Anyone else notice the leniency with trikes lately? Booming popularity

[slashfan7964]

Has anyone else noticed the leniency with three wheelers later? It seems like everyone is becoming more accepting of them. I mean the biasedness towards the old "death trap" stereotype has seemed to dramatically decrease over the last 2 years, but recently, as in, last year or even 6 months, it seems like everyone is starting to open up again to them.

Why? Is it the vintage appeal? The fact that people are finally realizing that it's not the machine that's the problem, but the rider?

Look at everything lately. You've got high dollar trikes going on Ebay, quite frequently. Dirt Wheels features three wheelers at least 3-4 times a week on their Facebook page (just today they posted a picture of a slick 250R) and quite often features them in their magazine. Just the other day, they asked what more vintage three wheeling stuff you wanted in the magazine and people delivered. ATV Rider Magazine has started featuring them again, at least online. ATV on Demand is doing all sorts of cool reviews and build videos on them. The amount of likes and comments they get on Facebook/YouTube and everywhere else is through the roof; they blow almost everything else away when posted. There's tons of videos on YouTube of them, parts are getting reproduced more and some prices are going up due to the demand. Hardly anyone says anything bad about them these days, and the comments are almost always good. I've seen more three wheelers around lately as well. I have gotten friends of mine into the scene that previously wanted nothing to do with them. Vintage trike racing has seriously taken off across the country, from coast to coast. Aftermarket companies are having a field day with these machines, the amount of support for them these days is ridiculous. More race parks and trail parks are opening up for them. Insurance companies aren't giving hardly any hassle when it comes to insuring them. Registering them and titling them is as easy as it is for any other vehicle. Even some quad riders have switched to three wheelers. I'm also a member of several trike groups on Facebook. In one in particular, Honda ATC, in the 2 months or so I have been there, the group has doubled in people joining it and is exploding with more people. We are talking thousands of people here.

I can't be the only one who is seeing this. Popularity is EXPLODING these days.

[MattDragontamer]

I would have to say that; though more coverage and movement is happening in the general three wheeler world of things, the reaction from people is still the same.

"Aren't those things Dangerous?"
"Aren't three wheeler banned?"
"I hear that if the cops catch you on one they crush it..."
"Those things are illegal!"
etc...

As for insurance coverage, I don't know what it's like in the states, but most except a select few here in Canada will either cover you for a high price or tell you no.
When it comes to general use, most places in Canada have ORV type laws, and with the exception of a few provinces and territories, most others state that y ou can only ride the trikes on YOUR property or crown land if you have the proper documents, licenses and insurance. Many places require trail passes.
When it comes to Law enforcement, most cops still think they are banned/illegal and will seize the machine. Been there...

As for pricing... as more people get involved, more the price will be driven up... people talk and think their vintage ride will bring in a high dollar... even thought most times it's a scrap metal on wheels. But now and then, a deal comes along or a rare find of a well kept machine will pop up.

Anyways, I didn't want to be a buzz kill, but that is the way things are in my end.

[DohcBikes]

Good post slash. I agree 100%.

Mattdragontamer, ive never heard of a trike being seized by the police for the reason that they were "illegal" or "banned" in my life, and I think its a quite a sweeping statement to say "most cops think" this or that. How do you know?

Insurance is easy to get. It is here anyway. Mine is $22 a month.

[slashfan7964]

I would have to say that; though more coverage and movement is happening in the general three wheeler world of things, the reaction from people is still the same.

"Aren't those things Dangerous?"
"Aren't three wheeler banned?"
"I hear that if the cops catch you on one they crush it..."
"Those things are illegal!"
etc...

While I agree a lot of the arrogance is still there, I have noticed a large decrease in it overall. Not that it's ever gone away (and at this point, likely never will), but it's much less than it was 5 years ago. I tend to notice more of those comments come from those who want nothing to do with bikes or ATV's to begin with as well, or do and just don't own any.






As for insurance coverage, I don't know what it's like in the states, but most except a select few here in Canada will either cover you for a high price or tell you no.

I'm finding many insurance agencies here in the states will cover them. Anyone I know who has owned one with insurance tells me it's not a big deal, simply take out a policy on it like any other ATV.





When it comes to general use, most places in Canada have ORV type laws, and with the exception of a few provinces and territories, most others state that y ou can only ride the trikes on YOUR property or crown land if you have the proper documents, licenses and insurance. Many places require trail passes.

Yes it is much different here in the states, depending on the state you live in. NY requires that you have it registered, but that's about it. Some trail parks you need to have a membership to ride but otherwise you are fine.




When it comes to Law enforcement, most cops still think they are banned/illegal and will seize the machine. Been there...

Then the cops were in the wrong because that is straight up BS.




As for pricing... as more people get involved, more the price will be driven up... people talk and think their vintage ride will bring in a high dollar... even thought most times it's a scrap metal on wheels. But now and then, a deal comes along or a rare find of a well kept machine will pop up.

Anyways, I didn't want to be a buzz kill, but that is the way things are in my end.

That's a given. But yes I do notice that with rising popularity more people seen to think their junkers are worth plenty of money.




Good post slash. I agree 100%.

Mattdragontamer, ive never heard of a trike being seized by the police for the reason that they were "illegal" or "banned" in my life, and I think its a quite a sweeping statement to say "most cops think" this or that. How do you know?

I know a few cops around here that own them, so....



Insurance is easy to get. It is here anyway. Mine is $22 a month.

Yup, as I said, take out an normal ATV policy. They don't care about how many wheels it has.

[Ghostv2]

Good post slash. I agree 100%.

Mattdragontamer, ive never heard of a trike being seized by the police for the reason that they were "illegal" or "banned" in my life, and I think its a quite a sweeping statement to say "most cops think" this or that. How do you know?

Insurance is easy to get. It is here anyway. Mine is $22 a month.

My dads a cop and owns a three wheeler. Pretty sure he never seized any, if he did he didn't bring them home for me.

All messing around aside, I have not been into the scene long enough to really see it happening. I ride trikes since I was a little tike but mainly out of necessity. I didn't get into them really and passionate about them until like 5 years ago. And wasn't really aware of the whole "scene" until I joined here. But since then I have spread the joy of trikes like a Jehovah witness and convinced a few friends to buy them. So I agree, it is getting more popular. Let's hope it doesn't go mainstream, I like being the weirdo on a trike doing things quad guys would never with 3 wheels.

[slashfan7964]

I think it is going a bit mainstream again now that the media is starting to acknowledge it again. But not like it was back then. That will never happen again.

I have been around them all my life, but I never started really getting into them until I was about 14-15, maybe 12-13. Somewhere in there.

Even a year ago, they were booming as much as they are now. Just take a quick look around the net and you'll see exactly what I am talking about.

[DohcBikes]

It does seem that some trikes fanatics would rather not see it gain popularity, as if we were the first people to realize that trikes were cool......

Look at the price of a 4 wheeler, absolutely outrageous, especially considering that a trike will normally beat much bigger quads off road. The higher prices go on quads, the more people will rediscover trikes, and will remember that they should never let The Man keep 'em down...:twisted:

[slashfan7964]

$6,500 for a brand new 2014 Honda 400X. Not even a 450R.

