Test rode a 08 GW CSC today..

[O'le Guy]

Dealer gave me the keys to a shinny red CSC trike. So, I drove it around the huge parking lot 4 or 5 times to get use to the throttle and clutch before I ventured into the cage death zone.

Right off the bat, I felt the low speed wobble. It wasn't scary, just knew it was there. A 4.5° rake was installed on the bike. Mama was sitting on the back and didn't say a word the whole time.

So off we go into traffic. Very good engine power but needs a 6 speed trans. We start going west and got hit by a strong crosswind. The flags on the polls were straight out, not waving. How in the world do you guys keep the machine in a straight line? The guy behind me was on his cell reporting me as a DUI.

Well, about that time, I rode over a couple of imperfections in the road. It's pucker time! That front end really sucks. It felt like I hit a cement block. The fairing and rattle noise was like I was driving down railroad ties. The CSC suspension was really good. No jerking up the spine.

So, we go about another 5 miles and start in to a series of "S" curves @ 30mph. Well here comes Mr. Crosswind again. Pushed me over the center line. No oncoming traffic so I was ok but mama had her claws buried in my love handles. (Very painful). Anyway, when we got back to the dealer, it felt good to get off that alligators back. I think I saved myself 35 grand. I don't know how you guys do it. Good luck....Joe

[Gorilla]

Gee O'le Guy, before you sound the death toll on trikes, please try a couple of other conversions. If this was your first time on a trike, like any thing else you have to develope the skills to ride.

Those of us with some saddle time will verify that the issue of cross winds is a skill learned with experience. I ride in the Florida Keys where we have 20 to 30 mph winds off the ocean all the time and the cross wind is not an issue, because I have learned how you drive a trike in those conditions, just like I had to learn who to lean on my 2 wheeler. I have a year of trike experience and 45 years of 2 wheel experience. Sounds like the CSC trike you rode was assembled loosely.

Try a RoadSmith for the top of the line in conversions. I have riden an older GL1500 CSC (most of my trike experience) and it rattles some, but it is 11 years old. The Harley DFT conversion I rode was solid.

Just one mans opinion Ted

[Nana]

Hi O'le Guy. I find I agree with Ted, and would encourage you to give trikin' another fair chance or two! I am very small, but with a bit of practice and adjustment to the differences from being on two wheels, I found handling the trike to be very comfortable, and it is a joy to ride it now. You may ultimately decide against one, but please don't make your final decision based on one negative experience. Nana.

[Juju]

Hey, OG, I don't have my trike yet, but my first trike test-drive went somewhat like yours, not so much the crosswinds, but it just didn't "feel" right to me.

But I knew that there are many many people who love their trikes, so I kept trying different ones. I know, as the others have said, that there will be a learning curve to deal with, but it's also true that just like shopping for a bike, you have to find the one that's right for you.

[Papa Zook]

O'le Guy , back before I got into the trike business I rode a friends nearly new Motor Trike GL1800 and was blown away at how nice it drove. A couple of months later I had an opportunity to drive a California Sidecar GL1800 and it was very heavy feeling on the font end.

I almost drove it into a ditch making a curve. Different trikes do handle differently depending on brand, how they were setup, the suspensions settings, rake, etc. Take your time, drive as many as you can and you will find on that suits you.

Also, look to see some major changes in the offerings of one major manufacturer.

[Juju]

Also, look to see some major changes in the offerings of one major manufacturer.

Now Zook, when you said that, you had to know somebody was going bug you for more details. So...how about some more details? Purty please?

[Papa Zook]

I knew Id get myself in trouble with that one! Had to promise I wouldn't announce it just yet...PM me please.

[O'le Guy]

Thanks Guys...I also think that if it was Yellow instead of Red, I wouldn't have had any problems. Does the solid axle make a difference in the way a trike handles. If ya think about it logically, the independent suspension should work better. I'm not an engineer but, why would Jeep and trucks go to I.S. ?

Also, could ya give us a hint about the major changes and who's doing it, or at least, when to expect it?

[katfish16]

Boy are U wrong wrong wrong, "Red" is the best color...... Like others have said ride all the brands U can and also keep a record on them. It is hard to remember everything U liked and disliked when it comes time to purchase. Also list if it has a rake or not anything different from just the stock trike. Good luck and happy hunting.

[John Luciano]

My first ride on a TRIKE was a near death experience. I think it took me 1,000 miles before I could handle it the way I do now. Guys ( 2 wheel guys ) ask to take it for a spin I never do , I know they will end up in a ditch.

Everyone expect it to be really easy, ( OLD guys and little women alway say now that is the kind of bike I can handle ) but it is a different experience, in some ways harder than a 2 wheeler. Cross winds. I have ridden on the shore of Conn. Winds that can shred a FLAG 40 mph or more . The first gust shakes you but after that you just have to adjust. You are saying that it didn't effect you on 2 wheels as much?

[O'le Guy]

My first ride on a TRIKE was a near death experience. I think it took me 1,000 miles before I could handle it the way I do now. Guys ( 2 wheel guys ) ask to take it for a spin I never do , I know they will end up in a ditch. Everyone expect it to be really easy, ( OLD guys and little women alway say now that is the kind of bike I can handle ) but it is a different experience, in some ways harder than a 2 wheeler. Cross winds. I have ridden on the shore of Conn. Winds that can shred a FLAG 40 mph or more . The first gust shakes you but after that you just have to adjust. You are saying that it didn't effect you on 2 wheels as much?

Yep..that's what I'm saying John. I rode the same road that I took to get to the dealer. My Aero had no problem getting there.

