Need to try a trike

[Motorcycle Mike]

As the knees slowly but surely sucumb to aurther I see me turning the RSV into a trike.

The only trike I've rode was a home made job back in the late 70s. It sucked.

Would love to try a Hanigan before investing. Anybody know where I can ride one in the north Ga. area before investing $16000+ to have my bike converted?

[Guest tx2sturgis]

Hannigan does a first class job on the Venture and you will be happy with it....but that IS a lot of money.

 

Let me help by saying the Hannigan or any reputable company that converts a large touring bike to a trike would not be in business very long if the product 'sucked'....I'm just sayin.

 

You might be able to find a suitable trike in the marketplace, used, such as on ebay, for about that amount of money. Then sell the Venture for market value and you would be able to be on three wheels for less money.

 

The Venture trike will not have reverse...which is not a huge deal...but worth thinking about. I believe some trike makers can add an electric reverse.

 

The newer Goldwings DO have electric reverse, and the Can-Am Spyders also have reverse.

 

Let us know how it works out for you.

 

 

 

[steamer]

If you like the color yellow, there is one for sale right here on our classifieds. He is asking $17500.00 and it has everything. If I had the $$ I would buy it.

[Motorcycle Mike]

Thanks Brian.

I know for certain Hanigans are much improved over the home made one I rode.

Hanigan offers an electric reverse for the RSV.

I just dont know if I'd be happy with the ride/handling of a trike. Would like to try one out before investing.

[Motorcycle Mike]

If you like the color yellow, there is one for sale right here on our classifieds. He is asking $17500.00 and it has everything. If I had the $$ I would buy it.

 

Thanks, but a long way to go before I even know if a trike is for me.

[Guest tx2sturgis]

Thanks Brian.

I know for certain Hanigans are much improved over the home made one I rode.

Hanigan offers an electric reverse for the RSV.

I just dont know if I'd be happy with the ride/handling of a trike. Would like to try one out before investing.

 

Trikes are a blast...lots of fun. Lots of 'pros':

 

Comfortable, sporty handling, stable, easily pull small trailers, better on wet roads, rarely get flats..fun to drive, and they cause people to walk up and ask how you like it, or where did you get it...that sort of thing.

 

A few 'cons':

 

Wider than a bike so no lane splitting. They are best parked where the cars park.

 

Servicing can be more involved. Dealers are few and far between.

 

They use a bit more fuel than a bike, but aux gas tanks are available.

 

Front tire wear can be an issue...but rear tires will last a LONG time.

 

Compared to a 2 wheel Venture, a triked Venture wont have any problems with the factory final drive unit or the rear monoshock...most conversions will do away with those.

 

I have ridden lots of trikes....the only reason I dont own a couple is financial...and of course, having the room to park them.

 

I do own a sidecar bike...totally different animal...and I bought it having never EVER ridden a sidecar machine.

 

I love it!

 

[Nemo]

A short ride may be discouraging if less than 50 miles. Rack up a few hundred and it's a piece of cake. Like others have said, they're very comfortable and stable and offer a greater feeling of dependability, security and control. (Hannigan)

 

They're big, which gives you an impressive feeling, plus you'll be noticed many more times than on 2 wheels and you'll know that there can never be a motorcycle any better for you. You'll be very proud of your purchase and it will be the best dollars you've ever spent. Be sure to include the gas tank and even the reverse if you can afford it. Owen.

[ragtop69gs]

Coach Rice Trikes is in Ga. they usually have an RSV trike you may be able to demo ride.

[Woody]

hey, Mike are going to the IR. this year? if so my trike will be there, you can get a feil for it. I would test drive several before I made a decision and go to triketalk.com and just read around.

[Condor]

As the knees slowly but surely sucumb to aurther I see me turning the RSV into a trike.

The only trike I've rode was a home made job back in the late 70s. It sucked.

Would love to try a Hanigan before investing. Anybody know where I can ride one in the north Ga. area before investing $16000+ to have my bike converted?

 

One of the Star Riders who attended the VW14 'The Dalles' had his '07 triked last year, and the total for the Hannigan was $11,800. He had to take it to Salt Lake City to have it installed, but from what I gather he paid Hannigan directly, and they dealt with the 'official' installer. By the way he loved it, and I gotta admit it did look great. Attached is a pic of his sitting next to my '07. Sorta a before and after....

