Trikes NOT allowed

[Trikeaholic]

Trailpass, an organization that oversees private riding areas in NY and PA, excludes 3 wheelers from using thier facilities. I thought that was BS so I wrote them the following letter and got the following reply:


Matt,

No personal affront intended - but our insurance will not cover them.
That is unfortunately the end of the story.

Some of our events will allow 3-wheelers as it is a separate policy for
competitive events. But no company currently will cover us for general
liability on the trails for them.


Chris Connelly
TrailPass, LLC


On Tuesday, April 20, 2004, at 01:18 PM, matt bishop wrote:

> As an ATV rider for over 25 years, I am pretty upset
> by your exclusionary policies. Back in 1983, I bought
> my first ATV, and I, among others enjoyed operating
> the vehicle in a safe and responsible manner. Today, I
> still enjoy riding and maintaining a rather large
> collection of ATVs that I have acquired over the
> years. Now an adult with small children, I have passed
> my younger brothers origial ATV on to my son. It is a
> shame we will not be allowed to use your trail system,
> The Trailpass is a very good thing to have around the
> NY area, as long as we all ride the same machines, we
> can participate in this great family activity. I
> cannot fathom why you specifically and outright
> restrict the operation of the original machine that
> started it all, the 3 wheeled ATV. If liability
> waivers are required, why this rule? Do you really
> think that the consumer product saftey commission only
> wanted the trike off the market? Do you really believe
> that the same un-elected and unaccountable government
> officials dont have their sights set on quads? If my
> insurance company will insure these vehicles, why can
> I not operate them on the trails in your network? This
> is not fair, and I would like an explaination of why
> this rule is in place. Until then, I am sorry that I
> will not be allowed to participate in the hobby of my
> choice with my family.
> www.3wheelerworld.com check it out, they are not
> forgotten, as a matter of fact, the popularity of the
> trike is coming back. Not everyone wants to follow.
> Some must be different. Thank you for your time.

[Mr. Sandman]

Trikaholic, I feel your pain. Unfortunatley, three wheeler enthusiasts have a similiar problem here in California.

The send us your money, were a non-profit, fighting for ALL off roader's rights, California Off Road Vehicle Association (CORVA) holds off road jamborees at various riding sites throughout the state. Activities are open to all vehicles, but in the fine print it always says "sorry, no 3 wheelers". Like you, I was dismayed and disgusted and fired off a letter to their president and his response was similiar. I then canceled my membership :mad: and now send my donations elsewhere.

While I agree that they do good job of preserving off roading in the state, have numerous legal battles with the tree hugging greenies, and need all the money and contributions they can get, I do not believe that they are truly fighting for ALL off roaders when they exclude one particular group.

[Speeder84]

That's such a lame response that they gave saying the insurance company won't cover them. It doesn't make sense, like you said, if we can get them insured under our own personal insurance providers then their company should also cover them. I don't buy that they will only cover them for special events.

[thehickfarmer]

i really don't think it's fare.. trikes started it all.. their is no respect for them,
We riders get treated like a bunch of kids.. yet i always belived by watching and from experience tha trikes, and their riders are much safer and , for examples.. they can stop way faster, can turn in tighter corners, and in the event of a flip over.. the trike it much better to have fall on you then a 600lb quad.
so really.. we gotta fight these damn hippie tree hugers and goverment

[350x'inNY]

Holic....

I was talking to Bill Harding from NYTRO.... was asking about if 3 wheelers were allowed with track pass. He was under the idea that individually, Trail Pass wouldn't cover you, but if you were under NYTRO's policy/event, you would be OK. The guy is in Hornell.... I will pass on his number when I find it so you can ask him directly....

In the mean time, when do you want to come down and ride here??? Got about 4-5 miles of trails, camping and hiking in our private waterfalls. You can also see my progress on 'Project Yamahauler!" I got those bent forks off and am putting on NOS hand protectors to go with those brush gaurds...

