Now that the CPSC agreement is finished.....

[OZQUAD44]

Theoretically a manufacturer could release a 2005 three wheeler could they not.

I understand that now the ATV sport revolves around quads, and I'm not suggesting that a whole range of three wheelers hit the market again. I'm just thinking along the lines of a "sand bike"

Anyone who has ridden quads, bikes and threewheelers knows that the sand is the spiritual home of a three wheeler. They're in their element. The sanddune market is filled with buggies, rails, and 4x4's etc . Why not a modern three wheeler.

I'm thinking, Low seat height, wide axle, modern motor, modern plastics, electric start, light weight, and spare parts for everyone.

Woo Hoo!

[raptor]

Could we not start some online petition? i bet we could get thousands to sign

but for which company? if we could start one company off the other company might start re-producing also and so forth on.

[trikezilla]

I WILL SIGN IT!!!!! man..i would cry for a NEW trike! HERES A QUESTION...... WOULD YOU TRADE AN OLDER TRIKE FOR A NEW ONE..? ASSUMING THE OLD ONE IS NOT A PILE OF CRAP, AND IS NICER THAN THE AVERAGE TRIKE, AND THE NEW ONE IS RELIABLE??

i DONT KNOW IF I COULD PART WITH AN ORGINAL....BUT IT WOULD CROSS MY MIND!

[trikerider2oo7]

you can sign all you want but i GUARANTEE that no company is going to make trikes again. they will claim that they are too dangerous. and they will probably think they will get into a bunch of lawsuits again

[LonesomeTriZ]

Theoretically a manufacturer could release a 2005 three wheeler could they not.

I understand that now the ATV sport revolves around quads, and I'm not suggesting that a whole range of three wheelers hit the market again. I'm just thinking along the lines of a "sand bike"

Anyone who has ridden quads, bikes and threewheelers knows that the sand is the spiritual home of a three wheeler. They're in their element. The sanddune market is filled with buggies, rails, and 4x4's etc . Why not a modern three wheeler.

I'm thinking, Low seat height, wide axle, modern motor, modern plastics, electric start, light weight, and spare parts for everyone.

Woo Hoo!

Your heart is in the right place. However, how are you going to convince a big corporation that building trikes is profitable? All they care about is their bottom line. What I would suggest is build a prototype of what you described. Use parts that are easy to get. Use a popular engine and make it some what simple. Make sure it is unique and can easily be upgraded for an individual’s needs and wants. Then sell them. You do that; maybe the big shot will take notice. :w00t:

[Dammit!]

you can sign all you want but i GUARANTEE that no company is going to make trikes again. they will claim that they are too dangerous. and they will probably think they will get into a bunch of lawsuits again

And rightly so. They've already lost several huge lawsuits (unjustly, but that doesn't change anything). Thank our wonderful court system that awards judgements to idiots that blatantly disregard all the saftey warnings all over the bikes and manuals. They're the real reason why you'll never see another mass produced trike again.

[Orangecnty250r]

I would love to know the rate of injuries per 1000 bikes for three wheeler, quads, and motocross. I'm a therapist working in physical rehab and I have treated my share of spinal cord injuries from 4 wheelers. The bottom line is they are all dangerous. big corps are lawsuit shy of the three wheeler. To bad waivers didn't work for big corps. And I think the bottom line would work for them. They would sell. I know though we'll probably never see them. I must say I rode a suzuki 400 the other day and the whole time I was thinking wow electric start and this thing has some serious balls. One of us has to make a newer version of something from new available parts (big bucks though) Like tiger did in the eighties. Any takers?????

[LonesomeTriZ]

I agree. That is what I have said every time some raises this question. Build a damn prototype. Then talk about bringing them back. I have tried a few times. But I just do not have the financial means to pull it off. The new parts cost more and are more complicated. If a few of us got together and pooled money and recourses then maybe we can pull it off.

[Orangecnty250r]

I just went to ebay and checked out the honda 450R. 5000 for a bike,500-700 custom builder to modify that frame into a three wheeler frame, a little creativity /risk taking to make that headlight look work somehow plus triple clamps forks and a wheel. Sell the 4 wheeler front end on ebay to recoup some cost. This may be more doable/ realistic than I thought. I may scrap my 500 project and search for a tiger for a while. I'm going to give this some thought. Walking out to my garage hitting the electric start on a brand new 450R three wheeler I like it!!!!!

