Information on Riding a Trike Motorcycle

Trikes are three-wheeled motorcycles.

A trike is essentially a motorcycle with two rear wheels instead of one. Trikes offer the open-air experience that motorcycles provide but require less balance to ride, making them a potentially attractive option for aging motorcycle enthusiasts.

Tipping

Although any motor vehicle can tip under extreme conditions or when driven unsafely, trikes are designed to tip far less easily than two-wheel motorcycles. This makes trikes much easier to drive in the rain and safer to drive over oil or antifreeze patches that can be left at traffic lights by other vehicles.

Cargo

Because they are wider in the back than conventional motorcycles, trikes have ample trunk space. Luggage and other cargo affect the handling of a trike far less than they do the handling of their two-wheel counterparts. Because the wind buffering provided by the fenders, trikes are better at pulling trailers than motorcycles

Steering and Cornering

Steering a trike can require more effort than steering a two-wheel bike because there is no counter-steering on a trike. This can make a trike easier to steer at fast speeds than at slower ones. The rider does not have to lean when cornering on a trike and can expect the trike to take corners in a manner similar to a small sports car.

Fuel Economy

According to Majestic Trikes-n-Cycles, the fuel economy is 10 to 20 percent lower on trikes than it is on traditional motorcycles. This fuel efficiency reduction is the result of the added weight of a trike and the additional drag that is caused by a trike's rear fenders.

References

• Cycle Guide Magazine: Ride Review: Lehman Monarch II Trike
• Majestic Trikes-n-Cycles: Facts and Questions Sheets