IS TRIKE

[Poor Ol Harry]

Been having a Valk a year or so,but getting a little slow/weak in hips & knees,so I am considering a trike,but I wanna stay on a IS. I am learning I can buy one cheaper than I can have mine converted,unless some of you know something I haven't learned yet? My question is ,is the independt susp. the only way to go?Which conversion kit to look for & does the frame need to be raked? Any trike info would really help me out.
                                                                HARRY

[3W-lonerider]

i have a motortrike kit on mine..only difference between the solid rear and independant suspension is..the ride..smoother on the independent..as far as the rake kit..yes it is more than well worth the money. when i first converted mine i did not rake it.. if i was on real twisty roads till i got to the end of the road my shoulders would hurt bad. after a year i installed a 4 and 1/2 degree rake..difference was night and day. it was like climbing out of an old dodge with no power steering and cralwing into a sportscar. now iv'e ridden trikes with the 6 degree rake and wow. what a difference there to. it was like climbing out of my sportscar into a train running on rails..the steering needs very little input to make turns. as far as the rake..the frame does not get rakes..it is a special set of trees designed with different pitch..

[Dag]

I have some info here: http://www.valkyrienorway.com/trike.html

[Momz]

The DFT trike kit will give you the best ride and is extremely well engineered.
There are several kits available, but you need to decide what is more important for your needs.
But no matter what kit you purchase, it will handle/steer better with raked triple trees.
Some of the best Triple Trees out there come from XF6 customs.

[R J]

Here is the link to DFT.

http://www.vernsbikesandtrikes.com/id17.htm

Okay, now how about XF6?

http://www.xf6-custom.com/

There ya go.

[sandy]

Champion makes an independent rear trike kit. One of our members here in AZ got the first kit from Champion for his Wing. He was at Inzane with it. Maybe not for Valks, but they have Wings and Harleys covered.

[Minnie Miles]

http://www.trikealternative.com/index-2.shtml

These guys are working on 1 for a VALK and it will be about $5500

http://www.trikealternative.com/index.shtml

[larryh0841]

Harry,
    I just bought an Interstate trike with a Roadsmith kit from a builder in Houston.  If you send me your contact information I will put you in touch with him.  He does fine work and will stand behind it.
                                                                  Larry

[Rocketman]

I've talked to a fella in Katy that trikes Valkyries.  Maybe the same guy Larry was mentioning, but if you remind me tonight, I'll give you the info then.

[old grouch]

Harry
Where are you seeing I/S trikes for less than a coversion?  I have been looking and haven't found any for less than $20K.  I can trike mine for less than $9K, including having the whole thing painted.  If you know of some for around $17 - $18k, I would be interested in knowing where they are.  Thanks, Stan

[R J MILES]

I triked my IS with a kit from The Trike Shop In White Bear Lake, Minnisota. It has IRS, using a 10 bolt GM rear end. CV joints, disc brakes are VW. Coil springs and coil over shocks. Kit extends the wheelbase 10 in. 8 degree trees streched it another 3 in. Full sized driveshaft with Spicer u-joints. With all this, it still rides harder than I thought it would. Trikes have a side to side movement that you don't have with one wheel just following the other. $9000 spent, when it was all done.  LOVE IT!!               FUZZY

[old grouch]

Harry
Here is a link to a shop where you can get $500 off the price of the Roadsmith (Trike Shop) kit.  They don't stock the I/S version, but will have it shipped to you direct from Trike Shop.  Only one shipping charge that way.  Stan

http://www.neoshotrailers.com/hsc_1500_-_valkyrie_conversion.html

[Tri Dragon]

Hello Harry, I have a 2001 IS and triked it with kit from Triwing Industries in Victoria BC, Canada. Kit is about $7000.00 canadian plus you paint and buy wheels. I had a 61/2 degree rake done to front end from Steerite in Kamloops, BC also.
Rides like a dream with ford rear end and air ride. Handles like a dream and I can steer with 1 hand even at low speeds.
Keep the IS, Trike it and ride till you rot!
Cannot insert a photo of the Black Dragon, email me for info or some photos at tiggern2@telus.net
Terry

[Ricky-D]

A local guy here has "triked" a Valkyrie for a friend on mine.

The same friend then bought a new "Rune", rode it a while and then "triked" the "Rune".

It's a hot looking vehicle, long, low and sleek.

It is a real attention getter.

***

[Mr.BubblesVRCCDS0008]

Harry, Houston Motor Trike has a shop in Crosby off of highway 90 is the spindall top subdivision. IF you interested call them and talk to Mac. He's the one that mounts my darkside tires for me. Good people!