How much do you want to bet a freshened but otherwise stock 350X will keep up with it in a straight line and beat it on the trails? You can get a nice X for $1,500. A few hop up parts and it will crush it.

People are realizing this. Plus, they just look badass.

[ebaccm26]

I do agree that they do seem to be gaining some ground with the average person but many people are still just as clueless as ever. Last fall I went to buy an 85 250r from some guy out in the boonies. It was already a good deal (ran but was rough) and he wanted $500, got him down to $300 but after I had it loaded he said "if anyone sees you with that don't tell them you got it from me". I realized he was not joking so being quoi I asked him why and he told me that they were illegal to own. I of course acted shocked and told him I wasn't sure I still wanted it and he dropped the price to $150 :lol:

[slashfan7964]

Sometimes that works to our advantage :lol:

But yeah I have to say there is definitely a resurgence going on.

[86T3]

This resurgence didnt start 2 years ago, you just weren't around to see it. Dont confuse social media growth with actual growth, there are fewer trikes and riders out every year.

[ebaccm26]

This resurgence didnt start 2 years ago, you just weren't around to see it. Dont confuse social media growth with actual growth, there are fewer trikes and riders out every year.

With the way our country works now social media growth translates into actual growth in relation to the perception that people hold about thee wheelers or anything else for that matter. There are certainly not fewer trikes every year. Maybe there is in a literal sense since some bikes will be scrapped, parted, etc. but those are usually bikes that were already "gone" anyways. People here and elsewhere on a regular basis bring bikes back from the dead and I would wager that at this point that the amount of bikes being saved is greater than the amount of bikes being physically lost.

[DohcBikes]

^^^^^^what he said.

And don't forget that some people aren't afraid to take risks, build stuff, try to sell it.

Trikes are simple, we don't need Honda frames to build them. Custom motorcycles brought me here. The more modern takes we see on trikes, I think the more people will be interested. And I think that is happening right now.

[RIDE-RED 250r]

Where I ride in norther NY on Tug Hill, my trikes get quite a bit of exposure. They have been the catalyst of random conversation with total strangers more times than I can count.

I have been though police checkpoints where they make sure you are riding right... (registered, insured, helmet, and sober). Most asked how old my machine is and complimented it for being nice for it's age. But I did have one ask me how I managed to register it since they are "Illegal"... I took a few minutes to educate him (politely) on the fact that 3 wheeled ATV's are far from illegal and they are registered like any other ATV. He did check my papers, I'm guessing to verify the info on my reg matched the machine I was riding, complimented me on the work I had into it and told to have a nice day and a good ride.

I don't see how any policeman could have any authority to impound a trike unless you were riding dirty... (no reg, no ins, no helmet, riding in an area not open to ATV use, etc) That is your property, and they cannot just take it from you without just cause and a warrant..At least here in the states anyway....

I am seldom met with people who try to tell me how dangerous my trikes are..Once in awhile, yes. But by and large most start telling me about what they had "back in the day" and ask how I managed to get it licensed...

But yes, as someone born in the late 70's who grew up an 80's kid that remembers the witch hunt on those "deadly" 3 wheelers..even had family preaching about them swearing off trikes and forever loyal to quads, it does seem to me that most people that are into ATVing are much more receptive to the trikes. Those who don't even ride quads?? Well, there's no hope for them to begin with. They are too busy whining and complaining about any and all off road powersports in general to have anything but contempt for trikes, let alone accept them.....

[slashfan7964]

This resurgence didnt start 2 years ago, you just weren't around to see it. Dont confuse social media growth with actual growth, there are fewer trikes and riders out every year.

Except I was around to see it. I've been in the trike scene since I was born. And I sourced here and lurked long before I ever signed up.




With the way our country works now social media growth translates into actual growth in relation to the perception that people hold about thee wheelers or anything else for that matter. There are certainly not fewer trikes every year. Maybe there is in a literal sense since some bikes will be scrapped, parted, etc. but those are usually bikes that were already "gone" anyways. People here and elsewhere on a regular basis bring bikes back from the dead and I would wager that at this point that the amount of bikes being saved is greater than the amount of bikes being physically lost.


I am in 100% agreement with this.



Where I ride in norther NY on Tug Hill, my trikes get quite a bit of exposure. They have been the catalyst of random conversation with total strangers more times than I can count.

I have been though police checkpoints where they make sure you are riding right... (registered, insured, helmet, and sober). Most asked how old my machine is and complimented it for being nice for it's age. But I did have one ask me how I managed to register it since they are "Illegal"... I took a few minutes to educate him (politely) on the fact that 3 wheeled ATV's are far from illegal and they are registered like any other ATV. He did check my papers, I'm guessing to verify the info on my reg matched the machine I was riding, complimented me on the work I had into it and told to have a nice day and a good ride.

I don't see how any policeman could have any authority to impound a trike unless you were riding dirty... (no reg, no ins, no helmet, riding in an area not open to ATV use, etc) That is your property, and they cannot just take it from you without just cause and a warrant..At least here in the states anyway....

I am seldom met with people who try to tell me how dangerous my trikes are..Once in awhile, yes. But by and large most start telling me about what they had "back in the day" and ask how I managed to get it licensed...

But yes, as someone born in the late 70's who grew up an 80's kid that remembers the witch hunt on those "deadly" 3 wheelers..even had family preaching about them swearing off trikes and forever loyal to quads, it does seem to me that most people that are into ATVing are much more receptive to the trikes. Those who don't even ride quads?? Well, there's no hope for them to begin with. They are too busy whining and complaining about any and all off road powersports in general to have anything but contempt for trikes, let alone accept them.....

That's exactly what I am saying. People that ride seem to be much more interested in them versus ones that don't and the ones that don't are usually the ones that believe the BS stories that the media portrayed years ago. You could not have described what I was getting at better as far as the reception of these machines with the people. Most people compliment them now.

Just today I had 4 of my friends tell me they wanted one, 2 of them I didn't even know they were interested in them.

[Chopsaw]

All bull trailprotrailprotrailprotrailpro aside ,,, yes they are making a strong come back .

[DohcBikes]

:wonderingmaybe just me but don't think any of this discussion is b.s.:wondering

Except the seizure part. That's b.s.

:TrikesOwnYAMAHONDAMAN

[slashfan7964]

Yes I agree that was definitely stupid on the cops end.


I think a lot of it has to do with public mentality as well. People aren't uptight as they were about things years ago. But that depends on what it is. Politics yes, but little things like cussing and not being afraid to voice their opinion without giving a damn what others think plays a part. I think in part of this that people are indeed realizing that you simply cannot blame the machine for moronic riding and that they are indeed stable with the proper riding technique which they realize is different from quads and bikes. I think people are also realizing that not everyone has a three wheeler as well and wanting something different.

And to top that off, they are cheap and easy to work on and that definitely raises the appeal.

[Rider414]

I started riding ATV's at the end of the 3 wheeler era. Never rode one until I got a Tri Z. They are simply really fun to ride.

[tri again]

I'm perfectly happy with their 'unpopularity.'
Kinda wondering why prices are going up.
All it's gonna take is some retro tv commercial
or movie with trikes to change the whole game.

With our terrain, quads get stuck and trikes are the only thing that will get us around.
If I found a new quad with a big ribbon on it in the driveway, I'd sell it and buy as many trikes as I could.

