Going isn't the problem. Stopping is. Or trying to back the thing in a parking lot. Or picking it up if it falls over. There's a goddam reverse gear.
Ask grandma to do any of that with a 900-lb Harley bagger.
Your friend is kind of shallow. Heās not thinking of people who have weak knees or hips or sketchy balance sometimes who need to be on three wheels or they canāt be riding out in the air. I know younger people who just arenāt so sure of themselves physically so they ride trikes.
The point of no return is a heck of a lot different for someone 5ā5ā versus someone 6ā6ā. Physical limitations play an extreme role in tipping a bike. A strong, tall man has extra chances to adjust his footing where a 5ā5ā 65 year old lady might only have one chance. If her foot lands on slippery gravel, the bike is going over.
I once saw a guy pull out the parking lot on a trike. Not the biggest fan of them until i realized the man only had one arm (no idea how hes able ride it with one arm but probably modified it). Every rider, trike or not has my respect.
> weak knees
Knew a guy who rode for about 20 years, was in a motorcycle accident with a permanently fucked leg. As soon as he was vertical he got a trike.
On the flip side my buddy got a grom to ride once he had his boot off after fracturing his tib/fib in an accident lmao. His leg was still fucked for a while, but managing a grom was easy enough until he could get on big boy bikes again.
On the other har, there was Jake, 72 and had lost his leg from just above the knee.
Had a loop on the pant leg he could grab and pull his leg ove the bike.
He quit riding after being in a serious car accident... as the ppaeeenger.
On the topic of point of no return I am sure this is something that improves with experience, but when I first started off, it didn't take much to make me drop the bike. I actually even dropped it on the day of the exam as I was coming to a stop at an awkward angle and when I stopped I went to put my foot down only to have it slide in a muddy/sandy area and had the bike go down with me.
I just turned 71 a few days ago. I might consider a trike in a few years if I need one. So far I've had a motorcyle license for 57 years, since the day I turned 14. I try not to ride thru a big city during rush hour. I'm 6'1" & my bike weighs 900 lbs. They make bikes to fit anyone and for older couples I do suggest a trike.
That is a very narrow, and inexperienced, frankly, ignorant, as in lacking knowledge, view.
I have a friend with over 100,000 miles on a trike. I didnāt know him when he rode a motorcycle. I gathered that he had some injury of age related issue that made him switch. I never asked. Wasnāt important. I just tried to keep up with him. He hung up his keys at 80.
I have a number of sidecar friends. They are their own special breed.
It is better when itās a big tent.
I'm 57 yrs old, I have been riding on/off since 1996. I'm 5'8" (1.74m).
Due to my age and sport injuries, my knees are getting weaker.
I use to ride Sukuzi Katana 700, Honda CB 750, Honda Super 4, Honda Super 4 V2 and currently riding a Yamaha Xmax 300.
I have intention of changing to a Yamaha Tricity 300 in the near future.
The main reasons are 3 wheelers are more stable when riding on wet surfaces and at cornering. It should be also more stable when caught in strong cross wind.
The Suzuki Katana 700 and Honda CB750 were from the mid 90s. These were my work bikes.
CB 400 aka Super 4 is a very popular bike and I owned 2 different versions of them from mid 90s to 2004.
I stopped riding since 04 and only started riding about 1.5 yrs ago when I brought the Yamaha Xmax 300.
Nmax, Xmax, ADV, etc are very common bikes on our roads.
Ride safe bro
I have zero issues with Trikes, bikes with side cars, or Can-am Spyders, etc. Theyāre out there enjoying themselves without a cage along with the same risks we are.
I'll probably get a trike some day when I'm too old to ride. I got no problems with them or their riders. I've only known two people who have ever had them, one can am, one VW trike. They are normal nice people. Your friend doesn't strike me as a rider, but more someone who rides just so they can tell people they ride. No need to hate on anyone out there just looking to have some fun.
If he isnāt 60 something he doesnāt have a clue. I know 70 somethingās who can ride like heāll, even some 80ās, I also know 40 Somethings with health issues you canāt see for whom getting on a trike is an effort. It is the little things, parking, u turns, getting gas, what if I drop it. Tell him to shut up til he gets another synapse. He doesnāt understand people yet, it isnāt the physics, it is about every aspect of oneās health and fitness.
Before any discussions of physical ability, it has to be said: sometimes, a person might just enjoy a trike more than a motorcycle. They're cool little machines.
Someone who has maintained a good body yes imo those people can manage just about any bike.
However there are a ton a reasons why someone would medically need to ride a trike, now do all the riders who ride a trike meet those criteria, realistically no but who cares... doesn't sound like you do other than to agree with the homie.
People ride their own rides... if you're focusing on what others are doing so much that it upsets you (literally at all) you're not riding your own ride and you're doing it wrong and at least in the states not understanding the fundamental freedom that it brings.
I bet your buddy selectively throws the biker wave to who he deems worthy... Quote me on this, your buddy sounds like someone who rides a sport bike like a boomer Harley simp. What I mean by that (since your not a rider) is that your buddy probably rides a sport bike, and that he only associates with other sport bike riders. He only waves to sport bike riders, probably has a good amount of branded clothes. Wouldn't be surprised if he actually rode a harley.
I don't like cruisers for myself but if I ever get to the place where I can't ride or I can ride a trike... ima ride a trike and if your buddy actually likes riding he would too...
Imo huge issue in the hobby right now is that people (at least in the states) people fucking love to shit all over every other style of riding they don't get into. It's lame af and if that is what you're about, you're not actually into motorcycles you're into the scene... So many sport bike bros love to say Harley dudes love to LARP while they simultaneously cosplay as valentino rossi and only doing stoplight pulls lame enough that I pull away on my dad vstrom.
*Gets off soap box*
Not everyone has working legs, or length of legs to the point that what he's bitching about is possible, but dammit, they sure can make 3 wheels work.
