Seriously considering a triked Swing

After several years' hiatus, I've returned to this fine forum to inquire a bit about trike kits for the Silverwing. My first S'wing had a pair of wheels bolted on while retaining the main original rear wheel; can't recall the manufacturer of the conversion kit. It was solid enough, but at the time I lived 3/4's of a mile up a steep, rutted gravel driveway, and several times the outriggers only contacted the high points of the road, leaving the drive wheel airborne...and spinning, of course. Not acceptable, so I sold it in spite of my ladyfriend's objections who had enjoyed learning how to drive it.
A couple of years later, I saw a really nice S'wing for sale locally, and bought it, thinking maybe it would fit my new lifestyle a little better (winters in Florida, coffee shops to visit, nice live oak-shaded country roads, etc...), but it still didn't fit, so I went back to normal motorcycles.

Fast forward a few more years and some of the early signs of old age are now apparent -- less upper body strength, balance not quite as good, a more sedentary lifestyle taking its toll on general flexibility, and that's got the two of us thinking maybe it's once again time to re-consider the three-wheel solution to staying in the breeze. We've owned three different CanAm Spyders and never quite got comfortable ergonomically with any of them. We've looked at the new 2020 Spyder RT, which has improved in a ton of ways over the 2019 and prior, but that's a lot of money and the wide front end won't squeeze into the limited space in our toy hauler trailer. The footprint of a triked scooter, with double wheels at the back instead of the front, is perfect.

SO, to my question(s): Does Motor Trike still make a conversion kit for the Silver Wing?
Are there other 3-wheel (rather than 4-wheel) conversion kits/manufacturers out there to consider? Is anyone selling a nice trike?

Pete in northeast Georgia

Dale will fill you in, he has the full blown conversion no three wheels n back. Your experience with the gravel driveway brought to mine a G'Wing I watched doing that.

This is my converted SWing. It has a Motor Trike conversion kit on it. Motor Trike makes the kit then sends it to a dealer who's qualified to install it then the dealer does the installation.

I'm old so forgive me but I think I've had this on now for three years and have no regrets. It's a bit of a learning curve on riding it but once you get the feel of it it's a piece of cake. Intersections and round-a-bouts were the tricky part. You don't lean into the curves and at first that feels funny or weird. I rode it around town for about an hour or so just to get the feel of it before I tried the highway. And it only has two wheels on the back. 14" X about 6" wide so it's a true trike.

It cost me about $8,000 total for the kit. That's making, shipping and installation. For me it was money well spent.

In town I've lost a bit of mileage but on the road it's only been 2-3 mpg. It still has plenty of get up and go too.

Also, to your question about anyone selling a nice triked SWing. Well Yes I will sell mine to you for the small sum of $100,000.00. I guess I really don't want to sell it tho... Sorry, I couldn't help it.


Also, Motor Trike will let you know who in your area is qualified to do the installation.

Hi Dale:

Thanks for taking the time to share your experience.
Might be worth my getting in touch with Motor Trike to see how far away the closest qualified tech might be. I'm wishing I had kept the cream puff 2012 that shows in my sig line (glad to have replaced that Triumph with a 650 Royal Enfield, though); it wudda been a perfect starting platform.

Pete

Check on Cycle Trader there  is a 2012 3 wheeled SW trike for sale in Knoxville TN.  $ 7997...  Higher mileage  29K. Rear wheels look like the same as Dale N's .

I checked out Cycle Trader like Mech 1 twa mentioned and YUP that's a Motor Trike one.

Hi Pete,
I PM'd you a couple of pics of my rear end. Well the rear end of my SWing just to clarify....

Mech 1 twa wrote:

Check on Cycle Trader there  is a 2012 3 wheeled SW trike for sale in Knoxville TN.  $ 7997...  Higher mileage  29K.  Rear wheels look like the same as Dale N's .

Thanks for that tip... I'm half a day's drive from that Knoxville dealer and have sent him a few questions.

Dale -- thanks for the pics of your set up.

Hi Pete,
One thing I mentioned on that other topic, Mr. Dale A Question Or Two, was that when I had the trike kit installed I also had them put a 4 degree rake kit on the triple tree to extend out the front wheel a bit. A member of this forum, who's no longer on, told me to have that done for handling purposes. I guess it worked seeing as it handles real nice.

Dale good point on the raked front, do you remember the amount in degrees? I rode a G'WING with no rake, stock, lets say like no power steering compared to those with a kit. I question the tipping in those off chamber turns and normal road speeds.

Re that 4° rake. Did Motor Trike supply a new steering stem with the increased rake or did they alter your existing steering stem for the improved rake?

I think they might have just altered it. Not really sure. Also that 300 mile chain lube to me is a bit much. I don't lube it that often. It's a good and heavy O ring chain. On my old 750 Honda I never lubed it that often.

Dale--
Could you give me the outside-to-outside measurement across the rear wheels of your Motor Trike S'Wing please?

