News to me. A Voyager kit

[BlueSky]

Anybody seen a Venture like this? Looks like training wheels.

 

http://smd.craigslist.org/mcy/5442670932.html

[bongobobny]

Yes, they are fairly common and a cheaper alternative to trike'ing out. New they go for a little more than what he is asking for the whole thing.

 

Shame it's not gold, I would be very interested...

[M61A1MECH]

Yes, they are quite popular own here in Florida where the old folks still have parents that want to ride and have gotten tied of going out and picking up their parent's bike after it fell over.

[mirider]

I have a Voyager kit on my RSV and the wife and I love it.......extended our riding days by years.

[Condor]

Yep, they've been around for some time now. That bike in the CL ad that's been sitting for a long time what looks like out in the weather is way over priced. The leaf stuck in the dash and the weeds are a dead give-a-way... On the used market the Voyager in mint condition will demand around $2000 grand. This one doesn't even come close. The bike is a parts scoot. The guy didn't even think to pull it out of the tall grass to take the pics.... Maybe 'cause he couldn't get it to move?? The whole thing is worth around $1500 at the most.

 

I love mine....

 

[Yammer Dan]

I got 1200 bucks and a truck. Where is that thing?? It would make a good match for Brown Sugar. And that 89 looks like a good one to add.

[Condor]

I got 1200 bucks and a truck. Where is that thing?? It would make a good match for Brown Sugar. And that 89 looks like a good one to add.

 

400 miles away in Ownings MD. One thing to think about is the Voyager is 58" wide. You should take a 6' wide trailer... :-) Don't ask how I know that....

[cowpuc]

I have a Voyager kit on my RSV and the wife and I love it.......extended our riding days by years.

 

Yep, they've been around for some time now. That bike in the CL ad that's been sitting for a long time what looks like out in the weather is way over priced. The leaf stuck in the dash and the weeds are a dead give-a-way... On the used market the Voyager in mint condition will demand around $2000 grand. This one doesn't even come close. The bike is a parts scoot. The guy didn't even think to pull it out of the tall grass to take the pics.... Maybe 'cause he couldn't get it to move?? The whole thing is worth around $1500 at the most.

 

I love mine....

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]103498[/ATTACH]

I seen a number of em, never did ride a scoot with one attached.. Either of you lop eared varmints ever had a chance to ride a traditional trike (no center rear wheel) and wanna shed some light on any differences in feel or handling characteristics between the two.. Always wandered about situations where an outside wheel may cause the drive wheel to loose traction or something.. That even remotely possible?

I have seen those Voyager kits for sale on Craigs pretty reasonable,, under 1500 bucks..

[mirider]

Took a short spin on a conventional trike several years ago....think it was a Hannigan conversion on a Honda GW if I remember right. Can't honestly say I remember much difference but it did feel a little more rigid to me in the corners. The Voyager does let you lean a little and maybe that's the difference. Probably was a little easier to steer in corners too since I think it had a rake kit on it. At any rate, in my opinion, the differences weren't great enough to make me want to spend 3 to 4 times as much on the full conversion. If you get hung up with no drive wheel, you probably shouldn't be there. With the preload set right, it is not an issue with normal road variations but if you go where you do Puc, it might be a problem...[emoji32][emoji32]

[bongobobny]

OK with the Voyager you have to be really careful not to get the center drive wheel off the ground! That and "Give me 40 acres and I'll turn this rig around..."

[BlueSky]

Are the wheels rigidly connected or is there some suspension involved? If they are rigid, seems to me adjusting the air pressure could get you where you wanted. I don't think the training wheels will be loaded that much just going straight down the road so the tires shouldn't need a lot of air pressure.

[Condor]

One of the things that'll getcha the first time anyone rides a trike is to push on the right grip to go left and visa-versa. It makes the rider lean a bit the opposite of what is normal on a 2 wheel. My Voyager will not... I repeat will not... turn to the left when leaning to the left.....

[Condor]

Are the wheels rigidly connected or is there some suspension involved? If they are rigid, seems to me adjusting the air pressure could get you where you wanted. I don't think the training wheels will be loaded that much just going straight down the road so the tires shouldn't need a lot of air pressure.

 

It's a little more than that. The Voyager wheels are spring pre-loaded. Tire pressure can make a little difference in the handling but pre-load is an absolute...

