The future of 3 Wheelers

**Yamahammer490** · 08-28-2003, 05:30 PM

Gents,

I'm new to this forum so forgive me if I add too much fuel to the fire, but why is it that I can buy a new street-legal 3 wheeler? I see converted Gold Wing trikes almost every day in summer. Since they are street legal that means that the manufacturer must be dealing with the DOT, right?

I've got to believe that it would be easier for some shop to make quad-based trikes off road trikes than the street legal ones.

My opinion, for what it's worth.

**NOS_350X** · 08-28-2003, 08:24 PM

Originally Posted by TimSr

Again I say, think about guys! If you all wrote letters and convinced the MFG's that there was a huge demand for these, and they actually did produce them, how long do you think it would take the CPSC to stomp that whole idea into the ground, especially now that a precedent has been set. Any MFG would be idiotic to spend millions of dollars to tool up for a new machine that would be banned from import, again, before it ever got off the assembly line. If I were CEO of Honda , Id be a lot more concerned about getting a new racing quad online since the bottom fell out of the 400EX market. Something they can sell hundreds of thousands of, and not a few thousand before they are forced to discontinue.

i completly agree with you they would just shut it off. BUT doing so would cost money :-P this meens that they would have less money to go to something elce. so maby if it did happen (whitch wouldnt because there isnt a large enough market) they would have to choose between atc's and something elce

**Beer_Smurf** · 08-28-2003, 10:30 PM

How bad do you want a NEW three wheeler?

If you guys are really serious, we can have new three wheelers.

They are not going to be mass produced low cost machines.

How does a nice ATC450F sound?

Can be done.

Unfortunately with a limited production run, it could easily cost $15,000.00.

How many of you are really willing and able to put up this kind of money?

**3forlife** · 08-28-2003, 10:40 PM

I am sure most of us are willing, but able is another thing. It would be cool if new frames could be manufactured (complete with brakes and shocks and plastic) then a new motor could be dropped in the frame. It would be cool to at least see some concept art for a new trike. Could you imagine how sweet a trike would look with raptor style plastic and light? Very sweet.

**atcmatt** · 08-29-2003, 04:01 AM

We all seem contempt with keeping our old trikes up and running. They are great. If they did make new trikes it would be likely it would kick the crap out of quads in races etc....................but this is what our old trikes are all about! Getting a 20 year old machine and having it souped up to beat the Brand new quads is a great pastime. Restoring and fixing it is almost all the fun. As much as i want new trikes to be manufactured, it aint happenin'. But dont worry the almighty 3-wheeler will be around for more decades to come, if fellas like us keep up what we are doing!

my 2 cents

**NOS_350X** · 08-29-2003, 09:50 AM

Originally Posted by Beer_Smurf

How bad do you want a NEW three wheeler?

If you guys are really serious, we can have new three wheelers.

They are not going to be mass produced low cost machines.

How does a nice ATC450F sound?

Can be done.

Unfortunately with a limited production run, it could easily cost $15,000.00.

How many of you are really willing and able to put up this kind of money?

it could NOT be done
honda woundnt shut down there production line for just a couple trikes (hudereds woudnt even matter to then) even if they where priced at 15k

**Beer_Smurf** · 08-29-2003, 11:57 AM

It would not be done by a major mfg.

Most of the parts are off the shelf.
I am talking about building building frames, triple clamps, and plastic then assembling them by hand.

Fabrication is not magic.

The Fourtrax 250R came from the ATC250R so why not go the other way?

Similar to the Service Honda TRX250R.
http://www.servicehonda.com/TRX250r.html

If we could get together enough people who wanted one.

It really could be done.

**groundfly** · 08-29-2003, 12:59 PM

yeah, sell me a "four wheel to three-wheel conversion kit"...i'd convert every quad i could get my hand's on..lol

**jdparsons1** · 08-29-2003, 03:55 PM

Originally Posted by 250SX_rider

Everyone on this forum should sign up a letter that says that all us want to get the trikes back on the production, and we should send it on the internet...just imagine how many signs we would get! :o

Didn't we already do this on the main site in the form of a petition? I looked but didn't see the link any more.

**ATC crazy** · 08-29-2003, 04:05 PM

We can make 3 wheelers again fairly easy. All you need is an ATC frame so you could use a pipe bender and a welder and "copy" it with all the motor mounts and brackets. Same with the S-Arm, and then just put a new quad motor in it.

Or you could just hack at a quad and make it a trike (like the Tri-Z Banshee in Dirtwheels)

**TopGear1** · 08-29-2003, 06:12 PM

I would have to agree with Honda200. I am 35 years old and have been riding two and three wheelers all my life, frankly, I have never even sat on a quad nor thought about it. Why would anyone want to spend upwards of 5 grand on a machine when you can buy a 200x, 350x, or utility 185, 200 in good condition for less than a grand? ok...you might have to put a few bucks in the thing, but it aint like spending 5 g's and there is nothing like the satisfaction of working on a machine and getting it in top running condition......and the learning exp is priceless.
This is just my opinion... 8)

Thread: The future of 3 Wheelers

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How bad do you want a NEW three wheeler?

Re: How bad do you want a NEW three wheeler?

Yes it could be done.