New to trikes. Looking for riding tips

[350XMike]

I've had my 350X for a week now and am looking for some riding tips. Also curious how you guys go comfortable getting into jumps and especially wheelies.

I'v e already found that in 3rd gear I can pull a small wheelie through the whole gear, but I'm a little worried to get the wheel way up there without some advise first.

Thanks,

Mike

[Kintore]

here ya go, searhing the forums is also a very good option.

How to jump (http://www.3wheelerworldforums.com/showthread.php?t=35456)
Catwalking1 (http://www.3wheelerworldforums.com/showthread.php?t=36847&highlight=catwalk)
Most helpful wheelie thread there is (http://www.3wheelerworldforums.com/showthread.php?t=38783&highlight=wheelies)

[Tri-ZNate]

for a wheelie just put your knee on the seat and your right leg on the peg with the shifter. Easiest way to start wheelieing for me anyway. Then if you have to bail just hop off. Start out in first and work your way up.

[bigredhead]

Start with low gear wheelies first !! lol... 1st and 2nd gear are not as painful to fall over backwards as 3rd is !!! lol......


Seriously tho.. give yourself a chance.. learn to ride the bike on all 3 before you get into stunt jumping..

[trikezilla]

When you get good at powerslides...keep your feet on the pegs lol.

with wheelies I find it easy -especially on 4 strokes- to blip the throttle and lift the front end up rather than pin it and try to "power it up". When I learned I was told to ride a slow wheelie and lay it on its grab bar...this gives you a REAL good feel for how far back you can actually go.

BTW....ANY PICS??

[Dammit!]

First step, make sure your grab bar and rear brake are in good working order. ;)

Second step, learn to use the clutch with one or two fingers.

Third step, learn to be gentle on the rear brake.

Fourth step, in first gear, use the throttle and clutch (and a little bit of arm) to bring the front end up at a very slow speed. Bring it all the way back on the grab bar (gently, if it's got too much momentum going backwards, tap the brake and bring it back down). If the grab bar is in good shape and mounted right, it won't flip all the way over and if it's at a complete stop you can just let go of the bars and fall off the back. Don't do this in sand though. Anyway, bringing it all the way back past it's center of gravity is the only way to truly learn where the sweet spot is. Once you find and get comfortable with that spot and get really good at the clutch, brake and throttle, you'll be able to wheelie at will and for as long as you want.

A sport trike's balance point is higher than most people think. That's why you have to go past it a few times to know where it is.

http://webserver1.dancris.com/~dammit/250r/wash/3.jpg
http://webserver1.dancris.com/~dammit/250r/lowtire.avi

At about the 10 second mark in that vid, you can see me go slightly past it's sweet spot without going all the way back and you can tell just how vertical a 250R is in it's sweet spot. A 350x is probably pretty similar.

A lot of people think you need to be going sort of fast to do a wheelie but the real test of ability is to be able to them slow. When you get really good you can do them at any speed and even accelerate/decelerate in a wheelie, going through all the gears.

[chris200x]

First step, make sure your grab bar and rear brake are in good working order. ;)

Second step, learn to use the clutch with one or two fingers.

Third step, learn to be gentle on the rear brake.

Fourth step, in first gear, use the throttle and clutch (and a little bit of arm) to bring the front end up at a very slow speed. Bring it all the way back on the grab bar (gently, if it's got too much momentum going backwards, tap the brake and bring it back down). If the grab bar is in good shape and mounted right, it won't flip all the way over and if it's at a complete stop you can just let go of the bars and fall off the back. Don't do this in sand though. Anyway, bringing it all the way back past it's center of gravity is the only way to truly learn where the sweet spot is. Once you find and get comfortable with that spot and get really good at the clutch, brake and throttle, you'll be able to wheelie at will and for as long as you want.

A sport trike's balance point is higher than most people think. That's why you have to go past it a few times to know where it is.

http://webserver1.dancris.com/~dammit/250r/wash/3.jpg
http://webserver1.dancris.com/~dammit/250r/lowtire.avi

At about the 10 second mark in that vid, you can see me go slightly past it's sweet spot without going all the way back and you can tell just how vertical a 250R is in it's sweet spot. A 350x is probably pretty similar.