[DohcBikes]

I think the prices on the vintage machines will continue to rise due to the rise in popularity and as stated above, there are actually less parts available for them every day, especially nice parts.

I know without a doubt that I can build a modern 250cc trike for under $3500 in my garage. There are many people that have much more efficient operations and better connections than I do.

If the popularity and acceptance of trikes continues to go up, I won't be the only one looking at this as an option. The more the merrier.

Who are we to make this an exclusive club? We all seem to want these new and great products to be available for our trikes, and are so damn thankful when someone provides us with something new, but yet some want to keep it some sort of secret that trikes are awesome, really can't have it both ways.

[Tri-Z 250]

Come back or Welcome back some of us never made the switch or ever wanted to. 3Wheeled Racing is honestly filling the void of other gates not filled with bikes or quads. I will say that if you've raced at a track I found two types of people who approach you in the pits. The guy who used to have one. Telling you his experiences with a hill climb story that takes longer to tell than the ride itself. 2nd the one I love is a young kid tugging at Dads sleeve and asking"what is that?" Vintage in the eyes of the masses...I hope they don't line the fences just to see a good crash. Then again I've never heard spectators complain if they don't after race. I've yet to hear anyone say, wow three wheelers look pretty safe on the track. Now quad guys say there slow yet won't throw a leg to show how it's done. Collect ability to who? After my generation and the 25 to 50 now...expire. Today's 3yr old will not be looking to score a 250R mint condition for $4000 at 18yrs old. Not unless it's passed along. When you see more TPC and other modded modern hybrids on the tracks out numbering gated classes, then it's a comeback. Just get out and try an Event...If it takes three hrs to get to an MX in 3wheeled racing that's a local.

[slashfan7964]

Well considering they host events about 10 minutes from me quite regularly...


TPC's are all over the place from what I've seen. At least from what I've seen, young guys that ride are receptive to them. I'm 19 and I would love to score a nice R. I have friends of mine younger than me that want one.

[fabiodriven]

I'll have to say I've noticed the resurgence as well. As stated ^above^, some of us just never got out. It's how I started and most of my friends growing up felt the same and rode them as well. The three wheeler just always suited me.

As far as prices going up, that's to be expected whenever anything becomes a classic or antique. Couple that with a surge in popularity and you have a recipe for high dollar market. That's fine by me though. I have had many trikes and have quite a few right now. I don't just look at them, I give them all they got and I always will. My next step is more modern bikes with modern parts. It's been done many, many times now and will happen more and more in the future. I just bought my first modern trike, the XR, and it's an absolute pleasure. Down the road I'll be making my own or buying more already made. It's just the progression of the sport and the only way to evolve right now. I'd rather funnel my money in that direction I'd say.

Something was said about keeping up with modern quads and I tend to be a bit skeptical about that, or I wonder at least. It's not very often at all I ride with any golf carts ever anymore, I barely ever see them in action. I do remember seeing some pretty fast quad riders in my day though and obviously they are inherently more stable on many types of terrain. I can say I know where that feeling comes from though, as I have the same thoughts. We ride really fast in New Hampshire over very extreme terrain and I often find myself thinking there is no way a quad could do what I was doing at the speed I was. I question that thought though as I've yet to see it done on a quad. I'd like to see the outcome in many different cases. We climbed a hill last time I was there, some of the hairiest shite I've ever done, and 7 of us did it. I was amazed. I had all of my weight on the tank with the front tire dancing on the ground here and there in first gear, rear wheels spinning at times. We all made it up that hill but I found myself wondering if even a 4x4 quad would be able to scale what we just had. I'm ignorant though, as I am not familiar enough with them. I would imagine if they could they would more than likely destroy the hill on their way up. 800lbs and big torque and horsepower, big mud claws spinning the whole way. One thing is for certain, we do not leave the footprint those things do.

Trikes are just the best. It's so unique how they ride and not everyone can, or wants to do it. I don't blame people for realizing how cool trikes are. I do blame them though for drinking the Kool Aid and listening to the propaganda, something I try to be aware of in any situation. If the man is telling me I shouldn't be riding this then I probably should. I was right as usual.

[slashfan7964]

I'll have to say I've noticed the resurgence as well. As stated ^above^, some of us just never got out. It's how I started and most of my friends growing up felt the same and rode them as well. The three wheeler just always suited me.

That's basically how I've always felt about them. They seemed to be the right configuration for me.



Something was said about keeping up with modern quads and I tend to be a bit skeptical about that, or I wonder at least. It's not very often at all I ride with any golf carts ever anymore, I barely ever see them in action. I do remember seeing some pretty fast quad riders in my day though and obviously they are inherently more stable on many types of terrain. I can say I know where that feeling comes from though, as I have the same thoughts. We ride really fast in New Hampshire over very extreme terrain and I often find myself thinking there is no way a quad could do what I was doing at the speed I was. I question that thought though as I've yet to see it done on a quad. I'd like to see the outcome in many different cases. We climbed a hill last time I was there, some of the hairiest shite I've ever done, and 7 of us did it. I was amazed. I had all of my weight on the tank with the front tire dancing on the ground here and there in first gear, rear wheels spinning at times. We all made it up that hill but I found myself wondering if even a 4x4 quad would be able to scale what we just had. I'm ignorant though, as I am not familiar enough with them. I would imagine if they could they would more than likely destroy the hill on their way up. 800lbs and big torque and horsepower, big mud claws spinning the whole way. One thing is for certain, we do not leave the footprint those things do.

I think a lot of that has to do with the fact that most people don't have high dollar race quads that are brand new and most buy rather "small" quads used. 300EX's, 250X's, stock Blasters, smaller Scramblers and the like. You'll see a lot of older Banshee's, maybe a 400EX and maybe a YFZ450 or Raptor 660/700 here and there but typically around here I find more 500cc Sportsmans and other utilities more so than many sport machines. For every Banshee I see, I see 4 utility quads. That's why I said I think many of the suspended trikes out there can keep up especially on the trails in the hands of a skilled rider. I've seen trikes do things people wouldn't dare do on a quad, over some really rough terrain. And I think people are starting to realize that three wheelers typically have the edge as far as speed on the trails coupled with handling only you can control. That control is what people like, and personally I feel like quads are too grippy and take away too much feeling. I like that they have more of a bike style front end to them than a heavy quad. Don't get me wrong, I'll ride a quad if someone puts it in front of me because it's something to ride, but a three wheeler will always be my first choice.





Trikes are just the best. It's so unique how they ride and not everyone can, or wants to do it. I don't blame people for realizing how cool trikes are. I do blame them though for drinking the Kool Aid and listening to the propaganda, something I try to be aware of in any situation. If the man is telling me I shouldn't be riding this then I probably should. I was right as usual.

I am in total agreement with you there.

[justin4]

To get the four wheelers to handle closer to three ,find the best front tread tires you can and golf cart tires on the rear and you will feel the slide you want. But that's running around the yard no hill climbing with that set up. My trx will burn the tires off it in the street . I also have a nice stock pile of three wheelers in my shop. I can't wait to Sell a 250 r for $4000, maybe $6000 for my tri z?....

[RIDE-RED 250r]

Yes I agree that was definitely stupid on the cops end.


