Reactions to three wheelers

[Outboardbill]

After many hours and quite a few dollars my 1985 Big Red 250es is running. My son and I rode it all over the back yard tearing up the grass. I've read some posts about what people think about three wheelers. I had no idea the reactions friends, family and strangers would have when they hear I am rebuilding one. Apparently it is right up there with sticking your finger in a light socket or throwing matches in a can of gasoline. I've been riding mini bikes, off road motorcycles, three wheelers, street bikes of all kinds for more years than I want to admit. I know there is a much greater chance of getting wiped out on my motorcycle by some cager texting on his phone than flipping an atc. I try to ride responsibly and have a good time. This is not a rant at all those well meaning people who are concerned for my safety. I just listen, smile and say yes I do know the danger.

[86125m]

Oh I know what you mean I usually don't even bring up three wheelers with new people I meet or don't know well because I always get the same Thing. aren't those things dangerous I had a friend of a freinds person die on one. I have to explain to them that it is no more dangerous than a four wheeler if you ride correctly. I also say that fur wheler will flip on you to and what do you want a 7 8 900 pound four wheeler or. 300 pound three wheler to fall on you. Few that feels good to get that out of my system. But I know deep down those people are jelous and want a three wheeler to you can see it in there eyes.

[c_hustle]

My coworker last week just said the magic words...

"aren't those things illegal?"

[El Camexican]

I always just agree with people who say "aren't those dangerous?" and reply "yea, very dangerous if you don't know how to use them, kind of like a car"

[bigmac]

Most if them think they are dumb and dangerous and most of them only time they've ever road one was when they were to young to know better and crashed so they gave them up quick. But what they don't realize is I can cut a turn on a dime quicker than they can. Also get around in the thickest of thickets on a 185 or 200 and beat some equaled cc engines in a race. months ago I beat a cr80 Honda 2 stroke dirt bike in a race on my 200 big red and I was tickled to death I even threw in the best wheelie ive ever done before before we lined up it was nice

[dougspcs]

I've ridden in mixed company for many years and the reaction ranges from that of nostalgia to total ignorance.

My brother and I attend an ATV rally every year with 300+ participants..all on quads. For the last 3 years we've enjoyed our uniqueness and showing these young fellas on their $10000+ quads we can have just as much fun as they can.

Lesson 1 : ride for you..not what other people think!!

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[UPNATM]

The reactions I have got lately have been pretty positive, like, "wow, clean three wheeler", or "those things are getting harder to find huh?". But, I have also gotten the ol', "man those things are a death trap!"

[Ghostv2]

Usually in my experience it's the older people who say the famous likes, "arnt those things illegal?". My generation seems to just think they are too dangerous and don't wanna ride one. They find them to be really cool, just not what they want.

Most younger kids just brag about their 450's and don't even bat an eye at a trike.

[waynekreitzmann]

I've noticed that when people get down on you about things most of the time they are just jealous

[350for350]

A couple of years back, I was at the top of a mountain pass in Colorado with a friend. Someone else walked by and asked "wasn't that a rough ride up here on that thing?" as he looked at my 350x. I just pointed to the Raptor my buddy was riding and said "no worse than that." He just gave me a blank look as he walked off. I guess he thought that all three wheelers have no suspension. Didn't bother me a bit.

[badass350x]

Love those shirts Doug...

[dougspcs]

Love those shirts Doug...

Thanks, I had them made up locally for my brother's birthday.

[duck4twenty]

yea it seems the first words out of there mouth when u mention three wheeler's is "aren't those things illegal?" and i say no just dangerous lol

[bkvette3]

I am fairly new to 3 wheelers - always wanted one - finally bought a clean '84 200es last Sept. No regrets here. It runs and performs nicely. My 12 year old son drives it (while under my supervision, of course - helmet on, not fast, no hills, 3rd gear tops - minimal throttle applied). Was out with my son and his 2 friends aged 8 and 12 years old. Asked their parents if they could accompany us and I would show them the proper way to drive the trike under my supervision. The mother looked at me and said "Absolutely NO WAY - those things are dangerous. Hey, no problem here. As per my son - his 2 friends constantly bugged their parents to buy them a trike. Long story short - they purchased a 2005 Can-Am 650DS quad for the 12 year old and a 2008 Yamaha Raptor 700 special edition for the 8 year old. That has me scratching my head. I guess 4 wheels are safer than 3 (LOL). It is a sight to see. These boys are not very tall. They stand on the footpegs straddling the gas tank in order to drive these things. Dumping the clutch around 2500 to get started - no clutch to shift gears. Two weekends ago I bought a mint one owner '85 Honda 250R ATC. Took it out for a ride and my son's 2 friends, their dad and their 2 quads joined us. Dad had to show how fast the Raptor was - showing off drifting in the snow at a fast pace. Hit some frozen dirt, lost control and barrel rolled the Raptor. He was tossed - thankfully not hurt - so he says - his helmet was on. Raptor upside down - wheels up, plastic broken/cracked everywhere. Handlebars slightly twisted. Wow - wish his wife was there to witness how safe these 4 wheeled quads are!!!

