Friday is the day I'm riding about 135 miles for the 1st time on a Trike. I have years of riding and racing experience but this is a different animal. I'll be doing some figure eights at the dealership so that should help. If you have some advise let me know. I know I'll make it and it should make for some interesting conversation.

 

Slow speed maneuvering is important, but on these trikes it's highway speed on curves where you'll pucker up. You have to remember you do NOT counter steer a TG like you've done on bikes for years. Even now I still sometimes lean on a curve lol. It gets easier with miles and time, like anything else. Just have to get out there and ride!

Rax

 

Ride the damn thing! Have fun, smile at old ladies, wave at kids. ENJOY!!

Wife picked up her '09 on Thursday and brought it back the following Tuesday for the 1000 mile service, she had 1150 miles on it. We left for Las Vegas Wednesday morning. As you said, you have years of riding and racing experience, this is just a little different animal. It doesn't do anything when you lean, steers 'different', and the breaks are hard, just envision driving a '60s car without power steering or breaks.

 

I rode one at demo days, HD has a very good video they required me to watch before the demo ride. If you spend a little bit of time putting around the parking lot, you will be fine. The factory rep told me to remember two things, don't put your feet down and the trike is a lot wider than a bike. I enjoyed the ride, there might be a trike in my future.

 

Enjoy and ride! Like MMcBeat said it is much wider! So be a little careful at Gas Stations so you don't hit anything, etc. Congratulations and have fun!!

 

+1 there. Don't ask my son how he knows about that....

Rax

 

Rax is sure right about highway speed curves. I don't know what it is, but it seems like it's a lot scarier to change your line in a curve if you picked the wrong one than on a two wheeler.

As far as counter steering, what does that even mean? I've been riding 53 years now and I never once had to think about how to do it, how to turn, how not to turn, etc. If I actually had to THINK about all that stuff it would make me crazy, and probably afraid to go riding. What you need to do IMO is just start riding the darn thing until you get used to it and it becomes second nature to you. The key is to start riding very slowly and build up speed as you become more familiar with the trike and confident. But for goodness sake, don't sit there and think "wait, I should have pushed but instead I pulled." It'll suck all the joy out of it.

Good luck and enjoy!

 

There's nothing to be afraid of, if you had a trike when you were a kid it will all come back to you it won't take long to get the hang of it.

 

I agree with Rax... Trying to overcome the urge to countersteer is what tightened me up when I brought 'Blue' home. It was pretty much a 90 mile white knuckle ride! I was concerned that perhaps I'd made an expensive blunder.

Not so... Mrs. ZD loves it and we ride EVERYWHERE now... We even use it to go to the grocery store! You'll love it after the blood returns to your fingers!

Even after 2.5 years I still get spooked from time to time when I'm in that 'happy zone' & riding in a straight line for a long period of time... The urge to counter steer for minor corrections is still very strong, and I find myself having to snap back to reality in order to control the bike properly. (I still ride a two wheeler when I'm solo)

But I think I'm the exception more than the rule... I had a hell of a time with an old ServiCar 40 years ago when I was a young fella for the same reasons. Apparently three wheelers are just NOT a natural thing for me!

 

I was in the same boat as you a few months ago, Never been on a trike before, never had a test ride,
Rax is right ,slow speed manoeuvring is the critical bit, I did 4 laps of the dealers parking lot, once you realise it's pull and push, and I still lean my body in the bends (well you would wouldn't you ,
I read all my tips for riding on here, you'll be surprised how stable the TG is, I was expecting it to be a handful on the open road what with road camber etc,
BUT the opposite is true,
When you get home from the dealer, you'll be well pleased with yourself,

Enjoy the ride, Graham