A Guide to Trike Buying in 2020.
/What do I need to know before buying a trike in 2020?
Every year trikes are becoming more popular. The average age of motorcyclists is now “47. The median age of the typical motorcycle owner is 47, up from 32 in 1990 and 40 in 2009.“
With that shift, we have seen the popularity of the touring bikes take off. The Goldwing’s and Ultra Classic’s are amazing machines that are a blast to ride and take trips on. The luxuries such as saddlebags, tour paks, cruise control, and blutooth headsets have made touring on a motorcycle fun and relaxing. However, with the bigger motorcycles and additional options comes more weight. These bikes weigh close to 900 pounds. Worrying about parking, gravel or wet roads can ruin the fun that a motorcycle brings.
No one wants to quit riding. It’s fun, relaxing and nobody likes a quitter. That’s why we got started building trikes over 20 years ago. We’ve spent countless hours both building brand new trikes and repairing and upgrading used trikes. We’ve put together a guide for you to keep in mind when looking to buy a trike in 2020.
Independent Rear Suspension.
The number one thing when buying a new trike, used trike or triking your current motorcycle is making sure that you are getting an independent rear suspension. The ride on an independent suspension trike and a solid axle trike do not compare. Many used trikes for sale on the market were built before most of the manufacturers made the switch to independent suspension trike kits. Keep that in mind when looking at a used trike. Most modern cars and luxury cars all use independent rear suspensions due to the more comfortable ride, better handling, and increased performance. Formula 1 race cars have used independent suspension for years and according to Hagerty, NASCAR will finally be making the switch and upgrading in 2021. UNB Customs has been a dealer for Roadsmith trikes for over 20 years, and have now added Hannigan Trikes to their line up due to the incredible ride their independent suspensions provide. You should never compromise the ride quality! The purpose of a trike is to ride in comfort and have fun!
Trike installer.
The best trike kit in the world installed incorrectly makes for a terrible trike. Try to find out who built the trike if possible because there is nothing worse than buying something that was installed wrong and not having someone who can fix it. We recommend test riding everything before you buy and that includes dealerships! Go check out the dealer and see what their place looks like and if they encourage test rides. See if they are knowledgeable about trikes such as the benefits of a triple tree steering kit and if they are willing to work with your requests for accessories such as auxiliary fuel tanks for Goldwings. Do they go over how to test ride a trike? They are different from a motorcycle.
Trike Steering.
Motorcycle trikes do ride differently than a traditional motorcycle. You need to turn the handlebars. Without the correct raked triple tree, the steering is very difficult. The triple tree changes the angle of the forks which puts the front tire at the correct angle against the road and reduces the effort needed to turn the handlebars by over 50%. This also eliminates the shaking of the front end that can occur around 25-29 MPH. This along with an independent suspension can really make or break your trike experience. Buying a trike without a steering kit is similar to buying a new car without power steering. You just wouldn’t do it.
Maintenance.
The maintenance required for a trike will vary depending on motorcycle manufacturer and trike kit manufacturer. Learning what is required is essential because we all know how important routine maintenance is for keeping a machine running smoothly. The trike kits can have joints and fittings that will need to be maintained and lubricated periodically. Belt driven bikes will need to have the belt tension set and wear checked out. Some kits will have disc brakes while others use drum brakes. Drum brakes are a little harder to maintain and are harder to see brake pad wear. Rear tires on trikes can look misleading as the tread lasts a very long time on trikes because they are lighter vehicles. However, you should check the date code on the side of the tire. This will show the age of the tire which oftentimes expires before the tread wears out. Tire life expectancy is about 6 years. It is also a good idea to check the battery’s manufacture date. For the Goldwing 1800’s we’d recommend looking into the most recent service of the air cleaner as changing it is typically around a 3-hour job (which surprises a lot of first time Goldwing owners). For older trikes, you may want to take a look inside the gas tank for rust if it’s been sitting a long time. Don’t be afraid to ask questions!
Should I buy a new or used trike or trike my own bike?
This is probably the most common question we get when talking with people who are considering a trike. The real answer is: It depends.
There is no one size fits all answer to this. The most popular option is to have the motorcycle be on the newer side and in the touring family of bikes, such as the Harley Ultra Classic, Honda Goldwing and Indian Roadmaster. This takes care of the accessory requirements most touring riders have such as storage room, cruise control, reverse for the Goldwings, ample rider and passenger seating space, floorboard customization, and radios, etc. Having said that, Softail’s and Sportster’s are some of the most popular bikes we trike! Those owners could not be happier! It will depend on your goals and preferences.
As far as triking your own vs. buying new or used: It will come down to what your bike is worth to you. Most independent suspension trike kits cost around $16 - $17,000 professionally installed with a triple tree steering kit, reverse and painted to match. You will need to be comfortable investing that into your bike. A new trike kit will come with all the accessories you want and will be built to your specs, with a warranty. And you choose who installs it. In our experience if you already own a great bike, you will tend to trike yours because you know the maintenance was taken care of, it has the paint and accessories you love and it is ‘My Bike’.
If you don’t currently own a motorcycle and you’re looking to buy a used one, keep an eye out for the things mentioned in this article and don’t be afraid to ask questions! There are some great deals on used trikes out there now as they’ve become more popular over the years. But as the saying goes “if it’s too good to be true, it probably is”. Make sure you test ride! See you on the road!
Have additional questions about trikes? Let us help!