I think a lot of it has to do with public mentality as well. People aren't uptight as they were about things years ago. But that depends on what it is. Politics yes, but little things like cussing and not being afraid to voice their opinion without giving a damn what others think plays a part. I think in part of this that people are indeed realizing that you simply cannot blame the machine for moronic riding and that they are indeed stable with the proper riding technique which they realize is different from quads and bikes. I think people are also realizing that not everyone has a three wheeler as well and wanting something different.

And to top that off, they are cheap and easy to work on and that definitely raises the appeal.

With all due respect:

When it comes to the trikes, the only reason the masses and the media aren't uptight is that there are relatively few trikes left compared to the numbers of them in circulation back in the hey-day. Believe you me, if there were as many injury/fatalities on trikes again annually as there are say on snowmobiles, the witch hunt would be very much renewed.

And to reply to the second statement I highlighted... I really don't believe that is the case... Reason: there is still a huge segment of our society that still vigorously blames firearms for the evil actions of the criminal who pulled the trigger.

I'm sorry to say, but I really don't believe any of what you said here is the case... It's just that trikes aren't in the foreground of the news any more.... I would argue that our society is generally more stupid and closed minded than ever before in our history...yeah, I said it.

[slashfan7964]

I agree with you to an extent on that but honestly I believe trikes are a small exception. Granted, there are still people who still are arrogant about them, but it's not as bad as it has been in the past. As I previously said, those who don't ride anything at all seem to be the worst offenders. Those that do appreciate them for what they are. A quick look at Dirt Wheels Facebook page will tell you that. They've posted 3 trikes this week alone. A 90, 350X, and a 250R. I do think it's the "retro" factor.

Otherwise I agree.


Case in point:

http://users.gtpla.net/forum/attachments/haha-png.147807/
http://users.gtpla.net/forum/attachments/22-png.147815/


Just 2 of many. And you have to remember, that's hardly touching the amount of fans out there who may not be on social media, or seen it etc.

[RIDE-RED 250r]

I get what you are saying about those in the sport having a renewed interest, if not respect for them.. I was more referring to the "other" people who would rather sip champagne at the country club on a saturday. :beer You know, the Dianne Sawyers and Katie Courics of the world...they are always so "concerned" about one thing or another... and they think you should be too! LOL!

[DohcBikes]

The more people there are, the more stupid people there are. Ride-red, few trikes left? No I don't think so. Less, of course. But......As highlighted before in this thread, people are getting them back out, not ashamed to own them. There are trikes being uncovered by the thousands right now. They're out there.

And once again, three wheeler fever does not have to be limited to vintage three wheelers. I live in a powersports-healthy community. I see modern trikes for sale all the time, an personally, Im going to stay optimistic about is market, because I believe in it.

Have we never banned anything, then decided it was OK to produce and distribute that thing again?......and hasn't that particular thing been proven to be dangerous, even deadly on a large scale? Here's some now....

:beer:beer:beer:beer:beer

If enough people like something, and there's a market for it, they'll find a way.

Dianne Sawyer is hot. Just sayin.

[slashfan7964]

I get what you are saying about those in the sport having a renewed interest, if not respect for them.. I was more referring to the "other" people who would rather sip champagne at the country club on a saturday. :beer You know, the Dianne Sawyers and Katie Courics of the world...they are always so "concerned" about one thing or another... and they think you should be too! LOL!

And I totally understand that :lol:

You basically were just backing up what I was already saying :lol: :)

I agree with dohc here as well. People are getting them back out, coming across barn finds and simply aren't ashamed to own them anymore.

I know of people who haven't had one in 30 years and are looking to buy one again.

[yamaha225dr]

I'm the only person in my area that rides a trike, so it's nice putting the quads in there place. So far my 250R is undefeated. I don't get the weird looks from people though, at some point most people here owned something on three wheels.

[DohcBikes]

Well hey glamy at least you saw the important part of the post. Your input on this subject has been absolutely wonderful, helpful........and classy too!!

[coolpool]

I for one have seen a resurgence of popularity in Alberta and Saskatchewan. I'm not sure if it's our economy or what but a trike rarely stays on the inter web for more than a day or two. I called about a nice running 1984 atc 70 the other day and offered $500 sight unseen. He called back an hour later and sold it for $1200! How about a nice 200M for $2K locally! That's nuts! I will take some blame for travelling to show'n'shines and giving folks a taste of what they are missing; at least in my small part of the world. As stated many times above, these are conversation starters and lots of people want to re-live their childhood.

[slashfan7964]

I agree about not seeing them staying up long. Most of the trikes I see on the net here aren't up for more than a few days before someones jumped on it. Nice ones you might as well forget about calling.

[RIDE-RED 250r]

Not to split hairs, but there are nowhere near as many trikes in circulation today as there were in 1987. I have not a clue how or where to dig up those numbers but I would bet you my last paycheck that since the last one was sold nearly 30 years ago, over all numbers have diminished significantly.

Modern trikes?? Last I knew, TPC has 25-30 trikes out there in circulation with 2 Yamahas due to be unveiled any time now. Tionesta?? I'm not sure, but I would peg their numbers in the ballpark of TPC. Who else is turning out modern trikes besides them?? I know a few of the members here have done several one-off builds. But lets be realistic, trike population has even;t come close to maintaining the level the big 4 left off at in '87 due to others building modern trikes.. Where I ride there are often 3k-5k ATV riders signed up for the biggest poker run of the year. On a ride like that, I MIGHT see 4 or 5 other trikes all day, on a 100+ mile ride, sometimes mine are the only ones I see. Believe it or not, NY is a pretty ATV saturated state.

I really do get what you guys are getting at, but I really think we would be doing good if half of the trikes made from 1970 through 1987 were still in running or even close to running condition today. Another factor is the nature of the machine itself. By and large, these machines have been subject to hard beatings and little maintenance all of their lives. Just look around on craigslist, we all laugh and sneer at the CL ads that people post in the ebay/cl subforum and the condition of the trikes there. In many parts of the country, 8 out of 10 trikes for sale on CL are but a beat down shadow of their former selves....

IDK, I'm not trying to be argumentative and I hope you guys aren't taking it that way... Just some interesting conversation.

[Tri-Z 250]

I also have a nice stock pile of three wheelers in my shop. I can't wait to Sell a 250 r for $4000, maybe $6000 for my tri z?....

You will....someday, but it's not going to be worth more than it is now. You see your dollar is shrinking and today's dollar buys 1/2 what it did in the 80's. In 2001 a dirt bike cost $5000 today there around $8500. As an investment I'd say their far from a money maker. Heck just ask CaptianWeezey there worth more in parts than whole today. That's today, you think complete 3wheelers will sure pass it's own pile of parts in value? The comeback or resurgence will always need new blood, younger riders to race. If it's left to these collectors who never ride, keeping them out of sight....out of mind. As far as your young friends today $cost of entry level machines 3wheelers still are one the most affordable. The fact local tracks need gates filled these are pretty good days...considering I was 18yrs old with a showroom 1986 Z when racing came to a complete halt, and nobody at the races wanted you around.

[Chopsaw]

Cant compare 2014 to 1987 for numbers . Fact is , and I guess its how you look at it , that in the past few years the interest has grown . Yes a lot of them were beat down . The " want " is growing in my opinion .

