Be For Warned TriWing Trikes

[vicco27]

In the past few months I have been dealing with TriWing Trikes to obtain a DX Cruiser body. After selling us the body they have become rude. The only thing we have done is to question an EXTRA $125.00 shipping charge, and ask them which gear ratio they would recommend a 3.45.1 or a 3.27.1, oh I also asked if they had a tech line if ******* was not available. Hear is some of the negative correspondence. I hope this will give someone a heads up before they deal with them. :mad: :mad: :mad:

 

It costs us $75.00 to ship to Vancouver, and the Vancouver to your residence was $350.00 as the below message I received states. That is a total of $425.00. As you paid $300.00, you still owe $125.00,

 

I was not aware that we put the gear ratio in our instructions.

 

I don’t see how I can assist you. This was a project you decided to take on instead of purchasing a proper kit, so I would say you are on your own. I don’t have a tech person sitting here to ask your questions to and I don’t put kits together.

 

I have a manual courtesy of Jerry-M and it does give gear ratio and recommended tire size

 

PS. I went and picked the body up at the trucking company it was not delivered to our shop.

[Thom]

kinda rude , they put that in writing ? not very smart !

[Tartan Terror]

Heck you would just be better talking to Jerry! At least there you will get real answers form a a very stand up guy. He did a great job on his.

[vicco27]

Just to let everyone know Jerry has been a big help! :) :) :).

 

For the record I have decided to go with independent rear suspension. I settled on 89 - 94 Tbird - Cougar IRS 7.5 rear end with 3.27.1 gear ratio. The 1st Gen has a little lower transmission final ratio than the RSV which uses a 3.45.1 rear end. Now we own a TriWing DX Cruiser body and a whole pile of used 91 Cougar IRS parts Wow.

[Lone Eagle]

That sounds pretty cool - maybe except for the additional parts. When you have it all put together, we'll have to see what it looks like - hint hint.

[GunnyButch]

Don't take this the wrong way but I want to make sure I understand your complaint about them. I have been considering a trike kit from Triwing. I've spoken with them a few months ago on the phone and via email and never got anything close to a rude response.

 

The only part you bought from them was the DX Cruiser body and they were reluctlant to give tech support or advice on suspension and gear ratio. Sounds like you got what you paid for, a DX Cruiser body.

[Cutty]

 

The only part you bought from them was the DX Cruiser body and they were reluctlant to give tech support or advice on suspension and gear ratio. Sounds like you got what you paid for, a DX Cruiser body.

ANYTIME anything is bought and paid for, the purchaser should be considered a deserving customer. If that attitude isn't present in a business, GET OUT OF BUSINESS.

[Snarley Bill]

since we are on the trike subject, i have a question.i have never rode one ,but since the steering geometry is designed for a whole different type of steering ,do they steer hard or feel funny in curves and when making slow turns? i read a road test on a harley with a side car one time and the magazine testers said it was so dangerous they never got off the parking lot with it. just curious.

[Snarley Bill]

Don't take this the wrong way but I want to make sure I understand your complaint about them. I have been considering a trike kit from Triwing. I've spoken with them a few months ago on the phone and via email and never got anything close to a rude response.

 

The only part you bought from them was the DX Cruiser body and they were reluctlant to give tech support or advice on suspension and gear ratio. Sounds like you got what you paid for, a DX Cruiser body.

i agree i must have missed something here.maybe to me a little abrupt but not neccesarily rude. that does'nt mean the whole outfit is bad because one employee is having a bad day.

[GunnyButch]

ANYTIME anything is bought and paid for, the purchaser should be considered a deserving customer. If that attitude isn't present in a business, GET OUT OF BUSINESS.

 

I agree that customer support is a major part of being in and staying in business. The businessman cannot afford or be expected to give his product or expertise away without compensation. My point was the support should reasonably be related to the product purchased. In this case the DX body it seems like installation, painting, lights, accessories would be supported. Mechanical issues like gear ratios and suspension support would be for another product, as they mentioned in the email "this was a project you decided to take on instead of purchasing a proper kit".

Again, not trying to be difficult but since I am considering them I wanted to know.

[Jerry M]

Let me jump in here since my name has come up.I am not an engineer,machinest,or desinger.I have done everything I can do to answer questions or offer any other suggestions about these trikes,sent pictures,ect.

 

I myself have had no neg.or rude responce from this company.

 

Now to answer Bill's question. Trikes do steer harder at lower speed and uneven road surfface.That is why they make raked triple trees.Back in the day Harley had a triple tree that could be adjusted to ride two wheel or uae a side car.Now what I have done along with some others is install the Avon MT 90 front tire and it has made such a big difference in handling it feels like power steering to me,I wouldn't want the front to feel any lighter.That is my opinion.I have over 9000 miles on my trike and I have not felt like I was in any danger on the highway other than riding a bike on the highway.Jerry M

[Hagmaster]

I run a business with 32 employees and if that were the response from one of my employees he or she would have been fired on the spot. We try to weed out the bad ones real quick. I find the golden rule works pretty well in my business life along with my personal life. Our customer base is over 700 and growing and yes some of our customers try doing things their way (short cuts, saving money, what ever), we always go above and beyond because it’s the right thing to do. Besides good relationships go a lot further that negative ones. Just my 2 cents.

[GunnyButch]

Jerry M,

How did you increase the rake? Does the frame neck to be cut and rewelded?

Thanks

[Jerry M]

I didn't increase the rake,I just installed the smaller tire.I know it is hard to believe that a tire could make that much difference but it has.Jerry M

 

Jerry M,

How did you increase the rake? Does the frame neck to be cut and rewelded?

