[GWTrike]

I recently bought a 1989 GW with a Voyager Trike kit installed. I have put about 600 miles on it so far.

Yesterday, my wife rode on the back, fully loading the GW between us. Got 34.5 mpg traveling backroads with no traffic lights, but varying speeds from 65mph down to 35mph for towns I had to pass through.

The roads were curvy, but not overly so. Still it took alot of hand-shoulder strength to ride the trike as the roads crowned heavily. On two wheels, you'd just be leaning slightly, shifting your weight just ever so slightly. On a trike you're pushing/pulling the handlebars in place of leaning.

Taking sharp turns down a hill was not fun. I had to slow down even more than a car since my trike wanted to continue its forward motion across lanes of traffic and not make a nearly 90 degree left turn.

Straightaways are a blast. Coming to stops is easy. Being in traffic is easy. And riding 2-up wasn't a relearning experience as it might be on 2 wheels.

But i'll tell ya, it's a whole new world riding a trike and not being able to just jiggle a little to avoid a pothole like you would on 2 wheels. And braking... while you don't lose control of the trike under panic braking like you could on 2-wheels, stopping the trike quickly is a no-go. I'm going to have to look into better pads and maybe a red-do of the brake fluid.

I'm still not sold on riding a trike as 2-wheels feels more comfortable one-up, but my wife was an instant fan of the trike since she can get on and off without me holding up the bike and getting in her way as she mounts/dismounts the bike. She also likes the comfort - said she could barely feel the bumps... well, duh, that's because my arms and shoulders were absorbing all the vibration

So if she has anything to say about it, the trike is here to stay. My son liked the trike, but said he would remove the training wheels and see what a GW can really do. I think he'd be impressed - even with the training wheels as to how much get up 'n go that bike has.

 

[tfdeputydawg]

Just a couple responses.
1. A Voyager is not a trike kit. It is very far from one. It is a set of outriggers wheels.
It requires an expert to "tune it" to the bike it's added to. If not done properly, it can be a very scary thing, even dangerous, to ride.
2. It steers liks a "slug", as does a true trike, unless a rake kit is added to the front. However, once you add a rake kit to one of the "outrigger" units, you can NEVER remove that unit to ride as a 2 wheeler!

 

[GWTrike]

Just a couple responses.
1. A Voyager is not a trike kit. It is very far from one. It is a set of outriggers wheels.
It requires an expert to "tune it" to the bike it's added to. If not done properly, it can be a very scary thing, even dangerous, to ride.
2. It steers liks a "slug", as does a true trike, unless a rake kit is added to the front. However, once you add a rake kit to one of the "outrigger" units, you can NEVER remove that unit to ride as a 2 wheeler!

Thanks for your reply.

I know it's not a "tue trike" since the drive train and rear tire remain unchanged, but it gives me the opportunity to see what a "true trike" would be like riding-wise.

Totally agreed on the tuning factor, especially if you read the hoor stories of the "death wobble". Whoever installed this one seems to have gotten it mostly right. I have ordered the jack stands for it since I plan to go over the entire installation and adjust preload and alignment, if indicated.

As for raking a bike, it's just a new set of triple trees with 4-6 degrees of rake. I'm not sure why a bike would be unridable on 2 wheels after that since some folks in the cruiser world get their front-ends raked without converting to a trike, not to mention chopper riders. Though perhaps with a GW, it is different since it was engineered to be what it is and not something else. That is, a GW isn't a VTX cruiser with a fairing; it is its own design.

Thanks,
Greg

 

[budoka]

My experience with one is that trikes aren't for everybody. My Lehmann was cool at first, had the easy steer, and all the kit was very good quality. Kicked the bejeebers out of my mileage and range, and totally destroyed the plush ride of the 1500. Handled like a sports car though, never noticed the braking performance drop either, but it wasn't a Voyager so. I'd be curious to ride one of the IRS equipped trikes now though. Just like a sidecar rig, takes getting used to I guess.

 

[chrisgl1800]

Just a couple responses.
1. A Voyager is not a trike kit. It is very far from one. It is a set of outriggers wheels.
It requires an expert to "tune it" to the bike it's added to. If not done properly, it can be a very scary thing, even dangerous, to ride.
2. It steers liks a "slug", as does a true trike, unless a rake kit is added to the front. However, once you add a rake kit to one of the "outrigger" units, you can NEVER remove that unit to ride as a 2 wheeler!

1. If putting two wheels on the rear of a bike is training wheels, why is it not the same when you "trike" it?? Still training wheels. And even a trike kit must be put on properly, otherwise it too will be "a scary thing" even dangerous ride. Even applys to two wheeler's....

2. If you put the easy steer on, why can't you reverse it? To reverse it you just put the original triple tree back on.???????

3. I have ridden all three. The 3+ wheelwrs are the same when it comes to handling and having to steer all the time. One thing you gain is more tire footprint to stop with. Ever ridden a bike with the extra wheel/wheels in front?

