Advice for those thinking about it, or in their first season.

[Billy Golightly]

I think a lot of people do not realize how physically demanding it is to race or even ride a three-wheeler on a comparable scale to what the quads do. You get a lot more feedback from the track on a trike, because there are about half as many parts in between the wheel and your hands as there is on a quad. Every little tiny bump and rut, you feel. The quads, I must admit, have a lot more stability in the corners then the trikes. So we have to make up for it by hanging off the side in ridiculous looking positions just to keep that inside wheel planted while drifting through the turn.

In addition to that, there are very few off the shelf parts available to help you get your machine setup. Most everything has to be custom fabricated yourself, or you have to spend a lot of time researching what might or might not interchange from some different quads. You can go buy almost any quad on the market and then say "Oh, well I need some nerf bars, a lowering kit, a sway bar, and an extended axle" and order all this stuff from one place. Talk about having it easy compared to looking at a pile of scrap metal in your shop and thinking "Hmmm, I wonder if I spend a couple hours welding, drilling, and grinding if this will work?"

On top of that, no one knows how to set up a trike. You can go to a track on a quad and ask a dozen different people what kind of air pressure they are running, what the wheels are offset at, tire compounds and sizes, gearing ratios, how low the suspension is, or how stiff it is. The trikes have an entirely different setup then anything else, and very little information from other racers and their setups will help you much. Its pretty much starting from scratch, and doing lots of trial and error.



Its difficult, but try really hard not to expect a whole lot out of your first couple competitions or even season. If you happen to go out there and do extremely well, be proud of that but also realize you are very lucky to have accomplished what you have with minimum experience.

If you have to compete against quads because of a lack of other trikes, DO NOT expect to be beating them easily, or consistently even if you are a very skilled rider on a perfectly setup machine. The quads are, by most factors and cases, just plain faster and will take a trike rider that is probably twice the skill to even hang with them evenly. The exception for this is probably drag races.

Make friends with the track owners, and league organizers when you can. Let them know how much you appreciate the opportunity to be able to compete with other people at their facility or event. If your at a new place you've never been to before, before you leave make a genuine effort to try and talk to the person in charge and let them know how good of a time you had. If your new to your type of sport, its easier to make friends with and get to know other competitors once you've established a relationship with the organizer or owner.

Also, don't get wrapped up in the craze of going nuts over having to own the biggest and baddest parts and accessories. In most cases, you DON"T need $5,000 worth of stuff to be competitive. Does it help? Most definitely. But its better to have a pretty stock and normal setup and have the extra money to make more races per season then it is to having a super tricked out setup sitting in the garage cause you can't afford to take it anywheres.

If you don't do well (and even if you do) and you lose your motivation don't give up. Make your competition your life. Eat, breathe, sleep, dream, and think of it 24/7. Read about, look at pictures of it, talk about it. Set your goals, and concentrate on them almost exclusively. Don't let anything get in your way or keep you from doing it. Mind over matter, MAKE IT HAPPEN! When you do, you'll be a part of a very special and exclusive club of people racing trikes more then 20 years after they were last made.

[NOS_350X]

I only get to race the trike once a year here, BUT i race my quad every weekend. I race my friends quads all the time most the time before i pull on that track the quad is set up perfectly, even if it showed up at the track in a non racing form. Racers for the most part are extremely nice. and will help you out any way they can. Ive barrowed, a quad, a swaybar, lowering kit, and tires all at one race. Soo if you need help just ask around you will probably be suprized at the results you get. For the setup of a trike, billy ask around, Find some old time racers, trust me they will love to help you get that trike set up properly.

[Side Wayz]

I never raced a quad always had 3 wheelers and I think therethe best. Imean aside from racing around on friends quads. I love the singlewheel in the front iuse it as a pivot point and crack the azz end loose lean in and just set her upfor the next corner, but i do agree 4 wheelers are more stable espeacilly for getting air but like i said i grewupon them. Also I live in S.New ersey and I,m willing to travel a lil to run my trike so if you know anything thas going tobe going on hitmeup.

[Tri-z2507515]

I'm in southern California and I was wondering what tracks there were in my area ?