Bruce

[threewheelin-feelin]

hey trikeaholic that was a smart letter trailprotrailpro right they r now trying to bann quads 2 strokes and recall all 3wheelers and trailprotrailpro right i think that 3wheeler popularity is comming back ppl that have ever riddin them r curious im sure and ppl that rode 3wheelers and went to quads r giving trikes a chance agian i can see that they will never be brought back in production and brought back to the tracks

[Beer_Smurf]

Maybe we can all get togather for some kind of a group insurance plan.
The plan would just cover whatever it is and have a huge deductable so the rate would be very low.
Then when the say "Our insurance wont cover it" we can slap it on them.

[Dynofox]

I talked to the co-owner of trail pass last week and they are working on a new insurance plan as we speak that is broader and will allow 3-wheelers. Of course you'll need to be registered, and insured.

[jeswinehart]

i just want to say how proffessional the letter sounds that you sent them matt ,,, very well written !

john

[threewheelin-feelin]

i was just thinking here in virginia ive never had any trouble here with no trikes allowed. i know a place here were they race 3wheelers, 4wheelers, dirtbikes, gocarts even golf cart and they do this ever sunday. ive never been but a frined races his dirtbike there says theres a few 3wheelers there racing every week.

[yamahaman89]

anyone know where i can ride my trike in WI

[eistea15]

Amen it is always better to ride on 3 wheels rather than 4. Great job with everything everyone is doing to get trikes back on the trails.

[ClayW]

Hey guys this irks the hell out of me. I am a degreed Safety Professional and I ride the things and my 5 yr old rides her ATC 70. Have any of you guys ever looked at the statistics on ATV/ATC accidents and deaths. If you have you will notice that in 1988, Yes 88 the number of deaths and serious injuries went out the roof. Why? 4 Wheelers. They are Bigger and heavier and flip just as dang easy as a 3 wheeler. My neighbor wouldnt have a 3 wheeler. Had to dig deep in his wallet to buy a new 4 wheeler, because they wont flip. So guess what the idiot did the first day he had it. While durning around in the coldasack he flipped the dang thing on the concrete. People thought that because 3 wheelers were gone that the 4s were the safe ticket. BS. If I recall correctly in the study By the ENR and Minnesotta Dept of Safety. in 1986 3 people were killed on ATCs and 63 were seriously injured. In 1988, one year later when the safe ATVs hit the market full throttle, guess what the statictics did. UP UP and Way UP. The number killed jumped to 11 and the number seriously injured jumped way way up to over 400. Give me a break. 3 wheelers are a hell of a lot safer than 4s. My daughters ATC 70 weighs 138 LBS. You know what a Honda 50 4 wheeler weighs? Nearly 300 LBS. The weight difference is killing and hurting people more. I can send anyone the link to these statistics if you like. Sorry folks if a Safety man approves of them enough to let his 5yr old daughter ride one, they are A OK!!!!!

ClayW

[TimSr]

You make some good points, but your arguments would probably lose credibility in the inaccuracies. I too have a theory that you are less likely to be injured in a trike roll because of the reduced weight but the statistics between 1986 and 1988 dont give any conclusive indication of that because of so many other variables, the main one being they sold about twice as many ATVs in 1988 as 1986. And while I believe, but cant prove you are less likely to be injuried in a trike roll than a quad roll, you cant deny simple physics that says a trike rolls easier than a quad with all other factors, including rider being the same. More contact points on the ground and a combined wider stance of those contact points is more difficult to tip. To deny that, and insist trikes dont tip any easier, kills the credibility of your whole argument. If they dont tip easier, then what makes them more difficult or challenging to ride? The most convincing argument is to acknowledge the added challenge of a trike, while insisting that the skills can be developed and precautions taken, to ride them safely in spite of the fact that they tip over easier. You also stated a Honda 50 4 wheeler weighs nearly 300 lbs. Honda does not make a 50cc 4 wheeler. They make a 90 which weighs 244 pounds dry and is not recommended for children under 12. I do agree, still too heavy to be safe for a 5 year old. Your 50cc E-Ton, Polaris etc. are in the 180-190 lb range, with the 40cc models quite a bit lighter.
Im on your side in my feelings that trikes should be allowed anywhere other ATVs are allowed, and that they pose no increased safety threat, but when you are trying to convince people of this with "facts" that defy people's logic, they are not likely to believe any part of your argument. If you hop on a trike, or put your kid on a trike with the idea firmly planted in their head that they wont tip over any eaier than a quad, especially if they have actually ridden quads, they are sure to dump it on their first corner. You should instead be warning anyone wishing to give trikes a try to take it easy, and take plenty of time to learn to get a feel for the machine, because they ARE a lot harder to ride, and DO tip over a lot easier.