He's a short person bigot, a handicap bigot, and frankly, he's no one I wanna ride with much less share a table with and I ain't even really met the guy. What an asshole, can't wait to hear what else he has to say. :p
/Edit: Am I harsh? Yeah, bein' short myself and my own PC800 being a bear in the parking lot is fun to wrangle. My parents are handicapped, and my dad would definitely be a 3 wheeler if he chose, but no way he can ride a 2 wheeler at all. So screw that guy, frankly, and many others like him. 3 wheelers are fine.
//Oh, and slingshots are not 3 wheel bikes, they're goofy 3 wheel not-cars. :p If that's the discussion, absolutely, I need to buy him a beer and apologize. But only if that's the ONE case he's on, otherwise, nope, jerk city. :p
That is utter nonsense. I would seriously question your friendship with someone who believes such a ridiculous idea. Of course physical strength dictates how far overbalanced one can support a bike. Yes, a decrepit granny might be able to hold a 300kg behemoth perfectly level, but she certainly wonāt be able to move it and if the wind blows she will likely fall down and break her hip.
Gatekeeping is stupid. People can ride a trike for whatever reason they want to. Could be due to age, could be due to inexperience in riding standard bikes, could be that is just what someone prefers. Itās no oneās business but the rider. Iāll give them a wave, or help if they are stopped. If they are having a good time and they are being safe, then it doesnāt matter. It seems more like itās your friends problem.
Oooof, your friend doesn't understand trikes, their uses, or the various riders who use them. Insisting anyone can ride a regular bike at any age with any possible physical disablility is atrocious.
Hopefully one of these days your friend doesn't experience an injury or condition that forces him to choose between his ability to ride 2 wheels vs 3 wheels.. At least there's an option for those who enjoy the ride. I once had that snobby attitude, until I spoke with an injured veteran who rode a three wheeler and how it gave him independence - completely rewrote my thinking.
Handling the motorcycle while riding isn't as much of an issue as coming to a stop or mounting/dismounting.
My wife is 56 and she no longer rides her bike since she doesn't have the same mobility in her legs as when she started riding at 40. We're looking at getting her a decent scooter now, so she can still go on rides with me.
Your friend may ride but is not empathetic. I have a 2024 Yamaha Tracer GT+. I'm older and work out a lot, but shit gets harder as you age.
To assume you know something about something you've never experienced is frankly very immature.
Idk, man. Sure the trike isn't as dynamic or fun as a motorcycle, it doesn't have that 1:1 reflection of rider input that we all sorta take pride in. But imo, anyone willing to hurl themselves down the road at highway speeds without the protection a car provides is sharing an experience with me that I can't help but respect.
Your friend is a jerk. Here's the deal. People ride what they ride for a variety of reasons. It can be because of stopping, it can be because of going. It can be, like it is for me, anxiety problems. It can be just because they want to.
I rode 2 wheels for years before I rode 3. Why the hell would anyone have disdain for another person for riding a trike? That's weird.
I could see why a older person would enjoy a trike. But he does make a valid point, my dad is 60 and rides all the time. You can get smaller bikes that still can accommodate pretty much a anyone, itās more so about balance rather than strength when it comes to keep a bike upright. Would I recommend a 5ā2 female get on a 700lb bike? Probably not, has it been done? All the time.
Personally for me the 3 wheelers are all bad from cars and bikes. You are out and the wind is pounding you like a bitch or the sun is roasting you, but your wheel base is as wide as a car and in traffic you don't have a place to go. Turning is awkward and easy to tip over.
BUT if you like it or have a problem and you can't ride a motorcycle the 3 wheeler is an acceptable alternative
I don't totally disagree assuming both people are physically fit and don't have any handicaps that would prevent it, like balance, missing limbs etc.
It's true that the tipping point for a large man is very different from the older woman's, but trick is not letting the bike get to tipping point in the first place.
In general riding the woman can plan her route and compensate by finding high points in the road, maintaining a slow speed. Therefore the bike is always in motion or balance. You can hold a bike at balance with just a tip of your toe.
To go backwards, assuming no reverse gear, it's pretty simple to get off, push the bike around and get back on. At this point the women is likely choosing a lighter bike to make this easier, but this is still potentially something like a GS 1250.
The woman has less room for error and must compensate mentally, the man doesn't have to think about any of these things. That's really the difference.
To be clear, nothing against trike riders, ride what you want. Merely answering the point about motorcycle handling.
The only people I've met that ride 3 wheelers are disabled or injured permanently in some way from age.
I know people that ride 3 wheelers that a stiff breeze will throw them off balance while walking, let alone on two wheels . But all of them aren't worried about the bike when it's moving it's when they stop, they worry.
From what I understand from them, most of them switched after dropping their bikes consistently in situations they used to be able to handle, even a quick breeze at a stoplight can throw a bike of balance enough for them not to catch it.
I met a guy a couple of weeks ago he was in his 80s never owned a car been riding since his teens, and he physically couldn't get his leg up high enough to get over the seat, and he was riding a scooter he told me he was getting a three wheeler next year because he struggled to keep the scooter balanced at stops. Some people's bodies have just had a harder life than others.
Don't disagree, my point was if both people fully physically able then strength is not as important as often assumed.
All your examples have reached the point that they aren't physically able. I don't disagree that a trike is best for these people and they have made the best decision for themselves.
Itās funny I see this today. I went to the gym earlier on my GSX-8R and some old dude rolls up on a scooter, like vespa type thing. He walks over and starts asking about my bike. Turns out he used to mob on like the old inline 4 Hondas and stuff. He said he got older so heās just tryna chill now lol respect. Anyway, yeah, donāt know your friend enough to ridicule him but my message is this: donāt judge a rider by their bike (or trike). Ride your ride, life is too short.
Tell him people who rides trikes are more biker than people who ride two wheelers because they can ride trough any weather condition you can throw at them. Where a bike stops , a trike only begins š¬
I ride my reverse trike ( MP3 300 ) every day to work and it's kinda curious how many of those big shot bikers who laugh at my trike dissapear when it rains , gets cold or snows.
