May 09, 2020

2008 Goldwing Trike Kit Conversion

May 09, 2020/ Phil Cohrs

Ric and Linda are ready to ride their new Goldwing trike this spring!

They ordered a Roadsmith HTS1800 Goldwing trike kit. Customized with a triple tree steering kit, running boards, chrome wheels, a parking brake, and paint protection on the fenders.

Roadsmith trike kit installed on a Goldwing 1800.

A look under the body of a trike kit installed on a Goldwing.

The Roadsmith trike kit provides a true rear independent suspension. The trailing arm for each wheel allows for a longer wheelbase while absorbing each bump in the road smoothly and independently of the other wheel. The rear sway bar adds to the smoothness of the ride. The automotive differential, driveshaft cv joints, and disc brakes offer an extremely durable solution to the moving, wearable parts on the trike kit. These parts are all engineered to go on cars, so the lighter duty application of a trike makes them last much longer. They are a big reason behind Roadsmith’s impressive 3 year - 1,000,000 mile warranty. The Goldwing retains the original exhaust with extensions to move them out to be even with the body. You can see the 1 1/4” trailer hitch that comes standard on the Roadsmith trike kits is built right into the frame.

After we paint the trike body to match the Goldwing, we sand and buff the body for a final prep before installation.

Trike body installation on the Goldwing.

The taillights, trunk carpeting, hinges, and trim all go on the body during the installation. Then the top trunk gets put back on and we install the running boards.

Trike body and running boards installed on the Goldwing.

We brought the trike over to TNT Auto Glass for paint protection. They did a phenomenal job of installing the paint protection on the trike fenders and running boards. The paint protection is clear so it doesn’t take away from the looks of the Goldwing trike, while also being very strong to protect against road debris.

Paint protection on the Goldwing trike body.

Ric and Linda’s completed Goldwing trike

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February 07, 2020

Honda F6B Trike Conversion with a Custom Reverse

February 07, 2020/ Phil Cohrs

The F6B Is a beautiful machine. We were lucky enough to get to bring one back to life after a little dust up and it came back better than ever!

Charles brought us his F6B wanting it to be a slick-looking trike that rode as comfortable as possible. So we pulled out all the stops.

We went with the Hannigan independent suspension trike kit for a super smooth ride.
The wider 180 front end rake kit for better trike handling and easier steering.
Running board ground effects for keeping the weather off him and ties the look together.
Added LED Lights for style & safety.
Reused F6B saddlebag lights on the trike body as signal / running lights.
Lighted Spoiler (brake light) on the back of the trike body for more visibility.
Chrome wheels
Trailer package - Tow hitch and receiver and tie-downs on the trike frame for easy transportation.
Battery tender plug and a power accessory block for ease of adding more accessories later.
Auxiliary fuel tank.
A reverse that is not available on the F6B from Honda or with any trike conversion on the market.

The simple fact is trikes are large, heavy machines. Most riders park smart 99.9% of the time but there will always be that one time that you will need to back it up. Without a reverse to help, you will be pushing it! That is why UNB Customs works so hard to try to offer a custom reverse to trikes whenever possible.

UNB was able to custom fit a reverse motor in the Hannigan trike suspension. It was then set up to operate with a simple switch mounted inside the switch housing on the handlebar making it look factory!

Another detail we wanted to improve for Charles was the location of the trunk lock and how the trunk light activated. We moved the lock to the fins side cover instead of below the spoiler for easier key access. We also wired the trunk light to only turn on when the trunk door is open so it won’t cause any unnecessary draw on the battery.

We look forward to seeing more and more of these F6B trikes out on the road!

Enjoy your ride Charles!

January 14, 2020

A Guide to Trike Buying in 2020.

January 14, 2020/ Phil Cohrs

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!

Belt Drive Trike Chassis

Driveshaft Trike Chassis

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!

Motorcycle owner age source

Have additional questions about trikes? Let us help!

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October 24, 2019

You've Never Seen A Goldwing Trike Like This.

