I Just Got My Trike!
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RE: I Just Got My Trike! - 3/24/2008 3:18:11 AM
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Ron H
Posts: 90
Joined: 2/27/2007
From: Falls Church, VA
Status: offline
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Those are 18-inch American Racing "Haze" rims, with 225/40 R 18 Cooper Zeon 2XS tires. Relatively inexpensive bling -- the wheel & tire package was less than $800. I am having a 21-inch front wheel custom-made to match those wheels. That will offset any money I saved on the rear wheels.
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RE: I Just Got My Trike! - 3/24/2008 5:24:25 AM
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grimm
Posts: 601
Joined: 1/7/2005
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looks awesome, ron! how does she ride?
grimm
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RE: I Just Got My Trike! - 3/24/2008 8:01:17 AM
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eglidetrike1
Posts: 751
Joined: 11/25/2007
From: Glenside Pa.
Status: offline
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Nice job on the conversion. Did you put reverse on it? And isn't there a H-D wheel that is pretty close to that wheel. The reason I ask is there is a lot of stress on the front wheel when turning an 18 inch wheel is a little narrower and might want to slide in a tight turn. Where as the 16 inch tire is wider.I know I'm replacing my front tire every year and most of the wear is on the outer part of the tire. Just my thoughts.
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RE: I Just Got My Trike! - 3/24/2008 9:05:50 AM
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valveguide
Posts: 418
Joined: 5/30/2007
From: Down North
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Nice.
I would have one like that but the macaroni and cheese would clog up my system.
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RE: I Just Got My Trike! - 3/24/2008 4:38:00 PM
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skltr
Posts: 3832
Joined: 10/29/2007
From: SoCal
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Looks really nice........love that blue
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More Info - 3/24/2008 7:37:21 PM
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Ron H
Posts: 90
Joined: 2/27/2007
From: Falls Church, VA
Status: offline
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Guys, thanks for the kind words.
Now that I have a little more time, I’ll elaborate some more on my adventure into Trikedom. I started seriously considering a trike a few months ago. I was in Daytona Beach in January, and I stopped by The Trike Shop and was impressed by their conversions. I then started visiting various trike kit manufacturers’ web sites – Lehman, California Side Car, Champion, Trike Shop, and Motor Trike. After recovering from sticker shock, I resigned myself to spending somewhere between $14,000 and $18,000 on a kit and labor. I was leery of making that kind of investment with a small independent shop, some of which were asking for a $10,000 deposit. I checked out the Champion conversions at Shenandoah Harley in Staunton, Virginia. They looked real good, but I decided I wanted an independent rear suspension. That led me to DFT, and I really liked the pictures of their Smoothie conversion – definitely different from the others. I ended up visiting Lancaster (PA) Harley-Davidson, where I met Ray “Tex” Texter. Ray, who founded that dealership back in the 1950’s, is a remarkable gentleman and trike veteran. He showed me his 2007 Road Glide trike and a 2008 Anniversary Edition Road Glide trike they were building for him. So I was able to see one “under construction” and meet Brandon, the young mechanic who would do the work. They completed that trike in time for Ray and his wife to ride it down to Daytona Bike Week and back. After seeing the DFT kit in person, I decided that was the way I wanted to go.
The DFT has an independent rear suspension, with 4 adjustable coilover springs and adjustable swaybar. The muscular body offers 9.7 cubic feet of storage space – considerably more than most of the others. I opted for their exhaust kit, which is essentially Rush 1.75 slip-ons. For reverse, Ray recommended the Champion reverse kit, and I followed his recommendation. The standard wheel choice is a 16x7 American Racing Casino (5-spoke) wheel; I chose their 7-spoke Haze wheel in 18x7.5, with Cooper Zeon 2XS tires.