[slashfan7964]

Cant compare 2014 to 1987 for numbers . Fact is , and I guess its how you look at it , that in the past few years the interest has grown . Yes a lot of them were beat down . The " want " is growing in my opinion .

Yes, this is exactly what I was getting at.


There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that trikes aren't in circulation anywhere even near what they were back in 1987. Why? Plenty of reasons. Back then, you had dirtbikes or trikes....quads hadn't really taken off yet so naturally EVERYBODY had one or the other so numbers were naturally incredibly high. Then comes the ban...and everyone starts to get rid of them for new quads and because they listened to the media. Then the age factor comes in, where overtime abuse takes it's toll on a machine and parts wear out, so they either get scrapped or stuck in someones yard or barn somewhere. When you compare those numbers to the numbers today after all said reasons, it's only natural that what's in circulation now would be lower. This applies to any and all technology really. 20 years ago people have giant cellphones strapped to their dashboards. Today, everyone has one in their pocket. But those old phones are still out there (and they may or may not be in active duty). But due to age, parts wearing out and technology moving on, it's only natural to see less and less of them.

It's not that we are seeing them more in a sense of being produced, because they are out there, it's that we are seeing more of them beginning to turn up again and be "restored" or at least rideable because the want for them is increasing rapidly. People see them on the internet and think, "wow those look badass and I've never had one before, I want to go find one and fix it up! Parts must be cheap, because it's old!". And this is happening more now that the media outlets such as magazines are now regularly featuring them again. It's not that they are being remanufactured (because they aren't), or that TPC/Tionesta are making killings, or that there are tons of dirt bike conversions, it's that the interest in them overall is climbing again, and I think that's why people are outsourcing parts for them and that's why you are starting to see them turn up again. It's not that they aren't out there, it's just that they are being ridden more frequently again.

It's like muscle cars; specifically malaise era, or smog era 1970's. There are thousands and thousands of those cars out there, and for years no one wanted them. They will never be reproduced, but the interest started shifting towards them again, and then you saw a resurgence of them being used because people wanted to restore them. The same thing is happening with three wheelers right now, and that's the point I'm making.

[czac]

With the way our country works now social media growth translates into actual growth in relation to the perception that people hold about thee wheelers or anything else for that matter. There are certainly not fewer trikes every year. Maybe there is in a literal sense since some bikes will be scrapped, parted, etc. but those are usually bikes that were already "gone" anyways. People here and elsewhere on a regular basis bring bikes back from the dead and I would wager that at this point that the amount of bikes being saved is greater than the amount of bikes being physically lost.

but that wont last.. soon the amount saved will be less because it seems there are more and more folks buying good running machines and parting them out... eventually, there will be only so many non parted out good running trikes left. especially with no new ones being produced. unless you keep your trike and buy up every one you can find and keep them, there will come a day when there will be none left to buy, unless you want to pay a butt load of $$ for one. Yeah its good that there's ppl who part out machines and sell them on ebay but part of me really hates the idea of taking a good running trike all apart and trying to sell each nut and bolt and washer... I bet if they could, some folks would try to sell the air in the tires as vintage trike wheel filler! lol. I see a lot of ads on ebay stating "This came off a good running xxxxxx xxxx x"

[slashfan7964]

You see that with anything though, not just these machines. That's nothing new.

[ironchop]

this "sport" is like any other where the number of parts and machines are finite. The craze will dictate the market.....I remember when you couldn`t give away an AMF Shovelhead for free. During the "I wanna be a weekend badass Orange County CHopper mofo" craze, even Ironhead Sporties were worth a gold brick for a minute....Or a Triumph Bonneville.........now the craze has faded and HD is a lot more reasonably priced nowadays just like a gen one trx250R or a 89 mustang gt or a shoebox nova....ratrods, café racers, bobbers......Custom Culture/ Gearheads are a fickle beast with many sub-groups ...the hipsters determine price and availability. If it`s Hot, trendy, or cool, you are gonna hurt your wallet.

[DohcBikes]

Totally agree with you ironchop, and its the whole point of discussion as far as im concerned.



Not to split hairs, but there are nowhere near as many trikes in circulation today as there were in 1987. This is complete speculation. Theres absolutely no way to know. I will note these factors...

A large portion of these trikes were purchased by farmers. I know lots of farmers. I know lots of farmers with lots of buildings with lots of three wheelers in them.

Lots of trikes got put away when the ban was issued. Due to the rise in popularity (the point of this thread, not production numbers) people are getting those trikes back out.

There are caches of NOS trike parts. Other than frames, which i dont think are really as scarce as some here want to believe, there are still enough parts to build several armys of trikes. especially when you consider new style OEM parts that have been derived from older models, and are readily available as upgrades. We just need to get the word out on swap options to the new crowd of three wheeling fans.


Modern trikes?? Last I knew, TPC has 25-30 trikes out there in circulation with 2 Yamahas due to be unveiled any time now. Tionesta?? I'm not sure, but I would peg their numbers in the ballpark of TPC. Who else is turning out modern trikes besides them??

You mean, who else is doing conversions and selling them? Personally I dont know, and neither does anyone here know all of them. 3ww is not the only place where trike people gather, and only a small portion of trike enthusiasts have ever even heard of it.

what i CAN tell you, is that i see modern trike builds for sale all the time in my area. This is very likely due to the quickly accelerating rise in three wheeler popularity.

I know at least one more person that will be offering modern trikes to the public relatively soon.


I know a few of the members here have done several one-off builds. But lets be realistic, trike population has even;t come close to maintaining the level the big 4 left off at in '87 due to others building modern trikes..Noone said it has. This is about the rise in popularity, not the amount of trikes available on the market as of today.


I really do get what you guys are getting at, but I really think we would be doing good if half of the trikes made from 1970 through 1987 were still in running or even close to running condition today.So do I. To me, Half sounds better than "few" Still speculation though, and the popularity is not being affected by the amount of trikes available at the moment. I could buy 50 trikes within ten miles of my house today for under $700 that are in excellent condition. thats being conservative. If your area is a little different, im sorry, but theres no shortage of trikes to buy and ride.


In many parts of the country, 8 out of 10 trikes for sale on CL are but a beat down shadow of their former selves.... Then buy it and fix it.

Thank god for beat down bikes, id be broke and hungry without em.


Just some interesting conversation.Yes sir it is:beer

[hawaiirider]

Still waiting for new ones to be made, until then its fixin the old junkers!!

[RIDE-RED 250r]

Well DOHC, I did admit my speculation was just that and that I wouldn't have a clue where to begin looking for those numbers...No argument on it being speculation, but where would you put your money?? ;)

But I think we lost track of the reason I mentioned numbers in circulation and started debating the numbers in circulation alone...

I only brought numbers in circ up to say that due to the fact that trikes are and most likely will remain a pretty small percentage of the ATV riding community, they probably won't be a mainstream media/societal target again any time soon. Slash made mention of people being more accepting of things in general (including trikes) and I just respectfully disagree with that. So many people simply are happy to be told what to to think by the media and government agencies like the EPA and CPSC, case in point: the consent decree. The only point I was trying to make was that due to the fact that trikes are in a small minority and in relatively (as compared to other forms of off-road entertainment) small numbers, we just aren't a worthwhile target for the thought and fun police any more. They got their desired effect with the consent decree. And it is a fact that trikes are a small percentage of the ATVing community, there is no denying that... I don't know if I am putting my thoughts to text exactly as I am trying to....but does that make more sense??