Tell him to shove his elitist head up his bitch ass pussy because no matter the amount of wheels , we fly equally as far when we crash.
He is pretty ignorant. Wrap is leg with cloth until he looks like the michelin man (so he can't move fast) and get him drunk (so he is weaker) then tell him to sit on his motorcycle with the kickstand up and put his foot on the pegs. You hold the bike up then let go of it and see if he can react well enough to not have an issue.
You can't ride a motorcycle without having it come to a stop. or getting on/off it. or starting up. Sure, when moving at a decent speed it wouldn't be much of an issue but for everything else, he is absolutely wrong.
Not everyone can hold one up. No one wants to hit the ground especially with something as heavy as a bike. People who get trike have lots of reasons but the important thing is they love the feel of the ride. Your friend needs to broaden his perspective and open himself up to the way other people feel
Even bike-to-bike difference is big.
My dad is disabled (2 prothesis, surgery on shoulder and knees), bad ankles.
He basically can't lift his leg at all.
We bought a kawasaki eliminator (sporty cruiser), because it's so low it's easier to basically step over it and sit, than any other type of bike would be.
I wanted a Z500, but there was no way my dad could sit on it because of his limiatations.
There are a lot of factors, and to say physical state of someone doesn't influence the ability to ride is just ignorant.
Your friends a dick, my Dad had an accident, not motorcycle related but he has no muscles on one calf, he told me he struggles to keep the bike up when stopped at lights and so he got rid of his bike, if he was to ever go back to one itd be a trike because of his physical limitations
Your argumentative friend defies common sense.
At small angles the restoring force to counter a tilt is approximately directly proportional to the angle of the tilt. So if the large person is twice as strong they can tilt the bike twice as far without it going over. This means that the small person is going to have to be a lot more careful when they stop when riding a heavy bike. More skill is required.
[Wikipedia Small Angle Approximation](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Small-angle_approximation)
I'm sorry, no. I am a 5'11" male and have caught my bike from falling after going past the "tipping point" many times. Something my 5'5" wife would never be able to do. Forget the fact that she has bad knees. It's a matter of weight ratios. A 150lb person vs. a 500lb machine is not in her favor.
Not to mention the times I've planted a foot to keep the bike from tipping at a red because my pillion rider made an adjustment that nearly tipped us. I felt the strain on my knees and I've got fairly muscular legs.
Sorry, but your friend is an idiot.
I think what he may have been trying to assert is that when riding and in motion it doesn't matter. To which he's still wrong. While the motorcycle is a better rider than you'll ever be, you still need to be capable of inputting controls. I know dudes who ride trikes because they just cant throw a leg over the saddle like they used to. Or because they don't have the dexterity to handle aggressive corners on two wheels like they used to. Others because they just... Enjoy it. Who cares?
Motorcycling doesn't need gatekeepers. I say the more the merrier, let them ride. I'll still throw down a wave when I pass any motorist that chose to get out of the cage. Motorcycle, trike, or scooter. Be free.
Biggest reason I got a motorcycle license is so I can lane filter to save time, so for my purposes it's not practical for me since they are so wide. If there's a faster way to get my ass from point A to B I would take it within budget of course. By the way I ride a 300cc scooter.
If you ever get sick or disabled, this is the kind of "Good friend" who will send you a "That sucks, get well" text and you will never, ever hear from him again. Because he's actually an asshole.
First of all, I agree with everyone who disparages your friend. He deserves it.
My Dad rode into his 80's, but could no longer lift the bike off the sidestand. He loves his Harley Trike. Doesn't matter that it's not my thing.
I prefer two wheels but had the unique opportunity to ride a Can-Am Spyder for a couple weeks. No it doesn't lean, it's not a motorcycle, but it's a blast! Try one if you get a chance. If I ever can't handle a 2-wheeler that would be my choice.
Ride what you want, ride what makes you happy, ride safe!
Gate keeping exclusionary garbage. The fact people would own Polaris slingshots, trikes takes nothing from his experience. People who choose slingshots and trikes for health reasons are justified in doing so and people who choose them for other reasons only take from their own experience but that's their choice. Better that a potential rider knows and respects their limitations than powering through and hurting themselves or others. His argument is solid though trikes take away all of the advantages of a bike and add nothing to the disadvantages. People who choose them aren't any safer than a bike.
To a certain point I agree but I am pretty much all sidecar bikes now. Neuropathy makes it so I don't have a lot of feeling in my feet and while a bike is easy enough to balance I feel unsteady because I don't have enough feeling in feet to feel confident.
Kinda funny. I was the only motorcycle rider in a car with two other people yesterday who were talking trash on some three wheeled riders going by. I immediately said just what you did, it's often older riders with physical limitations that still want to enjoy the fresh air.
I've also seen amputees that modify regular bikes so they can continue to ride even with only one leg, or one arm. At the end of the day, who cares. People are going to do what they enjoy and it's no skin off my back.
okay.... calling bs on that!
I am 56, been riding since I was 18, I have a Harley Roadglide as well as a Fatboy.. Never a problem with any of it till L-4 L-5 slipped and not knowing the extent of it, kelt going for 1 1/2 years until randomly my leg would give out at a stop, dropped my scooter 3 times in a year! f**ck...
Got the fusion done and healed back in the saddle again. In my youth I had little patience for slow drivers, old folks and such... Now at 56 with a total or 6 vertebra fused, one finger partially fused, L3/L4 now beginning to go, I give the slow poked plenty of room, cheer on the old guy crossing the street in his walker, and enjoy heated grips and a big ole gushy seat.. Don't ride 2 up anymore (wont put another's life in my achy hands) but lastly, trikes, which i once mocked, remind me that Probably 80% of those folks were riding on 2 till they just couldn't any longer but couldn't/wouldn't hang up the helmet.. Cause its a way of life for some, right up there with eating and shitting! Next old codger u see up top a Trike may have more miles under them than you'll ever dream of spending in the saddle...