October 24, 2019/ Phil Cohrs

This is a one of a kind Goldwing Trike. We’ve never built one like this before, and we’re so excited with how it turned out and can’t wait to show you what we’ve done!

Moses came to us with a unique challenge. He wanted to build a Goldwing trike that had all the best options available. He wanted an independent rear suspension. The widest front end for better steering and longevity. He wanted a stereo that was LOUD and clear. Running boards. Chrome wheels, extra gas tank, chrome bumper, LED lighted mudflaps, and lots of chrome new and refreshed. He wanted the works. UNB Customs delivered.

This trike was built with a Roadsmith HTS 1800 independent suspension trike kit in the rear. It extends the wheelbase about 9” giving it an extremely smooth ride.

The Roadsmith trike conversion was completed with Wing Guard running boards (that you can stand on). Chrome rear wheels. Chrome fender trim. Lighted mudflaps. A Bumper. a 5 gallon auxiliary fuel tank. 6 cubic feet of trunk space, a drawbar/trailer hitch and trike cover. But all those are just the beginning.

What is really setting this Goldwing trike apart from the rest is the unique addition of Hannigan’s 180 Front End Package.

Hannigan’s 180 front end package is wider and raked out for much easier steering. The wider fork and tire system allows for longer tire life than the standard motorcycle front tire. Plus looks great with the rest of the trike.

The next unique challenge was how to incorporate a LOUD stereo into the trike that still sounded crisp.

UNB Customs was able to modify the trike body to allow 2 speakers directly into the trike body. An Amp and subwoofer into the trunk. And we replaced the bikes speakers with tweeters that are way above stock quality speakers! Topped off with custom grills.

After the custom stereo was completed we wanted to light it up! UNB Customs added LED lights all over the bike so it would stand out in the dark just as much as it did in the sun!

All of this came together for an amazing one of a kind Goldwing trike. Independent rear suspension with a 3 year 1,000,000 mile warranty. A new wider easier steering front end. Custom stereo in the the trike body. LED lights. Chrome. And no one else has one like it!

We can’t wait to see where Moses and his Goldwing go. Congratulations on your new ride!

April 24, 2019

The ALL NEW HTX kit from Roadsmith trikes: For the new 2018 Goldwing 1800’s

April 24, 2019/ Phil Cohrs

The team at UNB Customs has completed its first trike conversion on the all new automatic 2018 Goldwing 1800! This is an incredible machine.

This conversion was done for our friend Tommie. He came to us last year looking to convert his Goldwing to a trike using a Roadsmith independent suspension trike kit. He wanted to see one in person first so he met us at the Wing Ding event in Knoxville TN. Roadsmith had a blue HTX trike kit on display.

The kit was ordered and UNB Customs got to work on the trike conversion.

Disassembling the rear end of the motorcycle, the saddle bags, rear wheel / tire, exhaust mufflers, swing arm and drive shaft and getting ready to install the trike kit. Once the bike is prepped the trike kit is rolled on the lift to start the trike kit installation. Installation of the trike kit and all accessories and painting the trike body to match the bike takes between 5-10 business days.

Independent suspension trike kit for 2018 GL1800.JPG

While the kit is being installed the fiberglass body gets put into the paint booth to be painted to match. The front end is also modified at this time to allow for easier steering. The new HTX kit uses a whole new cast aluminum fork assembly to increase the rake of the bike to act as power steering.

Tommie’s Goldwing trike was completed adding a bunch of trike accessories to it. The wing guard running boards (weight bearing), chrome wheels, mudflaps, fork assembly and lights in the body.

One of the defining features of Roadsmith’s HTX kit is that it moves the tour pack up 1.5 inches and back 1.5 inches. Creating much needed additional room for passengers. This is a Roadsmith exclusive.

The other exclusive trike accessory design from Roadsmith is the front fork assembly. It is a one new cast aluminum piece. This allows for precision accuracy in production and installation.

The completed trike conversion is beautiful. The new automatic Goldwing 1800’s make an extremely impressive trike. These are some of the best trikes one the market!