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View Full Version : dirtbike to trike conversion legal? warning long ramble



200xkwit
10-08-2008, 04:55 PM
so ive been messing around for a long time with the idea of basicly a 125 2 stroke 200x. Now ive mocked up and playd with ideas for a while that mostly based around implanting a 125 motor into a 200x frame. Theres no doubt it could be done with the right amount of time/parts and creativity. However there are many things to over come while going threw this process like rear swingarm and chain alinment/tripples as well as rack of the front end. Anyway imo I think its much more practical to convert a dirtbike to a trike given parts avalablity and reliablity, pending that the fabricated parts such as the rear end and front end were done properly. My question is if we have people willing to try to make a whole new trike ( those little chinese ones that popped up briefly) then why hasent someone come up with a coversion for us? ...A conversion for certain year and model bikes. Maybe like a 2000 cr/rm/yz 125/250 ..450?? something a little older that we wouldnt have to go out and buy a new bike or wheeler if a quad was used as a conversion. What would a kit have? tripples,rear swingarm,sub frame, rear shock, maybe a couple brackets nuts/bolts maybe even a whole front end. maybe if some of use got together and pitched in some parts time and beer we could get some nice prototype parts for the conversion and have some chinese companies reproduce them cheaply to order so theres not alot of money tied up in it. how much would these cost to have made? how much would a kit go for? 1000? i think 1000 or 1200 would be a nice target inwhich to get things together.

Lets face it trikes wont be around for ever. parts wear out and break get more expensive harder to find. (tecate guys hear what im saying) wouldnt it be nice to ride a newer trike with parts avalible? Ill tell you what it would be real nice to stick it to the cpsc wouldnt it.

questions:
*how would we market it so it would be legal?
*where would someone start?
*could we get some of those rich collectors to invest?
*what do you think

brapp
10-08-2008, 08:26 PM
i think i took my run down beat up 350x and my wrecked 450r and combined them in my basement one cold febuary day

fabiodriven
10-08-2008, 08:30 PM
Obviously everybody on here loves trikes, but there really is no market for them. Some of my friends ride, some of them own trikes, but most of them at least respect trikes. When I talk to people I don't know who ride, they typically have no respect for trikes. Bottom line is, most people would rather have a quad-

200xkwit
10-08-2008, 09:33 PM
i agree most people would rather have a quad. I know that the market for a conversion is not very large. This is more for us then anyone else. It always seems noone wants to get involved with anything if there isnt any money in it. This isnt the first time this has been brought up. Some of you older guys might really not care .. well b/c *Edited**Edited* old and *Edited**Edited* riding days are limited lol but what are younger guys like me to do when we cant find parts or dont have the money for the rediculus part prices that are enevitable? i know alot of guys that have like 3-4 spare parts bikes or there favorite trikes laying around. It would be nice to know all you need to do is go down and get a few dirtbike parts. Its really not to much to ask. All we need is a prototype of a subframe/swinger and tripples maybe a few brackets to use as much of the bike as possible. 3 main parts

brapp
10-09-2008, 09:28 AM
thts why i am going to find a tecate and make this motor carband electrics work wiht it


http://w3.bikepics.com/pics/2008/10/09/bikepics-1443428-800.jpg

sandpuppi101
10-09-2008, 09:53 AM
I'm not really following what your saying here 200xkwit.I think your saying that a bike to trike conversion kit to be sold on the market ,Correct ? If you look at the top tier section you'll see a few sucessful conversion's that have been done,my '87 XR 600 conversion also.Now that was a bike to trike conversion,and has been a proven machine.Louis Milke has a beautiful CR 500R conversion ,as do Jason Hall and Derrick Adam's as well as the TPC with 450 conversion's.I am speaking alone here when I state this,but I don't think there is enough interest in any of us putting out a kit to make the conversion,other than possibly Bill's TPC 450.Reason's being that the low demand,and the ongoing neverending fab work that is involved,just to name a few.
I personally desinged my ATC 600X for what I demanded in a trike,and Yes,just like the other's mentioned above alot of modern part's were added to simplify the build and making it easier to get part's for.As far as a kit ,i think I would be better off personally selling the 600X and starting a new project,also again to my need's.
I ain't trying to take the wind out of your sail or nothing like that,in fact I would encourage you to build and design your own machine ,to the spec's that you'd want,and use more modern day part's like ,other builder's have.
Your 100% correct on the part's drying up at one time or another,but if your young than I would jump at the chance to set up your own modern day build.Sorry Brapp I forgot about your 450 conversion and ATC Tim with your 500 conversion.