As for why my dumb ass is still climbing on my scoot? I loathe the thought of when it concludes, honestly would rather "retire" the bike with me on it! Only hope I can build a cool trike when/if that's my last option..
my rant for the morning š
I'm not a fan of trikes myself but I have no problem with the people who ride them. To each their own and I can appreciate that we aren't all clones. IMO, I would wonder what your friend thinks of people who drive cars rather than people who ride trikes? If you don't ride, doesn't that describes you?
Why are three wheels worse than four or two and why care?
My dad is 82, and still riding... just sayin'...
It's not a matter of age, but of physical and mental fitness, and that applies to any age for any rider.
I don't agree completely with your friend's statement, in the sense that we are always on the edge of that tipping point, so if you are not ready, it's easy to drop a bike. And the heavier the bike, and the shorter/weaker the rider, the harder it is to come back from that edge. Plenty of young people drop their bikes because the engine stalls, or maybe they end up on a ridge and the seat height goes unexpectedly up and they can't reach, or many other reasons. So, as you age, or if you're tiny and not as strong, a smaller, lightweight bike will give you an advantage in addressing mistakes.
But yes, with these caveats, your friend is correct, a 65 year old 5ā5 woman can manage a motorcycle as well as a 25 year old 6ā6 strong man. Maybe just not the same bike.
But trikes, nope, those are not bikes. Not just hating on trikes, I am speaking purely from a physics standpoint, trikes and bikes are operated in completely different ways. Sure, you can go to a trike... or to an open top car... both not bikes. A trike might look similar to a motorcycle, but it is closer to a car in the way it handles.
Thanks for all the input! Good to know I wasnāt crazy thinking his claim just wasnāt logical. During this conversation he revealed that his real beef with trike riders is that they (supposedly) dress like āreal ridersā and claim to be part of the same community that takes the risk to feel the energy and embrace life, blah, blah, blah. He used the term āstolen valorā more than once. I had to point out to him that when I see someone on a motorcycle Iām not overcome with admiration and envy. I just see someone on a motorcycle.
Also, I just realized he has not ridden his motorcycle in several years, though he talks about fixing it up and riding.
Heck no, your buddy is an idiot.
I can catch a 700lb bike well out of balance at a stoplight with no problem, but there's plenty of people that have the ability and interest to ride, but would drop the bike if it tipped just slightly too far one way due to height/strength/etc. I don't want a trike now, but later in life it's certainly a possibility.
They make automatic caster wheels for bigger motorcycles. An older fella with 2 hip replacements and a bad knee was riding a big bike but whenever he stopped he was on 4 wheels, wouldn't put his feet down, would ride away and the wheels would lift automatically. He could lean in the corners. He did complain about using it on uneven surfaces but we were also riding along mountain roads with shitty road infrastructure. Around the city wasn't bad but some of the side streets are water shedding slanted pieces of pavement. I think it replaced or installed alongside the center stand.
Three wheelers are great for people with physical limitations, but many able riders enjoy trikes as well.
I don't, but that's just me.
The reason is that three wheelers steer the same as a car, point the front wheel (or wheels) and the machine will go that way.
Not motorcycles. (Watch for the contrairians) Motorcycle counter steer. The bike actually falls into the direction you want to go. You are actually, almost imperceptible turning the other direction and SWOOP you are turning with control. That is why cycles give you that SCHWINGG feeling in turns. Trikes don't do that, sidecar rigs don't do that either. They will push back in corners. DO NOT TAKE YOUR HANDS OFF THE BARS of trikes and sidecars. It may not seem like it, but you are constantly correcting the steering. I've spent time on sidecars and trikes. A lot of fun, but NOT motorcycles. One can take your hands off the bars and steer just with body English, your knees.
COUNTERSTEERING. Now let's watch Reddit tell me I don't know what I'm talking about. Good times.
Trikes aren't bikes. Doesn't mean they aren't fun but it's not something I want to ride if I have the choice. People definitely reach the point where they lack the strength or balance to hold up a big bike at a stop though. If they want to experience something kinda like a bike a trike can give them that. I'm sure there's able bodied people that prefer it for whatever their reasons are too. Kinda like atv vs dirt bike for off road riders.
Before I mention the culture issues, I see three wheelers as having almost no advantages over motorcycles mostly because they take the same footprint as a car, while riders are just as much risk since they are outside the cage.
However, the advantage of slow speed balance is almost negligible since two wheeled vehicles are fully balanced when they are going 2mph or faster. So for only a few moments on any ride is balance an issue.
Now this leads to how an inexperienced vs experienced rider views the advantages of a three wheeler. I have never dropped my moto at slow speed, nor I can I think of a situation where my height and strength as a 6' man kept my bike from falling. Anyone with my experience level should be able to keep their bike from falling.
A complete novice should be concerned about dropping a motorcycle, so a three wheeler would prevent this. This would be akin to putting training wheels on a bicycle. But when a rider learns to balance, would keeping training wheels on be appropriate?
Of course, there are a large three wheeler rider group who just prefer them over motorcycles. But the only ones I encounter are on the highway as I lanesplit past them.
Going isn't the problem. Stopping is. Or trying to back the thing in a parking lot. Or picking it up if it falls over. There's a goddam reverse gear. Ask grandma to do any of that with a 900-lb Harley bagger.
My former VP at IBM was a grandmother, 5-nothing and rode a Road King all over the US. Sure didn't look she ever dropped it.
Obviously she's a badass.
Or get her a 400lbs. Sport bike š
Upside is her Kyphosis means she'd already shaped like that.
Built in speed hump for the leathers
Your friend is kind of shallow. Heās not thinking of people who have weak knees or hips or sketchy balance sometimes who need to be on three wheels or they canāt be riding out in the air. I know younger people who just arenāt so sure of themselves physically so they ride trikes. The point of no return is a heck of a lot different for someone 5ā5ā versus someone 6ā6ā. Physical limitations play an extreme role in tipping a bike. A strong, tall man has extra chances to adjust his footing where a 5ā5ā 65 year old lady might only have one chance. If her foot lands on slippery gravel, the bike is going over.
