TRIKES, WHER DO WE TALK TRIKES?

Oscar Mike Gulf Yankee

Well-known member

Where do we talk trikes, like big trikes, like an 1800 VTX with a Champion Trike Kit conversion, no, I don't have 33's on the rear, but it does just fine on dirt and gravel roads.
I'm almost a senior citizen at 71, had some nerve damage that signaled the mussels to my legs, for a while couldn't walk but got better, now walking short distances isn't an issue, but holding up an 1800 cruiser with my plump lady is. So, a trike keeps us riding.

And, today I bought a 2017 Roadman camping trailer to pull behind the trike.

I guess you could think of this rig like what EarthRoamers are to Jeeps, in the motorcycle arena in this forum. :rolleyes:
Okay, maybe not, but it is bigger.

So, anyway, I'm as excited as a 16 year old boy at a drive-in with his girlfriend, so I'll talk about it.

It's roughly 38 inches wide and 72 inches long sitting up 19 inches over the frame and it has rubber torsion bar type suspension, tires are on 12" wheels and about 10 inches wide with a street tread.

The box can hold up to 250 pounds of stuff, up front is a mount with an ice chest and two, 2 gallon plastic gas cans that many snap on the sides of off-road rigs, roto molded somethings. Trailer holds a queen size bed and the ceiling is well over six feet in the standing area. Sitting up in bed is no problem either.

Actually, I could take the wheels off and it would sit in the back for the F-150 with a dry weight of about 250 pounds! Or, just pull it with the Cherokee or the truck.

Back on the trike, I'm already planning an 8 hour trip down through Arkansas, making about three days around some lakes, Hot Springs and might dig up some diamonds. I hope August cools off. (It's 90 degrees and it's ten o'clock at night here!). I'll be getting a 1 7/8 ball for the hitch in the morning and take it for a spin.

So, while I won't be charging up any rocky hills on the trike, I'd have to say it qualifies as an adventure machine for the geriatrics crowd.

If we have any trike owners, please chime in. Anyone pull a trailer behind their Dual Sport?
 

Oscar Mike Gulf Yankee

Well-known member
Oh, come on, you thinking if I had mud tires on the back I couldn't go off road a bit? Sure could and would, I can haul more on the trike than on a bike!

I doubt many here have ever been on a trike.

Gotta say, the trailer has to be nicer than any canvas covered RTT, much more room. Just ordered another Bluetti to run an air conditioner! 1200 Watts with 300 watt panels on the back.

So, what might be best for "overlanding" a bike or a trike? Let's say for 2,000 miles in North America. ?????
 
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AbleGuy

Officious Intermeddler
“The box can hold up to 250 pounds of stuff, up front is a mount with an ice chest and two, 2 gallon plastic gas cans that many snap on the sides of off-road rigs, roto molded somethings. Trailer holds a queen size bed and the ceiling is well over six feet in the standing area. Sitting up in bed is no problem either.”

? Definitely need to see some pics.


I'm already planning a…trip down through Arkansas, making about three days around some lakes…and might dig up some diamonds.
??

Great camping and dirt mining spot for those of you who don’t know of this place. It’s super fun for family outings too. Check it out:
 
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Oscar Mike Gulf Yankee

Well-known member
“The box can hold up to 250 pounds of stuff, up front is a mount with an ice chest and two, 2 gallon plastic gas cans that many snap on the sides of off-road rigs, roto molded somethings. Trailer holds a queen size bed and the ceiling is well over six feet in the standing area. Sitting up in bed is no problem either.”

? Definitely need to see some pics.



??

Great camping and dirt mining spot for those of you who don’t know of this place. It’s super fun for family outings too. Check it out:

That's where we will be heading, I believe it's the only diamond "mine" area open to the public in N. America.

I'm technologically deficient, never loaded a picture in my computer, don't move them out of the phone and never loaded a pic from my computer to any forum other than cut and paste.

I understand, I'll work on it!
 

Oscar Mike Gulf Yankee

Well-known member
That is just like my trailer but it's not me or mine.

1657821085362.png

The above is a Honda VTX, mine is an 1800 with heated grips, top trunk in the back which I may remove for a "Bad Dog" seat for my Boxer. The space between the rear wheels is an enclosed trunk, lots of room.

My ice chest is mounted the same way in the picture with a RotoPax 2 gallon can mounted on each side of the ice chest.

Put 100.2 miles on yesterday, filled up with 3.82 gallons! So, with the two cans the range should be 250 miles. Could carry up to five gallons more in the bottom trunk.
 
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Oscar Mike Gulf Yankee

Well-known member
Had an issue, the trailer hitch is attached to the frame but the body of the trike in the back is 8 inches from that receiver to the back of the body. That means no Reese or Carter manufactured trailer ball receiver goes back far enough to clear the body. (Dang custom stuff!) So had to go buy metal stock, have it cut and take it to a fab shop for welding. When they get done I'll clean it, prime it and paint it. Probably a $100 to get it all done, thanks Champion, just for a 1 7/8 inch ball!

Hopefully, when it's about 102 degrees out next week, I'll get this hooked up and ride for some lessons on towing.

Hey, picked up a Bluetti 600 watt solar generator, surge to 1200, hope it can run the 5,000 AC unit I have (it should). I can put up to 200 watts of solar in while using it or for charging on the road. Amazon had a big sale on these, only $249! Says it weighs 10 pounds, that works for me. I picked up the 2000 watt monster a few months ago, but it will only go with the Jeep or truck as it weighs 80 pounds! Have 600 watts of panels for that. Now I can fry eggs in the rain!

Promise, I'll learn how to take pics and post them, beer drinker's honor.
 
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Oscar Mike Gulf Yankee

Well-known member
Just watched the video by Justin McBride to Zion, Brice canyon, dirt road looks doable for the trike and trailer. One ledge appeared to require some work to get past. A washboard area would be slow going to keep my teeth in. :cool:
 

AbleGuy

Officious Intermeddler
OMGY, this is an interesting thread, pls continue to keep us updated with your adventures and challenges. I’m especially interested to hear how your buetti works out. And if you get to Bryce, let us know how crowded the new east side trails are?
 
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Oscar Mike Gulf Yankee

Well-known member
OMGY, this is an interesting thread, pls continue to keep us updated with your adventures and challenges. I’m especially interested to hear how your Buetti works out. And if you get to Bryce, let us know how crowded the new east side trails are?

Thanks, the 600 watt should be here in 3 days.

I had a freezer full of meat, about $400 worth from the commissary go bad so in a fit of rage I bought this:

BLUETTI: Portable Power Station, Solar Generator Kit (bluettipower.com) and 400 watts of panels. The panels are still in the box in the garage with the SG sitting next to the freezer. This doesn't have the power loss feature that kicks on when power is lost. Plug the freezer in and plug the charger in, basically keeps the SG fully charged.

It weighs 80 lbs, not something for the trike camper!
 

Oscar Mike Gulf Yankee

Well-known member
The Bluetti EB3A 600/1200 watt SG arrived, at 10 pounds it's ideal for Trike Travels. It can fully charge in less than an hour from zero! I'll comment on this later in another forum post.

Still trying to find a fabricator to make the custom hitch 4/5 inches longer than is available at trailer outlets / box stores. 10" of weld, drilling 2 holes and grinding the corners off the flat bar isn't a big job. This may take awhile.

I'm heading out this weekend to Hell's Gates, Ft. Worth, TX at 104 to 106 Degrees F! That's too hot to mess with anything outside. Stay cool!
 

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