[Hummingbird]

The voyager kit is an inexpensive way to continue riding, it is in no way comparable to a trike except by first glance and those that own one. They steer like a semi w/o power steering unless the bike is "raked" and then it has been said it's a dangerous situation w/o the kit attached.

I rode with a friend for several years that had one and he admitted more than several times that he wished he had the money to either buy a real trike or get his triked.

disclaimer - not meaning to ruffle feathers, just voicing my opinion and experience

[mirider]

I have never understood why some individuals, when discussing a topic, must use disparaging terms to prove their point. Guess it just comes with the territory on public forums.

[Condor]

The voyager kit is an inexpensive way to continue riding, it is in no way comparable to a trike except by first glance and those that own one. They steer like a semi w/o power steering unless the bike is "raked" and then it has been said it's a dangerous situation w/o the kit attached.

I rode with a friend for several years that had one and he admitted more than several times that he wished he had the money to either buy a real trike or get his triked.

disclaimer - not meaning to ruffle feathers, just voicing my opinion and experience

 

Hmmm?? The last time I tried it, I came to a dead stop and kept my feet on the floorboards... and didn't fall over. I've even seen riders with full conversions, and they're capable of doing the same thing.... Hannigan does a big business in rake kits for their conversions?? Heavy steering?? Nah, couldn't be... One nice thing about the Voyager is if we find the Fountain of Youth we can go back to two wheels. If not the kids can enjoy a few more beers after we're gone....

[Freebird]

I can see how some of the comments could ruffle feathers but when people ask for advice and opinions on a given subject, they really should hear from those with positive as well as negative experiences. Would it be right for then to get only positive feedback when there are some negative opinions that may be of interest?

 

I understand that if you own something and really like it that you don't want to hear others talk it down. I think we are all that way to some extent. If I'm thinking about spending my hard earned money on something though, I really do want to hear both sides.

 

I've not owned a actual full trike conversion nor a Voyager conversion. I've ridden both though. I don't think I've spent enough time on either one to be able to offer an expert opinion. I can only offer my initial feelings. The full trike conversion did handle much better than the Voyager. That's just the fact of what I experienced. Now given more time on the Voyager, I may well have become accustomed to it and been perfectly fine and if I were on a budget or just didn't want to spend the big money for a Hannigan conversion, I would certainly not rule it out.

 

I jut think it's good though that when people ask for opinions, they get opinions.

[Hummingbird]

Thanks Don, that was my point, I expressed exactly what my friend had to say about his Voyager. Unfortunately he passed away severaly years ago or I would drag him in front of the computor so he could say it himself.

@ condor - I'm not leaving an estate in the form of money, I'm going to desperately spend as much of it as I can. If the kids want my tools and toys when I'm gone, who cares - I'll be gone.

[mirider]

I can see how some of the comments could ruffle feathers but when people ask for advice and opinions on a given subject, they really should hear from those with positive as well as negative experiences. Would it be right for then to get only positive feedback when there are some negative opinions that may be of interest?

 

Couldn't agree more with your statement. However, when someone does ask advice it is nice that someone with real experience gives a review rather than someone just stating a biased opinion based on their own personal likes or dislikes. That serves no educational purpose to anyone.

 

I will say no more on the subject and be content with the ride choice I have made. As I am a relatively new member here, I can see I have tweaked the establishment so I will be much more cautious in the future with my own comments.

[frankd]

In the picture, the bike looks like it's got a MK I headlight. Maybe it had a front end impact?

 

I have a friend with a 1500 Gold Wing that had one of these kits installed, and like others have said it extended his riding. He likes his.

[Freebird]

Couldn't agree more with your statement. However, when someone does ask advice it is nice that someone with real experience gives a review rather than someone just stating a biased opinion based on their own personal likes or dislikes. That serves no educational purpose to anyone.

 

I will say no more on the subject and be content with the ride choice I have made. As I am a relatively new member here, I can see I have tweaked the establishment so I will be much more cautious in the future with my own comments.

 

You didn't tweak the establishment at all and I was not the least bit upset at your reply. Just felt that some clarification was needed. There is more than one way to look at many things.

[Hummingbird]

I have never understood why some individuals, when discussing a topic, must use disparaging terms to prove their point. Guess it just comes with the territory on public forums.

