Bring BACK atc production in 2013 ??!!??!!

[ThomNY]

hey guys, been awhile since I was on here. joined here when I was working on my old tecate3 and now that I have a 200e big red I find myself back at 3ww a lot again. I just love riding these things, its like a bike and quad combined and just alotta fun..

ANYWAYS~ I have read that in 1987 that theyput a ban on 3 wheelers, HOWEVER the ban was only in effect for either 20 or 25 years (I cant remember which one it was) So either way we are past the ban now where companies could start production again, right? I was thinking if maybe we got a bunch of us to write letters the the big 4 perhaps they would research andsee if the business is there. I imagine it would be as everyone knows how 3 wheeler sales were. I KNOW I would be in line for a 400ex atc and/or something semi-sporty. Just wanted to get some input see if we should all get together and try to organize something or if its just not in the relm of possibilities. Good to be back here n on a trike, lemme tell ya!!!

[dougspcs]

The ban was 15 years..but then the problem isn't if there is a market for them. The problem is the ignorance never went away..I know everyone in hear has run into someone on a quad on a trail and heard them say. 'Hey I remember those..but they're dangerous aren't they..I thought they were illegal'.

It's the cost to tool up for a manufacturer to build then have them banned all over again because of public outcry. I doubt they would even get to the ATV dealers before they were shut down!!

The newer tech and more powerful engines that would go into a modern trike would make it an even more efficient killer of inexperienced riders than the ones we own now..

I love the idea, but I can tell you this..I'd put some of my hard earned money on there never being a commercially built trike ever again.

My suggestion is..collect them, own them, care for them and enjoy them because what we have now is all there will ever be!

[Yamaha3wheeler]

I never see it happening again. Too much of a risk with money and potential lawsuits. Especially since they've already been banned. The " I told you they were dangerous", attitudes will surely come back and bite them once people get hurt. They went through hell in the 80's with the government. Why open themselves up to that again when they are doing fine selling 4 wheelers and motorcycles.

[kb0nly]

I think a small company should produce a custom line of them, that would be neat. But making money on them would be hard, the guys that are into trikes have them or would just assume buy a used Honda then go out and spend $2-4k on a new custom one.

[Big Mike]

ummm tpc and tionesta trikes are already doing this.

[yamaha225dr]

ummm tpc and tionesta trikes are already doing this.

I was just about to post this! ATC's were never banned, the manufacturers just agreed to cease production.

[ebaccm26]

I'm not sure why you would want the "big 4" to start making 3 wheelers again. The thing that draws me to 3 wheelers is the history, they would not be nearly as fun to me without the hunting for and fixing/restoring part of the process. And if you really want one that is more modern there is already several people who do this and they do it well.

[blue27]

It was 10yrs, there is to much of an insurance issue now. I believe when the kid lead free laws went into effect the ban of three wheelers was also added, atleast any imports since the chinese were sending pitbikes converted to trikes with no rear fenders. Also uped the safety of youth ATVS. There are tons of threads on this.

http://azstarnet.com/news/national/g...db1307507.html

[christph]

Here is a bit of "what if" history. Even without the lawsuits and completely biased media coverage, 3 wheelers probably would have been phased out by the manufacturers in favor of quads. I'm thinking they would have lasted until 1989 or thereabouts.

[JasonB]

Some people like their cucumbers pickled!

[muthey]

Also they would have to do a intense study on stability issues, as that was one of the key elements to the production ban, There is someone on here who has all the paperwork related to the ban, and had a very large post about it, can't remember who right now but I remember reading it.

[ONEBAD350X]

The first thing every person says to me is arent those things dangerous, My reply is well motorcycles must be really dangerous because the only have 2 wheels..

[RoscoW]

Here is a bit of "what if" history. Even without the lawsuits and completely biased media coverage, 3 wheelers probably would have been phased out by the manufacturers in favor of quads. I'm thinking they would have lasted until 1989 or thereabouts.

On the nail, we could still buy new 83-84 R's in 86 there was such a stock pile of them not selling here. The TRX was out as well as the Quadracer, and Banshee, Almost overnight three wheeler racing died and everyone moved into quads. The average joe and new rider could ride a quad faster (much less forgiving on inexperience) and thats what sold. I also agree, sport trikes would have died out in a couple more years due to lack of sales.

[TecateDan]

Just spend the 2-4 grand and build what ever modern trike u want. I wanted a 500 tecate so I built one. Seen guys cut up banshee's (Trish) heard of some 300 ex conversions and got a buddy who is going to build a 400ex trike after he wraps up his 500 missle kit. Good welder and some initive and u can have anything u want. Me I'm looking for a 700 maico motor next....

Here's my 500 tecate they should have made

[falloutboy]

I agree with what others are saying. I think it was said in the recent SOCAL Trike MX news spot also. Technology doesn't really go backwards. Adding a forth wheel was just a progression of the technology. The general public (the sheeple) still have it in their minds that 3 wheelers are 'dangerous machines'.

Also there is NO WAY the big ATV makers would be shelling out the dough for such a risk. Heck, Honda didn't even make the TRX450R for what, 2 or 3 years? They were selling off 2009 overstock, from what I understand. People just weren't buying new ATV's with the way the economy was/is.

my $0.02