[Ghostv2]

A raptor 700 for a 12 year old?! I rode a trx450r and that was way more machine than I'll ever need and I'm 20 years old. I could only imagine that thing.

Biggest machine I'll ever own will be a 250r or a 350x. Until then I'll stick with my 200s and 225dx. Maybe get another 200x.

[ironchop]

my friends used to tell horror stories, claim they know for a fact they are illegal, tell me that I`m an idiot and bad father (my kids ride them too), ask me why I would want to be paralyzed, etc.


NOWADAYS, some of the same friends are finding/ buying or looking to buy one as well.....Peer pressure and all that.

[bkvette3]

A raptor 700 for a 12 year old?! I rode a trx450r and that was way more machine than I'll ever need and I'm 20 years old. I could only imagine that thing.

Biggest machine I'll ever own will be a 250r or a 350x. Until then I'll stick with my 200s and 225dx. Maybe get another 200x.

No, no - the 700 Raptor is the 8 year old's ride. The 12 year old rides the 650DS. :crazy: :wondering

[jman311]

To tell you the truth, I've never ridden a trike, but they look fun. There is always someone who is going to start talking about safety and such, it I just tell them I'm not in it for the safety.... I'm in it for the fun!

[slashfan7964]

I tell people you have to slide to ride fast.


That usually shuts them up.

[sh68cobra]

I have a friend of mine that has 2 trikes with training wheels and told me how much better they are than my trikes and one day he asked if he could ride with me, now he is looking to buy one.

[dman10]

Usually in my experience it's the older people who say the famous likes, "arnt those things illegal?". My generation seems to just think they are too dangerous and don't wanna ride one. They find them to be really cool, just not what they want.

Most younger kids just brag about their 450's and don't even bat an eye at a trike.
You ain't kindin'. And at 16, I'm probably that "younger kids" group.

[czac]

my wife calls mine the "Death Machine" cause she saw me doing wheelies... she thinks they just happen automatically.... well, At least I told her they didn't... lol it is hard to keep that front tire on the ground! lol

[czac]

lol... nice!

[NeverLift]

I've had a very positive experience. Get stares anywhere you stop, everyone thinks there cool but no one ever wants to ride them.

[bad_boy_y]

I start last summer to rebuild the atc200es 1984 I did run when I was 10 years old. The reaction of my friend is always. Cool I need to try it! My girl friend say she don't want to drive it because she fear a bit but she always stay stock in the wood with a quad I don't why. I never heard horror story with trike just with quad and bike. But when you run fast and the bridge disappears having 2,3,4 or 10 wheels change nothing. I hope to find a atc70 or something like that for my boys learn to drive. Understand how it's work and practice is the best way to avoid accident with any engine.

[sick85crownvic]

My first and only trike when I was a teenager was a ragged out 200x with an "S" pull start motor and wow, I got looks everywhere I rode it....the on-lookers faces were worth a thousand words. One day a SWEET 350x showed up at the pit and I drooled from a distance while all those people who gave me strange looks flocked over to admire the 350x...I got VERY different looks when my ragged 200-mutt ran fender to fender through the pit until we both jumped on the brakes....I miss that thing....it was FAST, but my stupidity destroyed it....amazing how we can be attracted so strongly to these machines like moths to a light...lol. I wouldn't have it any other way.

When somebody makes a comment to me about their "legality" or safety, I just tell'em it's okay, I grew up on trikes(atc 185's and 200es's that my friends had). I love it!

-Don

[Curtie223]

I don't know, I get a whole different reaction when we bring them out somewhere. everyone thanks they are cool and generally brings a crowd.

[slashfan7964]

You ain't kindin'. And at 16, I'm probably that "younger kids" group.
Me as well. I'm only 19.

_____

I've heard exactly one horror story from a guy I knew that said he was being a moron and jumped on, landed and "folded it in half" and then he swore never to ride one again and calls people who do idiots.

Idiot.

[thcowboy]

I am fairly new to 3 wheelers - always wanted one - finally bought a clean '84 200es last Sept. No regrets here. It runs and performs nicely. My 12 year old son drives it (while under my supervision, of course - helmet on, not fast, no hills, 3rd gear tops - minimal throttle applied).

its great your teaching him.

[tommerp]

I love the reactions that are "Oh man... I thought those were illegal.." quickly followed by "OMG, that looks like a blast to ride, can I try?"