It took exactly four weeks for the kit to come in, and only 12 days for Lancaster H-D to do the work, including painting. Needless to say, this was a very well managed and efficiently coordinated project. The quality of work was excellent, and I would recommend Lancaster Harley-Davidson to anyone looking for a trike. If you’re thinking of doing a DFT conversion yourself, Brandon took 26 hours for the labor, which included the exhaust, reverse kit, and trike conversion.
Friday night we drove up to Lancaster, picked up the trike and trailered it back home. Never having driven a trike – even in a test ride – I knew it would take me some time to get used to, and I wanted to do that at my pace (slowly) in a controlled environment. I had hoped to spend some time practicing in their parking lot, but the timing and weather did not cooperate. Saturday the forecast in northern Virginia was calling for temperatures in the upper 40’s and rain, so we headed south with our trailered trike about 200 miles to fairer skies and warmer temperatures.
Backing the bike out of the trailer and the Condor wheel chock, I immediately appreciated the Champion reverse. Getting that front wheel up and out of the chock was always a difficult task before, since I’m short and not too strong. With the reverse it was no sweat. The steering felt completely out of whack as I pulled forward for the first time. It took several loops around the motel parking lot before it felt like I wasn’t fighting the steering. Lydia climbed on the back, and we did a few more loops before venturing out onto a public road. As my speed increased, there were more adjustments for me to learn.
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RE: I Just Got My Trike! - 3/24/2008 7:43:05 PM
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Ron H
Posts: 90
Joined: 2/27/2007
From: Falls Church, VA
Status: offline
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quote:
ORIGINAL: eglidetrike1
Nice job on the conversion. Did you put reverse on it? And isn't there a H-D wheel that is pretty close to that wheel. The reason I ask is there is a lot of stress on the front wheel when turning an 18 inch wheel is a little narrower and might want to slide in a tight turn. Where as the 16 inch tire is wider.I know I'm replacing my front tire every year and most of the wear is on the outer part of the tire. Just my thoughts.
It has a Champion reverse kit. It seems like everyone -- regardless of trike kit -- uses the Champion reverse. Right now the plan is to go with a 21-inch 120/70 wheel and tire combo. If I'm not happy with that, I'll look at other options. I calculate that tire being about 1/2 inch narrower than the stock FLHX front tire.
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RE: I Just Got My Trike! - 3/25/2008 4:51:50 PM
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HDPartsLists
Posts: 16
Joined: 3/24/2008
From: H-Town, USA
Status: offline
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Great looking ride! Right up my alley for what I'd like to have someday. Might be a personal question, but "ball-parkishly" (is that even a word??) what do you have in it?
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Larry
Each Person's Mind Is His Or Her Own UNIVERSE.....
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RE: I Just Got My Trike! - 3/25/2008 6:59:38 PM
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Ron H
Posts: 90
Joined: 2/27/2007
From: Falls Church, VA
Status: offline
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The trike conversions I considered were in the $14-18,000 range. This one was toward the top of that range.
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RE: I Just Got My Trike! - 3/25/2008 7:04:16 PM
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HDPartsLists
Posts: 16
Joined: 3/24/2008
From: H-Town, USA
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Whoa! What might be the cost for building a trike (or buying a half way decent one) low end. I never considered that one might go that high, but honestly, I never gave much thought at all as to the cost(s).
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Larry
Each Person's Mind Is His Or Her Own UNIVERSE.....
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RE: I Just Got My Trike! - 3/25/2008 7:16:00 PM
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kentuckydave
Posts: 51
Joined: 2/22/2008
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MY wife has a Fat Boy DFT conversion. NOT counting the original bike, the trike conversion alone was $14,800. That included paint but not the pinstriping we did later. That also includes $1,200 for the Champion Reverse.