[alwrmcusn]

As stated in a thread reply above, a short test ride will likely NOT be a selling point for a trike if you are a long time two wheeler. The 70 mile ride home and the 70 mile ride back (small speedo adjustment needed) to the conversion shop for me was not enough! I've ridden two wheels since about 1958 and the ride home that day was frankly rather scary. The only thing that remained the same for me was the view from my driving position. The Venture looked the same but even a slight curve was unnerving. I kept thinking I was going to be flung off the outside on every curve. I kept thinking it's going to flip and roll over on every curve. Five days after I had the RSV triked we rode from home (Rockwood, TN) to Nashville, down the Natchez Trace, into Louisiana, back across Mississippi, Alabama and home. By the end of that ride I was very comfortable with the bike/trike. I learned that the RSV with the Hannigan conversion was rock solid in the corners and I can keep up with all my friends on their bikes without trouble. Saturday I rode the Devils Triangle with six friends on various makes/styles of bikes and stayed with them the entire ride. The trike tracks like it's proverbially on rails! It takes a few days and miles to get used to not rolling/leaning over in the curves and corners but when you do get used to it, I think you may like it. I no longer have to do a slight tilt to starboard at a stop (wonky left knee sometimes does not lock into place). Gravel roads and parking areas don't cause my teeth to clench. You will need to remember not to park nose first downhill. I recommend the extra fuel tank. My mileage dropped from 45-47 on the RSV to about 30-32 with the conversion. Do get the Easy Steer (or what ever it is currently be called). The trike on level ground is still very easy to paddle walk back and around. The rear tires will last and last and last! You will gain a noticeable amount of packing space for trips. Personally the only problem I find with the trike conversion is hydroplaning. It does get a bit squirrely on puddles at speed and it does not take a high speed to feel it. That's because the weight of the trike and the rear tires contact area tend to NOT cut thru the puddle but skates across them. I've put more miles on the bike since the conversion and I am not going back to two wheels.

[Motorcycle Mike]

Thanks for the link Woody. Not looking good for the IR but I'm trying. We locked in for Asheville tho.

OK, sounds like there is a breaking in period so to speak. Still a little hesitant to spend that much money on some thing I'm not sure I'll like.

On anothe note, I have Carbon one's passenger arm rest on the bike. Can I keep them with the Hannigan set up?

[Pegasus1300]

After my crash in 2011 I went to a trike. Since the RSVS was totaled I found a Goldwing Trike from an old friend who at 87 decided it was time to stop. His wife couldn't ride with him anymore and he didn't want to ride alone. A short test ride will convince you that you are out of your mind and there is no way you are going to three wheels and why did anybody ever come up with a contraption like this? It took me about 6 months and a 3000 mi trip down 191 to Az boarder and back up 89 to finally get the hang of it and feel comfortable with it. I do admit to being a slow learner. I can now broadslide it in low speed corners and that is fun steering with the wrist. After three years I am getting to really like the idea of triking tho I don't think the Goldwing and I will ever be real friends. The transmission sucks,and the seating position does not work for my knees and hips. If you want to try out a trike without spending big bucks and have something that is reversible try a Towpac or a Trigg outfit. These seem to be the best of the outrigger type trikes and can be done for under $5000. This will probably be my next trike as I can't swing the $20,000 to buy a bike and trike it.

[Nemo]

Mike, I also have Carbon One's arm rests and I think they are very important for a passenger on a trike. They lift up and not out, so they more or less secure the passenger in place with no chance of sliding off during hard, fast turns. You'll love them. Owen.

[Motorcycle Mike]

Mike, I also have Carbon One's arm rests and I think they are very important for a passenger on a trike. They lift up and not out, so they more or less secure the passenger in place with no chance of sliding off during hard, fast turns. You'll love them. Owen.

 

Thanks Owen, She does love them and I'm sure losing them in the conversion would kill the deal.

[Carbon_One]

Thanks for the link Woody. Not looking good for the IR but I'm trying. We locked in for Asheville tho.

OK, sounds like there is a breaking in period so to speak. Still a little hesitant to spend that much money on some thing I'm not sure I'll like.

On anothe note, I have Carbon one's passenger arm rest on the bike. Can I keep them with the Hannigan set up?