But yes, fellow riders love em! I fully agree! :beer

[DohcBikes]

Ride-red if we arent careful we are going to end up agreeing on more things :lol:.....tell you what though you are by far my favorite person to disagree with:D

More popular every day, i just dont think theres anyway to deny it. Its easy to see in the social media. And i hope it continues.

[slashfan7964]

More popular every day, i just dont think theres anyway to deny it. Its easy to see in the social media. And i hope it continues.

This is basically what I've been trying to get at. I've been seeing them very often lately.


I can't be the only one that's seeing more wanted ads on Clist though than those that are up for sale.

[RIDE-RED 250r]

Ride-red if we arent careful we are going to end up agreeing on more things :lol:.....tell you what though you are by far my favorite person to disagree with:D

More popular every day, i just dont think theres anyway to deny it. Its easy to see in the social media. And i hope it continues.

Haha! You bet! :beer Just because we don't always agree on every single thing doesn't mean we have to hate each other... :)

[slashfan7964]

Haha! You bet! :beer Just because we don't always agree on every single thing doesn't mean we have to hate each other... :)

At least you guys recognize that, some people don't :lol:

[slashfan7964]

Guys check out the DW Facebook page right now. They asked "What quad should we build up next?"

Exactly half of the total comments/replies are people telling them to build a three wheeler. From street legal trikes to 250R's, 200X's and 350X's, people want three wheelers, plain and simple. People want three wheelers in the media. Just more proof of a resurgence.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=608466792564640&set=a.173329969411660.40622.160267604051230&type=1&theater

[Mosh]

This resurgence didnt start 2 years ago, you just weren't around to see it. Dont confuse social media growth with actual growth, there are fewer trikes and riders out every year.
Agreed.

Some pics from the past.

This is a small outlaw track in Ohio from 2009.
3 full gates over 40 riders from Indy, PA, Ohio, Michigan, and New york.

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m40/cosmicquads/Smith%20Rd%20Labor%20day%2009/laborday09096.jpg (http://s100.photobucket.com/user/cosmicquads/media/Smith%20Rd%20Labor%20day%2009/laborday09096.jpg.html)

2008 another ride with riders from the same regions.

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m40/cosmicquads/otc%20jam%202008/otcjamcrop.jpg (http://s100.photobucket.com/user/cosmicquads/media/otc%20jam%202008/otcjamcrop.jpg.html)

2010 Gordons Well Imperial Invasion. The year Sprock hosted one of the biggest rides, in which we were all lucky enough to have one last ride with Roger/Sandpupi.

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m40/cosmicquads/2010%20GW/122.jpg (http://s100.photobucket.com/user/cosmicquads/media/2010%20GW/122.jpg.html)

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m40/cosmicquads/2010%20GW/130.jpg (http://s100.photobucket.com/user/cosmicquads/media/2010%20GW/130.jpg.html)

Trikefest 2007, in which this forum owner will even recognize as the biggest attendance year to date.






Group photo

http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n73/ericbs200/P6230111.jpg




2008 Steel City motorcycle show in which trikes took the top 4 show plaques amidst a sea of vintage dirt bikes.

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m40/cosmicquads/Jimmy%20White/display2800.jpg (http://s100.photobucket.com/user/cosmicquads/media/Jimmy%20White/display2800.jpg.html)

IDK. I just remember monthly ebay threads of Cal-Fabs on top of Westcoast's, followed by Mugen kits and Short track kits followed up with large group orders, new products and events.
Things seemed to have stabilized, and many of the larger gatherings have broke down into more spread out localized events that spawned from the larger stuff. Which is good cuz now people don't have to drive 400 miles to go race some trikes or get a decent sized gathering together.
Much of this stuff was moving heavy before social media sites were popular. Forums seemed to get much of the larger gatherings organized, which probably raises more notice than smaller events.
There was a lot of stuff happening from 05-2010.

[atc300r]

I think the release of the Can-Am Spyder has a little bit to do with trikes being more acceptible. I know its a different style of trike but still a trike and they get positive remarks .Whenever Im out in public and I see one go by people all around get googly eyed over them young and old. Any positive emotion over trikes is good in my opinion.I know alot of non-motorcycle that would not think twice about getting a bike but say they would get a Spyder.

[matt3x]

I agree with you to an extent on that but honestly I believe trikes are a small exception. Granted, there are still people who still are arrogant about them, but it's not as bad as it has been in the past. As I previously said, those who don't ride anything at all seem to be the worst offenders. Those that do appreciate them for what they are. A quick look at Dirt Wheels Facebook page will tell you that. They've posted 3 trikes this week alone. A 90, 350X, and a 250R. I do think it's the "retro" factor.

Otherwise I agree.


Case in point:

http://users.gtpla.net/forum/attachments/haha-png.147807/
http://users.gtpla.net/forum/attachments/22-png.147815/


Just 2 of many. And you have to remember, that's hardly touching the amount of fans out there who may not be on social media, or seen it etc.

Check this video out if you haven't before. It might change your mindset on Facebook 'likes' and what they really mean.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVfHeWTKjag

[slashfan7964]

Check this video out if you haven't before. It might change your mindset on Facebook 'likes' and what they really mean.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVfHeWTKjag
Ah well. Still cool to have the likes anyways.

______________

Dirt Wheels has posted up 4 trikes this week alone with mini articles on them. 2 350X's, a Tecate and a Tri Z and mentioned the 250R and factory racing with Jimmy White and Marty Hart. Hell, they even gave the Honda Pilot a mention. Not to mention the stuff from last month.

This is awesome. I really do like people getting back into the sport of three wheeler riding.

[Billy Golightly]

I think we're just starting to see a rebound from what has been a terrible economy (Whether this is an actual rebound or just a small spike before another huge dip is a conversation for another time) that had all sorts of power sports and toys on the back burner. 2004 and 2005 were absolutely insane things were about as close to going mainstream as you could get. A lot of printed magazine references and articles. You could take all the Facebook Groups you know of trike related, pages, and forums now, and pile them back here, and thats how busy it was. You'd get a whole page of content on Trikesylvania alone between 6:00PM and midnight on the week nights. 25 people in the chat room at one time, I've ran most of those people off though now...:lol: (TBH, it was Zuckerburg really)

Despite that, there are several factors and items to consider;

#1: At no point since trikes were new has there ever been better aftermarket and reproduction product support than there is now. Look at the # of products made today that weren't even offered in the 1980s...
#2: Innovation and competitive levels (from a production and racing scenario both) are moving towards 1980s levels. Hell I remember when I first got on this site the only "company" that had anything to do with Trikes was the Astro for their quad conversion kits. No one had or even thought of three-wheeler oriented businesses, why bother? I'm not saying there wasn't some local shops that preferred or specialized working on trikes, but there wasn't a single one I can think of that had a national (world?) level of distribution or customer base.
#3: Pop culture references are somewhat more prevalent - the T-shirt in Something About Mary, the numerous TV shows that three-wheelers seem to make some sort of an appearance or cameo on in the past few years.

