a tilting trike

[friesman]

Has anyone here approached this company about whether they can convert an RSV to their version of a trike. The thing I like about it is that you don't lose the ability to lean on the corners. It is a different look, and I am not sure if I like it,.....but I love leaning in corners.

I am not in the market for a trike for a while, but it is nice to know there could be other option to a traditional trike.

 

http://www.tiltingmotorworks.com/

 

Brian

[Freebird]

That is pretty cool. I would love to see one in person and try one out.

[CaptainJoe]

That is cool!

 

You would get the legroom we've grown accustom to, unlike the can-am's.

[XV1100SE]

Per FAQ's (that I found interesting) :

 

What is it?

Tilting Motor Works has developed a breakthrough leaning front trike conversion that offers the stability and safety benefits of 3 wheels with the handling of a motorcycle. The conversion involves removing the front fork and the front wheel and replacing it with a new front end that bolts to the frame.

 

Toyota's I-Road does the same thing with the front end, front wheels shift forward and backwards so the vehicle leans - http://www.autonet.ca/en/2014/03/24/toyota-i-road

 

Can the unit be mounted on other motorcycles?

No, the mounting bracket won’t fit other bikes. In the future TMW will produce brackets to fit other motorcycles, both from Harley-Davidson and from other manufacturers.

 

How is the unit attached to the motorcycle?

The mounting bracket bolts around both down tubes. No drilling, welding, cutting or other alterations to the frame are needed.

 

How wide is it?

The standard TMW unit used on all Harley-Davidson motorcycles is about 43 inches wide. The Honda Gold Wing conversion is about 52 inches wide.

 

Here they mention the Gold Wing but it isn't in the list of what can be converted. (?)

 

What motorcycles can be converted?

The current production unit is designed to fit all models in Harley-Davidson’s Touring line including the Road King, Road Glide, Street Glide and Electra Glide models. We are now also equipped to handle Softails, Dynas, Sportsters and V-Rods such as the Heritage Softail Classic, the Fat Boy, the Wide Glide, and the XL 1200C. We can't yet convert a Tri Glide or a Spyder! :-)

 

Here are reviews :

http://rideapart.com/2014/07/exclusive-review-tilting-motor-works/ (has better pictures than the manufacturer site)

 

...conversion replaces the front end of a motorcycle with an elegant two-wheeled rig that includes suspension, braking and steering components. The wheels are independently sprung, and each features a perimeter-style brake rotor and caliper setup. Steering inputs have been transferred from the steering stem to a telelever-style armature

 

The conversion includes a hydraulic pump and tilt lock that kicks in when the bike comes to a stop. It levels the bike to the horizon, and locks it in an upright position, which means that the rider can come to a stop without taking his or her feet off of the floorboards, and the bike remains upright and completely stable

 

http://www.examiner.com/article/tilting-motor-works-offers-a-fun-trike-conversion

[Venturous]

That is the first three wheeled design I've seen that I might ever consider. For now, I figure when I can't ride on two wheels... I'll probably just move to a sporty convertible roadster of some sort. If I can't lean... it just ain't a motorcycle IMHO. This looks very interesting!

[Flyinfool]

More interesting tidbits.

They have already fitted it to a Yamaha V4.......

 

Marysville, Washington (Free Press Release) September 6, 2012 - Tilting Motor Works, Inc. announced today that its founder and CEO, Bob Mighell, broke the land speed record for 3-wheeled motorcycles by more than 10 mph at the annual Motorcycle Speed Trials held at Bonneville Salt Flats in Wendover, Utah on August 26-30. Mighell rode a modified Yamaha V-Max 1197cc motorcycle equipped with a V-4 engine and a proprietary Tilting Motor Works (TMW) two-wheeled tilting front end to a new record of 132.342 mph over one mile with a flying start.

 

 

“Anything can happen at those speeds,” said Mighell, “and every motorcyclist knows how dangerous crosswinds and rough surfaces can be. The salt was all damp and loose and pitted, so it was ideal for putting our trike solution to the test. And it couldn’t have been a more stable ride. In the end we were constrained only by the performance of the motorcycle itself.”

 

The previous record in the “cyclecar” classification was 121.649 mph, set in 2011. “We’re already planning to bring a faster motorcycle next year,” said Mighell.

:bikersmilie:

[Cougar]

Toyota is also starting this concept as well soon I think.

pretty cool.

[Condor]

OK, I gotta play devils advocate here. If the reason to trike a bike is to keep us OF's from falling over, and with this thing tilting that far over, why get one in the first place??? From the pics it looks like there's a good chance it'll keep going. Doesn't look safe to me....

[Cougar]

I guess the Toyota has a steering wheel

[Trader]

The additional Lock option stops it from falling over and stabilized it at low speed.

If it was to fall over it would only be so far as and even then hydraulics will bring it right back up again.

 

at worst the FAQ says it will lean as far as to drag the footpegs

 

I like it but $13000 for the full package is a lot of money on top of the bike.

[darthandy]

A good trike kit around here for most bikes is in the $10,000 to $15,000 range plus installation. And if you already have a paid for bike that can be modified, the cost doesn't seem as bad as laying out $25,000 for a 15 year old Goldwing (Recent price that I found) or such. Now this is the kind of trike that could interest me when the time comes. And it looks like it adds less weight to the bike (Although that's just how it looks - I could be wrong) and certainly the handling has to be better than any regular trike.

 

Andy

[Freebird]

The FAQ says that after removing the original front forks and wheel, the net gain in weight is only about 60 lbs. The price is perfectly in line with a conventional trike, Hannigan TriWing, etc. As for that Toyota, no thanks. This one still looks like a motorcycle. The Toyota looks like a three wheeled car.