A lot of people think you need to be going sort of fast to do a wheelie but the real test of ability is to be able to them slow. When you get really good you can do them at any speed and even accelerate/decelerate in a wheelie, going through all the gears.

Hey Dammit! Who's the chick on the trike? :welcome:

[Dammit!]

Hey Dammit! Who's the chick on the trike? :welcome:

HAHA A FUNNY MAN! :mad: :lol: :D

Nobody told me the 80's ended until like 2001 or something. :crazy:

[350XMike]

Thanks for all the replies folks. I'm not looking to do major wheelies immediately, but was really curious how people get started.

I can't get mine as far back because it has a 6 pack rack on the back which hangs out alot futther than the grab bar. Once I get comfortable on this thing I'll have to start practicing a bit. Here's a pic:

[firefirefire90]

thems 200x rims/tires?

[Rasuel]

Best advise, just ride. Once you get a feal for the bike you can start going a little crazy... and then completely Nucking Futs later on. Just dont get too bold too fast, trikes arent as forgiving as quads.

[350XMike]

thems 200x rims/tires?

Those are the original rims and tires.

[Mike_Ham_250R]

Just keep practicing wheelies till your comfortable with them... check my sig...

[Dammit!]

That's a hell of a nice looking 350x. :beer

[90nut]

Yea I was just going to say that. Beautiful!! And that is alot coming from a non 350x fan. But like everyone else said just go out and ride and get used to the bikes power, handeling, braking, and steering characteristics. The only way to learn to wheely that baby is to scratch up that shiny grab bar a lil' bit! Oh and if you eat it a couple of times don't feel bad, Always tell my buddies when we ride if you don't crash or come close to it you aren't riding hard enough! Oh and wear your brain bucket!!

[Billy Golightly]

Yeah before you do any wheelies at all take that rear mudflap/black garnish off. In the event you are riding it and come back on the six pack a little to hard and it bends, its gonna go right into it and crack or break it. They are not cheap and the going rate seems to be about $100 for a used in nice shape. Man, now that I look at it some more, all of those plastics are in mint shape. PLEASE take them off and put them on a shelf, and buy some maiers to ride with. I know it seems expensive and un-necessary, but trust me down the road you will be wishing you had if you dont.

[350XMike]

Thanks for the compliments. The trike is SUPER clean and the pics don't do it justice. I took those after a good long ride in the desert.

I bought it from the original owner who only rode it in the dunes. I have 2 sets of paddles on extra rims that came with this thing too. He was also fairly easy on it and said he never got into the wheelie thing, so I don't have to worry about the motor getting oil starved.

I've already entertained the thought of getting spare plastic for this thing while I still can because I'm scared to break what's on it now.

So far I'm addicted to this thing. The first bike I ever rode was a ATC 70 when I was 10 and from that moment I knew I had to have an ATC one day. Second was a 71 Trail 70. I still have it. I think it's in the background of one of the pics. I also have a 70 Trail 90 that I'm restoring. Guess I'm into old Hondas.

[eh_tee_see]

for a wheelie just put your knee on the seat and your right leg on the peg with the shifter. Easiest way to start wheelieing for me anyway. Then if you have to bail just hop off. Start out in first and work your way up.
wheeling with your knee on the seat makes you look like a puss, but it is easy. stand up or sit down though. just get comfortable with one or two fingers on the clutch and 1 foot on the brake. Ive never even came close to going back on a 350 so you should be just fine. just practice- the 350 is the easiest bike to wheelie that i have ever met.

[bluevette87]

nice 350X i would love to have one:)
also check the air pressure in those tires,i bet there is way too much.

[md1985250r]

wheeling with your knee on the seat makes you look like a puss, but it is easy. stand up or sit down though. just get comfortable with one or two fingers on the clutch and 1 foot on the brake. Ive never even came close to going back on a 350 so you should be just fine. just practice- the 350 is the easiest bike to wheelie that i have ever met.

not only does it make you look like a puss, but you will dump it over backwards because you have no way to bring the front back down quickly, if needs be!!:lol: :lol: :welcome: :welcome: :w00t:

[shudup]

also check the air pressure in those tires,i bet there is way too much.

i was just gona say that
over inflated tires will make it more tippy and bit harder to learn on

and dam nice 350X !!! :beer