Theres others of course, but those are all good signs.

[ironchop]

, I've ran most of those people off though now...:lol: (TBH, it was Zuckerburg really).

Don`t worry.....Zuckerburger is running them off by the thousands from there also as we speak. You should have them all back in a couple years when that teeny-bopper site fades away just like a MyWaste page. I deleted my own page a year ago. I was losing respect for friends due to ignorant posts with a lack of anything interesting or insightful not to mention FB still has a larger proportion of drama than this place any day......Perhaps a trike page in Pinterest? lol

theres a couple of characters in this place who would dig Tweeter I bet

back from the dirt road in my head............I hope trikes DO NOT get mainstream ever. I`d hate to see a trike cost as much as a UTV to repair. Then, I would take up Outlaw Basket Weaving and turn out some seriously badass baskets with "No Fear" and "Ain`t Skeered" plastered on the side..... or maybe "TapOut"....something to hold my skinny jeans and my porkpie hat

Rockabilly Basket Weaving.....Like Mike Ness at a craft Show

Long live the Hipster (not really)

Drugs are bad, Mkay?

[slashfan7964]

I think we're just starting to see a rebound from what has been a terrible economy (Whether this is an actual rebound or just a small spike before another huge dip is a conversation for another time) that had all sorts of power sports and toys on the back burner. 2004 and 2005 were absolutely insane things were about as close to going mainstream as you could get. A lot of printed magazine references and articles. You could take all the Facebook Groups you know of trike related, pages, and forums now, and pile them back here, and thats how busy it was. You'd get a whole page of content on Trikesylvania alone between 6:00PM and midnight on the week nights. 25 people in the chat room at one time, I've ran most of those people off though now...:lol: (TBH, it was Zuckerburg really)

Yeah, I knew there was a surge in the mid 2000's. That's when I really started getting into it. I had looked for a while on the net and when I finally started finding pictures of 200X's I was showing them off to all of my friends like 'hey dude, THAT'S the thing I have". It was pretty cool because only one of my friends at the time had a three wheeler, and it was a 250ES Big Red. It was the same year as the 200X.

Now a lot of my friends know about them and want them. And I think that's partially because of me and the media on Facebook etc. You see them quite a bit now. I really think the internet has really helped them come back.






Despite that, there are several factors and items to consider;

#1: At no point since trikes were new has there ever been better aftermarket and reproduction product support than there is now. Look at the # of products made today that weren't even offered in the 1980s...
#2: Innovation and competitive levels (from a production and racing scenario both) are moving towards 1980s levels. Hell I remember when I first got on this site the only "company" that had anything to do with Trikes was the Astro for their quad conversion kits. No one had or even thought of three-wheeler oriented businesses, why bother? I'm not saying there wasn't some local shops that preferred or specialized working on trikes, but there wasn't a single one I can think of that had a national (world?) level of distribution or customer base.
#3: Pop culture references are somewhat more prevalent - the T-shirt in Something About Mary, the numerous TV shows that three-wheelers seem to make some sort of an appearance or cameo on in the past few years.

Theres others of course, but those are all good signs.



These are all good and really strong points. I fully agree with you. I think within the next couple years three wheelers are going to really take off again.






I hope trikes DO NOT get mainstream ever. I`d hate to see a trike cost as much as a UTV to repair.

I don't think it will EVER get to that point.

The popularity might take off but I think when the market gets flooded with aftermarket parts and whatnot it'll keep the price down from all the competition.

Look at older V8 engines. Chevy 350s, Ford 302s etc. There is so much aftermarket that parts are "cheap". Well not really cheap, but much less than say what a modern LS7 or Coyote 5.0 would cost for the same parts. Granted, the newer engines are off to a better start in the power department, but nothing beats the affordability of those older engines. I think trikes will be similar.


Trikes are the muscle cars of ATV's and that is what is driving people towards them.

[Billy Golightly]

well, when I said mainstream, I meant mainstream in the ATV and Off-road niche. Mainstream as in, not out of the ordinary to see a trike picture or article next to quad and dirtbike stuff.

Not mainstream like, Walmart, mainstream.


Although, there is a Trail-Pro shirt design I made years ago I could die tomorrow if it were ever for sale in there...


193614

I'd have these made if I wasn't afraid of copyright infringement on the tread pattern - Although the likelihood of that is pretty low... :wondering

[RIDE-RED 250r]

well, when I said mainstream, I meant mainstream in the ATV and Off-road niche. Mainstream as in, not out of the ordinary to see a trike picture or article next to quad and dirtbike stuff.

Not mainstream like, Walmart, mainstream.


Although, there is a Trail-Pro shirt design I made years ago I could die tomorrow if it were ever for sale in there...





That is exactly the point I was trying to make... Only you put it in to words better.. :beer

[slashfan7964]

well, when I said mainstream, I meant mainstream in the ATV and Off-road niche. Mainstream as in, not out of the ordinary to see a trike picture or article next to quad and dirtbike stuff.

Not mainstream like, Walmart, mainstream.


That's the point I was making. It's not uncommon to see a three wheeler next to a quad right now, at least online. I think now everyone is becoming more accepting and because of that I think you'll start seeing them pop up on the trails more frequently.






Although, there is a Trail-Pro shirt design I made years ago I could die tomorrow if it were ever for sale in there...


193614

I'd have these made if I wasn't afraid of copyright infringement on the tread pattern - Although the likelihood of that is pretty low... :wondering

10/10 Would buy.


Though I would love a 3WW T shirt.

[ironchop]

well, when I said mainstream, I meant mainstream in the ATV and Off-road niche. Mainstream as in, not out of the ordinary to see a trike picture or article next to quad and dirtbike stuff.

Not mainstream like, Walmart, mainstream.


right, I figured as much but even within a niche crowd, trends come and go and along with trends comes inflation of sorts. While a lot of it is driven by newbies lookin for the latest rebellious trend, folks within the niche crowd recognize this uptick in popularity and they start charging even their fellow diehard fans more for parts/machines than before. Exposure seemed to dictate demand to an extent.

I was building chops for a minute and when I got started in the late 90`s, HD was on a serious inflationary upswing so I went with the much less popular at the time and more affordable British bike route. Nobody much knew a BSA from a Bonneville or a Royal Enfield from a Matchless or a Vincent from a Norton but once folks figured out they were affordable yet cool, it spelled the end for the cheap parts for me so much that by 2006 I couldn`t snatch a decent basket case Unit Trump for under 1500 around here. It was still a niche market but the niche itself grew in population.


I worry about this with trikes.....maybe unfounded but concerned nonetheless

now if Willie Robertson rides a wheelie on an ATC 250R across a duck-filled swamp in Loozi-ana, you`re probably gonna see threewheeler t-shirts in a Walmart near you very soon.....LMAO

[ironchop]

To be honest, the biggest reason I had for getting back into trikes had more to do with the fact that they could be scored on the super cheap and still could do everything a quad for twice the money could do and then some in some cases. I could get everyone in the family a 200 or 185 for a third of what a comparable quad sold for. Also, I had WAY more experience with trikes than quads or dirtbikes put together both riding and wrenching.

