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Customs & Cruisers
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Issue 124 : August - September 2002
V-Rod Trike already!
The V Rod Trike you see here, which is likely the only one you've ever seen, took just two weeks to complete in time to win 'Best Bike Trike' at the National Welsh Show this year. In case you hadn't noticed, this project is more than a trike end grafted onto a V Rod. The front end has been raked several degrees and that 250 front tyre is a tad larger than stock and probably makes it a good deal less skittish than it might otherwise be. The slab yokes are likewise custom built. The cage (trike talk for back end frame methinks) had to be a bit bigger than normal to accomodate the belt drive and being all stainless was a bit of a challenge to weld. The fumes produced by welding stainless are evil, requiring a special kind of mask and a deal of skill, but as Hayden needlessly points out, 'it looks good.' Since the Welsh Show, the 'tank cover' (the real tank is below the seat), has been chromed as have other parts. It also has mudguards on all wheels courtesy of Preston & Thomas of Cardiff; look out for their name on the alluminium fish frier in your chippy. The in-house exhaust is a little more distinctive than the standard item though at tickover the V Rod still doesn't sound quite like a trad Harley. This one's not for sale which says something about the success of this business. If you want one to keep it'll set you back about £25K, extra if you want chroming and it'll take 12-14 weeks. The following relates to all trikes produced by the trike shop. See more about then on their website which also contains extensive advice on the law relating to trike building. Several magazines have dealt with this thorny issue over the years and none have got it completely right so we won't fall into the trap of pretending we're experts. Check out the details from those who speak from experience - www.trikeshop.co.uk
Cage: Our cages are made of Cold Drawn Seamless steel tube. The cage is mated to each customers machine and every one is unique. The welding is done with a T.I.G. welder, (Tungsten Inert Gas), to provide the strongest joints possible. The width of the finished trike is approximately 63 inches. Arms: The top and bottom arms are manufactured on site, and are T.I.G. welded in a special jig to ensure accuracy. They are made with a camber adjuster so the wheel camber can be accurately adjusted once the trike is on its' wheels. The top arms are designed to take the shock absorber mountings to provide the independent suspension. Finish: The back ends and component parts are powder coated to provide a hard wearing durable finish. Usual colours are black or silver but other colours are available on request. Mudguards are colour matched to the donor vehicles paint work. Shock Absorbers: Our shock absorbers are made specially for us by Hagon Products. They are of a specific length to suit our back ends. Differentials: We can supply Chain, Belt or Shaft drive differentials. The chain drive use sprockets specially machined for us. They enable different gearing to be used with just the change of a sprocket. The chains we fit are all of the heavy duty type. The belt drives also use specially made belt pulleys. The enclosed shaft differential is of Ford make and has a purpose built prop shaft for each trike. Hubs and Brakes: Hubs and brakes are Ford. This enables ease of maintenance and good parts availability. It also gives our customers a wide selection of wheels and tyres. Disc or drum brakes can be fitted depending on customer choice. All brakes lines are of the steel braided type made to suit each machine. Exhausts: We can modify existing exhausts to suit the trike or a complete system can be made in stainless steel. Lights: A large selection of lights are available to our customers. They are fitted on the trike mudguards to make other road users aware of the width of the vehicle. Seating: Seating can be left as per the donor motorcycle or we can custom make a two seat rear seat. We can also supply lap belts or complete harnesses. Seat bases are made in-house and then upholstered by a professional upholsterer. Disabilities: Adaptations can be made to suit disabled riders. Linked braking, electronic button gear change, foot boards and custom built wheel chair racks are just some of the adaptations we have made to our trikes.
Trophies we've won: MAG Donnington Mega Show Best Engneering Bulldog Bash Fastest Trike at the 2001 & 2000 Welsh National Motorcycle Show - 2002 Best Bike Trike & Best Brightwork VRod, 2001 Best Trike 5 wheeler H-D, 2000 Best Trike VMax, 1999 Best Trike Hayabusa South West Custom Classic Show - supplied back-end for
2002 runner-up trike with Zan's VMax, 2001 best innovative custom with 5 wheeler H-D,
Rock & Blues Custom Show 2001 - supplied back end for Best Trike Sid's H-D NABD Annual Rally 2001 - Best Trike Eammon's H-D + various Irish shows Harley-Davidson Club Wales - 2000 Best Engineering, 1999 Best Engineering yellow H-D 1st Annual Custom and Classic Bike Show 1999 - Best Trike Bristol Bike Show - 2000 Best Engineering Kin'ell Bike Show - 1999 Best Trike GSX 750 Retro HOG Europe Run 2001 Sth France - Best Trike Shirley Bliss' Sportster 2001 featured in Hog Dog Team Top Banana - Kurt and Matt. Fastest Trike over 1/4 mile at the Bulldog Bash 2001 + 3rd place too, both on Hayabusas Hayabusa Mk II - Fastest Trike over 1/4 mile at the Bulldog Bash 2000 piloted by Matt Black from Bikersweb
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Anyone who visited MAG's Welsh National Motorcycle Show cannot have failed to notice the V Rod Trike created by the Trike Shop and completed on the eve of the show which provided the venue for its first outing, and as far as we know the first appearance of a V Rod Trike anywhere in the world...
