So you want to 'ride' .. on Three Wheels?
Historically, I've never been a fan of 'Trikes"; Three wheeled motorcycles. But, a few over the years, have caught my attention. Back around 2006 I was down at ROT in Austin for a Rally when I first saw a BOSS HOSS Trike in action. It was mind blowing to see the 2 and 3 wheelers churn up their tires, and a huge mass of gray smoke . Truly awe inspiring. Since then, I've also become a fan of V8 Choppers Trikes If I acquired a trike today, it'd be a V8 Chopper.
But, not all Trikes are setup traditionally. Some have 2 wheels up front, 1 in the back. For over a decade I've seen T-Rex's around. Super low to the group, high HP motorcycle motor tucked in there and a crazy fun looking toy. And, expensive. So expensive, I never seriously considered one. I just noticed today , they have yet another model out. Very cool and even has an HD motor in it. The V13R .
About 2.5 years ago, Polaris changed the game with the Slingshot. I was vaguely aware it was coming out. I was not in the market ( but a fan of the T Rex ) , but Polaris stock was going through the roof , and as a stock holder, I'd made a couple bux off it and found myself curious when the Slingshot came out. So much so, I bought one sight unseen. In fact, I've blog'd about this a few times previously.
- http://rickkkcir.blogspot.com/2014/07/why-slingshot.html
- http://rickkkcir.blogspot.com/2015/01/slinshot-ride-report-6-weeks-in-saddle.html
Now, 2 1/2 years later I'm still a fan. It has a few shortcomings, but for it's price point makes it a complete slam dunk. In it's stock form, it's more toy, than most can handle. And for another $5k or so, you can slap a turbo or supercharger on the motor. Some folks have even ripped the solid 4 banger out and slapped a Chevy LS V8 in there. Now that , is wild and ridiculous. Wish I'd thought of it! So, someone can get into a Slingshot for around $20k ( and up of course ) , and have more fun on 3 wheels than most people will have on 2.
But, they aren't alone. Some folks opted for the Can-Am Spyder which came out well before the Slingshot. However, the Spyder is not a side by side, by more of a saddle arrangement, like a 2 wheeler. Proponents would argue it's better for that reason. More of a "motorcycle' . I say, go ride em' all and decide which suits your purpose, which trips your trigger. Me personally, I've never ridden a Spyder, but I'd like to . Looks like a friggn' blast!
Right after I'd bought my Slingshot, I saw another vehicle hitting the market. Tanom Motors had something that looked like a T Rex to me. I've never seen one , "out and about" ... and I'm guessing we never will. NADA only lists them for 2015. Their website is still up and running, but some pages are null and void. Guessing, things didn't go so well.
Then, there's Elio Motors.This one is more of a commuter vehicle, beckoning to our common sense. But, I saw one on Good Morning America awhile back. Not ready for prime time as one of it's fenders fell off. Will this thing ever make it to market? A LOT of folks have plunked down pre payments on them. We'll find out soon if it's the next cool thing, or if folks got bilked out of their hard earned cash?
The Morgan Company has been at if for over a hundred years, in business since 1909. I have to admit, they to me are the coolest. Their current offering literally has an S&S V Twin motor hung out there on the front of it, to catch the bugs and turn the wheels. I believe they used to utilize HDs , which no doubt may of their followers liked. But, the car always looked too small to me. Cool factor though? Yep, it's got it! Pricey? Yes it is!
The latest I'm aware of is Vanderhall MotorSports. Sort of reminds me of a modern Morgan, w/o the motor hanging out the front. They've only been in the game for a year or so ( '16 and '17 models), and their price point is outside the scope of the mainstream buyer ($30k and upwards of 2x cost, depending on the model). There are less than ten dealers ( 8 on their web page ) in the entire world. Period ( that should make buyers nervous?). So, you're at a high price point, minimal service facilities, new to the market. And damned it's a small thing. This is a niche product. Will they succeed? Hell, they appear to have outlasted Tanom! And they beat Elio to market. Time will tell. I read someone bragging that they beat a slingshot with the Vanderhall. Makes sense to me. It cost 20% more, is 20% lighter, and has 20% more power with it's turbocharged motor. However, add a turbo to the Slingshot for $5k ( you are still less than the entry point cost of a Vanderhall ), and you have 20% more power than this thing, at least. The Vanderhall is spec'd at 200hp; the SS with Turbo is closer to 250RWHP). So now, it's apples to apples, or not. Looks to swing in favor of the SS. The Slingshot is serviced by probably a hundred dealerships in the US alone. It's made by multi-Billion dollar American company. That, makes the Vanderhall a niche vehicle. We wish them luck. And the dealers, may need yet more luck.