The Nostalgia of it all was the other major reason. I never really cared if people hated them or not or thought I was foolish for having them. It was just a super affordable ATV with a much tighter turning radius and was much more suited for trail riding in my opinion than a quad or bike....win win

[slashfan7964]

All it's going to take at this point is someoneone famous hopping back on one for them to explode.

I have noticed the resurgence isn't just the next generation as far as us teenagers. While a lot of it is, I noticed its a lot of guys in their 20s getting into them. Just today a friend of mine said he wanted to see Artic Cat build one. I told him the closest thing to that he'd get is a Tecate :lol:


I got into them because growing up that's what we had. I didn't even know four wheelers existed for a long time. I thought trikes were what everyone had. It took some time for me to figure out that no one had them anymore. I loved how they looked and rode. Quads just didn't do it for me. I as just like ironchop. I didn't give a crap if people liked them or not.

But now everyone seems to be realizing how cool they are and I love the fact that I can go riding with my friends and they havve them too.

I've basically become an activist for three wheelers. I try to spread as much correct information as I can so people don't get the wrong idea.Yes I still get the occasional moron that wants to argue about the legality of these machines, but everyone I talk to goes "wow I didn't know that" or "that's cool< I want one now".

It seems to be working.

We know manufacturers are never going to make them again. That's a given. And I think that's another thing that draws people toi them, because they aren't made anymore. You can't just walk into your local ATV dealer and buy a three wheeler and that turns some people onto them. I think the other thing is the learning curve that comes with riding a three wheeler. They are simply different and fun to ride and its something that those who have ridden other machines before would love to try because its different.

Its like music. Good stuff from the 80s lives on and everything else you forget about. People are remebering the three wheelers. There's many reasons for their resurgence but theres no single good reason.

[hatc200x1]

They are Definitely coming back, especially the racing, about a year ago I started calling and emailing motocross tracks in Minnesota to see if they would allow 3 wheeler's. Well I just emailed one again last night and he said that he had just asked his insurance company 2 weeks ago about it. They said no, but the point is, is that the track owner realized the potential to make more money at his track if he allowed 3 wheeler's. So he went off on his own asking about it.

[slashfan7964]

It sure does make me wonder what insurance company they go though, because there are many motocross tracks across the country that now allow them to be run on their tracks. Or mostly anywhere. Trail parks invite them too. In fact my local MX track encourages people to bring them!


But that is definitely a good sign that people are starting to see the potential with these machines. Racing is exploding right now and they are all over the place. To say its reaching 1980s levels wouldn't be out of the question. I say give it time it won't be long before dedicated racing starts appearing all over the country in double the amount in half the time it already has. Its just a matter of time now. And once people see the popularity come back they are going to realize the market is there and there is a good chance of seeing even more parts reproduced than there already is. And as Billy said earlier, there's more stuff being repop'd now than ever. And that only going to increase. And as I said, parts inflation will keep te prices down. So really its a win-win for all of us three wheeler enthusiasts. Not a slap in the face like some guys seem to think. If anything, I can only see more good coming from this. Which in my opinion is freaking awesome.

I even had a friend out of state snap a picture of a second gen 250R on someone's trailer just for me because he knew I liked them. He was thrilled to find one in the wild. It was the first three wheeler he'd seen randomly since the early 90s. I thought that alone was cool that someone who'd been out of the scene for so long wigged out when seeing one of these machines for the first time in 20 years.

[jakep53]

I just want to see trike racing get popular in Australia so I can race....

[DohcBikes]

Call the tracks, call your buddies, get out there! It starts with you Jake!

[slashfan7964]

Call the tracks, call your buddies, get out there! It starts with you Jake!

This.

If you can gather up a bunch of people that want in, I bet you could make it happen.

[Tas Wheeler]

I just want to see trike racing get popular in Australia so I can race....

+2 on that one.

We will have to have a Tassie V Victoria race sometime. :D

It's definitely a fair way to travel for one of us, but us Aussie Triker's are a rare breed, especially in the southern part of the country.

The popularity in my part of the world is pretty much non existent as they are just not around. But they sure do create some attention when I take mine out.

Cheers.

[jakep53]

+2 on that one.

We will have to have a Tassie V Victoria race sometime. :D

It's definitely a fair way to travel for one of us, but us Aussie Triker's are a rare breed, especially in the southern part of the country.
The popularity in my part of the world is pretty much non existent as they are just not around. But they sure do create some attention when I take mine out.

Cheers.

This is basicly what it's like in Australia but my next door neighbour is a motocross racer so he has a full blown track in his backyard that has taken him over 10 years to build so thats where my 200x will live and I am building a flat track in my back paddock lol and I live on the back of a lake so I also have a mud pit so I am pretty lucky I just have no one to ride against......but i'm up for Tasmania V Victoria race!!

[slashfan7964]

Trying to get the guy to scan the whole newspaper article, but three wheelers are back in the press.

Not my photo (merely hot linking). The winner from the race took this and put it up on Facebook. Congrats to him and props go out to everyone that competed.

https://scontent-a-lga.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/t1.0-9/10402742_785386271480954_6966126002119024912_n.jpg

[TecateDan]

fred cuperstine is dead

Start the video at 2 minutes

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=H1I5DweHlnQ

[czac]

It wont be long now until we see folks converting quads into trikes... lol (although riding a quad with one front wheel missing is going to be a challenge)

[czac]

fred cuperstine is dead

Start the video at 2 minutes

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=H1I5DweHlnQ

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!
Not Fred, the guy who had the greatest idea ever... a huge warning sticker saying trikes are dangerous!!

[CaptainRon]

I've owned 185's and 350X's and Big Reds.
Rode an ATC90 when young, always liked 3-wheelers.

So I did notice how well 3-wheelers are selling - find a nice one hundreds of miles away and good luck getting to it before someone else buys it.

A new top-of-the-line quad is 9K and up, much more for side-by-sides/UTV's.
So my $1600 Big Red is pretty inexpensive in comparison, is reliable, capable, and uses very little fuel.

I don't race off road, but I do see that modern quads do well in very rough terrain, where my Big Red is slow.
But my primary hobby is riding dirtbikes - when I get on my XR650R or my KX500 modern quads in tough terrain seem as slow as my Big Red is to them.
So I ride slow on BigRed and enjoy the ride and scenery and take pictures - works for me.

I'd like to own a new quad, but around $10K?
I'll stick to my lower-priced fun.........

[atcdude0]

There aren't less 3 wheelers and 3 wheeler riders every year. TPC trikes makes honda 450r into Atc450r. Youtube has plenty of garage builds of sweet KTM converted trikes, dirtbikes with atv swingarms and axles, and barn finds are still popping up on craigs list everyonce in a while.

[83ATC185]

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!
Not Fred, the guy who had the greatest idea ever... a huge warning sticker saying trikes are dangerous!!

I need to have some made, put it right there on the gas tank, where ya cant miss it, A skull and crossbones that reads, "This Honda May Kill Your Son"

It's hard to sleep at night knowing that just a few feet away, a trike is waiting for the right moment, when i turn my back to it, to kill me.

But in all honesty around here, there's a few that are into them, and i have gotten waves and compliments on mine but for the most part it seems like people don't like them too much where i'm at.