Trikes

[swalker]

Has anyone seen a Guzzi trike? Not one of those you have to use the rear tire. No training wheels please. I mean a real trike like you see almost every other brand with. I am kicking this around. Depending on cost of course. I want to keep my California Custom but am wondering if I will be able to handle it ok, like a person should if you are going to ride one. A friend of mine had his Harley built into a trike over in Afton, Oklahoma. They done a great job. I have sent them an e-mail with questions, etc. so am waiting to hear back. Hoping one or two of our viewers here will have some ideas.

Thanks everyone.

Steve

[Madtownguzzi]

My father in law got the Voyager trike for his Road King and hated it. It is a training wheel trike. He sold the kit and purchased a new Harley trike and loves it. He is still riding at 80 years old!! 

http://www.mtcvoyager.com/kits-available/?gclid=CJ6GhLWRrcMCFYVAaQodgZMAuQ

[Arizona Wayne]

I put a Tow-pac trike kit on my Aprilia 500 maxi-scooter and liked it but have never ridden a real trike of that design(have MP3s instead).   Found out the belt drive design wasn't up to the task so am going to put the Tow-pac on my CX100 instead for the wife.  :)

[rodekyll]

I'm building one, but not riding it yet.  I don't think steve is curious about how they go together as much as in how they are to pilot, and I have not driven a MG trike -- only HD's.

[Howard R]

Someone built a trike for Joe Eish.  One year at New Cumberland they had Joe's, another the builder made for himself, and a third he made for another friend.  All Guzzi based but each slightly different.  He said there were no permanent modifications to the host bike frame, I think he mentioned using a cut-down Ford (maybe Pinto?) diff & axles.

Howard

Edit to add pic:

[swalker]

Rodekyll is in the last stages of building a trike .

  Dusty

Out of a California Custom?

[swalker]

Someone built a trike for Joe Eish.  One year at New Cumberland they had Joe's, another the builder made for himself, and a third he made for another friend.  All Guzzi based but each slightly different.  He said there were no permanent modifications to the host bike frame, I think he mentioned using a cut-down Ford (maybe Pinto?) diff & axles.

Howard

Edit to add pic:

Thanks Howard... I am kicking this around incase riding mine isn't going to work for me. Or maybe downsize. But I really like my Custom and am hoping I can get along with it.
Steve

[rodekyll]

Hydrovert.  Donor is a 2003 EV that I convertized about 30k ago.  I'm only keeping the fluid drive part of the 'vert. 

[Lee Bruns]

Not trying to hijack the thread, but why a trike? What does a trike do better than a sidecar rig? Sidecar can be installed for a fraction of the cost of a trike conversion, and can be reversed for resale.

[Semper-guzzi]

I think side cars look cooler too.

[Lee Bruns]

I do wish someone would come up with a way to remove 5th gear, and install a reverse gear. Sidecars and trikes simply don't need the over-the-top overdrive, and could really use a reverse in its place. I'm not familiar enough with the innards of transmissions to know how un-workable that is though.

[rodekyll]

And there I thought we'd get through a trike thread without an invasion of the sidehack Nazis.



My trike has reverse.  No 5th.  Or 4th, 3rd, 2nd, or first.

[Lee Bruns]

And there I thought we'd get through a trike thread without an invasion of the sidehack Nazis.



My trike has reverse.  No 5th.  Or 4th, 3rd, 2nd, or first.

I'm lumped in with a group that murdered 8 million people for asking a question? seems a bit over the top.

[charlie b]

IF I were to do a trike it would be with dual front wheels.  A bit harder to do the suspension part and bodywork.  But, if you put a suspension like that on the front, then why sit up high like that?  Lower the seating position.  Then make it lower.  Then put a "fairing" around the rider.  Then you have a Morgan three wheeler :)

It does seem like there should be more Guzzi trikes.  The driveshaft layout just begs for it, like the Gold Wing trikes.

Sidecars?  That's the way I'll probably end up, just because it's easier.  I wonder how an electric motor driving the sidecar wheel would work for reverse?

[guzzisteve]

"I wonder how an electric motor driving the sidecar wheel would work for reverse?"

Starter ring gear & Starter w/separate batt.

[charlie b]

That's kinda what I was thinking.