Since this was directly under my post, I have to guess that you understood I was making a disparaging commet. Not at all, I've had 5 different trikes, 4 Honda's and now the RSV w/hannigan and I did ride Bob's Voyager more than a block or two and to me there is quite a difference. Again, to me the comfort and handilng are superior in a trike as opposed to a Voyager.

I don't have a problem with anybody owning and likeing their Voyager, if that's what a person likes, I think it's GREAT !

And if I did ruffle feathers with my verbage, my apologies

 

Dick Byrd

[BlueSky]

I started this conversation and I had no knowledge of the Voyager kit. I want to thank everyone for their input. Entertainment, education, and friends are what this site is about. I'm happy I found this site and much thanks to Freebird for maintaining it. I learn something almost every day!

[venturesome]

Couldn't agree more with your statement. However, when someone does ask advice it is nice that someone with real experience gives a review rather than someone just stating a biased opinion based on their own personal likes or dislikes. That serves no educational purpose to anyone.

 

I will say no more on the subject and be content with the ride choice I have made. As I am a relatively new member here, I can see I have tweaked the establishment so I will be much more cautious in the future with my own comments.

 

The statements you have made have an arrogant tone that most members here have a distaste for. (in my biased opinion based on a personal dislike). My perception of your comments lead me to believe that since you are happy with your trike experiences, everyone else of any intelligence would have to agree with it.

 

Being a "relatively new member" here, you probably don't yet know that the "establishment" (Freebird) is not easily "tweaked". Why not try some of the other forums and see what kind of response you get when you give your opinion and then expect no one else to give theirs unless they agree with yours?

 

(My apologies, Freebird.. delete if you must)

Edited February 12, 2016 by venturesome
Called Freebird a Firebird by mistake!! LOL

[cowpuc]

Well I think when we FINALLY get more and all this :cold::snow2: gives way to some serious :7_2_102[1]: we will all feel a LOT better! :big-grin-emoticon:

 

Back to the trike discussion. Condor mentioned the steering dynamics of the Voyager Trike. I have ridden a LOT of ATC's and a number of Harley Trikes and totally get the point about how the turning dynamics of a two wheeled motorcycle differ from a trike and it sounds like those differences are what Jack was talking about when he mentioned getting preload correct?. I am still not sure that my pea brain is squared away with how that can be so though with the Voyager Trike still riding on and being powered by the center wheel.. @Condor or @mirider , are the outer wheels on your scoots firmly planted on the ground at all times - even in a hard corner? Is this where the "preload" on the rear suspention of the outer wheels comes into play? Do you guys find it necessary to reduced the stiffness and air pressure in the rear shock that came on the bike originally to soften up the bikes rear wheel to the ground contact so the rig doesnt tend to pivot on the center wheel instead of riding on the two outer wheels? Am I making any sense here

Hey Dave, thinking the disparage that you commented about earlier may have had something to do with the comment about one model of Trike being a "real Trike" or something like that? In the spirit of healthy unity, I am wondering if that comment may or may not have come from @Hummingbirds friend not having his machine set up properly and getting some kind of odd effects in handling (this is where it does get difficult when info comes third party - makes it hard to know for sure either way BUT even third party info is still GREAT discussion material because it makes me think - IMHO) - something along the line of how a bike may handle if it had training wheels or something. I only say that because it just seems like if the rear wheel of the bike were supporting the bulk of the weight and the outer two wheels were barely touching the ground it seems like the rig would handle more like a traditional two wheeler than a Trike BUT, once you went into a corner so you were now again riding a three wheels maybe the steering dynamics would want to change to that of a Trike - making for some really strange steering. On the other hand, it seems like if the Voyager Trike were set up like I think Jack was talking about, with the outer wheels suspention dialed in with the proper amount of preload and the center wheel was set up so it was basically not supporting the weight of the bike, the Trike would ride more like one with independent suspention (cause it does have independent boingers if I am understanding all this) instead of a straight axle Trike like the Harley Tri Glides I have ridden.. Am I still making sense here?

As far as a Voyager Trike probably not being the right set up for going where Tip and I like to ride,,:think: probably right on that one brother . I am thinking that a Trike built on some kind of posi track differential would be the answer.. Only problem with that is, thinking the posi would have to be unlockable cause I betcha a locked posi on a Triked Venture at 80 mph would REALLY have some strange steering characteristics

 

Someone pass the Hot Dogs please