Thanks

[Snarley Bill]

I didn't increase the rake,I just installed the smaller tire.I know it is hard to believe that a tire could make that much difference but it has.Jerry M

thanks for the respomse .just something i always wondered about.when i had my warrior and was trying to sell it i looked at it and thought about what it would be like to make it into a custom trike.bill:)

[GunnyButch]

I've got the 130 front tire now and like it. As for the rake I'm still exploring there. There is a guy here in SC that will include the rake change when installing the Motortrike kit, I don't remember exactly the price he quoted but was around $1000.

[Spud]

I have dealt with TriWing and found they have a gal that works there answering the phone and Emails that is one of those women you run into every so often that just seems to hate the world. I asked her what gear ratios they provide and other questions and all I received were short snap answers. I called back a couple of days later with more questions and happened to get a man... don't know who... didn't ask the name, but my questions were answered wonderfully.

 

I'm afraid I agree with Hagmaster that no business needs these kind of people.

 

Try to talk to a management person and see if you get the same response.

[vicco27]

The rest of the story!

 

I didn't want to tell the whole story until I had to. About 3 months ago I asked my grandson to find TriWings location in the hopes to find a fiberglass builder in the area that built there body's, the hope was they were not under contract to TriWing and they would build a body of some sort for me. Well bored 15 year olds are not the best help. He also sent an Email to find out if TriWing built there own body's which they did, not what I wanted but it got me off my butt and I contacted TriWing myself ( the grandson had used his own Email and said that the body was needed for a wrecked trike) but the coincidence of two inquires so close together raised suspicion in ******* the woman who does the Emails and phone at TriWing, So I told her that we were one in the same and that we needed the body for a 1st gen that had rear ended something, and then been rear ended that we had purchased through salvage, I told her I was going to put the kit with a needed new body on our own 89 Venture royal. They agreed to sell me the body after a couple more Email conversations and were very cordial and friendly until after I had received the body and questioned the extra freight charges. Now you know the rest of the story. :bang head: :bang head: :bang head: :think: :think: :think: :confused24: :confused24: :confused24:.

 

PS. A couple of other trike builders were willing to sell me a body no questions asked, TriWing did not want to sell me the body even if I owned the TriWing kit saying they did not sell parts and pieces. I had to claim Disability (which I am) before they agreed to sell me the body.

[vicco27]

I worked the County - State election today and when I got home tonight there were two messages from a Jim at TriWing, we should be able to get together tomarow on the phone and talk. I may have misjudged them. I will keep all of you posted. :) :) :) :confused24: :confused24: :confused24:.

[Snarley Bill]

I worked the County - State election today and when I got home tonight there were two messages from a Jim at TriWing, we should be able to get together tomarow on the phone and talk. I may have misjudged them. I will keep all of you posted. :) :) :) :confused24: :confused24: :confused24:.

glad you all are getting it straightened out.good luck with your trike build.bill

[Carbon_One]

When I was researching a trike kit for my bike I had numerous e-mails answered by Tri-Wing and JerryM. Both were extremely helpfull at all times. Since then I've had some contact with other trikers, both here and at other web sites, and never run into anyone who wasn't willing to hand out info or encouragement on my project. I will do the same for anyone asking info from me as well.

Anyhow I did purchase my kit from Tri-Wing. As to gearing of their Ford differentials they supply a 3:45 ratio. Other gears are available upon request at the time of ordering.

Vic keep us up to date on that suspension set up. While the solid axle is a proven system I know that an independant one will have a better ,smoother ride. Especially for the passenger. Each ahve their advantages/disadvantages as to handling thou. Good luck with you phone call too.

Larry

[vicco27]

Jim. (no last name given) called at a little after 10:00 am this morning and seemed quite nice, we talked about this that and the other thing including gear ratios, it seems that a 3.08.1 gear is actually the correct direct equivalent for a 1st gen to bring the gearing out right, (RSV and newer use 3.45.1 because of the overdrive 5th gear) but with the extra weight of a trike he said that they recommend 3.27.1 but has seen people use as low as a 3.73.1 for special application. I'm going to use 3.27.1 with P195X50X15" tires which will actually lower the gearing to wards 3.45.1 and then go up in tire size if I feel I need to.

The conversation also delved into the earlier negative responses I had received from them and I was told that they had made an exception in selling me the body and would likely not do it again. I asked him what would happen if someone needed a replacement body due to a wreck and he evaded the issue and went on to say that if I needed parts it sounded like I could build any of the steel fabricated parts, and the bearings bushings bolts & diff parts etc, could be gotten from my local suppliers, Auto parts houses or from ford. (to my knowledge ford does not make custom shortened axles) He blew the axle question off. All in all he tried to make nice but unless you are a Professional mechanic, steel fabricator, mechanist, and welder in my opinion if you need something from TriWing after you by there product your screwed. .

[plainmd]

If i was going to go with a trike i would go with the hannigan...http://www.hannigantrikes.com/ I like the looks of it plus the independent rear suspension

[Carbon_One]

If i was going to go with a trike i would go with the hannigan...http://www.hannigantrikes.com/ I like the looks of it plus the independent rear suspension

 

When I looked at the Hannigan and Tri-Wing trikes I asked Hannigan if they sold kits for do it yourselfers. NOPE was their response. Have to have them or one of their authorized dealers do the install. Seiing as I'm in a budget and capable of doing my own frabrication and wrenching I passed on them. They do make a quality product thou.

Larry

[Frank Andrews]

:no-no-no:sounds to me that you started out with not telling

them the truth about your trike.

As for my self I have a TRi-Wing Trike and like it very well

Now for Jim & Darlene I talked to them about every week

while building this kit . after the trike was built I did have

truble with a axel & seal Darlene sent me replacement parts

at no cost to me.

As for myself I hade know truble with these people at all.

And yes I would buy one again

just my 2 cents

 

Frank