Hi Everyone,

I have been thinking about adding an extra wheel as I am getting a bit older. I have had 5 back surgeries, it is getting to where holding up my Electra Glide with load and passenger when stopped is causing me enough problems to where I find I am avoiding any long rides.

I went to Old Glory HD and drove a black 2016. First time I have ever ridden one. As soon as the ride started I almost turned back but I stuck with it. After a few minutes I was much more at ease with it. It seems "darty" on the road, but I guess you get used to that, and it is really because of the immediate steering feedback I suppose.

We went on some curvy back roads, here is where my concern lies. I have been on motorcycles for 38 years, I felt as if i were near tipping on the curves. This was a 35 mph road and I was pretty much at 35 - so logically, I assume I am actually NO WHERE near the limit of the machine as far as tipping it over goes, but I am not 100% sure given how it feels.

It is "more work" to ride on the back road, but I think some of that may be me working against myself making it worse than it really is. Does it feel more tippy with 2 up?

The roominess of the thing is FANTASTIC - I am 6'5 and 375 lbs, If I put my tall boy seat from my Electra Glide on it I would probably be even more comfy. Not sure if you can lower the floor boards or not, you at least do not have to worry about the reduced clearance!

That 103 is like a Cadillac motor compared to my 88 with 77k miles on it and I love the idea of having 6th gear.

I would appreciate your thoughts....

 

Just went on a 155 mi poker run yesterday all back roads up and down a mountain. Many sharp turns 20 and 35 posted took most at close to double that. Now I don't have a new Tri glide got a 93 FLHS but they both have 3 wheels. We rode with some other 2 wheels and wife noticed I had to slow so not to over take them on the curves. Push and pull the bars you will get use to what a trike can do. Mine is only an 80 and keeps up just fine with in the legal max speeds. No can't keep up at over 80+ but don't want to. Take a few more rides get use to the limits it can do and you will find yours are probably less than the trikes. I think you will love it better I don't miss 2 anymore.

 

You are used to leaning into a curve on a bike. The trike will feel that way for you at first. I have found myself hitting curves now at or above the curve limits with no feeling of tipping. It is more like driving an ATV than a motorcycle. My wife feels more secure on the triglide than a motorcycle, to the point I have to make sure she stays awake. I think your apprehension is more due to the feeling of going to three wheels from two. Also, the trike will pick up more of the variations in the road than you are used to. But overall, you will soon feel more stable on it than you ever felt on a bike.

 

Your thoughts and comments mirror what my cousin now says about his trike.


Last summer, I went to Nashville and met up with my cousin and his son.
My cousin was riding a '92 Heritage that I sold to him in '94.


The following morning we headed south on the Natchez Trace parkway and stopped between Nashville and Columbia for breakfast at the Loveless Café with some family members. We continued on and spent the night in Tupelo, MS.
The next day we stopped at the H-D dealership in Jackson, MS for a couple of poker chips and while I was getting my poker chips my cousin was admiring the new Tri-Glides.
Anyway, at 5:30 PM we left that dealership and my cousin was riding a new, black Tri-Glide!
We spent that night in Jackson, looking the trike over and getting familiar with the controls and the next morning we continued on towards Natchez, MS.
It was interesting watching him operating that trike and even he knew how awkward he looked but we completed the trip safely.
He lives in TN and I speak to him frequently and he loves that trike but he still says that a two wheeler is a better machine on curvy roads, but as I told him, another friend of mine has a trike and he goes through curves like a bat,,,you know what I mean.


The guy that I do most of my riding with is planning on buying a '17 Tri-Glide but he wants a CVO. I think he's gonna have to settle for maybe the prettiest color and then do the "accessorizing" thing.


And me? IF, I buy another H-D it will be a three-wheeler, but I don't know IF and WHEN that may be, and only time will tell.

 

Takes about 100 miles to get used to the Tri-Glide....and, no, it will not tip over unless you want it to (lol). The frame on the Tri is different than your Electra-Glide...probably won't fit.

 

I have only had mine a week and I have put over 500 miles on it went from a 14 limited to a 13 Tri Glide. And I would do it again. Lucky I had a 3 wheeler when younger. So took to it fast. If you put the DK lift kit on it takes some of the twitch out of it and smooths out the ride and turns. And I have had it in a small rain storm and felt really comfortable with it. I will say this I talked to a lot of people with trikes . and over 1/2 said at first impression they were not that crazy about them but went back a rented one then ended up buying one . I really like mine. Plus tire wear is better

 

That "darty" feeling will go away when you get a few more miles on it - you won't even notice that as you get used to the machine. As for the tippy feeling, that to goes away as you get used to riding it. Helps me to lean my upper body into the turn a bit, I get more leverage with the "push" on my outside arm that way.
One more thing, stretch your arms out wide to your sides, and you will get an idea of how wide you are and keep that in mind around gas pumps & curbs. Just ride within your comfort zone and things will get easier and move up from there. I also can take curves faster than I ever dared to on 2 wheels. Enjoy your ride!

 

Take sometime and ride put a few hundred miles on don't ride hard just enjoy the new ride. Bride and I will not go back to two wheel just can't see that happening. Ride safely fearless


P.S. the color choice sounds great to us

 

Wife and I are on our second trikes. I went to 3 wheels 66 years old. Same reasons why you are considering a trike. First I loved my Tri-Glide, LOVE my Freewheeler even more. 55,000 miles on the Tri, about 10k on the Freewheeler. Some myths you will hear. NO, a trike will not steer easier than a 2 wheeler. Leaning does nothing, it is all upper body strength. No, it doesn't ride easier than a 2 wheeler. If jarring on your 2 wheeler hurts your back, it will be worse on the trike. No more riding on the sidewalk, gutter running, or splitting lanes, but that is probably a good thing. On a straight run you will be able to keep up with the crowd, on twisties, unless your friends ride like old women, they will be faster than you. Stands to reason, you can't lean, they can.

With all this bad mouthing, I'd never go back to two wheels. At nearly 71 I just couldn't hold up a 2 wheeler anymore. My 'Free' has been in 5 states so far, and we will be heading into Canada later this year. From an old Harley rider (bought the first one in 1970) you just can't go wrong.

Ride it in good health

 

It just takes some getting used to.

It's not going to tip over, unless you are running really hot into the curves.

It is a Much more relaxed ride. I really resisted the idea of going to 3 wheels, but now I'm really enjoying it!

Here's a vid to give you an idea of how stable they are. We were fully loaded, and two-up.