After my off, if I want to continue my long trips on my own and I do - the family will only be happy if I'm on a much smaller bike, which will be easier to handle with my problem of weakening hands/wrists (although that had nothing to do with my off!). But a much smaller bike will not be comfortable for all the other bits of me that ache! So the answer is a trike, as the family will be fairly happy that a trike will not fall over on me...

But I have limited funds - no funds in fact till I sell the GT ( ), but that's a different matter.

So I'm hoping to get someone local to put a trike together for me, as most of the ones I've seen advertised cost the earth! But a mate who had his Guzzi triked has had some problems with it, so I want to know a few things so when I talk to possible builders I can get an idea if they know what they are talking about, or if they are just full of bullsh!t!

I really fancy a CX500 trike, and I've been told that the CX engine/gearbox is a good match with a Reliant axle, in that the gearing right and you don't get over-revving in top. Is this correct?

My mate has had problems with the UJs on his - how is that avoided?

My daughter reckons I should have a Goldwing trike so I have a reverse gear. I like the sound of having reverse but really don't want anything as big as a 'Wing - I know there are ways of adding a reverse gear but is it very expensive?

Those are for starters!

what about this:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...14&category=424

this:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...9&category=9806

or if you want to push the boat out - this:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...53&category=424

leon, you're a warped man
















methinks there are good things ahead for you....

We have a club member down your way BG that built one of my previuos trikes I dont know if he is still building them as he built it for himself not as a business you understand I know he is away at the moment & i will not be able to get hold off him until next month but if that is not too late I could have a word with him for you.

when you sed you where thinking of a CX trike, i really liked the idea, i'm a fan of CX's but theres a few things to consider, the biggest is, they are getting on a bit now and finding a good engine won't be easy, early ones 1978 to 80 had cam chain problems and cranks, CX500B's (reversed comstars) had the mods from the factory, but ideally you want to hear it run, if its knocking avoid it, crank repairs are expensive! i would fit a cam chain and tensioner even if it seems ok, mine just went, no warning and it can do some damage. as for the gearing a cx won't rev out in top gear (i tryed...often!) so it should be sound in a trike.
if i was doing a trike, i'd like a CX, but for something simple i'd use a vw engine and box, (1303 beetle which have IRS but vw fans don't like em!) but i know a lot of ppl who are into v-dubs, so bits will be cheap, the engines are so basic, altho a CX is more powerful!

Womble, i'd be glad for you to ask your club member the questions when he's back - there's no rush as I'm just doing a bit of research at the mo, and trying to decide what's best..

leon - the first one's got problems, the second one is ugly and impractical, and I won't even comment on the last one!!!

I really want a bike engined trike so a V-dub doesn't appeal at all.

A mate of mine had a CX trike back axle of a jag & it did not half fly.
Could not keep up with my 1600 escort trike that i had at the time but we had fun when he tried.

VW trikes are awful had 2 over the yrs did not like them at all.

if you must have a german car engine go for a merc or a porche