New Freewheeler- Questions?
 

Hello. I just bought a new 2017 Freewheeler trike. I have ridden Harleys for 35 years and have never been on a trike, no less driven or owned one. My dealer STANS HD in Batavia NY was a GREAT dealer to do business with. Their entire Staff were the freiendlist group I have ever encountered at a Dealership. Be fore I can get the bike I have to spend some time in their parking lot trying to get used to it. Anyone who may offer me some tips on starting out on a trike would be greatly appreciated. I don't see to many threads on these Freewheelers but all the dealers I contacted didn't have anymore in their showroom. Any things to look out for on these models?I also have looked for some Clubs that have some trike owners but mostly 2 wheeler clubs. Thanks in advance for any replies. Pete

Take your time. Get used to the steering. Don't put your feet down. Put your arms straight out that is how wide you are, you have to remember the rear fenders. It takes a little time to get used to but once you are they are a ball. I still enjoyed the Sporty but I love my TG.

Remember to pull the front brake lever or use the rear brake pedal to start the trike when it is in gear. A good way to learn to steer is an empty parking lot. I tell new owners to look to around the side of their windscreens in the direction of the turn as it puts your shoulders in the right place for push/pull arm motion. Take it easy riding in traffic. Watch that right fender when pulling in to gas stations. Have fun.

Can't add much more, but welcome aboard and enjoy the ride!

If you have been on Harleys for 35 years you won't have any problems. Clutch, throttle, and breaks work the same. Leaning will do nothing, steering is all upper body. Wife bought the first Tri-Glide delivered to the dealer. Picked it up on a Thursday, left for Las Vegas Friday morning (305 miles) and brought it in for the 1000 mile service Tuesday. They are fun, but need a little getting used to. I sold my Ultra 2011, took wife's 09 and bought her a new 11. We now have a '14 Tri (her) and a 15 Free. Ride the hell out of it, go places, see things. And, most of all ENJOY

Thanks to all!
 

I was told these Freewheelers will not start in gear unless you are in Neutral. If you need to restart the bike in gear saying it stalls at a lite seems to be a pain in the butt to try and find Neutral to restart it. You say you can start it in gear by using the footbrake or brake lever? How does that work without using the clutch lever?Old bikes just pull in the lever and hit the button.When you use reverse I see you do not use the throttle, just the reverse switch itself, is it only a slow speed ? I am asking some questions beforehand as I cannot get the bike from the dealer for 9 days. Then I have to drive it around their parking lot going thru cones to get used to it before they let me take it.I have been watching some vids of these and some say they are freaky to drive say when going around corners. The one vid the rider said the rear whell wants to come off the ground and on a straight road they tend to veer side to side. Guess I will havw
e to figure this out when I get it.

To start in gear pull in the clutch and hit the brake and push the start button all at the same time. You really only need to push enough on the brake to turn the brake light on.
One other thing to keep in mind is don't get too close to anything when you are turning. While sitting on the seat put your arms out to the side and that is how far your fenders stick out. Watch out for those bumper posts at gas stations, they eat fenders !! They are spendy also, so be careful.!
The things you hear from others that don't even own a three wheeler is mostly a bunch of crap ! They hear a rumor then add their own non experience of things that could happen and it becomes real in their own minds.
The veering from side to side is mostly caused from the three wheels not fitting the wear tracks in the pavement.. You can figure out how to cure most of it and it will soon not be an issue with you. You just naturally react to what the trike is doing.
The best thing to do once you have the machine is go to Wal-Mart and buy a bunch of the small cheap orange cones, then set up a maze in an empty parking lot and do a LOT OF PRACTICE ! You won't hurt things that way, and you will teach yourself many things about driving a trike ! Also practice some fast stops, and use both brakes front and rear.
You can slightly slide to the inside of the seat to make yourself feel better in curves or corners. It will help you push into the seat instead of feeling like you are going to slide off the seat. You will eventually find out these trikes will run off and leave a 2 wheeler in the corners. Unless you are trying to turn the trike over the wheel won't come off the ground for very far because it will loose power to the wheel still on the ground. The trike isn't impossible to turn over, but you really have to work at it.
The big thing is don't scare yourself ! Just relax and have some fun. Don't try to think of too many things at once ! You'll be fine !
HAVE FUN !

Congrats on your new ride!!!

The reverse questions have been answered.

Regarding steering, if you have ever ridden a 4 wheeler (ATV), it is exactly the same. Just take some time in the parking lot getting used to it. Practice stops also.

Have fun!!!

Point the front wheel where you want to go, period. You won't be "riding" it as much as driving it. It naturally wants to go straight, so the faster your are going or the tighter the turn, the more it pushes back, that's the same physics that makes a motorcycle lean, but the trike can't do that, so it pushes back instead; you're just counteracting that force by pushing harder to keep the front wheel pointed where you're going.

If it starts wiggling around or veering or feels unstable, it's you (as it was the reviewers who didn't know how to ride one.) You'll learn to not let the thing bobbling around affect where you're pointing the front wheel. The "seat feel" on these is odd at first with bumps, on a motorcycle it moves up and down, but you feel some additional side-to-side motion on a trike. It's as normal as it would be on a narrow car that width. If the handlebars/front wheel is stable, so is the trike.

Sure you can lean into turns just like you would on a sharp turn in your car if that helps. Shift your weight on your lower cheeks to compensate same as in a car, as well as putting weight on your outside leg. Some of it you will also counteract with your arms like you do on a steering wheel; but in the same manner, don't let that change the angle of the front wheel, because that's where you're going!

It's really not that hard, and it's really not evil and messing with you, it's just a bit different. I hopped on mine at the dealer and went home 70 miles, mostly two lane; thought I was going to die the first five or ten, then it was OK for 40 miles, started trying a few things; after that it was fun! A little practice, be smooth, control that front wheel and you'll be fine.

About the only thing I'd have to add is about leaning... no, leaning won't do squat to the trike - it's not going to make it turn or affect the turn. Leaning is just for you, so you don't feel uncomfortable from the centrifugal force.

Oh, and DON'T PUT YOUR FEET DOWN! Fenders eat ankles for breakfast. This is no s**t territory, do *not* let your feet get near those fenders, only takes a second and you're in a world of hurt.