My Valk/Spyder has about 14 inches of lead, probably a little too much but the least that I could get with the Spyder's almost centered wheel..
A Trike has essentially zero lead by tipover line definition, am I correct?
My rig would have more resistance to tip over in left turns but less in right turns, is that right?
The Trike, it seems to me, would have least resistance to tipover in both right and left turns. Adding the additional weight down low due to the differential on the trike might help but I would think that would depend on the trike's suspension.
Being new to the sidecar sport I've noticed that sidecaring seems to have a bad safety image and yet trikes don't. Recently a couple was killed on Deals Gap ( yeah, not unusual for Deals Gap) by driving their Honda GW trike into the opposing lane and hitting a car/boat trailer combo. I can't help but think that the Trike highsided. I also knew a lady friend who bought a trike and high sided it shortly after.
Most of my friends in the VRCC strongely recommended a trike over a sidecar rig. No mention was made of the trike's handling but plenty was said of the sidecar's asymmetric handling and safety. Any comments. I need some facts when this discussion come up in our VRCC tire kicking sessions.
Wayne
Tell them just what you said here. I've owned both and agree with every word you've written. I assumed the newer trikes handled better than mine, as mine were both built 20+ years ago. A couple weeks ago we were out yard sale'ing and I was chased down by a gentleman with a recently converted 100th Anniversary Ultra on a Lehman conversion.
He complained about how rough the ride was, how unstable it was on winding roads, and how uncomfortable it was for his wife. He kept me for nearly an hour asking questions about different sidecars.
It seems they had it built because his wife experienced some sort of back injury and a dealer convinced them that it would be so much more comfortable for her.
He told me he paid $13,000 for the kit and another $6500 to have it assembled. He also told me it went up for sale less than two weeks later.
I offered him a ride in the Ural, which he loved. I then suggested he try to trade his in on a Harley Rig as that was obviously his preference.
I believe the trikes are kind of like Miller beer. Been around forever, but it took the right marketing to make them commonplace. I just wish sidecarists could manage that marketing.
As far as VRCC, I stopped going over there about election time. I wish they could focus on their bikes instead. I'll be happy to back you up.
Mike
Wayne,
I do not know where all of this talk comes from but when I started looking at sidecars I was in a local shop that sold both and they did not really want to talk to me about sidecars. I think if you look at the numbers ($) above you will see why. But what happen was they did not make the $20,000 on a Trike or the $7,000 on a sidecar.
Agree with Mike 100%.
I made only one single try on a trike (dirt/tall and huge wheels)): I stepped very fast back to my sidecar!
The asymetrics has its benefits like lifting the sidecar for to avoid a hole.
Once used to the sidecar and its handling You or at least I wouldn't like a trike at all. - Specially costarican roads (shock absorber testing tracks) would shake my back too much with a trike (which might be called a hole searching device too).
Regards
Sven Peter
