but not averse to other locales, as long as shopping and medical are not excessively far away. Don't want to get much further east than Tyler.

[Diablo]

Hi, Larry...good to know. That's kind of what I heard, so nice to confirm.The kids live in Forney. We're looking east of there, both north and south...primarily in the Tyler area, but not averse to other locales, as long as shopping and medical are not excessively far away. Don't want to get much further east than Tyler.

I bought my Trike about a month ago from a couple in Forney. It's about a 35-40 minute ride from Gun Barrel City. Too "citified" for me, but after returning to Texas after 16 years in Salt Lake City, we were more than ready to get back to small town Texas life.

Last night after our early Christmas celebration with our kids and grandkids were sitting in the living room when out soon to be new SIL (a paramedic in Tyler) and daughter (a RN at a hospital in Greenville) noticed the lights from a first responder coming down the street. We live in a gated community so the first thought was which of our neighbors was in distress and could they help so out the front door they went...except it was the GBC Police playing Christmas carols from his PA...We called all the kids out (ages 9-3) and as soon as they hit the drive the officer picked up the mike and radioed the fire truck and ambulance at the beginning of our dead end street..."Got some" was all he said, and lo and behold here comes the Fire Marshall in his pick-up, a full ladder truck, and an ambulance! The Fire Marshall had the whole back of the truck filled with wrapped packages for the kids who were of course ecstatic at yet one more present to open...We stood around the end of the drive not an adult dry eye in the bunch of...(dang must be dusty in here again).

It all depends on what you want I guess...Lake Living...Country Living on acreage...or suburban Dallas living. I love our little town! Four stop lights...we have a Walmart, a Lowes, a movie theater, access to medical, restaurants, bars, even a gay bar that has Cross Dresser Karaoke nights and hosts a sand court volleyball league. If you can't get it here, it's probably within a 30 mile radius or a short ride down a country highway!

If you need a hook-up with a local realtor, mortgage broker, or pre-close inspector let me know. I have all of the preceding I can highly recommend. Or if you need someone to show you around, want to know the best place for BBQ, Chicken Fried Steak, or an all you can eat catfish place I'm your Radar O'Reilly.



Larry (Diablo)

[roc54]

What a great story! If I'm honest, I'm pretty much a city boy, but have lived rural as well. We currently live in what you'd think of as the suburbs to the east of Sacramento and we're pretty tired of living that close together with our neighbors, although they are good neighbors, for sure.

We're still a ways out from moving...family ties keep us here, at least for a little while...but I'll let you know when we start looking in earnest. Thank you for the warm welcome

[LadyonaMission]

Bob, welcome aboard. Good luck in your search for a trike.

[TrainingWheels]

Trikes ride different from bikes but they are still a blast to ride. Some folks get used to them after a few miles, others may take several hundred miles. Just takes time in the saddle and ride at YOUR own pace until you get comfortable with it.

Best of luck to you![/QUOTE]

Congrats

I rode bikes over 50 years before switching to a trike this summer. It took me over 1,500 to start to get really comfy on the trike. I'm told that the longer you're risen a bike, the harder it is to switch to a trike. It might also have something to do with my age.

[MikeyTX]

Hi, Larry...good to know. That's kind of what I heard, so nice to confirm.

The kids live in Forney. We're looking east of there, both north and south...primarily in the Tyler area, but not averse to other locales, as long as shopping and medical are not excessively far away. Don't want to get much further east than Tyler.

Tyler has excellent medical services. In and of itself, the Tyler area is growing. Darn good fishing area too. The piney woods of east TX are super imho. Best option would be to let Zook, our forum founder, do the conversion. http://www.cutnshootcustoms.com/ Lastly, welcome to the forum.

[MikeyTX]

Trikes ride different from bikes but they are still a blast to ride. Some folks get used to them after a few miles, others may take several hundred miles. Just takes time in the saddle and ride at YOUR own pace until you get comfortable with it.

Best of luck to you!

Congrats

I rode bikes over 50 years before switching to a trike this summer. It took me over 1,500 to start to get really comfy on the trike. I'm told that the longer you're risen a bike, the harder it is to switch to a trike. It might also have something to do with my age.[/QUOTE]

Nah .............. It's from being down wind of the feed lots in Dumas ...........

[radismukes]

To the Trike Talk Family! FROM SOUTH Angleton, TX

Howdy Bob!

[Burnerboy]

The first time I rode a trike was at Sturgis bike week............I HATED IT! I have to say that it totally took the wind out of my sails... (I swear'd after that test ride I'd never get a trike) BUT after I got extremely ill (while riding the "Tail Of The Dragon") I had a major seizure, and had to be helicoptered out , to a medical hospital.... I decided it was either quit riding OR switch to a trike motorcycle..... Well now that I have triked out my Goldwing, for the last few months, ​I will never ride a two wheeled vehicle again!!! I just love the trike.......... Yes it may take a while to get used to it, BUT once you do .........................LOOK OUT "Your hooked"!!!

Ronnie

[Fearless]

Welcome to the forum ride at your own skill level these trikes are great fun . After awhile you will wonder why you did do it sooner. take your time travel safe Fred