[ClayW]

Im not saying in no way shape or form that trikes dont tip easier than quads. Thats a no brainer. They just do. I am 30 and have been riding them since age 8. And yes there were more ATVs sold in 1988 and on. I firmly believe that the reason for this was the perception that they were Safer and would not flip. And as for the statistics and how they correlate with the number of trikes and Quads sold. The statistics clearly state that those stats are per 100,000 registered owners. So with that being said. Yes, there were and are more sold and more involved in accidents. However for every 100,000 sold they are approximately 4 times easier to be hurt on. Yes im sure that statistics werent kept up with as much back in the day, but they are definately eye opening. I was incorrect on the 50 ATV. Brain Fart. Yes its a 90 but there is still a heck of a lot off weight difference. And its not all motor. 70 to 90 cc isnt that much. Im sure you know that. Trikes do roll easier, thats for sure. However the majority of accidents were kids that had no training. Like my neighbors daughter. Her cousins got one and let her ride it. She drove it 30 feet over to a dirt pile and as she went up she gased it and flipped it. Big suprise. I taught my daughter the importance of leaning from the start. Without it running or rolling I taught her. She understands the importance. Especially after she let up on a turn and dumped it. She was only in first and going slow fortunately. But I dont let her out of second. She immediately told me daddy I forgot to lean. Im ok. It just irks me how I have ridden one for years and done all manner of things on one and the only injury i sustained was road rash on the back side of my left leg. The tire on my old 110 grabbed my size 12s heel and sucked it under and pulled me half off. LOL. Im sure im not the only one thats happend to. I think riding trikes is a lot more like riding a Dirt bike and not a Quad.

Clay

[ClayW]

Hey Tim,

Here is the site and statistics I was refering to.

http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/enforcement/incidentreports/atv.html


Clay

[ClayW]

Tim sorry i didnt post it on the previous post but I didnt have access to it at the time.

Here is the site I was refering to for the statistics.

http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/enforcement/incidentreports/atv.html

[atckowalski]

I recently got in a wreck on my 3 wheeler where I came around a corner up a burm ( a little to high) and there was a big arse tree in the trail way up on the burm, as I aproached it , I hit the brakes and swurved just missing it, flipping over forward as I came to a stop.(that is when I broke my fender)I was fine and my t3 was sitting on its front end with the rear tires up in the air,as I noticed on my front shock guard, that the very end was scraped where it had grazed the tree. If I was on a quad, I definetly hit the tree and hit it hard.Chalk one more up for the 3 wheeler :Bounce When I get off of my 3 wheeler, it does not fall over.... My dirt bike,, on the other hand ;)

[mudduck14843]

it is hard to find a place to run trikes around me. i was able to run in one hill climb in hornell (ama sanctioned),i have a buddy that runs his 350x and 250r in a drag (mud,sand,where,???). i hear there is regular races out near salamanca, but no idea about anymore info...

[woodstockii]

I myself feel every Quad owner needs to spend time on atc's.. I was brought up on 110's, 200's and 250 trikes.. I got a yam Banshee about a year ago.. I'ts a friggin caddy compared to a trike.. I tend to get overly aggresive atimes on my Quad, doing crazyness that I wouldn't dare on my trikes!!!

If you can ride a trike you can ride it all... Trikes require alot of rider input, Quads you just point and go!

[thehickfarmer]

my first off road vechicle was a 200s, i recently baught a new kvf 360 4x4. as much as i do love the confort, i find it real boaring to ride around, it can pull through just about anything, theirs no fun with it