Where would trikes have gone?

[Jed]

If these machines where never outlawed for the (10?) year period what do you guys think would have happened with three wheelers? would they still be going with four-wheelers? would their popularity have died off? or maybe they would only be made by a few selected companies? what do you guys think? I no that prototypes where under way, are their any pictures of prototypes out their thanks.

[El Camexican]

All I know for sure is that ATV tire sales would be down over 25% today

[just ben]

Ok I'll bite. I would liken it to the same as quads and SXS's. Two completely different machines But they can coexist because people have a choice. I think trikes would have been just fine for a while but would have faded out of production anyway. You can thank Suzuki for their premature demise though and for the 60 minutes piece everyone has seen. Genius move on their part to sell their quads and hurt the other mfg's .

[barnett468]

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Hi;

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I don’t see why there would be resentment by the general public against any company coming up with a new product or update of an existing product.

Suzuki took a calculated risk, they came up with something that was successful. People now had another choice/option. It could have gone the other way and they might have lost a lot of money on it.

I would hate to be using a telegraph. Someone invented the telephone which made the telegraph obsolete.

I would hate to be traveling by horse almost anywhere. Someone invented trains, cars and airplanes…

As far as whether any new major changes would have been made there would not have been. The size and design of the vehicles seems ideal. They obviously might have added things like improved suspension, fuel injection, computer engine management etc., but there still would have been the lower priced, basic no frills entry level [affordable] models.

If Suzuki had made 3 wheelers, someone, somewhere would be complaining that they took market share away from the other mfg’s.

Suzuki had built the quad before there was any inkling that motorized off road tricycles would be "banned". If Suzuki had not built them, one of the other mfg's. certainly would have.


OMG...Tricycles!
http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-laughing025.gif (http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys.php)

[shovelryder]

Lol....Technology would have come into play.....and theyd be 700lbs with all kinds of crap to go wrong............They are great as is. Has anyone taken late model hitech quad drivelines and built a trike?????

[barnett468]

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Lol....Technology would have come into play.....and theyd be 700lbs with all kinds of crap to go wrong.Actually, any addition in weight created by the addition of the aforememtioned "upgrades", could easily be offset by the abundant use of new space age materials such as Prefabulated Amulite and tiny, super nano thingamajiggy's.

[ironchop]

lol....technology would have come into play.....and theyd be 700lbs with all kinds of crap to go wrong.....

amen brotha.... Preach on!!!

[shovelryder]

I like the way it is in peoples heads.........We go on a really long group ride......" Richie,Why the hell would you bring a three wheeler on a ride like this? We arent gonna slow down and wait for you.....Please just try to stay with the group, and ride at the back."............and later that weekend........" I cannot believe the sh+t you put that thing through.......its like it just goes and goes.....I didnt see you get gas back there.......thanks for pulling me out......and thanks for helping me wash thr mud outta my radiator when I overheated.......and fixing the wire that activates the magnet to suck it into 4wd......." I LOVE my three wheelers!

[DohcBikes]

Lol....Technology would have come into play.....and theyd be 700lbs with all kinds of crap to go wrong............They are great as is. Has anyone taken late model hitech quad drivelines and built a trike?????

Right. :rolleyes:That's why a YFZ450 weighs 350lbs. All that technology.

A 350x weighs 320lbs.

The sport trikes would have gotten lighter.

[jb2wheels]

3 wheelers would have continued doing what they did in the mid 80s - lag dirt bike tech by a generation.

Eventually, we'd have ATC/KXT/YTZ/ALT 450s with USD forks and 14" of travel, etc.

Just look at the quads we have today and picture them with 3 wheels.