[LonesomeTriZ]

There is a little more to it than that. I was going to converts a wrecked YFZ 450. But after careful examination of the frame and how it all goes together, a new frame custom biult would have worked a lot better. Once again, that is where funding comes in. I am all for converting a new quad into a new trike, but who can spend that kind of money on a quad just to hack it up? If for some reason the plan fails, you have a $5000 nothing.

[Orangecnty250r]

I know it would be tough I'm just trying to be a liitle enthusiastic. A while back a friend of mine had a new quad on the back of his trailer and the ties downs let loose. It did several endos down the highway and the insurance company totalled it but it wasn't that bad. He got some money and bought it back. When my stolen banshee was recovered in pieces (about 70% of the machine They said make them an offer and I offered them two hundred bucks sold the parts for 1700 on ebay. Maybe contacting insurance companies for buy back from damaged or theft recoveries would be the way to go to save costs to get a project started.

[LonesomeTriZ]

I have tried that and police auctions. I do not know where all the deals come from I hear about. But I have found you can buy them for the same price on Ebay or from private owners. If you know a way to get them cheaper let us know.

[willcamach]

why use a brand new quad why not just get a quality used one there are tons of 400ex, z400's, predators and so on on ebay that regularly go for 3k-4k and usally with a few upgrades... sounds like a better idea than hacking up a brand new quad....or what about a nice dirtbike wouldnt that be easier to convert than a quad?

[LonesomeTriZ]

A dirt bike is the way to go. If you notice there is not a lot of difference in a dirt bike frame and a trike frame in most cases. Once again though, dirt bikes hold their value. To get a newer one will be costly. I think the idea here is to make a trike as modern as possible. That means taking a something new and using it as the foundation or inspiration.

[honda200]

problem with a dirt bike is the extremely skinny front tire, you would have to swap forks, then you would have to modd for a trike swinger, and it would be a neat project, but your going to spend the same amount of money on a used dirt bike as a used quad

IMO, build the frame and put in a 350X or 250R motor, get plastics off a new 400EX or something, and this way, you can have a new frame design (of course, i dont recomend riding it, unless you are a pro welder and all) and then buy some nice handlebars, have a custom seat on it, a wider axle, and whatever else

Curtis

[LonesomeTriZ]

I have spent some time looking into coverting a YZ and you would be surprised to know just how easy the conversion would be. The forks are a very close together, but I have a triple tree that will fix that as well as long travel forks. The swing arm is a hurdle and will require some fabrication, but it is simple. I have been on this idea for a while. When I have the money (in about nine months) I will biuld a prototype.

[willcamach]

YOU KNOW WHAT WOULD BE AN AWESOME PLATFORM FOR A TRIKE CONVERSION WOULD BE ONW OF THE CANNONDALE QUADS THEY ARE TECHNOLOGICALY WAY MORE ADVANCED THAN EVEN THE NEW 450'S AND YOU CAN GET ONE OF THOSE BAD BOYS FOR 3500 EASILY...... i bet that would get some major heads turning if done properly

[LonesomeTriZ]

That is true. They are impressive. but considering they do not make them any more, I could not cut one up for such a conversion. :( I think they will be sought after collectables in the near future.

[willcamach]

i agree with you i currently have a 200x , im currently saving up to get a tri z i found not to long ago...after i acomplish that the cannondale quad will be my next goal i have wanted one of those since they first came out and i wont rest till i get one lol

[LonesomeTriZ]

I know a guy that sold all of his trikes and quads just to get a brand new Cannondale before they were sold off. It now sits in his garage with no hours on it, covered up. He plans to never ride it. :wondering

[willcamach]

nah i will be riding mine...with atk suppling the parts and doing all the engine updates they are now becoming more reliable id ride it or at least buy a used one to ride and at least experience the thrill

[willcamach]

its a shame they went out af business just im,agine what they would have come up with next they werte already klight years ahead of all the jap quads

[LonesomeTriZ]

I agree. They are meant to ride. I would never wast something like that. Even to most valuable of classics should be put to use.

[LonesomeTriZ]

It is hard for a little guy to make it. He just could not compete. :cry:

[willcamach]

i think that if they had outsourced the motors to another co. and just made there frames and all just to get to market while they developed there engine tech they would still be around. kinda hard for a bike co. to make a quad and bike with a self designed engine all at the same time . to many obstacles to cover for a small co.

