Trike Unveiling

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  • Pappy
    The Full Monte
    • Dec 2002
    • 10481
    • San Marcos, TX, USA.
    • BT3000 (x2)

    #1

    Trike Unveiling

    After about 4 months, the trike is finally ready for the road!

    Got the body mounted and the brakes adjusted last night then took her out for a short run to see how she handled. The only times I have ridden the trike during construction was in the yard to test the reverse and down to the end of the street and back. The street is extremely rough and uneven and I was getting a lot of head shake.

    This morning I mounted the Tour Pak and seat, installed the trunk seal, torqued the wheels, and checked the tire pressure. I am running the Motor Trike recommended pressures of 42 psi front and 24 psi rear.

    I rode to New Braunfels and back this afternoon, about 45 miles total. I took the interstate down and came back on a good 2 lane road with a fair amount of curves. At cruising speeds of 70 - 80 mph she was smooth and easy to handle. The ride on the 2 lane was equally smooth but steering took a little more effort than I expected. The only head shake I experience was at low speeds in some construction areas and coming through downtown where the road are a bit rough.

    If the weather is good tomorrow so I can ride I will drop the front to the Harley recommended 36 psi. Again I will run a variety of road types. On the way home I am going to drop the front tire to 32 psi. Hopefully one of the 3 pressures will be my 'sweet spot' in handling and ride comfort.

    Now for a little walk around my new baby...
    Attached Files
    Don, aka Pappy,

    Wise men talk because they have something to say,
    Fools because they have to say something.
    Plato
  • Sweet Willy
    Established Member
    • May 2011
    • 195
    • Near Chattanooga, TN
    • ridgid 3650

    #2
    Sweet Pappy.
    In my old age I look back and realize how lucky I was to live in a time when common sense was common.
    Dennis

    Sweet Willy
    sigpic

    Comment

    • TB Roye
      Veteran Member
      • Jan 2004
      • 2969
      • Sacramento, CA, USA.
      • BT3100

      #3
      Beautiful and sweet enjoy the labor of love you earned it.

      Comment

      • gerti
        Veteran Member
        • Dec 2003
        • 2233
        • Minnetonka, MN, USA.
        • BT3100 "Frankensaw"

        #4
        That came out great! Hope you had a great time on your trip today and that you'll get used to the steering.

        Comment

        • bmyers
          Veteran Member
          • Jun 2003
          • 1371
          • Fishkill, NY
          • bt 3100

          #5
          Enjoy the heck out of it Pappy!! It looks awesome!

          Be safe.

          B
          "Why are there Braille codes on drive-up ATM machines?"

          Comment

          • cabinetman
            Gone but not Forgotten RIP
            • Jun 2006
            • 15216
            • So. Florida
            • Delta

            #6
            Looks great, you did a fantastic job. Both seats look real comfy. Any plans for a trailer?

            .

            Comment

            • Pappy
              The Full Monte
              • Dec 2002
              • 10481
              • San Marcos, TX, USA.
              • BT3000 (x2)

              #7
              Originally posted by cabinetman
              Looks great, you did a fantastic job. Both seats look real comfy. Any plans for a trailer?

              .
              A trailer is in the plans. The main purpose is to carry the wife's wheelchair but I am working on a way to attach a roof top tent to the top of the frame.
              Don, aka Pappy,

              Wise men talk because they have something to say,
              Fools because they have to say something.
              Plato

              Comment

              • bigstick509
                Veteran Member
                • Dec 2004
                • 1227
                • Macomb, MI, USA.
                • BT3100

                #8

                Mike

                "It's not the things you don't know that will hurt you, it's the things you think you know that ain't so." - Mark Twain

                Comment

                • Cochese
                  Veteran Member
                  • Jun 2010
                  • 1988

                  #9
                  Sharp, Pappy.
                  I have a little blog about my shop

                  Comment

                  • BadeMillsap
                    Senior Member
                    • Dec 2005
                    • 868
                    • Bulverde, Texas, USA.
                    • Grizzly G1023SL

                    #10
                    Well done indeed!

                    NICE RIDE!!

                    Well done!
                    "Like an old desperado, I paint the town beige ..." REK
                    Bade Millsap
                    Bulverde, Texas
                    => Bade's Personal Web Log
                    => Bade's Lutherie Web Log

                    Comment

                    • gsmittle
                      Veteran Member
                      • Aug 2004
                      • 2793
                      • St. Louis, MO, USA.
                      • BT 3100

                      #11
                      She's gorgeous! If you need a place to store her, I'm sure I can find room in my garage…

                      One question: what is "head shake?"

                      g.
                      Smit

                      "Be excellent to each other."
                      Bill & Ted

                      Comment

                      • cabinetman
                        Gone but not Forgotten RIP
                        • Jun 2006
                        • 15216
                        • So. Florida
                        • Delta

                        #12
                        Originally posted by gsmittle
                        She's gorgeous! If you need a place to store her, I'm sure I can find room in my garage…

                        One question: what is "head shake?"

                        g.
                        I'm gonna take a stab at it. I think he meant it literally. The road was rough, and that transferred through the bike's suspension and frame and made his head shake. I could be wrong.

                        .

                        Comment

                        • conwaygolfer
                          Established Member
                          • Jun 2008
                          • 371
                          • Conway, SC.
                          • BT3000

                          #13
                          Someone must be heading to Sturges.

                          Conwaygolfer

                          Comment

                          • Pappy
                            The Full Monte
                            • Dec 2002
                            • 10481
                            • San Marcos, TX, USA.
                            • BT3000 (x2)

                            #14
                            Thanks for the comments, guys.

                            Head shake is something that happens to motorcycles on rough or uneven surfaces. While the flat tread surface on a car tire will roll over these imperfections, the round tread on a motorcycle tire wants to react to the minor off center force the as if it was leaned into a turn. On a 2 wheeler both wheels react and it becomes natural, with experience, to compensate to the point that you don't notice it. The car tires on a trike don't react with the front wheel causing to front end to wobble, or shake. The term 'head shake' comes from the bearings in the steering head being the pivot point.

                            Originally posted by conwaygolfer
                            Someone must be heading to Sturges.

                            Conwaygolfer
                            No plans to go to Sturgis or Daytona bike week. Both of those have turned into loosely organized drunks with a freak side show. Sturgis more so than Daytona. I so want to go to DC over Memorial weekend to ride Rolling Thunder at least once.

                            http://rollingthunderrun.com/

                            Go to 'Media / Video' and click on 'Like a Rock' to see a bit of what the event parade looks like.

                            Just check the forecast. Max of 10% chance of rain over the next 10 days.

                            RIDE TIME!
                            Don, aka Pappy,

                            Wise men talk because they have something to say,
                            Fools because they have to say something.
                            Plato

                            Comment

                            • gsmittle
                              Veteran Member
                              • Aug 2004
                              • 2793
                              • St. Louis, MO, USA.
                              • BT 3100

                              #15
                              Pappy,

                              Thanks for the answer! Good riding to you!

                              g.
                              Smit

                              "Be excellent to each other."
                              Bill & Ted

                              Comment

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