Now in all fairness, this was the first time I was on a 1800. The surface area is greater then my Aero. I've been on 2 wheels since '68 of which 4 years were spent on a 1200 GW.

My last bike was a HD Electra Glide which I had for 16 years and sold because of health reasons. During that time , I did a lot of miles with the local GW group. At rest stops, the 1800 guys would complain that the wind was killing them. The HD seemed to cut the wind better.

Now just maybe, the trike was set up wrong but it was a demo trike. While at BB&B in Fayetteville, the CSC rep told me that this dealer was one of the top builders in the country. So either I was handed a line of BS or this is how these trikes handle.

Also remember that I'm a cranky, stubborn, old fart and mama's claws hurt!!! I just didn't feel safe and I can see why a lot of guys are going to the Traxxion front end.

For 35+ grand, I expected a lot more. I know that a lot of y'all are truly happy with your rides and you were excited to meet me at some of the gatherings as I was of y'all but we'll have to postpone it till the next life.

I'm not giving up completely cause Zook let a little rabbit out of the hat. I'm just gonna sit back and see what transpires. Joe

[Gorilla]

HEY O'le Guy one last consideration. You say that you rode a HD Electra Glide 16 years and it seemed to cut better than the wings, dare I suggest a HD conversion?

I am converting a 07 Road Glide with a Champion conversion. The kit should be delivered next week. I think the Road Glide cuts even better than the Electra. I have ridden both in 2 wheel versions extensively. I think the Road Glide is Harleys best keep secret in the bagger line and am really looking forward to the conversion. Just a thought to confuse the issue more. Ted

[Seatec]

Why not try another kind of bike with trike gear for a lot less money. I have a Danson kit on my Burgman 650 and it is really smooth, no wobble at any speed, wife says its smoother then our 07 Impala. I did a lot of suspension work to get it smooth, about $1200 I think. Less then half the price of a GW. Trinitytrike has a lot of kits for bikes, just finished up the one for the Burgman 400 and building the one for 650 now. The reports from people who bought and tested the 4oo is that it is very easy to steer and handles great.

I am getting mine this fall and have a new body design that I am building for it. So for less than Half the price of a GW, with more trunk space than most if not all Gw trikes, better millage by far and no shifting its a no brainer. Visit my site for more info. Wayne

[O'le Guy]

Thanks for the advice guys..

Ted..your right about the HD..went to the dealer and talked to him a little about the warranty. He said it's totally void if I trike the bike and they would only cover the HD trike. now the HD trike is a solid axle and at the time I was leaning towards a I.S. trike. I don't want to void the warranty cause of some of the issues with the 96" motor. Plus, I've been doing some research on the HD sites to get some feedback about the HD trike and the guys in the know aren't to happy with it.

Wayne....I pull a 400# trailer with mama on the back....don't think a 650 will do the job. My GL12000 and the EG use to snort when I had it hooked up. Thanks for the idea..

I'm going to the National in Tulsa with a couple of GL guys next July so I'll get a chance to see and drive most of the other kits. The problem around here is that only CSC and MT are being built.

I have to drive 3 hours to test a Trikeshop and probably head to Texas for some of the others. In the meantime, I'm going to have to suffer in my F150 KR. Poor me ...Joe

[Papa Zook]

I got some news for you O`le guy...on the warranty thing. There have been successful lawsuits against Honda dealers who had said that converting a Honda to a trike voids the warranty. The cases involved Honda dealers who were themselves doing trike conversions on GL-1800s.

When a customer came in for service or warranty work with a different brand conversion than what that dealer sold, the customer was told that the bike had no warranty. On bikes the dealer converted, they were told the warranty work was no problem. You will see the same type of lawsuits starting on the Harley dealers if they haven't already.

Harley officially announced and began a business relationship with Lehman Trikes over two years ago, whereby any dealer who wanted to offer Lehman trike conversions through their Harley franchise could do so.

This was done to allow their dealers to begin to market trikes...until the full blown "factory" trike AKA "the TriGlide", was rolled out...Still a Lehman Trike to some extent, though Harley builds most of it. Seeing the popularity of trikes growing and sales on Harley bikes slowing for the first time in 20 years, many Harley dealers jumped on it and became Lehman Trike dealers.

I know all of this because my local dealer was 100% anti trikes and always said it would void the factory warranty. As soon as they began doing Lehman conversions, they also started accepting warranty work on my customers conversions.

They don't have any legal leg to stand on if they refuse to warranty a trike conversion as long as it involves a portion of the bike not modified by the conversion.

[O'le Guy]

Very good Zook..now, going thru the process of making them adhere to their warranty can be very trying. I went thru this a few years back with General Motors. That's why I drive a Ford...so far so good but if they stiff me, I'm going metric. Thanks for the info....Joe

[Ironhorsepilot]

O'le guy, what sites are you finding reviews on the HD Trike. Have one on order, but haven't seen but a few reviews from owners and they were positive.

Since I have never ridden a trike and I have a $32,000 one on order, I can say some of the negative feedback on trikes is scaring me a little.

[chickie]

Hey Ole Guy don't know what was wrong with that trike but my 2008 with a CSC kit and 4.5 degree rake is rock solid. It does take awhile to get used to a trike but what you said should not happen. Try another dealer before you write off a CSC trike.

[chickie]

Katfish 16 you are right red is the only color .

[O'le Guy]

O'le guy, what sites are you finding reviews on the HD Trike. Have one on order, but haven't seen but a few reviews from owners and they were positive.
Since I have never ridden a trike and I have a $32,000 one on order, I can say some of the negative feedback on trikes is scaring me a little.

PM sent to ya....