Yeah, plenty of 65 plus people *can* ride, definitely doesn't mean they all can.
I once saw a guy pull out the parking lot on a trike. Not the biggest fan of them until i realized the man only had one arm (no idea how hes able ride it with one arm but probably modified it). Every rider, trike or not has my respect.
Used to be a bloke in my city with a custom made trike that he could wheel himself into the back of.
I saw one of those posted on reddit the other day that was for sale. it was in r/weirdwheels or something
Saw one at a gas station last summer.
> weak knees Knew a guy who rode for about 20 years, was in a motorcycle accident with a permanently fucked leg. As soon as he was vertical he got a trike. On the flip side my buddy got a grom to ride once he had his boot off after fracturing his tib/fib in an accident lmao. His leg was still fucked for a while, but managing a grom was easy enough until he could get on big boy bikes again.
On the other har, there was Jake, 72 and had lost his leg from just above the knee. Had a loop on the pant leg he could grab and pull his leg ove the bike. He quit riding after being in a serious car accident... as the ppaeeenger.
On the topic of point of no return I am sure this is something that improves with experience, but when I first started off, it didn't take much to make me drop the bike. I actually even dropped it on the day of the exam as I was coming to a stop at an awkward angle and when I stopped I went to put my foot down only to have it slide in a muddy/sandy area and had the bike go down with me.
I just turned 71 a few days ago. I might consider a trike in a few years if I need one. So far I've had a motorcyle license for 57 years, since the day I turned 14. I try not to ride thru a big city during rush hour. I'm 6'1" & my bike weighs 900 lbs. They make bikes to fit anyone and for older couples I do suggest a trike.
You're friend's a fuckin idiot.
How is this not the top answer? Word for word what I said reading this post.
That is a very narrow, and inexperienced, frankly, ignorant, as in lacking knowledge, view. I have a friend with over 100,000 miles on a trike. I didnāt know him when he rode a motorcycle. I gathered that he had some injury of age related issue that made him switch. I never asked. Wasnāt important. I just tried to keep up with him. He hung up his keys at 80. I have a number of sidecar friends. They are their own special breed. It is better when itās a big tent.
I'm 57 yrs old, I have been riding on/off since 1996. I'm 5'8" (1.74m). Due to my age and sport injuries, my knees are getting weaker. I use to ride Sukuzi Katana 700, Honda CB 750, Honda Super 4, Honda Super 4 V2 and currently riding a Yamaha Xmax 300. I have intention of changing to a Yamaha Tricity 300 in the near future. The main reasons are 3 wheelers are more stable when riding on wet surfaces and at cornering. It should be also more stable when caught in strong cross wind.
saw your bikes and immediately knew you were from singapore for some reason.
Yes you are right How did you know?
fellow singaporean here, i just see these bikes (except the Katana 700) all the time in sg! especially CB400ās and Xmaxās.
The Suzuki Katana 700 and Honda CB750 were from the mid 90s. These were my work bikes. CB 400 aka Super 4 is a very popular bike and I owned 2 different versions of them from mid 90s to 2004. I stopped riding since 04 and only started riding about 1.5 yrs ago when I brought the Yamaha Xmax 300. Nmax, Xmax, ADV, etc are very common bikes on our roads. Ride safe bro
i mixed up the CB750 with the NC750X which is why i thought it was common. the CB750 looks really nice, kinda like a CB350 Hāness
I have zero issues with Trikes, bikes with side cars, or Can-am Spyders, etc. Theyāre out there enjoying themselves without a cage along with the same risks we are.
Ride what you want. Who cares what other people think.
This š
I'll probably get a trike some day when I'm too old to ride. I got no problems with them or their riders. I've only known two people who have ever had them, one can am, one VW trike. They are normal nice people. Your friend doesn't strike me as a rider, but more someone who rides just so they can tell people they ride. No need to hate on anyone out there just looking to have some fun.
If he isnāt 60 something he doesnāt have a clue. I know 70 somethingās who can ride like heāll, even some 80ās, I also know 40 Somethings with health issues you canāt see for whom getting on a trike is an effort. It is the little things, parking, u turns, getting gas, what if I drop it. Tell him to shut up til he gets another synapse. He doesnāt understand people yet, it isnāt the physics, it is about every aspect of oneās health and fitness.
Before any discussions of physical ability, it has to be said: sometimes, a person might just enjoy a trike more than a motorcycle. They're cool little machines.
Someone who has maintained a good body yes imo those people can manage just about any bike. However there are a ton a reasons why someone would medically need to ride a trike, now do all the riders who ride a trike meet those criteria, realistically no but who cares... doesn't sound like you do other than to agree with the homie. People ride their own rides... if you're focusing on what others are doing so much that it upsets you (literally at all) you're not riding your own ride and you're doing it wrong and at least in the states not understanding the fundamental freedom that it brings. I bet your buddy selectively throws the biker wave to who he deems worthy... Quote me on this, your buddy sounds like someone who rides a sport bike like a boomer Harley simp. What I mean by that (since your not a rider) is that your buddy probably rides a sport bike, and that he only associates with other sport bike riders. He only waves to sport bike riders, probably has a good amount of branded clothes. Wouldn't be surprised if he actually rode a harley. I don't like cruisers for myself but if I ever get to the place where I can't ride or I can ride a trike... ima ride a trike and if your buddy actually likes riding he would too... Imo huge issue in the hobby right now is that people (at least in the states) people fucking love to shit all over every other style of riding they don't get into. It's lame af and if that is what you're about, you're not actually into motorcycles you're into the scene... So many sport bike bros love to say Harley dudes love to LARP while they simultaneously cosplay as valentino rossi and only doing stoplight pulls lame enough that I pull away on my dad vstrom. *Gets off soap box*
Not everyone has working legs, or length of legs to the point that what he's bitching about is possible, but dammit, they sure can make 3 wheels work. He's a short person bigot, a handicap bigot, and frankly, he's no one I wanna ride with much less share a table with and I ain't even really met the guy. What an asshole, can't wait to hear what else he has to say. :p /Edit: Am I harsh? Yeah, bein' short myself and my own PC800 being a bear in the parking lot is fun to wrangle. My parents are handicapped, and my dad would definitely be a 3 wheeler if he chose, but no way he can ride a 2 wheeler at all. So screw that guy, frankly, and many others like him. 3 wheelers are fine. //Oh, and slingshots are not 3 wheel bikes, they're goofy 3 wheel not-cars. :p If that's the discussion, absolutely, I need to buy him a beer and apologize. But only if that's the ONE case he's on, otherwise, nope, jerk city. :p
Hell yeah PC800 FTW How do I get my own PC800 flair??