[cheap4tw]

Everyone I mention it to has "rolled one back in the day", "went over the handlebars", "had a friend who died on one of those death machines". Well everyone except one guy, who had one as a kid and loved it.

My dad has a three wheeler when I was a kid and my big red brings back those memories. I make my own choices and live my own life. Always remember the old saying opinions are like assholes, everyone's got one.

[knappyfeet]

Who the heck would buy the 8 year old a 700? That's child endangerment if you ask me. Although I never owned one til now....I remember my mom always thinking it was safer than a MX bike because it had 3 wheels.

[86125m]

My mom to and honestly I don't think I could drive a motor cycle. I could never ride all that well and to be honest I got hurt more on my bicycle than i ever have on any of my 9 three wheelers.

[onformula1]

How this for a reaction-

I went to Cycle Gear the other day to grab a quick part- There's 3 young guys working there and 7 guys hanging out/buying parts.

The one guys asks me what are you working on? I said a old three wheeler Honda 350X, the guy says like a VW street trike? I said no, the other guy says like a Can-Am? I said no and went on to try to explain, after 5 mins. they were all staring at me and you could hear a pin drop in the room, I said how much do I owe you I have to get going!

So young guys don't know what a 3 wheeler is???

[Buck Snort]

Last weekend, a guy and his wife showed up at my house to look at my 82 Big Red that I have for sale. He was about the same age as me and explained how he got out of trikes in the early 90s when he got married. He had a ton of knowledge, so I let him go in the back field. He could ride well and the smile on his face told the story. He loved it.! I showed him the shop and of course he wanted the 350x. Talked for quite a while, thought I was going to make a few bucks and have a new riding buddy. He left saying he would call me that night. Never heard from him till the next night. Told me, him and his wife had a bad fight about that "horrible death machine". Actually slept on the couch. No sale! Just about told him to come get it, was going to give him the sweetest deal. My wife has nothing to do with the trikes, but has never tried to stop me from owning them.

[86125m]

When the woman comes with the man to come buy an atv atc or motorcycle. It usually ends with no sale

[knappyfeet]

There are a couple of Hondas I always wanted......one an 85 Big Red and the other a 250r. If I only had room for 1 more it would be the big red.......but I get all the arguing and the back and forth done before I ever go to pick one up. Me and my son went to pick up a Yamaha HT-1 that needed restoration and I told her before I found this one that was the plan. Of course the answer was no (what is with women always saying no?) So we went back and forth but she knew I was ready. When it came....she liked it.

[Berger83]

Thankfully none of the women around my house say anything about the trikes my dad and I own. (I think its 14 now?) Heck my sister even asks to ride one instead of the big 4x4's.

[Degoragon]

Want to see a reaction, try riding one on two wheels, they really freak when they see that!

[Degoragon]

As far as reactions, mixed, a couple liked it, rode it to work, my boss ended up riding it! (Even pulling wheelies and riding on two wheels!, said it was faster and easier to ride on two than the shops quad) a few have commented on them being unstable, one guy said he once have the skin peeled off his leg when it got caught between the peg and back wheel (and showed me the scar). Most other reactions were the stock, "dangerous" reaction.

[Degoragon]

Also, my dad , on seeing it, told me about how he used to take his cousins ATC 90 and float it across a creek, so long as you keep most of your weight to the back, It would float right across! I'm not about to try that with my 185s though, especially with the heavy mud tires I have on here

[Johnny1996]

The kinds of reactions I usually get are anywhere from slight bullying to "three wheelers suck" to "they're gay" to even slight disownment. Being still in high school, it's much easier for me to get reactions like that. And my mom doesn't exactly seem to be onboard with me getting a trike, but with me being 18, it's my life, my money, my choices, etc. so it pretty much does nothing. I've actually even lost some Instagram followers for my love of trikes. :lol: On the opposite end of the spectrum, I've met three other people who are fellow trike guys, but above all, I've met people who respect my love for these three wheeled machines of glory. Bottom line, trikes aren't for everyone.

[Jmoozy27]

Around my area, it's all about the quads. There is tons of big expensive machines around here that guys usually dog the shite out of until they can't afford to fix them. And if you talk to any of them about wrenching you get the nose in the air. That's because none of them do their own wrenching like old skoolers. The way quads are built now no one can work on them but stock shops. I like doing my own work. Tuning my own machine is what makes it so fun. Why should someone else know your machine better than you. It's like asking another man to screw your wife and you paying him for it. No thanks, I can handle it.

[JacobMonster]

Lol, I've never took mine off the property to ride much. My mom always would rather me be on one than a lil' dirt bike when i was 8. She rode ATC's back in the early 90's. She knew that you had to know how to ride them, and I was taught by my Dad. Honda 125 was the first machine I ever rode. I've moved up to a 200x now, and have never turned one over. It just takes respect of the machine to not crash it. People only say they are more dangerous because you have to pay more attention to what your doing. You can't take a corner at a bazillion mph and still have the bike upright. Some people just don't understand that, while you can take an atv and go a lot faster around a corner. Can't wait to get up to TF for the first time. I'll probably end up learning how to really ride them.

