mirider Posted June 17, 2015 #1 Posted June 17, 2015 Considering adding Voyager kit to my 09' RSV and looking for guidance from those that have added this kit to your Venture. Have read both positive and negative comments and would like some real world feed-back. Age and wife's health have got me seriously considering the three wheel experience, especially with the weight of my bike. Love it, but beginning to question my ability to handle it comfortably in the long haul. There is a local dealer here in the Grand Rapids, MI area......M.C. Solutions. Any feed-back on them ?
Motorcycle Mike Posted June 17, 2015 #2 Posted June 17, 2015 I have no expieriance with the Voyager kit. But if you can scrape the coins together, the Hannigan kit is the bomb. It's a full conversion rather than a bolt on like the Voyager. If you were closer, I'd let you take mine for a spin. I'm sure your mind would be made up. Hannigan is well known for putting out quality products and standing behind them with exelent customer service.
mirider Posted June 18, 2015 Author #3 Posted June 18, 2015 Thanks Mike, appreciate your response but at this time, I'm more interested in this particular kit since it has the option of switching back and forth between standard or trike mode and the cost is less than half for the Voyager over the Hannigan. Hopefully some Voyager owners will chime in.......
alwrmcusn Posted June 18, 2015 #4 Posted June 18, 2015 I cannot provide any input of the Voyager outrigger type kit but.... I have two friends (acquaintances actually) and a PGR rider that I see now and then. They all have said pretty much the same thing. 1. The ability to go from two wheels to four wheels was a selling point. 2. They never actually remove the kit an go two wheeling. 3. They all had problems getting and keeping the kit aligned. If you can arrange it, I would strongly suggest a test ride and include a removal of the kit and reinstall to see how you might like the handling and how easily it really is to drop the kit and go to two wheels. I have a STAR friend who arranged to drive a pretty good distance to test ride my Hannigan trike before he committed to having the conversion down on his RSV. Try asking on the forum(s) if anyone would allow you the opportunity to try theirs.
wes0778 Posted June 19, 2015 #5 Posted June 19, 2015 I have one installed on my RSV and really like it, for "traveling". I have to admit it is WORK riding it in the twisties and it does make the bike ride a little rough. I dislike both of those qualities. I do, though, also have a '98 RSTC that I can get out and play on. My RSV also has the VMax rear gears which to me is a must with the Voyager Kit. Another advantage to the Voyager is that the tongue weight is carried on the two voyager kit car tires. This is the second bike I've had with the conversion. The other being a Burgman Scooter. Some have mentioned alignment, I've had no problems with that. I like the fact that I can lock the rear bike tire and the bike will still slide in a straight line. It is a pretty good distance from your house to mine, but you are welcome to come down and take the bike for a test ride.
mirider Posted August 2, 2015 Author #6 Posted August 2, 2015 UPDATE: I was extended an offer I could not refuse.....heck of a deal on a Voyager demo unit at a local dealer. Installed on my 09 RSV on friday and took a forty mile shake-down cruise yesterday with wife aboard. Initial impression was very favorable on both our views, rode on all kinds of surfaces including gravel roads and the ride was much better than I expected by previous comments. The one negative so far is the effort required to steer around a sharp turn especially at slow speeds. Wonder if there's anything you can do to ease that situation. Any thoughts appreciated. Looking forward to some long distance travels with the new set-up.
Condor Posted August 2, 2015 #7 Posted August 2, 2015 I put a Voyager kit on my '04. The one thing I wish was that there was a local dealer to set it up. When you don't know what you're doing it can make things exciting the first time it's ridden. Now that it's tuned in it tracks great, and yes it takes some effort to doing a curve. I have found what makes it easier. Pushing instead of pulling on the grips. Push on the right to go left and visa versa. What this does is cause you to lean to the outside rather than leaning to the inside like a 2 wheeler. Also the tire pressures need to be checked religiously. I usually check before hitting the road... Definitely after it's been sitting for a long time. All that aside it was a huge savings over what a Hannigan would have cost. I can live with that... :-)
mirider Posted August 3, 2015 Author #8 Posted August 3, 2015 Yeah, dealer did the set-up, rode it, and then made minor adjustment. Rode great from the start and he's close if I need any further tuning. Good tip on pushing vs. pulling bars, will try that. Headed out for longer trip this week. [emoji41]
Condor Posted August 3, 2015 #9 Posted August 3, 2015 (edited) Voyager has a bunch of videos that are pretty informative. I leaned a lot about the installation... the 2nd time... :-) http://www.mtcvoyager.com/resources/videos/ Edited August 3, 2015 by Condor
dogman Posted August 3, 2015 #10 Posted August 3, 2015 Congratulations on your Voyager kit. I hope you like it more and more.
mirider Posted August 3, 2015 Author #11 Posted August 3, 2015 Congratulations on your Voyager kit. I hope you like it more and more. Thanks Dave, when we met up last week that was my last "two wheel" trip for a while.
dogman Posted August 5, 2015 #12 Posted August 5, 2015 I'll be interested to hear after a few weeks how you feel on it. My wife is somewhat interested in one also.
spear Posted August 5, 2015 #13 Posted August 5, 2015 I've had my Voyager kit for a couple of years and love it. I don't ride hard and I don't ride fast. Installed and set it up myself. Somebody said tyre pressures are important. Too true. I have a digital air pressure gauge in a pannier. I also have a workshop compressor, pump and gauge. Have many times been tempted to take it off and go 'solo' for a day, but then remember why I bought the thing. Glad you're enjoying YOUR ride. I do. Welcome to Voyager world.