[Chuck in Indiana]

To those guys that think they'll probably end up with a sidecar because it's easier.. have you driven one? About the only thing that is easier is they won't fall down if you forget to put your foot down at a stop.  ~; They are easier in snow and mud. That's about it, as far as I'm concerned. It takes some pretty serious strength in your arms, back, and shoulders.. not to mention having to move all over it if you are going (relatively) fast in the twistys.
Trikes have their own unique issues, too. There's no magic bullet. I've decided to just go to lighter bikes. When I *get* old, of course.  ;D

[Arizona Wayne]

The only thing easier about a sidecar hack over a trike is maybe the cost of assembling it.  After that the hack is a handful in corners and yes, your upper body will get a workout unless you just ride it on straight roads.  That's assuming it's aligned properly.   Turning left or right on a trike is the same.  Turning left for right on a hack is completely different.  Many riders get killed on a hack in corners.  :'(  I've had both.  To each their own happiness.  But anyone who switches to either route should first ride that sort of rig to make sure they're ready for what it really is going to be like.   ;)

[voncrump]

This is a pic of a Guzzi trike that I spotted at the Rattley Tappett rally in New Zealand 2008.



It seemed to be well made, maybe someone else from Kiwiland will kick in with more info.

Cheers, voncrump

[cwiseman]

Reverse is easy to add to a trike, they mount a flywheel on the front of the rear axle and use a starter motor to turn it, BAM you got reverse! No need to jack with the transmission!

[Brattus]

Had seen this on Trade Me( NZ E Bay) could be from trike works in Taupo. We have a few members of our club in Auckland(Ulysses) whom have bike based trikes. They seem to like them.

[Tom]

Seem I remember a trike at the MN drown=in.  It was silver and the set-up looked pretty good.  The owner may have abandoned it for the insurance.  It and the accompanying bike were in operational shape.  My LeMans was the last bike out of the water and the trike was not in the water.  I think that the owner wanted to collect insurance on the trike.   :-*

[guido in texas]

I built one 2 years ago using a 2002 California Special and installed a Motor Trike kit from a Honda Valkyrie. Rode it to the GRIT Rally in Lindale and it's still on the road today. I no longer have it but the Lady I traded it to still rides it and loves it. I have a picture but don't know how to post pics on here. Was a fairly easy conversion and handles well. I have had sidecar rigs in the past and I assure you the trike is much better. I now have a 2002 Goldwing Motor Trike and I really enjoy it.

Guido in Texas

[Calijackalbob]

Hi guys.
Been curious about Guzzi Trikes for a while. If you got one, share some pics here.

Here's a couple i found on the interweb........... .





This one was for sale in Australia for a while. A heavily modified California.





Another Aussie, now for sale on gumtree in Australia.





A Nevada in the US of A.

Show us yer Guzzi Trike and tell us about it.


While searching for Guzzi Trikes I came across this Cali Vintage..........










Looks sweet. Turns out that it ain't a Trike at all, but a Fourk!

It has a bolt on pair of wheels and running boards courtesy of a mob called Richland Roadster. You keep your rear wheel, (subtly hidden by the rear crossmember.) and bolt on one of these....





.......... comes with running lights and stop lights. You don't need to modify your frame or anything, just bolt on the kit and remove it if you wanna go back to two wheels.

Here's a shot of the rear view. You can glimpse the bikes driving wheel still in place.





anyways, I was wondering if anyone out there has done a Richland Roadster Four wheel (Fourk) Trike conversion on your Guzzi. Please share your experience.

The Cali Vintage above was, I think, done by the company itself. The "Owner" who gushes about it in their Testimonials, (I found upon researching a bit) actually works for the company, so I'm not sure how truthful the testimonial is.

There are a few other American companies who also do bolt-on trike (Fourk) conversions, Voyager and a few others I can't remember right now.

Anyone Downunder done anything like this?

[yogidozer]

[rodekyll]

I've been riding mine a little bit.  It works most of the time.  I don't have a pic handy right now -- it's under some snow.  Maybe someone else does.  You might want to find a trike and ride it before getting too excited about owning one.  They are neither fish nor fowl to other modes of travel.

[Kiwi_Roy]

Don't get excited, this is an old thread

[rschrum]