New Trikes?

[Yamaha_Rules69]

Im sure you have all read the Consent degree article (which stopped the manufacturing of all three wheelers) on the home page of 3ww, and as you all have also read it has expired on April 28, 1998. But my question is why dosent Honda, Yamaha, and Kawasaki begin making trikes again? Has anyone heard anything about them doing this? If the real companies dont start responding soon, I think somebody should start their own company for 2003. Maybe a private one. They could use dirtbike and 4 wheeler parts to possibly make a nice trike. Custom frames were also built. I have seen some of these creations in the past, and some of them turned out really good. I know millions of people love three wheelers, but instead buy quads because their newer. People think that the trikes of the 80's are too old and should put them in the past. Trikes should really be made again. Think about it, if the companies made them again, we would see a 2003 Honda 250R, or a 2003 Yamaha Tri Z 250. Man that would be nice. Well, tell me what you guys have heard, and what you think. Thanx.

[J.D.]

The a-holes will just ban them again.

[Mobular]

Plain and simple...not economically viable. The sales (or lack of) wouldn't support the profitability of anyone venturing into such a market. In order to turn a profit, let alone recover production costs, a sustained mass market would have to be available, and really, it isn't there. Us trikers would not be able to keep such a company afloat. Product would be so expensive, we could not buy it. Ever priced out a race quad frame?Remember, a business exists to make money, not please a small special interest group.

[ATC crazy]

Tell ya what....Id buy one. (As long as its a Honda) And even if they did ban them again, It would be nice to see one being produced again, even if for only 1 year.

[ATCRYDER]

We go over this all the time. No one wants 3 wheelers....theres those new fangeld FOUR WHEELERS if you havnt noticed that in the last 13 years.

[200xer]

I bet if a 250R was sold for $2500 like back in 86 people would buy them. $2500 or $6000 hmmmmm But I doubt they will be produced again.

[Trikeaholic]

if the AMA would allow racing of trikes, it would fly, but they wont, they are as spinless as the rest of the wusses out there.

[Yamaha_Rules69]

Thanx for the coments guys. keep em coming if you got somthing to say. If only Bill Gates liked trikes, he could help us out. LOL

[TimSr]

I expect to see periodic releases of new 3 wheelers, but it wont be from the MFGs we'd like to see. It will be your smaller MFG's, such as E-Ton, or LEM, from countries like Taiwan, China, and former Soviet eastern block countries. Of those we are accustomed to, in my opinion, Polaris is the best bet for producing a new one.

[NOS_350X]

if someone has a couple million to give me i will start mfg. ing my own atc's in my shop and sell them. couple of months ago i was looking at how hard it would be to take some of ktm's bike and convert them (i would use a ktm because of the extensive line and there TOP quality)
anyone wana give me some money??
i feel that if you could get them back into races they would catch on great but thats just not going to happen

[Mobular]

After re-thinking this topic, I think the best chance of this idea happening, is if a small shop purchases quads and does the conversion. Again, economic viability dictates. One would have to find the most swap friendly quads available, manufacture custom front ends, and of course, demographics research. And again, realisticly, I can't see the operation being any larger than a 4-5 man shop pumping out 4-5 conversions a week. The purchaser base just isn't there. The projects would be much harder, and therefore more expensive than the Astro trike conversions of the 80s... maybe $2000-$2500 over and above the cost of the quad?

[KASEY]

but only a major corparation could afford the prouduct liability insurance!!! the first idiot that got hurt would put it out again!!!

[Levithan]

I am positive that HONDA or any other major recreational ATV producers will not begin the process of producing trikes anytime soon. Take an excursion into the Bennett-law web site, and you will start to understand what i am talking about. Bennett and his lawyers are a bunch of greedy, lifeless blood suckers that hide behind their clients. Just in 2000, kawasaki was sued for a kid who flipped his trike when he WASNT wearing a helmet. Kawasaki settled before trial for a cool couple million. It makes me sick how these lawyers can sue over frivilous accidents, and still win. It seems that the major companies are afraid that if the lawsuits get far enough, it could extensively damage the company, and lose potential customers. One way that i would propose to get trikes back into action, is to create a new racing league. Screw the AMA, they turned their backs on us a long time ago. If it would be possible to get a small league going, then you could probably gain support, and find companies willing to sponsor events. Only that or something similar could return the ATC industry to what it used to be. Thats my 2 cents.

[kwit]

Well this is what I think if only the 3wheeling community got media coverage at like an organizd race event I know I would sacrifice and trash my 200x in a race just for the public attention that would be givin to the community. The thing thats most important is to erase all those misconseptions people have about 3 wheelers uve all heard um im sure. If we can get ride of the thought of danger accociated with an ATC it would help