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Three wheel bikes.

6K views 20 replies 18 participants last post by  TRIIICK 
#1 ·
I'm seeing quite a few older riders on these things
around South Australia ugly SOB's, whacha reckon?:D
 
#2 ·
If you are disabled, missing a leg or something and want to ride, then I guess they are OK. Otherwise, IMHO, they are just mobile junkheaps, which are 80% car 20% bike. They have car steering and handling characteristics and won`t do ANY of the really good things that bikes do, like cranking right over on corners, filtering through traffic and wheelying.

They are no more 'three wheel motorcycles' than your car is, if you remove one of the wheels.
 
#3 ·
A friend of mine is interested in these things. I think he is afraid to ride a motorcycle, and I suppose this would be a good substitution. I think one would find however it is probably not much safer as most motorcycle accidents involve another vehicle and this would probably be no different. I'm not sure how much more visable these things would be to cage drivers.
 
#4 ·
Anyone know if a motorcycle endorsement is even required for those things?
 
#7 ·
There are a fair few around here too. I've met some of the owners at bike night at the BBQ place, and they are very enthusiastic. I'm taking a 'whatever floats your boat' approach. As welshrob says, it's a good disabled biker backup.
 
#10 ·
My wife's MP3 is registered as a motorcycle. There are some disadvantages with 3-tracks. (Loading it in the trailer requires both ramps be clamped closely together and even then the rear wheel can get wedged between the ramps.) It handles very well and is a lot of fun when you ride within its limits. That being said, it leans like a bike whereas the Can-Am is a true 3-wheeler like the old Morgans.
 
#11 ·
I think there pretty cool, who knows another 15 ,20 years ! just the thing for cruising around in yer senior years , coffee, bit of shopping
or even touring. Its not supposed to be a bike or a car its just something different and could be a bit of fun. bet it beats the snot out of a Harley electraglide on a mountain road, would be heaps of fun to film bikes from and better than always stuck in a car ..shirley?
 
#12 ·
I've seen a few of those around. I wonder how it is for people that are unable to ride a 'normal' bike and how these machines are able to open up a new area of transport for them and keep the spirit of motorcycling alive.
Perhaps one day when I'm weak and feeble unable to balance a 2 wheeled machine, I will consider one of these.
Yes. I see people on these and I think to myself...........

"Wanker"

Sorry, I just can't help it.
 
#13 ·
I can't see the point in most trikes. But Piaggio's MP3 looks interesting, as it leans & still has a relatively narrow front profile.
 
#15 ·
Starting to see more and more of them around here (northern Alabama), though the more conventional trikes (converted Harleys and Gold Wings) are more prevalent. In fact, I would estimate that I see one conventional trike for every five motorcycles I see.
 
#16 ·
If I was to choose a three wheeler, it would be a conventional trike and then only because the bike I want is too big for me to handle (especially as the wife is approaching 70, she'd rather pillion on something more stable now). Goldwing or Rocket Trikes are the ones I'd look at
 
#17 ·
I think they have their place. Certainly better than no riding at all if you are disabled, or even so short you can't ride the bike you want to. I saw a very tiny woman on a big Harley one, and she seemed to be having a great time. I had never thought of them before for people who really are disabled in their height limitations, but hey, it works. She appeared to only be about 4.5 feet tall. I'm sure she enjoyed her big bike more than say, a Honda Rebel.

I personally would want one that leans in corners if I go that route in old age. I did see a Yamaha supersport prototype with 4 wheels and it leaned pretty radically. It actually looked like fun if it ever comes to market. It looked like you could have all the fun you do with 2 wheels with the stability of 4. I used to dismiss the idea of ever having a trike/similar until I saw that. Then I thought, well... you could certainly carve up the twisties but be less likely to hit sand/gravel etc and crash. Actually with the baby boomers aging, and gas prices climbing, I bet we start seeing more of them.

One of my neighbors, in his 60s now, wants a Can Am Spyder after seeing one on the road. He said that was the only motorcycle he would feel secure with at this time in his life. I've been encouraging it. And it certainly gets better gas mileage than his 1 ton dually truck.
 
#18 ·
I've seen a couple of CanAm's close-up and they are really, really BIG! Low to the ground, but very large compared to a motorcycle; not something that appeals to me. Now the MP3, imagine one built by Aprila around the RSV4 engine. I might be interested in that!
 
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