Trike Conversion

[Guest]

Does anyone know of a trike conversion available for a 84 Goldwing Standard, it appears the major trike builders have moved on the the newer trikes. I'm looking for a conversion not a training wheel add-on. Thanks

[dwitgoldwing]

The only GL1200 kit I've found after 3 years of web searching and many calls to most manufacturers is triwing.com. Their DX cruiser kit is, in my opinion, the best looking body out there.

Their suspension for the GL1200, however, is not anywhere near state of the art. Let me caution you to find a trike with a solid axle suspension and test ride it. If you only ride 1-up then a solid axle, (Ford rear-end), isn't a horrible way to go, BUT, if you ever ride 2-up, your co-rider will hate you for ever buying the solid axle kit. I rode 120 miles with my fiancà to test ride an '85 Aspencade with the solid axle trike conversion. Our observations were that, the trunk was not solidly attached compared to the stock bike, and the trike pitched the co-rider WILDLY to the side on curves and bumps, (she felt like she was going to be throne off). The passenger footboards are attached to the swingarm so EVERY bump is felt by the passenger. Very annoying, let me assure you. My fiancà couldn't get off the trike fast enough. I let her drive and I rode in the back seat, and...she was RIGHT. For all the expense,(around $9-$10K with paint and wheels and extras), the solid axle just plain stinks for the co-rider. It's a scarey ride.

The gentleman who let me test out the solid axle Aspencade trike is a trike builder himself and converts GL1800s every week for a dealer in KY and for himself. He let me ride his own 2006 GL1800 California SideCar Trike, (with trailer behind), and there was no comparison to the '85 Aspencade Trike, as far as ride. The Independent Rear Suspension, (IRS) of the CSC Trike just rides right compared to a solid axle. No scared moments for my fiancÃ; she just enjoyed the ride.

So, since I can't afford $30,000 to $40,000 for a GL1800 Trike and trailer, my options are limited.

What I came up with is either do the solid axle conversion from Triwing, or maybe get American Trike to make a independent rear axle to work with my '85 LTD. Another option is have a trike body built from scratch, (there's a guy on the Steve Saunders site who can make a body), and come up with my own independent rear suspension.

Right now, I am feverishly working to finish painting and attaching my California Sidecar Friendship III sidecar to my LTD.
It is the cheapest option to achieve something like a trike but it gives me WAY more storage than a trike.
I have a 2-seater sidecar which gives me a chance to haul 4 people, (won't do that, though), and it has a trunk as big as some cars.
All I need to do is add an auxiliary 5 or 6 gallon gas tank to the sidecar, and away I go.
Sidecars get worse gas mileage than trikes and are harder to ride, but my sidecar only cost me $1800.
With paint and everything probably I will be into it for about $2600. Way cheaper than any trike "kit".
If money was no object, I would have my closest trike dealer order me a GL1800 CSC trike kit and modify it to work on my bike.
That's a lot of work, but I love my 1200 that much.

I may still trike my LTD, next year or in a couple of years after I get tired of my sidecar.

And I am more resolved than most to find a great solution. But the system is set up to force us into 1800s eventually.
I may buy an 1800 but still keep my LTD. The 1200 just "fits" me better.

Best wishes,
Don W., Winchester, KY