[knappyfeet]

The kinds of reactions I usually get are anywhere from slight bullying to "three wheelers suck" to "they're gay" to even slight disownment. Being still in high school, it's much easier for me to get reactions like that.

Yea they'll give you those reactions until you hand them their rear end in a race. I have an LTZ400 and the 350X was quicker. I wonder how many would change their tunes when grandpa's old 250r makes their fuel injected 450s look like a ballooned 110.

[86125m]

Smoke em for me itll be awhile till my 200x is done.

[Johnny1996]

Yea they'll give you those reactions until you hand them their rear end in a race. I have an LTZ400 and the 350X was quicker. I wonder how many would change their tunes when grandpa's old 250r makes their fuel injected 450s look like a ballooned 110.

I do wanna race them. Is that a bad thing? :D

[nd4speed]

After Riding around Michigan, dont really remember much of anyone saying anything overly negative. Most people just stare and some people give a thumbs up. I know there are a lot of trikes around Michigan but not a lot of Tecates.

Some people think they are cool. Some people who lose to you on their new shiny new four wheeler in a sand hill drag dont think it is so cool. One kid on a new honda asked what it was after he was beat repeatedly. I said "some 20 year old beater I paid $700 for". Total trailpro thing to say, but I felt good not spending $5000 to go slow and wanted to rub it in. His riding skills were lacking though.

Older guys at riding areas usually know what they are.

The "aren't they illegal" are usually weak people who could barely ride a bicycle and think for themselves and probably couldnt do basic work on their own car (just my 'murica opinion).

My response is they are all dangerous, motorcycle or atv or automobile, especially in the wrong hands.

[jasbret]

When i was 12 my father bought a brand new 1982 200. All of my friends rode dirt bikes and I was often teased that my "bike" had "training wheels". Today I am told over and over that "those things are illeagal" or "they are dangerous". I laughed then as I pulled my friend's dirt bikes out of the mud and I laugh now at how people can be so sure about something they clearly know little about. I think others on here are absolutely correct, people are just jealous. I still have that 200 and it runs and looks as it did then. My old friends I rode with then fully admit now, they are still jealous.

[RubberSalt]

Everyone around me knows I'm a nut about them. Every once in a while i get people saying they wouldn't ever be caught one one or those are dangerous.

My girlfriend doesn't mind, she likes to ride quads and what not, but I knew she was a keeper when I found out her dad bought her an atc200!

[NETRA3]

My buddy and I have matching 350x's.....We always get the blank stare and the finger point, which I think is a riot! There was this young kid riding dirt bikes with his family and he literally could not take his eyes off the Atc's, He said he's never seen anything like it.......He almost fell over when we pitched the thing sideways right in front of him!....I've been riding my whole life and own dirt bikes and quads, but there is something about this three wheeler that's just indescribable. For me, it's about nostalgia, and reliving the past, working on them, or just plain staring at them. They also make for good conversation when approached by other trail riders.

[UncleJerm76]

I'm also getting the "Didn't they ban those things" or "Aren't they illegal" or "Those are so dangerous". So much that I stopped bringing it up.

I guess I'm just lucky, how did I ever survive these things as a young and dumb kid.


...Tools ...Toys (same thing) :)

[185reviver]

I get it all the time i just educate them a bit run through the stats and such and most leave smarter and a changed opinion, then they all want to ride my trike to see for themselves and i say "not a chance jack" lol

[RIDE-RED 250r]

When I ride Tug Hill in Lewis County NY, I get 99.9% positive reactions.. thumbs up, fist pumping and other friendly gestures from other riders as we meet on the trails and gravel roads. My trikes tend to start alot of conversations with complete strangers when we stop for a bite to eat. I get the "aren't those things illegal" from time to time, but after I explain what really happened it usually results in the fellow saying he is going to track one down for himself. I have gotten compliments from Law Enforcement on trail checkpoints too. One forest ranger even asked the question "how did you manage to get that thing registered? I thought those were banned." I explained the truth of the matter to him and that NY recognizes 3-wheelers as any other ATV.. After he checked my registration and insurance papers and confirmed all the numbers matched he complimented my machine and told me to have a good ride..

I can't really say I get any measurable amount of bad feedback about my trikes from other folks. The very very few who do, I explain it like nd4speed does, anything can be dangerous if the operator is riding outside his capabilities or the machine's, be it a 2-wheeler, 3-wheeler, 4-wheeler, sled, etc etc..

I have been saying for awhile, I think the old trikes are my generation's hot-rod to an extent...