Yep no problem with not keeping those arm rests. In fact your passenger will benefit even more with them in place once or if you decide to convert to 3 wheels. The guys here who have already triked their rides are spot on with their input. Like many my wife rides a whole lot more now that we have the trike opposed to when the bike was on two wheels.

Larry

[Condor]

Yep no problem with not keeping those arm rests. In fact your passenger will benefit even more with them in place once or if you decide to convert to 3 wheels. The guys here who have already triked their rides are spot on with their input. Like many my wife rides a whole lot more now that we have the trike opposed to when the bike was on two wheels.

Larry

 

Hey Larry- How much are the arm rests going for these days?? I tried to look them up in your vendor listings but couldn't find an ad....

 

[Carbon_One]

Hey Larry- How much are the arm rests going for these days?? I tried to look them up in your vendor listings but couldn't find an ad....

 

Currently don't have any and don't know just when they'll be available again thus no listing for them in classified. Sorry

Larry

[Condor]

Currently don't have any and don't know just when they'll be available again thus no listing for them in classified. Sorry

Larry

 

That explains it...

 

[Woody]

hey Mike I have got my spot at Asheville already so hopefully we will see ya'll there if not before.

[leo3wheel]

My brother-in-law, a long time Goldwing owner, wanted to try our trike on a steep, heavily crowned road last summer. First of all, he is a small person, so he looked out of place on our RSV. When he got back, he had this troubled look on his face. He said our trike pulls to the right. I just laughed. Felt like saying bad ball joints. He wants to try a CanAm, and CanAm fits his body size better. It takes a lot of practice for a biker to become a triker. Heard folks who never rode a bike take right to them.

[Motorcycle Mike]

hey Mike I have got my spot at Asheville already so hopefully we will see ya'll there if not before.

Looking forward to seeing ya'll again.

 

Thanks for all the info guys.

As far as a trike making the wife want to ride more, Thats not a problem. I NEVER have to ask if she wants to ride, she's all ways asking where we're riding this week, not if we're riding.

We may ride over to Coach Rice trikes in Loganville Friday and find out exact cost.

Definatly wont pull the trigger untill this winter tho.

[Marcarl]

I could say you won't be sorry for going to a trike,,, but then it is each to his own.

For us, we test rode a Spyder for a day,,, a whole day, two up, and that was a mistake. I should have got used to it first on my own and then added a passenger. Then we rode a Hannigan (B2 Dad's) to compare the difference. We found a lot of similarities, and at the time the Spyder only had 2 cylinders so had vibrations which we found to be disagreeable. This year CanAm came out with a 3 cylinder, we went to try it and I was sold,,, except for the price,,, ooooooo that was a hard pill.

We now have 3000 miles (5000km) on it and don't want to go back to the Venture. This thing is stable, fun, smooth, (not quite as smooth as the Venture but quite acceptable) and has reverse... a real reverse,,, got to be careful. It tracks real well, (a feller needs to do an alignment on the front for this to happen), mileage is 36 American, 43 Canadian.

It now comes with a 1330, 3cyl that pumps out a fine 115hp. Lots of get up and gone. Crank this baby out and you'll be glad you have something to hang on to. Lots of good features on the Spyder, but price is not one of them.

For us it was, that slowly on, things were getting harder to do, mostly Marca's knee at this point, and if I watch my friends they seemed to be having this thing about getting old, so I figured I was going to hit the same patch in life someday. As was told to me, you are better to make a change when you are able, rather than after you have to, so the switch was made,,,,, made a lot of sense, and,,,,, worked.

[Motorcycle Mike]

We have sat on a few spiders but have not rode any. We find them uncomfortable and Shirley has a hard time mounting and dismounting them. We're both very comfortable on the RSV so I think we're going to stick with it.

The part about doing it before we have to is where I'm at now. The knees are still in fair shape and not causing any real problems but I know the day is comming that I wont be able to hold such a large, heavy bike up. Plus I'm still working and can afford it better now than after I retire in 1 year 23 days

[Pegasus1300]

That was my position also after the accident. I could still have ridden,probably for several more years, on two wheels but my wife was not going to do that and I didn't want to go back to not having her on the back. She is comfortable on three wheels and now so am I and I don't think I could go back at least not for long rides to two.