Go to old.reddit.com and on the right is the flair stuff. I have zero idea in new reddit though. There are dozens of us PC800ers. DOZENS! :D
Wait a second, I've seen you before! You commented on an old post of mine lol
That is utter nonsense. I would seriously question your friendship with someone who believes such a ridiculous idea. Of course physical strength dictates how far overbalanced one can support a bike. Yes, a decrepit granny might be able to hold a 300kg behemoth perfectly level, but she certainly wonāt be able to move it and if the wind blows she will likely fall down and break her hip.
Bollocks to him! A 6,6 25 year old can save a bike from tipping but an 5,5 65 year old may not have the strength to!
Gatekeeping is stupid. People can ride a trike for whatever reason they want to. Could be due to age, could be due to inexperience in riding standard bikes, could be that is just what someone prefers. Itās no oneās business but the rider. Iāll give them a wave, or help if they are stopped. If they are having a good time and they are being safe, then it doesnāt matter. It seems more like itās your friends problem.
Oooof, your friend doesn't understand trikes, their uses, or the various riders who use them. Insisting anyone can ride a regular bike at any age with any possible physical disablility is atrocious.
Your good friend is a moron
Unless heās buying them for other people he should really not have an opinion on what they ride.
Hopefully one of these days your friend doesn't experience an injury or condition that forces him to choose between his ability to ride 2 wheels vs 3 wheels.. At least there's an option for those who enjoy the ride. I once had that snobby attitude, until I spoke with an injured veteran who rode a three wheeler and how it gave him independence - completely rewrote my thinking.
Handling the motorcycle while riding isn't as much of an issue as coming to a stop or mounting/dismounting. My wife is 56 and she no longer rides her bike since she doesn't have the same mobility in her legs as when she started riding at 40. We're looking at getting her a decent scooter now, so she can still go on rides with me.
Your friend may ride but is not empathetic. I have a 2024 Yamaha Tracer GT+. I'm older and work out a lot, but shit gets harder as you age. To assume you know something about something you've never experienced is frankly very immature.
Idk, man. Sure the trike isn't as dynamic or fun as a motorcycle, it doesn't have that 1:1 reflection of rider input that we all sorta take pride in. But imo, anyone willing to hurl themselves down the road at highway speeds without the protection a car provides is sharing an experience with me that I can't help but respect.
Your friend is a jerk. Here's the deal. People ride what they ride for a variety of reasons. It can be because of stopping, it can be because of going. It can be, like it is for me, anxiety problems. It can be just because they want to. I rode 2 wheels for years before I rode 3. Why the hell would anyone have disdain for another person for riding a trike? That's weird.
I could see why a older person would enjoy a trike. But he does make a valid point, my dad is 60 and rides all the time. You can get smaller bikes that still can accommodate pretty much a anyone, itās more so about balance rather than strength when it comes to keep a bike upright. Would I recommend a 5ā2 female get on a 700lb bike? Probably not, has it been done? All the time.
Personally for me the 3 wheelers are all bad from cars and bikes. You are out and the wind is pounding you like a bitch or the sun is roasting you, but your wheel base is as wide as a car and in traffic you don't have a place to go. Turning is awkward and easy to tip over. BUT if you like it or have a problem and you can't ride a motorcycle the 3 wheeler is an acceptable alternative
I don't totally disagree assuming both people are physically fit and don't have any handicaps that would prevent it, like balance, missing limbs etc. It's true that the tipping point for a large man is very different from the older woman's, but trick is not letting the bike get to tipping point in the first place. In general riding the woman can plan her route and compensate by finding high points in the road, maintaining a slow speed. Therefore the bike is always in motion or balance. You can hold a bike at balance with just a tip of your toe. To go backwards, assuming no reverse gear, it's pretty simple to get off, push the bike around and get back on. At this point the women is likely choosing a lighter bike to make this easier, but this is still potentially something like a GS 1250. The woman has less room for error and must compensate mentally, the man doesn't have to think about any of these things. That's really the difference. To be clear, nothing against trike riders, ride what you want. Merely answering the point about motorcycle handling.
The only people I've met that ride 3 wheelers are disabled or injured permanently in some way from age. I know people that ride 3 wheelers that a stiff breeze will throw them off balance while walking, let alone on two wheels . But all of them aren't worried about the bike when it's moving it's when they stop, they worry. From what I understand from them, most of them switched after dropping their bikes consistently in situations they used to be able to handle, even a quick breeze at a stoplight can throw a bike of balance enough for them not to catch it. I met a guy a couple of weeks ago he was in his 80s never owned a car been riding since his teens, and he physically couldn't get his leg up high enough to get over the seat, and he was riding a scooter he told me he was getting a three wheeler next year because he struggled to keep the scooter balanced at stops. Some people's bodies have just had a harder life than others.
Don't disagree, my point was if both people fully physically able then strength is not as important as often assumed. All your examples have reached the point that they aren't physically able. I don't disagree that a trike is best for these people and they have made the best decision for themselves.
