Boomers Bring Trikes to the Mainstream
Wednesday November 7, 2007
Trikes go back to the days when Elvis Presley rode heavily customized three-wheelers through the streets of Memphis, but they've flared up again as of late, and now they're bigger than ever.
The Wall Street Journal has reported on the relatively trend of baby boomers embracing trikes, and the article sites both sides of the story: the fact that three-wheelers enable a larger group of people to enjoy wind-in-the-hair freedom, as well as the predictable backlash from traditionalist bikers who consider trike riders as poseurs.
Can trikes peacefully coexist with two-wheeled cycles, or shall the twain never meet? Comment on whether you'd ever consider (or actually do) ride a trike, or if you'd never want to be caught dead on one.
Photo © Lehman
Comments
Really mixed feeling on trikes. Don’t like them, but if eventually I find myself unable to balance a big bike, what can I do? stop riding and drive a Buick? That’s why the Yamaha Tesseract is an exciting development. narrow stance and leaning capibilities, yet added stability. I would be interesting if they could take that technology over to cruisers.
Scottie,
The earlier blog comment on the Tesseract (something to the effect of “If I ever get that old…”) reveals a glimpse of some of the stigma against anything with more than two wheels. The definition of cool, however, is being altered as we speak; I recently rode a BRP Can-Am Spyder, for instance, and the thing turned heads like crazy!
It’s an interesting time for trikes, and while old-school three-wheelers (like the one pictured here) aren’t my speed, I think there’s also a huge market for contemporary designs.
Basem
Harleys old 45 trikes were the best looking ones. Exile cycle makes a cool looking trike that I would ride every day.
If you can’t ride a motorcycle and want that “wind-in-the-hair freedom (like the blog said)” then get a convertible. It’s really that easy.
I personally ride a Trike, only because i have Arthritic Knees that won’t allow me to ride Two Wheel anymore. However I like the Trike I have,( Harley Softtail) and I do ride with a group. They don’t mind and don’t say anything funny towards me either. So If anyone feels that a Trike is the way to go for them, then go for it.
If it’s just a physical issue, trikes are fine. However, I worry about older riders who may not have the awareness to take up motorcycling late in life. I worry about my grandfather in a Ford Aerostar. As far as the cool factory, hey, whatever. I have a bike and a convertible, and can honestly say I’d gladly trade my car in for a little econobox. The feeling of the “wind-in-the-hair freedom” is totally different on a bike.
We have a few trikes in our HOG group. They always follow up last and work fine with the rest of the two wheelers. One dude was disabled in a bike accedent and now he can still ride!! Why should he have to ride in a car.
I have a friend who lost his leg while riding a motorcycle when a car hit him. now he rides a trike. The key word is he still Rides. When the day comes i can’t ride my hog i will ride a trike.
Yo dude! Like i’d never get an old wing with training wheels. It just ain’t cool dude…
This is a very easy one–we don’t care who rides with our group or with any other group. Getting out on the road is the issue, not what you ride. If you think less of riders on a trike or anything else, you’re just a snob.
Trikes—Yes they are making a come-back. In the early 70’s there was a push towards custom three-wheelers. Styers and the like who built them from old Volks engine pans. I’m still trying to get the one my brother built. Called the “Spyder” and were full custom, cad-cam designed trikes. There isn’t anything wrong with them. Seen one a while back with a hack (side-car) pulling a trailer. Mom, Dad & kid, vacationing from the mid-west. Way to go. Its all part of the culture of motorcycleing and it may draw more attention what with the price of gas.
I say “go for it!” I am a motorcycle rider (61 years old and first rode at 20) and have been thinking of looking into the “trikes” for myself.
They are as cool as anything else on the road and I would much rather see more “trikes” on the road that SUVs or cars with only the driver. I ride my two-wheel motorcycle for what it does for me and not what it may look like to others. I am sure that there are many motorcycle riders who don’t think a Honda 599cc is much of a motorcycle but road was built for everyone!
Peace and good cheer!
Jim
I love to ride my trike! Why do 2-wheel riders think they are so much better and cooler than those riders on 3 wheels. My trike gives me the freedom to ride with lots of nice people and those that don’t want to ride with me – they can go their own way.
Sure I’d ride a trike. In fact, I’m thinking of changing my Road King into a trike now. I’m not as strong as I used to be in order to comfortably make the long distance rides that I love, so I think that would be the way to go. As for it not being “cool”, well that’s stupid. If that was the only reason I took up riding, I would have stopped years ago. Besides, have you seen some of the trikes out there now. Talk about cool!
I was in a serious bike wreck and was fortunate to be able to get back on two wheels, but as I get older the leg that was injuried in the wreck is getting worse, is a Trike in my future? Hell Yes!!! Riding is riding two or three wheels. I’m in no hurry but it’s coming. So people us baby boomers are aging and still want to enjoy life!!!!!
I think trikes are fine. I won’t say “never”. I think they would be great for long-distance riding.
I am 76 years old, physically handicaped due to older age and a stroke a fewyears back which left me with poor balance and not the strength to handle a large two wheeler any more. I have been ridding MC’s since 1948 and be darned if such conditions are keeping me from enjoting the freedom of the highway and the wind in my hair and the bugs in my teeth. A convertible is for young dudes with the eyes out for young chicks. Can’t handle two wheels, get a trike. They are great and the big boys on their two wheelers actually admire you for the fact that you hae not given up.
I have beeen riding for 40 years. I am 66. I have been looking at trikes and scooters. If you don’t think its “cool”, you are riding for the wrong reasons.