I'm looking ahead to bringing one home on my smaller Chariot trailer, and would hate to arrive at the seller's only to find the scoot wouldn't fit between the side rails!

Thanks,
Pete

Four Feet give or take an inch or so from tire edge to tire edge. Add 3 1/2 inches if your counting from the outside of the fenders. So 4' 3 1/2" fender to fender.
Sorry I didn't get back to you earlier but I was helping my sisters at their new house.

Thanks, Dale.
You just saved me a long trip to look at a trike only to find out it won't fit in my single-bike trailer. My Chariot is just over 3' between the inside walls of the fender wells. More than enough for a single, two-wheel motorcycle, but I won't be able to shoe-horn a Motor Trike puppy into it.

Looks like I do something about adding a single chock in the center of my two-bike trailer...or just pack some really warm riding gear and let the wife drive back alone in the car while I hide in her slipstream behind that nice Givi windscreen this one sports.

Hi Pete,
I have an old converted boat trailer that I used to haul my 2 wheel SWing on but now with the two in the back it won't fit on the trailer unless I do some serious mods on the trailer.

Pete, here's another option from Honda albeit not a SWing.  Bob Witte is a respected Moderator from the CTX700 website and he is selling his CTX700 trike setup. I believe it sports Honda's DCT transmission.  The link below will give you a good idea of what he has.

Honda CTX700 Trike

Bob can be reached at 813-789-6321 (landline) and at 218-789-6321 (cell).  He has published his numbers publically on the other site so I'm thinking he's OK with them being shared here.

There is another another Motor Trike for sale on Cycle Trader in Sarasota FL. 2013 2k miles $8699 or offer. Hap's Cycle Sales.

I wouldn't bother with a conversion kit, you are putting on two rear wheels on a bike that was never designed for it.  As much as other folks may enjoy the bike, it tends to be an expensive proposition and getting your money out afterward, may be tough.  It's a mod and people don't like to pay for mods.

I would suggest that you look at one of the can am's, either one of the sypders or the newer ryker.  I have a 2010  Spyder RT which is a touring model with lots of storage space and is ideal for  two up riding.  They also make an F3 model which is more like a cruiser seating position but not bad to ride at all.  The older GS bikes are more set up like a sport bike so you are leaning forward a bit.  All of these bikes are available with a manual or semi auto transmission that you shift with a button on the left grip.  They will automatically downshift when stopping.  All come with ABS and traction control and have a reverse gear built in.  Lots of folks that cant ride 2 wheels anymore ride these all over the place.  New, the F3's are about 16 and the RT's are over 20.  But used models are much cheaper and can be had below 10 depending on age/model/mileage.  

The newer model is the ryker and these can be had for less than 10 grand new.  They have a cvt belt transmission that is similar to what is used in a Swing along with a reverse gear.  The ryker is much smaller than the spyder, you can put your feet down while seated on a ryker, not so on a spyder, but you have floorboards to put your feet on.  On either bike you have no fear of ever dropping it at a stop and most can be customized quite a bit.

Mech 1 twa wrote:

There is another another Motor Trike for sale on Cycle Trader in Sarasota FL.  2013 2k miles $8699 or offer.  Hap's Cycle Sales.    

I've got my eye on it and have even made an offer. We'll see if they take the bait once they re-open following President's Day holiday.

EvilTwin wrote:

I wouldn't bother with a conversion kit, you are putting on two rear wheels on a bike that was never designed for it.  As much as other folks may enjoy the bike, it tends to be an expensive proposition and getting your money out afterward, may be tough.  It's a mod and people don't like to pay for mods.

I would suggest that you look at one of the can am's, either one of the sypders or the newer ryker.  I have a 2010  Spyder RT which is a touring model with lots of storage space and is ideal for  two up riding.  They also make an F3 model which is more like a cruiser seating position but not bad to ride at all.  The older GS bikes are more set up like a sport bike so you are leaning forward a bit.  All of these bikes are available with a manual or semi auto transmission that you shift with a button on the left grip.  They will automatically downshift when stopping.  All come with ABS and traction control and have a reverse gear built in.  Lots of folks that cant ride 2 wheels anymore ride these all over the place.  New, the F3's are about 16 and the RT's are over 20.  But used models are much cheaper and can be had below 10 depending on age/model/mileage.  

The newer model is the ryker and these can be had for less than 10 grand new.  They have a cvt belt transmission that is similar to what is used in a Swing along with a reverse gear.  The ryker is much smaller than the spyder, you can put your feet down while seated on a ryker, not so on a spyder, but you have floorboards to put your feet on.  On either bike you have no fear of ever dropping it at a stop and most can be customized quite a bit.

I realize the beginning and end of this thread are getting separated by a lot of helpful responses in between, but my initial premise was that I'm looking for a 2-up alternative to the CanAm, having owned three of the Bombardier products in the past. Nothing against their product, but I'm now looking for something smaller (lighter) and less expensive. I've not seen any seating for the Ryker that accommodates a passenger.