An Idea Percolating....
 

Last week I was talking to Papa Zook about the possibility of doing a Harley Trike Conversion.

IF we did, I would pick out a donor bike.

Cut-n-Shoot would do the conversion. I do not have the time, expertise or desire...and Papa Zook is the expert on Trike Conversions.

It sounds like it would be a fun project, and I know I would really enjoy riding it.

I have a few ideas already:

It will have a carburetor, no EFI. It's got to sound good, and carbed bikes are easier to get an old school sound out of .

Having less electrics is a bonus.

Thinking the donor should be a Softail, but open to the Touring platform.

Would not even mind if it had a blown motor and was replaced with an S&S.

Of course, we would use DK Custom parts where ever we could.

We would rely on Cut-n-Shoot expertise for which conversion kit to use.

Would have to have an old school look and sound.

Anyways, it's all just in the "maybe this would be a good thing to do" talking about stage. We'll see if it ever moves to reality.

Build it ground up rather than bolt a kit on . Build it not only cool but functional. Softails can make some cool trikes

why not try a softail with a Frankenstein kit. A cheaper trike to build that most could afford not like most other trike conversions that cost 10 to 20 thousand dollars. then with the amount of miles you put on we could get a good idea how the Frankenstein kits hold up. also abuse it a little to see if it breaks

Thanks man, lots of ideas running around about this.


I will still be keeping the TG for our long distance trips...thinking this one will be more of a "hot rod" trike for daily riding and day trips.

with the Hot Rod thought in mind … Frankenstein does offer different width kits that can give you that Hot Rod look … like a narrow heavy duty kit … just saying you might want to give them a look … and they are USA made

Thank you! Looked at them, ridden them, and one day I may do one with a Sporty. I am really curious about an IRS right now.

mystery design is very similar to the Frankenstein kit but you can get IRS with it. Their kit for attaching it to the softail is also very good as it does not use a different swing arm. If you Email them they will send you the full install instructions and also pictures of the swing arm application

For me what passes as custom seems to be the same old stuff with a different bow tied on it. By that I mean we really can't make an exhaust so we just cut some pipes off and point them down. Unable to think out of the box just stick some bars on it with a bad ass sounding name call it good.
Old school custom today is not going to be really old school , it will not have drum brakes, Kick starter . It may have spoke wheels That is fine really. But it should be Clean in design, simple and function. No crap hung on it just to make it bad ass.
I have seen a couple softail Frankenstein ones done clean that made some functional nice look rides. Everyone has their own ideas on what a bike should be. That is why I have more than one. Each severs a purpose.
Looking forward to what you come up with. Trikes and to some extent sidecars are getting more notice in the market.
I will admit there is a list of old school stuff I do not want any more. Drum brakes,Spoke wheel and chain drive.

Thanks for the input...keep it coming. Ideas are percolating. :)

Sounds like a man on a mission. I'm not familiar with trike kits but since the Freewheeler hit the market I said it would be bad ass with the CVO treatment. Hint hint. Lol
I like how your thinking, carbed, old school and Softail. Decisions decisions.