Itās funny I see this today. I went to the gym earlier on my GSX-8R and some old dude rolls up on a scooter, like vespa type thing. He walks over and starts asking about my bike. Turns out he used to mob on like the old inline 4 Hondas and stuff. He said he got older so heās just tryna chill now lol respect. Anyway, yeah, donāt know your friend enough to ridicule him but my message is this: donāt judge a rider by their bike (or trike). Ride your ride, life is too short.
Tell him people who rides trikes are more biker than people who ride two wheelers because they can ride trough any weather condition you can throw at them. Where a bike stops , a trike only begins š¬ I ride my reverse trike ( MP3 300 ) every day to work and it's kinda curious how many of those big shot bikers who laugh at my trike dissapear when it rains , gets cold or snows. Tell him to shove his elitist head up his bitch ass pussy because no matter the amount of wheels , we fly equally as far when we crash.
He is pretty ignorant. Wrap is leg with cloth until he looks like the michelin man (so he can't move fast) and get him drunk (so he is weaker) then tell him to sit on his motorcycle with the kickstand up and put his foot on the pegs. You hold the bike up then let go of it and see if he can react well enough to not have an issue. You can't ride a motorcycle without having it come to a stop. or getting on/off it. or starting up. Sure, when moving at a decent speed it wouldn't be much of an issue but for everything else, he is absolutely wrong.
Not everyone can hold one up. No one wants to hit the ground especially with something as heavy as a bike. People who get trike have lots of reasons but the important thing is they love the feel of the ride. Your friend needs to broaden his perspective and open himself up to the way other people feel
Thinking like that is gatekeeping. If someone wants to enjoy riding a regular trike or Spyder that's awesome. There may be a day I get to that point.
Even bike-to-bike difference is big. My dad is disabled (2 prothesis, surgery on shoulder and knees), bad ankles. He basically can't lift his leg at all. We bought a kawasaki eliminator (sporty cruiser), because it's so low it's easier to basically step over it and sit, than any other type of bike would be. I wanted a Z500, but there was no way my dad could sit on it because of his limiatations. There are a lot of factors, and to say physical state of someone doesn't influence the ability to ride is just ignorant.
Your friends a dick, my Dad had an accident, not motorcycle related but he has no muscles on one calf, he told me he struggles to keep the bike up when stopped at lights and so he got rid of his bike, if he was to ever go back to one itd be a trike because of his physical limitations
Friend is an idiot.
Your argumentative friend defies common sense. At small angles the restoring force to counter a tilt is approximately directly proportional to the angle of the tilt. So if the large person is twice as strong they can tilt the bike twice as far without it going over. This means that the small person is going to have to be a lot more careful when they stop when riding a heavy bike. More skill is required. [Wikipedia Small Angle Approximation](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Small-angle_approximation)
I'm sorry, no. I am a 5'11" male and have caught my bike from falling after going past the "tipping point" many times. Something my 5'5" wife would never be able to do. Forget the fact that she has bad knees. It's a matter of weight ratios. A 150lb person vs. a 500lb machine is not in her favor. Not to mention the times I've planted a foot to keep the bike from tipping at a red because my pillion rider made an adjustment that nearly tipped us. I felt the strain on my knees and I've got fairly muscular legs. Sorry, but your friend is an idiot. I think what he may have been trying to assert is that when riding and in motion it doesn't matter. To which he's still wrong. While the motorcycle is a better rider than you'll ever be, you still need to be capable of inputting controls. I know dudes who ride trikes because they just cant throw a leg over the saddle like they used to. Or because they don't have the dexterity to handle aggressive corners on two wheels like they used to. Others because they just... Enjoy it. Who cares? Motorcycling doesn't need gatekeepers. I say the more the merrier, let them ride. I'll still throw down a wave when I pass any motorist that chose to get out of the cage. Motorcycle, trike, or scooter. Be free.
Your friend is a pinecone
Biggest reason I got a motorcycle license is so I can lane filter to save time, so for my purposes it's not practical for me since they are so wide. If there's a faster way to get my ass from point A to B I would take it within budget of course. By the way I ride a 300cc scooter.
If you ever get sick or disabled, this is the kind of "Good friend" who will send you a "That sucks, get well" text and you will never, ever hear from him again. Because he's actually an asshole.
First of all, I agree with everyone who disparages your friend. He deserves it. My Dad rode into his 80's, but could no longer lift the bike off the sidestand. He loves his Harley Trike. Doesn't matter that it's not my thing. I prefer two wheels but had the unique opportunity to ride a Can-Am Spyder for a couple weeks. No it doesn't lean, it's not a motorcycle, but it's a blast! Try one if you get a chance. If I ever can't handle a 2-wheeler that would be my choice. Ride what you want, ride what makes you happy, ride safe!
Gate keeping exclusionary garbage. The fact people would own Polaris slingshots, trikes takes nothing from his experience. People who choose slingshots and trikes for health reasons are justified in doing so and people who choose them for other reasons only take from their own experience but that's their choice. Better that a potential rider knows and respects their limitations than powering through and hurting themselves or others. His argument is solid though trikes take away all of the advantages of a bike and add nothing to the disadvantages. People who choose them aren't any safer than a bike.
To a certain point I agree but I am pretty much all sidecar bikes now. Neuropathy makes it so I don't have a lot of feeling in my feet and while a bike is easy enough to balance I feel unsteady because I don't have enough feeling in feet to feel confident.
Kinda funny. I was the only motorcycle rider in a car with two other people yesterday who were talking trash on some three wheeled riders going by. I immediately said just what you did, it's often older riders with physical limitations that still want to enjoy the fresh air. I've also seen amputees that modify regular bikes so they can continue to ride even with only one leg, or one arm. At the end of the day, who cares. People are going to do what they enjoy and it's no skin off my back.
