Being part of the Hamsters for 30+ years and building custom bikes, I never thought of owning a Trike. One night 10 years ago, as we were admiring all the custom one-of-a-kind bikes at Sturgis, a buddy says to me, “You know what the next big thing is going to be……. Trikes”. I’m like what? And he says, “Think about it. We are all getting older.” Well guess what… I bought a Trike.
Because of a major bike accident a few years ago, I’ve lost my ability to close or grip with my right hand. It’s become a major problem to hold up a heavy bagger, and I fell over too many times. I decided I can’t risk this anymore with my wife on the back, so I started looking at trikes to solve these issues. I still have my Chopper that I built and don’t have the same problem riding it, but I’m not packing my wife…
So bottom line, I bought a 2017 M8 Tri-Glide and I’m really starting to enjoy the benefits of three wheels on the ground. First you have to get used to not putting your feet down. Then spend time riding through some twisty roads steering the trike like a snowmobile.
It took a while to get accustomed to the unique handling of the three-wheeler, but now I travel as fast through corners as I ever did on a Harley 2- wheeler. This is a key issue. The stock trikes don’t handle well. My trike handling is quite good, because of the upgrades to the suspension. The rear OEM shocks were replaced with Legends shocks and the front end was modified with Legends gas canisters. Also, a Legend lift kit was installed which raised the rear an inch. These upgrades are vastly better than the stock setup for ride quality and handling.
When considering rear suspension on trikes, the big issue is adjustability and length of travel. The stock air ride shocks are short and when adjusted for two passengers reduces the travel significantly. Some people are using longer coil over like 13-14-inch without the lift kit with good results, but the lift kit and standard-length shocks are more the norm. Lots of forums to read up on this stuff.
I can understand why new trike guys ride ‘em for six months and sell them disillusioned. They are seeking a fun and stable alternative to 2-wheelers. If stock trikes don’t do the trick, the search continues.
I’ve been working with and dialing in my trike for months, and now it handles and rides comfortably. I might keep it. It offers a safe platform to travel two- up with lots of gear for long distance touring.
Would I prefer 2 wheels…. Of course, but not being afraid of tipping over while traveling or putting my feet down on slippery shit or gravel with my wife on the back is worth it!
We all come to a point where we have to assess our ability to ride safely and be able to continue staying in the wind. I know we all want to maintain our outlaw image but want to keep riding. Harley has done a pretty good job with these tri-glides and I’m glad to have one.
I’m planning to ride mine to Sturgis next year and have a feeling I’ll be bumping into other ex-outlaws on trikes feeling free in the wind.
–DaCat
You might hear from DaCat in the near future to discuss trike passenger issues, M-8 engine and oil pump issues and the new 6-quart oil capacity.—Bandit
Sources:
Legends Suspension
www.legendsuspensions.com
Hamster Charity Effort
5-Ball Garage
Bandit’s Cantina