Condor Posted August 5, 2015 #14 Posted August 5, 2015 Did you see where Voyager is making a reverse for their kit..... A little pricy at $1200, but it's a first step... http://www.mtcvoyager.com/motorcycle-trike-kit-reverse/
Freebird Posted August 5, 2015 #15 Posted August 5, 2015 Isn't that about the same price range as the optional reverse on the Hannigan kit? Sounds NOISY but the one I heard on a Hannigan sounded noisy also. I think that both are basically a starter motor.
Condor Posted August 5, 2015 #16 Posted August 5, 2015 I agree Don. Noisy and a starter motor for sure. Youda thunk they would have found something better sounding. One of those smaller Hi-Torque starters might have been the ticket... Good thing it's only needed for 10 feet or so.... :-) Also one thing more. The foot switch could have been placed on the bar instead of down by the foot with all the warning labels plastered all over it...
mirider Posted August 7, 2015 Author #17 Posted August 7, 2015 I'll be interested to hear after a few weeks how you feel on it. My wife is somewhat interested in one also. In the middle of our first long trip with the Voyager right now. Headed up to Mackinaw City yesterday and now headed back south with an overnight stay @ friend's place near Traverse City today. Have put about 350 miles on it and can honestly state......I love it! Very comfortable ride on all kinds of surfaces, if you feel the bumps it's on a road surface you'd feel in a car. Obviously, it was set up right by the dealer I got it from. As to the reverse gear, I personally see no need for it as I am able to back it up manually almost as easy as the two wheeler version. Not worth $1200 to me.
spear Posted August 7, 2015 #18 Posted August 7, 2015 (edited) Any of you guys have any problems with the 'hose clamp' that supposedly 'secures' the bracket arm to the swing arm on the right side? I've posted elsewhere on the forum about the problem but will raise it again. When I fitted my kit I found that the bracket didn't sit flush against the swing arm. There was about a 3/8 inch gap at the front end - furtherest away front the axle. Consequently the hose clamp would just slide down the swing arm towards the axle after a hundred kilometres or so, especially on rough roads. I eventually fixed it though, and for what it's worth, this is what I did (in case anybody else has the same problem.) Removed the right side planner to access the bracket, and removed the bracket - top and bottom sections. Put the bracket in a vise, and using a two foot long piece of square bar slipped over the arm of the bracket, slightly bent the arm. Held it in position against the axle and the swing arm to see if it was flush and repeated a couple of times until it WAS flush. Then on the underside of the bracket about an inch from the end, I filed a small square notch the same width as the hose clamp. When I re-fitted the bracket the hose clamp engaged in that notch to eliminate any chance of it wanting to slide back towards the axle. That chance had technically been avoided because the bracket was now flush against the swing arm and the upper surface of the swing arm was parallel to the underside of the bracket. Once the hose clamp had been refitted and tightened I then attached a second hose clamp in front of the first at the end of the bracket, hard up against the first one that was engaged in the notch. Extra security! I opted for stainless steel clamps and used Lok-tite on the screws that clamp the two halves of the bracket to the axle. Problem solved - FWIW. Edited August 7, 2015 by spear typo
dogman Posted August 7, 2015 #19 Posted August 7, 2015 In the middle of our first long trip with the Voyager right now. Headed up to Mackinaw City yesterday and now headed back south with an overnight stay @ friend's place near Traverse City today. Have put about 350 miles on it and can honestly state......I love it! Very comfortable ride on all kinds of surfaces, if you feel the bumps it's on a road surface you'd feel in a car. Obviously, it was set up right by the dealer I got it from. As to the reverse gear, I personally see no need for it as I am able to back it up manually almost as easy as the two wheeler version. Not worth $1200 to me. That is great Dave that you are out and enjoying it. I hope to be able to see you and your bike before the end of the summer, but if not then next year.
mirider Posted August 7, 2015 Author #20 Posted August 7, 2015 dogman - guess I should have mentioned the better half loves it too......and she's really the one I got it for. If you make the next Pucster GM&EM on August 18, we will be there.......if not, maybe we cross paths some other time.
mirider Posted August 8, 2015 Author #21 Posted August 8, 2015 A shot of my rig on our trip to N. Michigan......
mirider Posted October 20, 2015 Author #24 Posted October 20, 2015 FOLLOW UP - After 3 months and several thousand miles with the Voyager set-up, I can honestly state I am extremely satisfied with the rig. Both the wife and I are very happy with the ride and feel this change has extended our riding experience by many years. Looking forward to more long distant trips in the future.
dogman Posted October 20, 2015 #25 Posted October 20, 2015 Great to hear that you are enjoying just as much as when you got it.
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