[Louis Mielke]

Hey I'm already pretty experience with the bike to trike conversion. (obviously mines not done but I've already learned alot) If you front the money, I'll build the trike. This is my last semester of college and once I get my first real job I'll be going conversion crazy. The real question is who would buy one if i was to build them. I mean reallly seriously. Thats the problem, everyone talks about it but no ones seriously willing to do it.

I'll tell everybody what. Hopefully I'll make it to either this year, or next years trike fest. You check out my ATCR500R, take it for a spin, and decide whether my conversion is worth investing in. I would think $6000 for a full machine, started from a fairly new bike. I don't think thats unreasonable for something only 2 or 3 years old. Once its all said and done i'll have about $3K in my conversion done from old parts. So I think its totally doing for about $6000.

[LonesomeTriZ]

I agree with a lot of what you said. But the problem for most of us is the money. That is what has stopped me for the past yaer and a half. I have been working on a designe that I know will be bad ass. But I can not come up with the funds to pull it off. So I have been slowoly aquireing the parts.

[willcamach]

im sure one day someone will get er done and it will be bad ass but its gonna be hard to get investers without a finished product or at least a nice rolling prototype

[willcamach]

i dont know about you guys but to me half the fun of owning and old school trike is beating the crap out of a new quad with a 20+ year old machine.

[LonesomeTriZ]

I never eally thought about selling such a creation. I just wanted to biuld a modern trike. But, maybe it is possible. :wondering

[raptor]

My ideas out the window lol. could you not use some cheap quad like the sukida or yamoto? i know they are for the small rider (under 5.10) but it could be a prototype. it would be around the same size as a 185.. (maybe) just my thought.

[TrikerR]

from what ive read on these boards, most of you guys either own trikes for these two pure and simple reasons.
1.you just cant afford a new $5000(or $10000 where i come from) quad.
2. or you have no need for a new quad. you enjoy roosting 05 model quads :w00t: and have way more fun on a trike.

what would happen if the big 4 did start bringin out 06 trikes, would those guys who fall under category 1 suddenly be able to afford a $5000 trike, because theyr brand new and would run for brand new prices. and for the guys in category 2, where would the fun be, you would be running with the same technology and you wouldnt be able to gloat over the fact that a 20+ yr old trike just beat you brand new quad.
im sorry, but i think that while owning a 06 trike would be extremely cool, it would just take away the fun of running these old beasts.
but go ahead and build your prototypes and conversions, cause you are just making a good thing better. :TrikesOwn

cheers all :beer

[LonesomeTriZ]

I would say trikes are more the preferred method of destruction for most of the people here. SA far as cost is concerned, have you seen what some of us have put into our rides? What you say is true though and I am not real interested in bringing on a revolution and bringing the trike back into production. But, building a few with modern technology will, I think expose the terrible mistake the ATV manufacturers made by allowing stupid people to control out sport

[Louis Mielke]

That is an excelent point!

[Darius1502]

Converting the dirtbikes: CRF 450 to a trike or a YZ450F to a trike has been made much simpler since these models were used as the backbone for the quads.

I think its actually quite a simple job. Just like the excellent work that Louis did you could weld the swingarms together and use the quad rear end. Then fab some wider triple clamps and there you go.

I know there is more to it...but its very very possible. In a couple years when I have tons of expendible revenue...I'll do it.

The only question is:

Honda or
Yamaha??

I am leaning toward Yamaha

[denn]

I would be happy if the companies would just start producing parts for the 3 wheelers again. I'm sure they have the tooling in some storage area somewhere. Maybe you can sigh a petition for that. If they see they can make enough profit they may start producing them again. Besides, I have nothing against 4 strokes (I love my 350x) but 2 strokes are fading fast. Even if they did produce a new trike they would all be 4 strokes probally. I would rather keep my 350x and my 3 Tri-z's but be able to get parts for them when I need to.

Denn

[Billy Golightly]

I've spent alot of time thinking about this, and my opinon is as long as there is a conversion involved, its still a converted dirtbike, or still a converted quad, and not really a full blooded trike which leeds into other problems with handling and part fitment. In my honest opinon, the only way to go is to design and build a brand new frame that would be able to use some dirtbike, and quad technology together. I'm not an engineer, but even I know there is alot more stuff to it then welding on a new swingarm and making new tripple clamps. Things have to be thought out and planned ahead, such as ride height, rider comfort including the reach from the sitting posistion to the handlebars, comfort in extreme cornering posistion where you have to hang off the side, suspension geometry including but not limited to making sure that your suspension travel is in relation to your ground clearence. Dont want to be dragging the skidplate when there is 4 inches worth of suspension travel left in the forks do we? The propper thing to do would be to source out a custom quad fram manufacture such as Walsh, Lonestar, Aren Bros, ect and let them do it since they do it all the time, and have the abilities to do it.