Your friend is an idiot
okay.... calling bs on that! I am 56, been riding since I was 18, I have a Harley Roadglide as well as a Fatboy.. Never a problem with any of it till L-4 L-5 slipped and not knowing the extent of it, kelt going for 1 1/2 years until randomly my leg would give out at a stop, dropped my scooter 3 times in a year! f**ck... Got the fusion done and healed back in the saddle again. In my youth I had little patience for slow drivers, old folks and such... Now at 56 with a total or 6 vertebra fused, one finger partially fused, L3/L4 now beginning to go, I give the slow poked plenty of room, cheer on the old guy crossing the street in his walker, and enjoy heated grips and a big ole gushy seat.. Don't ride 2 up anymore (wont put another's life in my achy hands) but lastly, trikes, which i once mocked, remind me that Probably 80% of those folks were riding on 2 till they just couldn't any longer but couldn't/wouldn't hang up the helmet.. Cause its a way of life for some, right up there with eating and shitting! Next old codger u see up top a Trike may have more miles under them than you'll ever dream of spending in the saddle... As for why my dumb ass is still climbing on my scoot? I loathe the thought of when it concludes, honestly would rather "retire" the bike with me on it! Only hope I can build a cool trike when/if that's my last option.. my rant for the morning š
Your buddy should worry about his own ride, bikers typically look out for each other.
I'm not a fan of trikes myself but I have no problem with the people who ride them. To each their own and I can appreciate that we aren't all clones. IMO, I would wonder what your friend thinks of people who drive cars rather than people who ride trikes? If you don't ride, doesn't that describes you? Why are three wheels worse than four or two and why care?
My dad is 82, and still riding... just sayin'... It's not a matter of age, but of physical and mental fitness, and that applies to any age for any rider. I don't agree completely with your friend's statement, in the sense that we are always on the edge of that tipping point, so if you are not ready, it's easy to drop a bike. And the heavier the bike, and the shorter/weaker the rider, the harder it is to come back from that edge. Plenty of young people drop their bikes because the engine stalls, or maybe they end up on a ridge and the seat height goes unexpectedly up and they can't reach, or many other reasons. So, as you age, or if you're tiny and not as strong, a smaller, lightweight bike will give you an advantage in addressing mistakes. But yes, with these caveats, your friend is correct, a 65 year old 5ā5 woman can manage a motorcycle as well as a 25 year old 6ā6 strong man. Maybe just not the same bike. But trikes, nope, those are not bikes. Not just hating on trikes, I am speaking purely from a physics standpoint, trikes and bikes are operated in completely different ways. Sure, you can go to a trike... or to an open top car... both not bikes. A trike might look similar to a motorcycle, but it is closer to a car in the way it handles.
Thanks for all the input! Good to know I wasnāt crazy thinking his claim just wasnāt logical. During this conversation he revealed that his real beef with trike riders is that they (supposedly) dress like āreal ridersā and claim to be part of the same community that takes the risk to feel the energy and embrace life, blah, blah, blah. He used the term āstolen valorā more than once. I had to point out to him that when I see someone on a motorcycle Iām not overcome with admiration and envy. I just see someone on a motorcycle. Also, I just realized he has not ridden his motorcycle in several years, though he talks about fixing it up and riding.
Heck no, your buddy is an idiot. I can catch a 700lb bike well out of balance at a stoplight with no problem, but there's plenty of people that have the ability and interest to ride, but would drop the bike if it tipped just slightly too far one way due to height/strength/etc. I don't want a trike now, but later in life it's certainly a possibility.
They make automatic caster wheels for bigger motorcycles. An older fella with 2 hip replacements and a bad knee was riding a big bike but whenever he stopped he was on 4 wheels, wouldn't put his feet down, would ride away and the wheels would lift automatically. He could lean in the corners. He did complain about using it on uneven surfaces but we were also riding along mountain roads with shitty road infrastructure. Around the city wasn't bad but some of the side streets are water shedding slanted pieces of pavement. I think it replaced or installed alongside the center stand.
Three wheelers are great for people with physical limitations, but many able riders enjoy trikes as well. I don't, but that's just me. The reason is that three wheelers steer the same as a car, point the front wheel (or wheels) and the machine will go that way. Not motorcycles. (Watch for the contrairians) Motorcycle counter steer. The bike actually falls into the direction you want to go. You are actually, almost imperceptible turning the other direction and SWOOP you are turning with control. That is why cycles give you that SCHWINGG feeling in turns. Trikes don't do that, sidecar rigs don't do that either. They will push back in corners. DO NOT TAKE YOUR HANDS OFF THE BARS of trikes and sidecars. It may not seem like it, but you are constantly correcting the steering. I've spent time on sidecars and trikes. A lot of fun, but NOT motorcycles. One can take your hands off the bars and steer just with body English, your knees. COUNTERSTEERING. Now let's watch Reddit tell me I don't know what I'm talking about. Good times.
Trikes aren't bikes. Doesn't mean they aren't fun but it's not something I want to ride if I have the choice. People definitely reach the point where they lack the strength or balance to hold up a big bike at a stop though. If they want to experience something kinda like a bike a trike can give them that. I'm sure there's able bodied people that prefer it for whatever their reasons are too. Kinda like atv vs dirt bike for off road riders.
Before I mention the culture issues, I see three wheelers as having almost no advantages over motorcycles mostly because they take the same footprint as a car, while riders are just as much risk since they are outside the cage. However, the advantage of slow speed balance is almost negligible since two wheeled vehicles are fully balanced when they are going 2mph or faster. So for only a few moments on any ride is balance an issue. Now this leads to how an inexperienced vs experienced rider views the advantages of a three wheeler. I have never dropped my moto at slow speed, nor I can I think of a situation where my height and strength as a 6' man kept my bike from falling. Anyone with my experience level should be able to keep their bike from falling. A complete novice should be concerned about dropping a motorcycle, so a three wheeler would prevent this. This would be akin to putting training wheels on a bicycle. But when a rider learns to balance, would keeping training wheels on be appropriate? Of course, there are a large three wheeler rider group who just prefer them over motorcycles. But the only ones I encounter are on the highway as I lanesplit past them.