Atter 40 years of riding 2-wheel harleys I'm contemplating a tri glide. Test rode one today for about 10 miles. My left brain was arguing with the right. It's instinctive to countersteer. I was a little more comfortable the last 5 miles but underwhelmed with the experience. It just seemed like more work steering as opposed to effortlessness of two wheels. Will I adapt and enjoy as much as 2-wheels or am I just not ready for a tri glide? My wife wont ride on the ultra but is open to the 3-wheels. This is a big reason for me considering the tri glide. Thoughts?

 

You probably thought the same thoughts, forty years ago, yet obviously you survived and thrived.
Riding a trike is just as much fun, just a different method of doing so.

 

Your 10 mile test ride is not enough to know for sure. I always recommend renting a trike for a day. That is not as easy to do now that the Moco dished rentals off to eaglerider; however, I would check into that anyway. Trikes are more work to steer, (upper body & arms) but they can be very quick as well. That said, I have seen some smaller gals wheeling them around just fine. There is a learning curve (or comfort curve) and that varies with the person. Only took me a couple hundred miles (I have driven farm tractors, snowmobiles, ect), others report higher miles to get them comfortable (and nothing wrong with that). Most of us here have done mods to improve handling and comfort over stock (which you would be renting) so keep that in mind. Best case for you would be to have both (2 wheels for you & 3 wheels for 2up) if that is possible. From what you said about your wife only riding with on 3, then you both have a decision to make. My wife & I faced the same thing (her hip & knee), couldn't afford both, so we went to 3 wheels and haven't looked back. Best of luck to you.

 

I went to a 3 wheeler for the same reason as you. When I pulled out of the dealer my first thought was what the hell did I just do, went from feeling comfortable and confident to being uncomfortable and afraid. Yes there is a learning curve but once you get it figured out it is really a blast to ride. The more you ride it the more fun it is. My wife is not able to ride as much (she has MS) my friends asked if I would go back to 2 wheels. Answer is no having way to much fun on 3 to go back. The lift kit people are talking about does help the ride and ease up the steering a bit.

 

My cousin traded in the '92 Heritage that I sold him in '94 during a trip down the Natchez Trace in '15.
He lives in TN and he says that it took him 5,000 miles to feel as comfortable on three as he felt on two but he is now a happy "triker"!

With proper fitting handlebars (for you), a rider backrest, and good highway foot pegs, you will eventually adjust to riding a trike.

I'm currently considering it myself. I just can't get over the "bath" that I'll have to take on my current bike.

Good luck.

 

 

I did the trade about 2 months ago from a '14 limited to a Tri. It took my head telling me you don't want to do this but my 70 yea old body telling me you do to finally make the decision to do the trade. I rode about 300 miles around home and was getting the "feeling" of being comfortable then wife and I did a 3000 mile ride to Yellowstone pulling my trailer and now I don't have any desire to go back to 2 wheels. The Trike after doing the DK Lift and my proaction shocks this thing steers like a go cart. It's fun to ride once you let yourself believe it's fun. And mama loves it too I have it set up for her to be comfy and man does she get that way..

 

Santajim, I think you've hit the nail on the head. A lot of people and so called experts approach three wheels like it is horrible, life will never be the same, woe is me. If you look at some of the posts from people that put in the time and effort that they did when they first rode two wheels, usually a bicycle they can be fun and comfortable. as far as not being able to corner once you are used to them they can scoot. Maybe the riders are just enjoying the ride instead of trying to drag off their floorboards.

 

Wheels I agree. I did have a lot of debating in my old head about not wanting to go from 2 wheels to 3 but at 70 years old I am still in the wind and these guys that are in their 40's and 50's that say they will never go to a trike I laugh because when their old asses and bodies start breaking down with age(and they will) they will either have to go to 3 or quit riding.