[Ronnie Reeves]

I have had several trikes . having said that I can tell you on any Honda 1500 GW or Valkyrie that the only way to go is Calf. Sidecar. i sold my second C.S.C. with 307k miles on it and never added the first U joint in drive line . Had 2 motor trikes and went through many in less than 60k. As for the 1800 Goldwings I wouldn't want a CSC. but on a Valk . It the only one I would own . On my 3th. one now.

[quexpress]

I have had several trikes . having said that I can tell you on any Honda 1500 GW or Valkyrie that the only way to go is Calf. Sidecar. i sold my second C.S.C. with 307k miles on it and never added the first U joint in drive line . Had 2 motor trikes and went through many in less than 60k. As for the 1800 Goldwings I wouldn't want a CSC. but on a Valk . It the only one I would own . On my 3th. one now.

Why? What is different between their kit, and other?
Thanks!

[3W-lonerider]

have no clue why you'd go threw so many u-joints..i'm still on my original u-joint. triked my valk i/s when it had 72,000 miles on it..and still running the original u-joint with 126,000 miles on it now..and ask anybody that rides with me..i do not treat my drive train kindly..hole shots and bringing the front wheel off the ground is normal for me..only reason i can think of that you would've went threw joints like you did is because the rear end was'nt set up properly from the beggining..with the right angle and driveline pitch..

[Ronnie Reeves]

I went thuough several U joints on 3 different Motor Trike kit. It a simple answer. INLINE DRIVE SHAFT. No vibration. Even on a Goldwing on the 1500 they have a inline drive shaft. None of the Moto trike have inline drive shafts.

[3W-lonerider]

still does'nt explain why you went threw u-joints..other than your opinion of in-line drive shafts. iv'e got alot of friends with motortrike and lehman trike kits that have over 100,000 miles on the original u-joints. so as far as i'm concerned your opinion does'nt hold water. and heres why. an offset drive shaft does have vibration i'll grant you that., BUT. an off set drive shaft also allows the bearings in the u-joint cups to rotate around in the cup. an in-line drive shaft the bearings in the cups never rotate so your wearing on the same couple of needle bearings all the time. iv'e had this disscusion with a guy over on the GWRRA board that slams motortrike and lehman just because he thinks that offset driveshafts are a bad thing. you, like him can come up with no proof other than your opinion and experiance that they don't work. which is why i said from the very beginning. if the rear end on an offset drive shaft is not set up properly then i agree you will have problems. but don't blame that on the trike manufacturer or the kit. blame that on the idiot that set it up and does the maintanence. when i first got mine done. by what was supposed to be a proffesional it was slapped togather to a point that a 5 year old coulda done it.. after several trips back to the dealer they would'nt make it right because in their opinion there was nothing wrong with it. well when i tore it apart i found all kinds of things wrong with it. rear was not centered, rear was not cambered right. frame was'nt level but they shimmed the body to make it look level. so you see what i'm saying. i'm not saying that a csc isn't a better kit. because in my opinion they are..but don't go slamming the other kits because of just a bad experiance of them not being set up right.

[Ronnie Reeves]

Well its kinda like what you sit on , every body has one . the fact is when the trike hits bumps and dips in the road all the needle bearings are being used . You answered your own question they vibrate. As to who did my 2 Motor trike kits one was done at the factory and one by a group who is in Fla. and one of the leading trike bulders out there. If the rearend is set up wrong it is by BAD design. As you have said a lot of your friends like Motor Trike , I Don't. Having said that if its on a 1800 I like Motor Trike and champion over Calf. Sidecar. I am not Loyal to one manfactor. , I just call it as I see it. and that is just that My beleave. Thanks for sharing yours. I put around 30 to 40 k on a bike a year and was in the million mile club back when Honda had the Wing Elite Club in the late 80's. Ridding is my life and I call it as I see it . Thanks again.

[Tri Dragon]

Hello,
I have had my 2001 Interstate Trike 2 years now since I triked it. I tend to ride it harder than most. Like the G forces of a good go through the gears if you know what I mean. That is why I like the Valkyrie for a trike.
I have had no problems with U joints or vibrations in my Triwing kit. I just had it on rack for a full going over for the spring riding season.
If you are going through U joints then something is wrong with the build.
Ride long and safe in the New Year All!
Terry

[Ronnie Reeves]

I am not going through them any more . I went to a CSC kit . This is my trd. CSC and never a u joint problem. It was with the older Motor Trike kits . and as I said before one was done at the factory and the other 2 by trike dealers that are still building . You have to take in mine I put more on a bike in a year then some do in a lifetime. As I said this is my opion. Thanks again.