crazy 3 wheeler/tread set

calanta · 12-06-2011, 08:23 PM

I am watching the show for American Chopper's bike off with Jesse James and the other two, the three wheeler kind of atv that Senior made is a little weird. I wonder if it would have any practical use other than this contest than they are doing?

Grandpa · 12-06-2011, 08:49 PM

Three wheelers were the rage before the 4 wheeled atv's came on the scene. About 30 years ago or thereabouts, at a county rodeo, they had some of us do a "Japanese quarter horse race" (Honda 3 wheelers) as a side show during the rodeo. Some of us contestants had to compete with some of the locals and carry a cup of water with one hand while driving that 3 wheeler through a barrel racing course. That was not fun at all. The locals won.

catspa · 12-06-2011, 08:54 PM

Mine's an '84 shaft drive, and I use it for a little tiny tractor around my place, hauling firewood, skidding small logs and brush, etc. What I understand, people were riding them recklessly and tipping them over, so the manufacturers took them off the market in favor of quads, which tip over when people ride them recklessly...

Parker

oldsarge · 12-07-2011, 04:54 AM

Paul Sr. tracked trike was a joke. I've seen track quads up in Alsaka, tracks have been around for years. Now Paul Sr. make this joke of a ride that serves absolutely no purpose. I have always been an admirer of anything custom built but this is were I draw the line. Why on Earth would you want to lay on your stomach and drive this thing. Like Jesse James said, these bikes are not ride-able. Even the Paul Jr. bike wasn't that great. When it comes to good bikes, I'd go with Jesse every time.

Pathfinder1 · 12-07-2011, 10:20 AM

I haven't seen the bike that they built (I'm not into that particular program, even though I did have my biker days).

Three wheel off road bikes were all the rage in the 70s. They were even featured in the opening shots of a James Bond movie.

They became quite popular, but only for a short time. You see, people started getting killed when riding them...!! They were VERY unstable. And almost nobody used helmets on off road vehicles then.

To my knowledge they have not been manufactured or sold in this country in at least three decades.

catspa · 12-07-2011, 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pathfinder1

They became quite popular, but only for a short time. You see, people started getting killed when riding them...!! They were VERY unstable. And almost nobody used helmets on off road vehicles then.

I don't wear a helmet now, but I'd suggest that it wasn't a machine problem, but how they were ridden. What I think is that dirt bike riders (accustomed to an even less stable machine) got on a Big Red and thought, Wow! This thing is really stable! Look how far I can bend it over sideways! Wheeeoooouuusshhiiiite...

All I can tell you is that I've put hundreds of hours on mine, and even on steep slopes I've never been injured or busted it. Sure I tip it over now and then, it's only common sense to get out of the way. One nice thing, they're so light you just tip it back upright and off you go. And they're nimble enough to get into places where my buddys' quads can't go.

Like a chainsaw or a rifle or dynamite, any tool can be dangerous when used wrongly. Simple solution: Pay attention, use your common sense, be careful. It's the fool, not the tool that causes a problem.

Just my 2 cents worth,

Parker

oldsarge · 12-08-2011, 06:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pathfinder1

Three wheel off road bikes were all the rage in the 70s. They were even featured in the opening shots of a James Bond movie.

This wasn't your normal three wheeler...it was some weird inverted ass wagon type trike. You would look like a total moron riding this thing. It was so low to the ground you couldn't flip it, about the only good thing about it! It had tracks in front and a caster wheel in the back so you could pivot steer it. To top it all off...it shot flames out the front! I say make it so it self ignites and put this piece of crap to waste!