GL1500 worth triking or sell and buy one already done?

[tbird71]

I have a beautiful 89 GL1500 with only 9000 miles on it i'm considering triking

Question is would it be cost prohibitive to do so?

I want a REAL kit like a champion etc not the training wheel stuff

Or, should I sell the 1500 and buy a nice older GL trike already done? Thoughts?

[trike lady]

Me personally, I'd turn it into a trike as I know how my bike has been treated. Champion no longer has kits for the GL1500 and you'd have to buy another brand. If you have the space, tools and the time look into a Roadsmith conversion.

[trikermutha]

I would buy one already done versus converting. One that has been done already should have everything you need already installed. Ex: Steer tree upgrade etc.

There was a nice Indian I seen a awhile back that was converted. Wish I had the money and was 20 years younger..

[Ayatolla of Rockin' Rolla]

Brethren,

I Had My 1990 1500 Converted To A Road Smith A Few Years Ago & Am Very Happy With The Workmanship That Was Done.Took A Few Months To Complete, But I Had A Very Good Installer Which Is As Important As The Trike Kit Itself

Rick

[cScjhb]

By the time you're done, plan on spending $15,000 to $18,000 triking your bike. The cost of the base trike kit is just the start. Then you add things like freight charges, options, paint, and installation. And of course, tax. It all adds up. As was mentioned previously, your choice of installer is as important as your choice of trike kit. Then, what you will have is a very low mileage GL1500 trike that is basically "new". The 1500s are good bikes. I owned one and liked it a lot. But they do not have the power and handling of an 1800. Then there's having a carbureted vs fuel injected bike. I much prefer the newer fuel injection.

Bottom line.... I would spend the money to get a low mileage GL1800 trike and have more up to date technology. I think you will find that there would be little or no difference in cost. And you still have your 1500 to ride or sell. If you do decide to buy a used trike just make sure you take the time and spend some money having a GOOD trike shop do a thorough buyers inspection before you make the final commitment. Good luck..... Jim

[Papa Zook]

By the time you're done, plan on spending $15,000 to $18,000 triking your bike. The cost of the base trike kit is just the start. Then you add things like freight charges, options, paint, and installation. And of course, tax. It all adds up.

As was mentioned previously, your choice of installer is as important as your choice of trike kit. Then, what you will have is a very low mileage GL1500 trike that is basically "new". The 1500s are good bikes. I owned one and liked it a lot. But they do not have the power and handling of an 1800. Then there's having a carbureted vs fuel injected bike. I much prefer the newer fuel injection.

Bottom line.... I would spend the money to get a low mileage GL1800 trike and have more up to date technology. I think you will find that there would be little or no difference in cost. And you still have your 1500 to ride or sell. If you do decide to buy a used trike just make sure you take the time and spend some money having a GOOD trike shop do a thorough buyers inspection before you make the final commitment. Good luck..... Jim

You are exactly right Jim. A lot of the trike conversion figures thrown out there on the internet dont really begin to cover the actual cost of converting a bike to a finished, out the door trike. The GL1500s are still great bikes and a nice, low mile GL1500 can make a very capable trike, but parts availability for the GL1500 going forward will be a real problem. The better option in your case might be to sell your GL1500 and put the proceeds towards buying a nice, reasonably priced GL1800 trike already converted.

[Marc H]

What Zook said.I really liked my 1500.Parts are getting harder to find and you have to be a bit creative at times to find them.If you plan on riding away from home alot or are not willing or able to do most of your own wrenching the 1500 is not the way to go.I get it.Really I do.You have a sweet 1500 so why not trike it.You can buy an already triked 1500 for less than having yours done.If your paying attention you can get an 1800 for less.

I had a guy in Kentucky that I got to the point if I couldn't find something I needed or I thought I could make work I just sent him a message and if he had it, and he usually did, I bought his used part.Honestly mine was an 89.Not the low mileage ride yours is.All parts for the 1500 don't interchange and there were about 4 generations of it.Yours being number 1.Mine was early production and there were some parts that were basically 88 and early 89 only.

I had to learn how to make newer version stuff work by additional changes or changing how things functioned.If it wasn't 98-00.I wouldn't consider it and seriously I really did like my 1500 and the owner got a good trike for $8500.