I'm sorry you don't like the Voyager, Trigg, Tow Pac kits and any others, but there is a need for them as well as trikes. You're going to have to make room for a rash of other than standard 2 wheelers me thinks. I love them all!!

 

[GWTrike]

My experience with one is that trikes aren't for everybody. My Lehmann was cool at first, had the easy steer, and all the kit was very good quality. Kicked the bejeebers out of my mileage and range, and totally destroyed the plush ride of the 1500. Handled like a sports car though, never noticed the braking performance drop either, but it wasn't a Voyager so. I'd be curious to ride one of the IRS equipped trikes now though. Just like a sidecar rig, takes getting used to I guess.

With your Lehman, the brakes stopped both back wheels. With the Voyager, I've got wheels rolling freely while braking. I don't know if that's a plausible answer for the mediocre braking on my 1500, but it may be part of it.

I got 34.5mpg on yesterday's 2-up ride with the bike being fully loaded and speeds running mostly 60-65mph with some 35mph zones with no traffic signals. That's a respectable 217 mi range, but with a true trike and the power train running both back wheels (instead of them free rolling with the bike), I can see how MPGs could fall off.

Yeah, I wouldn't mind trying a true trike with IRS. The Voyager is sold as having IRS, but it's not the same thing, though bumps are not bad on it.

 

[tfdeputydawg]

Thanks for your reply.

I know it's not a "tue trike" since the drive train and rear tire remain unchanged, but it gives me the opportunity to see what a "true trike" would be like riding-wise.
I will belabor this no further after telling you there is no comparison that can be made between the "ride" of an outrigger add-on and that of a real trike.

Totally agreed on the tuning factor, especially if you read the hoor stories of the "death wobble". Whoever installed this one seems to have gotten it mostly right. I have ordered the jack stands for it since I plan to go over the entire installation and adjust preload and alignment, if indicated.

As for raking a bike, it's just a new set of triple trees with 4-6 degrees of rake. I'm not sure why a bike would be unridable on 2 wheels after that since some folks in the cruiser world get their front-ends raked without converting to a trike, not to mention chopper riders.
There a vast difference in changing the angle of neck of the frame on a motorcycle and changing the "rake" by use of different triple trees. The danger is in the change of what is called the trail with the addition of raked triple trees to a motorcycle.
The trail dimension should never be less than 4" on a 2 wheeled bike.
As close as a stock Wing is to this is one of the reason people are experiencing the decel wobble when they remove their hands from the grips(don't know why anyone does this but, that's another story)

Though perhaps with a GW, it is different since it was engineered to be what it is and not something else. That is, a GW isn't a VTX cruiser with a fairing; it is its own design.

Thanks,
Greg

Changing the "angle" of the forks and the "rake" and "trail" of the front end is an exacting science to keep a bike from being incredibly dangerous to ride.
Here's one of untold sources on rake and trail:
http://www.performanceoiltechnology.com/rake_and_trail.htm

 

[tfdeputydawg]

My experience with one is that trikes aren't for everybody. My Lehmann was cool at first, had the easy steer, and all the kit was very good quality. Kicked the bejeebers out of my mileage and range, and totally destroyed the plush ride of the 1500. Handled like a sports car though, never noticed the braking performance drop either, but it wasn't a Voyager so. I'd be curious to ride one of the IRS equipped trikes now though. Just like a sidecar rig, takes getting used to I guess.

Although everyone will not agree, that statement is exactly why I keep telling people to test, test, test before you decide.
The solid axle models still leave the ride harsh in my opinion and can make it even worse.
I can predict solid axle trikes will be obsolete just like cassette tapes soon, except for Harley, whom has made a fortune off of hyping the public to buy out of date, passé motorcycles!

With your Lehman, the brakes stopped both back wheels. With the Voyager, I've got wheels rolling freely while braking. I don't know if that's a plausible answer for the mediocre braking on my 1500, but it may be part of it.

I got 34.5mpg on yesterday's 2-up ride with the bike being fully loaded and speeds running mostly 60-65mph with some 35mph zones with no traffic signals. That's a respectable 217 mi range, but with a true trike and the power train running both back wheels (instead of them free rolling with the bike), I can see how MPGs could fall off.
My Wing/Hannigan averages 35/36mpg, riding is 2up and highway miles 99% of the time. Mileage prior to conversion was 42mpg. This is w/a taller/wider shield, mirror wings, upper and lower airwings and trike wings. BT45 rear tire, mounted reverse rotation on front @ 42psi. Rear tires are 24psi left and 26psi right.

Yeah, I wouldn't mind trying a true trike with IRS. The Voyager is sold as having IRS, but it's not the same thing, though bumps are not bad on it.
But, cornering can be a thrill, especially when the inside wheel decides to lift