Anyone who states they don;t like trikes has obviously never ridden one. I had to give up biking due to a spinal condition that kept me from putting my left foot down fast enough to balance at stops sometimes. After rolling off the bike a few times, I realized that I would rather not bike than have my head squashed flat as a grape by a passing car.
HOWEVER, I never lost my desire to ride, and immediately started looking into trikes, although as my brother said “They aren’t cool”. He changed his mind when he rode my Triketec trike with the fuel-injected Mercedes engine, ABS. Electronic stability control and most important control and comfort on long rides.
I picked my trike up in Cincinnati, and rode it home to Arizona (1900 miles) in 4 days in the dead of a killer summer. I never had a better time, nor a better ride.
In my case health was the determinant, but before you dismiss trikes out of hand, TRY one. You may never go back to two-wheeling.
I got back into biking about 3 years ago after a 40 year absence due to the “family” and responsibility of being an adult. At 61 years old it was a bit of a leap but I bougt an old 85 500CC Honda and now my wife and I travel about 7 to 10,000 miles a year as a two-up and have discovered after all these years what we missed all these years…….at this stage I detest 3 wheelers as being a lazy way out but I must leave an open mind here as we progress in years it does offer an extension to enjoying the “open road” when we are too damn old to balance on two wheels…………whatever gets you out on the road eh?
I have a very, very bad back, so bad I can’t work any more, but I can still ride my Ultra Classic some, and when I get so bad that I can’t hold it up anymore I’ll turn it into a trike, when I can’t ride anymore I’d just as soon be dead.
Really who cares what you ride as long as you are riding. As a woman who rides I am sure I get the same comments as the trike rides, don’t really fit the “cool” persona, but ride year round.
The only excuse to ride a “pretend bike” aka trike is if you’re physically unable to ride a real bike, otherwise it’s just a pose – in that case get a cage. IMHO many of the “babyboomers” are too lazy to put in the necessary efforts to really learn to ride a real bike, hence they’re opting for the convertible with three wheels – trikes.
One of the primary factors that make a motorbike what it is is the ability to corner not drive around corners like a car, which is exactly what a trike does.
I agree with the general consensus so far, trikes can be awesome. It is not WHAT you ride as much as the fact that you DO ride. Judge me for who I am, not who you think I am. Cool? Cool is just a personal state of mind.
Been riding 53 years. Have a vw trike, a Ural side car rig, a BMW sport turer and Miata. I like them all for what they are. Nothing is always best. It makes no difference what any one else thinks. I don’t care about the poseurs, yuppies, and all the stupid folks etc. Riding is something one does for them self.
I have attended about a dozen rallies since I took up biking about 2 years ago at the age of 64. There are always at least 1 or 2 trikes there, and they attract as much, if not more, attention than anything else, except some brand new models. I have yet to hear any negative comments, even from the most ‘hardened’ bikers. I will certainly be looking at them when I get to the stage I cannot ride a 2 wheeler.
I really don’t understand what all the hub-bub is about. Ride a unicycle for all i care. Just for pete’s sake and mine, call a trike a trike and a motorcycle a motorcycle and a ham sandwich a ham sandwich. A lion with spots ain’t a lion, its or leapord or maybe a cheetah, but it sure as hell ain’t a lion…
I would definitely ride a trike. I am a baby boomer and when I cannot safely hold up my bike at a stop, I will get a trike. Many of my friends, but men and women own and love trikes….
I have owned 8 cycles and 2 convertibles and I am now 59. I now have an 07 Yamaha Royalstar RSTD. If (when)my two knee replacements stop me from riding a cycle, I will be on a trike or whatever I can get to ride yesterday! I loved the two convertibles but neither my wife or I considered them even close to providing the feeling of riding a cycle. Each of us should support our brother riders. If someone is not mature enough to appreciate others for riding whatever they can just for the sake of riding, they are of no concern to me.
It doesn’t matter what you ride…just that you do ride
How else would I ride in the snow in Nebraska if I didn’t have a trike!
Without the lean and nimble handling characteristics of being on two wheels I initially wondered what the appeal might be. Now, as fall hovers over the Southeast Alaska town I live in, I wonder if they would be safer on the icey roads? That might be the only appeal I could see to one. However, I’m not old and feeble (yet).
…but I don’t mind if other folks ride them.
Who cares what other people, who worry what others do, think. COOL is accepting people as they are, and not because they think and act like you.
65 w/45years of custom,rode a few old trike designs,plenty two wheel riding till last year.You know people should not have to do what some so called riders call us cop-outs.Bull! ! riding is my life,so I do it this way now on a trike.A real biker has respect that you still ride that’s what counts.
My problem is that I only care about the opinion of the one paying the notes on the bike—-ME! I can still ride a large bike, but would rather have a trike. Personal preference, not a cop-out.
Hi from over here in the UK. I’m dyspraxic and don’t have much balance. I’d be too unsafe on 2 wheels. So I have the next best thing, An XJ750 Seca with a swing arm conversion, it can go pretty damn fast! I get lots of respect from bikers as I ride myself to rallies instead of being pillion behind my boyfriend!! I love it.. Ride Safe..
I have been building and rideing trikes for over 20 years. and in all my years I have only had a hand full knock me for it. I shrug it off and feel good about all the riders I have helped get back on the road. I say Ride Free on Three.
Ride what you brung, Trikes too.
Must be a right bitch to corner with any enthusiasm.