[Yamahammer490]

The propper thing to do would be to source out a custom quad fram manufacture such as Walsh, Lonestar, Aren Bros, ect and let them do it since they do it all the time, and have the abilities to do it.


Every time I see an ad from Service Honda I have a similar thought. They're already making updated versions of the TRX250R and aluminum framed CR500s, so why can't they make me an ATC500R-AF? They're obviously adept at modifying frames and have knowledge of bikes and quads.

I also realize that you'd have to pay a premium for such a beast, but I'd much rather pay $8,000 for a modern, works-style trike than $6,000 for a new quad.

Just my 2 cents...

[LonesomeTriZ]

I think we did stray from the original point. Making a whole new ride is the correct way to go about this. That is the point I was originally trying to make. some will have to start from scratch.

[HaggLE]

Make sure it is unique and can easily be upgraded for an individual’s needs and wants. Then sell them. You do that; maybe the big shot will take notice.


I am not real interested in bringing on a revolution and bringing the trike back into production. But, building a few with modern technology will, I think expose the terrible mistake the ATV manufacturers made by allowing stupid people to control out sport

The first quote kind of convinces me that you want them back in production and wanting to start a revolution... Kind of contradictorary dont you think?..

[Yamahammer490]

Back to the original point - we've had this same basic thread a couple of times. I don't believe that any major manufacturer will ever offer a made-from-scratch trike again. There's just too much legal exposure and the development costs are too high. Remember, quads are selling like crazy so there's no financial incentive to mess with the formula right now.

I do think, however, that a smaller "botique" manufacturer could be convinced to produce a trike. Consider that there are at least a dozen "major" (that being a relative term) manufacturers of road legal trikes. These smaller companies are content to sell a relatively small volume of trikes at a premium price.

Has anybody ever asked a company like Service Honda or ATK? Maybe they would consider a new product line if they could sell 300 to 500 units a year.

[OldSchoolin86]

Honda makes a trike, too bad it's a Goldwing. After the consent decree no major manufacturer will ever touch an off road trike again. They know the second they get sued for little Johnny killing him self the lawyers can always go back to the banning and prove negligence. What can be done is custom frames, triple trees, swingers and plastic kits for existing trikes. That way with the right parts can be assembled to make new trikes. It’s still risky but it’s not near as bad as offering a full machine. Nice thing about this approach is that you would widen your sales to people who want to custom a little bit all the way to the people that want a new machine.

[LonesomeTriZ]

The first quote kind of convinces me that you want them back in production and wanting to start a revolution... Kind of contradictorary dont you think?..

I was simply offering some marketing advise. I know trikes will never go into production again. But if some one wants to try and will offer what suppport I can.

[brandosfiero]

i dont know where you guys live but around here i see guys with quads that coast 2 times as much as thier cars.you can get new quads for like 30 bux a munth if you have good credit so i dont see how price would matter.but you will pay on it forever

[Oldshell4481]

when someone buys an atv dont they buy it knowing the risk involved/ride at your own risk, then why can someone sue for it, dont they sign papers agreeing not sue in case of accident or something.

[Oldshell4481]

another thing is what happens when old trikes become sooo hard to come by that there nearly impossible to find. i love trikes and would never part with mine. they need to start making them, i dont care if they are only utility or only sport. up here i think there are 4 trikes within 30 miles. up north you see them more frequently. if they made new trikes, id buy one.

[TrikerR]

yes i agree, the only way to go about making "new" trikes is to start from scratch, new components and just borrow some parts from quads and bikes.

[Rex Karz]

But, building a few with modern technology will, I think expose the terrible mistake the ATV manufacturers made by allowing stupid people to control out sport

Since when is it a mistake to stop selling something in favor of selling something that makes twice as much money ?

[honda200]

if someone provides extremely detailed pictures of a full suspension frame, and some mesurments, i think i have me a school metal project :D

I work as a mechanic at an ATV salvage, i am sure i can find a good motor and stuff!!!

Curtis