 

Don't get me wrong, the Toyota could be an option if you are just wanting a commuter vehicle but NOT to replace a motorcycle in my opinion.

[The Tooch]

Looks like the thing has MC tires on it and not cars tires.....be interesting how they wear with the added weight on the front end.

[videoarizona]

Personal opinion....it looks well designed and engineered. Also doesn't look half bad at all...although I would get rid of whatever that emblem is in the front and put something a little more Yamaha-ish...like a giant chrome Star.

 

I like the leaning, traction, braking and small addition of weight. Shouldn't hurt the balance at all. Hell...if they can make a HD handle well with their high end weight, we should be good to go as well. I REALLY like the way it will pick itself up if it lays down... cause I was being "stoopid"...

 

I doubt they will make one for us until Gen 3 comes out next year.....Yamaha??

[cowpuc]

The FAQ says that after removing the original front forks and wheel, the net gain in weight is only about 60 lbs. The price is perfectly in line with a conventional trike, Hannigan TriWing, etc. As for that Toyota, no thanks. This one still looks like a motorcycle. The Toyota looks like a three wheeled car.

 

Don't get me wrong, the Toyota could be an option if you are just wanting a commuter vehicle but NOT to replace a motorcycle in my opinion.

 

RATSSS,,,, Don, I was looking down the list of folks who are SUPPOSE to be at the IR and noticed your name on that list.. I was just getting ready to post a thread titled "When the cats away the mice can play".. Thinking you were gonna be absent for a while I thought I could around here and get away with something sneaky.. Ohhh well,, back to boredom I guess:confused24:

 

So not to be found guilty of being a thread hijacker here,,, I gotta hunch that the lean angle of the this "trike" has more to do with centrifical force and rider input while going into a corner, I bet its very stable when parked or going slow.. I would LOVE to hook up with Condor and go demo one and would be more than happy to test one before he tried it just to make sure they are safe.. All in the name of protecting my gravy covered french fry/ice cream eating good friend Jack of course!!

 

Taking on the devils advocate

Puc

[cowpuc]

Hmmm, shoulda read their literature before posting,, wrong again,,, sounds like ya gotta get a "tilt lock" system to stabilize it when parked,, I wonder if that means ya still gotta use a kickstand when the bike is off and its parked.. Almost sounds like it.. If so, I can see where this system may not be the right one for all trike needs...

Would still like to demo one with ya Condor,, if for no other reason than going and finding that burger joint you told me about afterwards :fatsmiley:

(notice there's two icons there,, that'd be Condor n ol Puc - filled an grinnin...)

[Condor]

Hmmm, shoulda read their literature before posting,, wrong again,,, sounds like ya gotta get a "tilt lock" system to stabilize it when parked,, I wonder if that means ya still gotta use a kickstand when the bike is off and its parked.. Almost sounds like it.. If so, I can see where this system may not be the right one for all trike needs...

Would still like to demo one with ya Condor,, if for no other reason than going and finding that burger joint you told me about afterwards :fatsmiley:

(notice there's two icons there,, that'd be Condor n ol Puc - filled an grinnin...)

 

 

 

You bring it out and I'll clean the bugs off for ya Puc.... And for being the brave soul that you are, the burgers are on me.... Just looking at that thing scares me. I want a trike that holds me up, not one that flops from one side to the other... Heck the Voyager scared the 'H' out of me the first time I rode it.... But I am getting better...

[friesman]

Here is a review on the TMW trike.

 

http://rideapart.com/2014/07/exclusive-review-tilting-motor-works/

 

Brian

[Condor]

Here is a review on the TMW trike.

 

http://rideapart.com/2014/07/exclusive-review-tilting-motor-works/

 

Brian

 

Interesting review and also the link to the video on their website. I'm still am not sold on the concept, but I said that about the tilting trailer hitch ball when I first saw it too.... I'm just a born skeptic, or from Missouri in another life?? It's something new and different, but to what end. I already have a bike that tilts....

 

[Ronsun]

This is a message i recieved from TMW. I asked about a kit for a 88 Venture Royale.

 

 

Hi Ron,

 

 

Thank you for your interest in Tilting Motor Works. Our inventor, Bob, converted his Vmax for the Bonneville Salt Flats and earned 2 landspeed records! Currently, we offer conversions for most Harley-Davidson’s and Honda Gold Wing GL1800’s. In the future, we will expand to other makes and models and we have mad many requests for Yamaha’s. Keep an eye on our website and Facebook page and we will post this information as it becomes available.

 

 

 

 

Cheers,

 

 

Natalie Held

 

 

Tilting Motor Works, Inc.

1824 Bickford Ave., Suite C

Snohomish, WA 98290

www.tiltingmotorworks.com

www.Facebook.com/TiltingMotorWorks

 

 

 

 

 

[SilvrT]

hmmmmmmmmmm finally a motorcycle that Nina could ride....

[Yammer Dan]

Another 3 wheel thread and the Warden showing me ads for trikes!!! Cain't ya just leave me alone??? OK It is interesting.

[bongobobny]

I am VERY VERY interested!!

 

EDIT: Just tried clicking the links and got "Not Found" messages. Then I noticed this thread is from 2014. Is this company still in existence??

[Ronsun]

Sure they are, i just received that email the other week, i just replied to an old thread. I am not sure what is wrong with the links, search for them in the web browser, you will find them. I am seriously considering this, but i also do not want to buy a Harley or goldwing, so the more of us Yamaha riders hound them the sooner they will make a kit for our bikes.

[cimmer]

Here is a link to a video that Jay Leno made for his show on riding the Tilting Motor Works leaning trike kit.

Rick F.