By the time we got done including punching it out to 95ci, we have around $34K into it. Not cheap but boats aren't cheap or street rods or any other hobby that you can get into. This is the best bad habit I have ever had! haha
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USAF Vet 1967-1971
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RE: I Just Got My Trike! - 3/25/2008 7:30:08 PM
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HDPartsLists
Posts: 16
Joined: 3/24/2008
From: H-Town, USA
Status: offline
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LOL! And my wife thinks my custom knifemaking hobby is getting expensive! Guess now I have a bit of ammo for the next time she gets after me about it: "HEY, I COULD START BUILDING A TRIKE LIKE ONE OF THESE, INSTEAD!"
 
Somehow I think she just MIGHT NOT see the humor in it!!!
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Larry
Each Person's Mind Is His Or Her Own UNIVERSE.....
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RE: I Just Got My Trike! - 3/26/2008 4:39:00 AM
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Ron H
Posts: 90
Joined: 2/27/2007
From: Falls Church, VA
Status: offline
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Of the total cost, about $3100 was for painting and labor. Obviously, if I'd gone with something other than the solid color, the painting costs would have been higher.
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RE: I Just Got My Trike! - 3/26/2008 11:22:43 AM
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bdn56
Posts: 355
Joined: 4/2/2007
From: Banks, Alabama
Status: offline
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Looks very nice. I am still looking at all my options for a trike kit. Hope to be riding within a month.
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1975 KZ1 900 ( I survived)
2007 ULTRA CLASSIC
YOU CAN''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''T TAKE IT WITH YOU, CAN YOU?
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RE: I Just Got My Trike! - 3/31/2008 4:17:56 PM
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dw2169
Posts: 205
Joined: 9/12/2007
Status: offline
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Very nice looking trike, I was looking at the California Sidecar trike because it had the independant suspension and wondered if that was better than going with a Champion or Lehman kit. I don't have the money now so wll try the cheap route to keep riding. I will check out the DFT kit also. My local Harley will have a Lehman kit put on for $13,000 and add another $1300 if you add reverse. I had figured a California Trike kit to be about 13,000 without any labor. No wonder trikes cost so much to buy all ready put together. At least we do whatever just to keep riding. Hack you have a great forum here. Thanks for the great information.
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RE: I Just Got My Trike! - 4/8/2008 4:02:15 AM
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grumpa
Posts: 339
Joined: 2/22/2008
Status: online
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At 65 a trike has to be in the future for me, I did some running around looking at the trike shops and getting Ideas, One question came , Where to get the $10.000 for triking?? They told me see your banker, She didn't have a clue as to what I was talking about, She called down town she also said "WHAT IS A TRIKE" then it was see the Dealer. Make a long story short. I want to trike my FXDP I know which kit I want but were do you get that kind of money, any ideas, ( pulling the money out of the house is out.... wifey won't go for that")
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I brake for leprechauns and B(o)(o)B's accepting any donations to trike my FXDP, tolal to date $1, one bottle cap and a book of green stamps.
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RE: I Just Got My Trike! - 5/2/2008 8:32:49 AM
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bdn56
Posts: 355
Joined: 4/2/2007
From: Banks, Alabama
Status: offline
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I haven't heard from you in a while Ron H. How is the new trike? The more I look at it , the more I like it. If I put that much into my bike, I would have a sleeping bag beside it in the garage.
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_____________________________
1975 KZ1 900 ( I survived)
2007 ULTRA CLASSIC
YOU CAN''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''T TAKE IT WITH YOU, CAN YOU?
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RE: I Just Got My Trike! - 5/2/2008 9:46:52 PM
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btefft
Posts: 2863
Joined: 3/4/2007
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I can see why you're proud of it. Pretty!!!
Hack
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'06 Road King Classic w/ Sidecar.
Patriot Guard Rider, CMA Member
Retired Science Teacher (taught for 30 yrs).
They call me "Hack" because of the sidecar, not the amputated leg.
Proud Former Paratrooper - 2/505, 3rd Brigade, 82d Airborne Division
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[/image] 2008 Road King vance & hines true-duals,vance & hines ovals, s/e air cleaner.
