got t-boned on Friday

kaimera

mr chips wrote: »

Have you thought about getting a trike?

It's been said to me a couple of times but I haven't really considered it tbh.

AgileMyth

Sidecar? I can give you a spin on one if you're around the North West and want to try it out.

You'd have to get around the shifting issue but at least theres no weight bearing to worry about.

mr chips

kaimera wrote: »

It's been said to me a couple of times but I haven't really considered it tbh.

I've had one for about 7 years, & don't mind answering any questions you might have about how it feels to ride etc. As I'm sure you know, lots are made using car engines, but there are plenty of converted bikes as well if you'd prefer to retain the same setup for controls. Gixers are a popular option, and the VMax also seems to lend itself to triking - wouldn't mind this one myself!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1200-yamaha-v-max-trike-/221300650974?pt=UK_Motorcycles&hash=item33868bf3de

Anyway, hope you manage to get back out there eventually, whatever way you do it. Best of luck.

unclebill98

3 Trikes on adverts. All under 4k. They are great fun.

positron

Skill Magill wrote: »

Sorry man, I bought the gloves off him, didn't realise it would cause offence

I was only joking, no offense taken. And now that I know you bought the gloves off him I fully understand what you mean. lol!!

positron

Can someone explain to me what is the appeal of the trikes? I have to admit I have never been on one, so to my uneducated mind, it's like a car without the weather protection. You can't filter like a bike, you can't lean, you can't do a wheelie (not that I have ever pulled a wheelie, just saying, from a power surge point of view), and they have all the restrictions of a car - you can't filter, you can't lane-split, can't take bike lanes etc etc.

Yep, it's the closest to two wheels you can get to if you can't physically manage a normal bike, but then again wouldn't you be better on an convertible / open top car?

Cienciano

positron wrote: »

Can someone explain to me what is the appeal of the trikes? I have to admit I have never been on one, so to my uneducated mind, it's like a car without the weather protection. You can't filter like a bike, you can't lean, you can't do a wheelie (not that I have ever pulled a wheelie, just saying, from a power surge point of view), and they have all the restrictions of a car - you can't filter, you can't lane-split, can't take bike lanes etc etc.

Yep, it's the closest to two wheels you can get to if you can't physically manage a normal bike, but then again wouldn't you be better on an convertible / open top car?

I doubt many people have one and no bike, the one guy I know who has one has a few bikes. So just a bit of fun really. Like a lot of custom bikes, they're slower, don't handle, filtering doesn't matter cos you're not commuting on them, but different people like different styles.
Don't pretend you don't want a go of that vmax trike!
Wouldn't be my thing either, but if I won the euromillions I'd definitely have one in the garage.

mr chips

I don't have a bike - only ever wanted a trike. You can definitely pull wheelies on them! It's not just about one thing having an advantage over something else, i.e. car gives you shelter vs bike gives you manoeuverability - it's mainly just about personal preference.

But I can think of plenty of practical reasons I prefer it all the same. On uncongested roads they can be just as quick as bikes and if the centre of gravity, chassis, rake & trail etc are set up correctly they will certainly outhandle either a car or a bike around the twisty bits, with the possible exception of a 4WD rally type machine like an Evo or an Impreza. Certainly that's been my experience anyway, when I feel like "attacking" the road - myself and my pals never have trouble keeping up on any mixed rideouts, charity runs etc and sometimes it's the bikes that are holding me back, not the other way round. For some folk, it's a big plus that they're not legally required to wear a helmet on a trike in the UK or Ireland, although I always do. If you do use it for commuting, it's true that you won't fight through the traffic as easily as on a bike, but it's still a great treat to have the option of the trike over the car on a nice day. They're a godsend for people with limited mobility who still want to ride. They're much more practical if you want to go touring and bring gear/beer, and more relaxing if you end up spending hours in the saddle. And in terms of other road users, the whole SMIDSY thing is no longer an issue.

There are plenty of good-looking factory-built trikes out there, but there's a lot more individuality and ingenuity involved in a custom-built one. Mine has parts from 4 different vehicles (bikes and cars) as well as some custom-made parts and there isn't another machine like it anywhere, but I can still service it using off-the-shelf parts. You can use pretty much any engine at all to build one - obviously you mightn't have much fun if you convert a 125cc bike, but for example a friend of mine has built his own machines, one powered by a Rover V8 in a custom-built chassis and another with a Subaru boxer engine mounted onto a VW chassis, and he's planning a build using a VW 2.5 litre TDi.