But, not all Trikes are setup traditionally. Some have 2 wheels up front, 1 in the back. For over a decade I've seen T-Rex's around. Super low to the group, high HP motorcycle motor tucked in there and a crazy fun looking toy. And, expensive. So expensive, I never seriously considered one. I just noticed today , they have yet another model out. Very cool and even has an HD motor in it. The V13R .
About 2.5 years ago, Polaris changed the game with the Slingshot. I was vaguely aware it was coming out. I was not in the market ( but a fan of the T Rex ) , but Polaris stock was going through the roof , and as a stock holder, I'd made a couple bux off it and found myself curious when the Slingshot came out. So much so, I bought one sight unseen. In fact, I've blog'd about this a few times previously.
- http://rickkkcir.blogspot.com/2014/07/why-slingshot.html
- http://rickkkcir.blogspot.com/2015/01/slinshot-ride-report-6-weeks-in-saddle.html
Now, 2 1/2 years later I'm still a fan. It has a few shortcomings, but for it's price point makes it a complete slam dunk. In it's stock form, it's more toy, than most can handle. And for another $5k or so, you can slap a turbo or supercharger on the motor. Some folks have even ripped the solid 4 banger out and slapped a Chevy LS V8 in there. Now that , is wild and ridiculous. Wish I'd thought of it! So, someone can get into a Slingshot for around $20k ( and up of course ) , and have more fun on 3 wheels than most people will have on 2.
But, they aren't alone. Some folks opted for the Can-Am Spyder which came out well before the Slingshot. However, the Spyder is not a side by side, by more of a saddle arrangement, like a 2 wheeler. Proponents would argue it's better for that reason. More of a "motorcycle' . I say, go ride em' all and decide which suits your purpose, which trips your trigger. Me personally, I've never ridden a Spyder, but I'd like to . Looks like a friggn' blast!
Right after I'd bought my Slingshot, I saw another vehicle hitting the market. Tanom Motors had something that looked like a T Rex to me. I've never seen one , "out and about" ... and I'm guessing we never will. NADA only lists them for 2015. Their website is still up and running, but some pages are null and void. Guessing, things didn't go so well.
Then, there's Elio Motors.This one is more of a commuter vehicle, beckoning to our common sense. But, I saw one on Good Morning America awhile back. Not ready for prime time as one of it's fenders fell off. Will this thing ever make it to market? A LOT of folks have plunked down pre payments on them. We'll find out soon if it's the next cool thing, or if folks got bilked out of their hard earned cash?
The Morgan Company has been at if for over a hundred years, in business since 1909. I have to admit, they to me are the coolest. Their current offering literally has an S&S V Twin motor hung out there on the front of it, to catch the bugs and turn the wheels. I believe they used to utilize HDs , which no doubt may of their followers liked. But, the car always looked too small to me. Cool factor though? Yep, it's got it! Pricey? Yes it is!
The latest I'm aware of is Vanderhall MotorSports. Sort of reminds me of a modern Morgan, w/o the motor hanging out the front. They've only been in the game for a year or so ( '16 and '17 models), and their price point is outside the scope of the mainstream buyer ($30k and upwards of 2x cost, depending on the model). There are less than ten dealers ( 8 on their web page ) in the entire world. Period ( that should make buyers nervous?). So, you're at a high price point, minimal service facilities, new to the market. And damned it's a small thing. This is a niche product. Will they succeed? Hell, they appear to have outlasted Tanom! And they beat Elio to market. Time will tell. I read someone bragging that they beat a slingshot with the Vanderhall. Makes sense to me. It cost 20% more, is 20% lighter, and has 20% more power with it's turbocharged motor. However, add a turbo to the Slingshot for $5k ( you are still less than the entry point cost of a Vanderhall ), and you have 20% more power than this thing, at least. The Vanderhall is spec'd at 200hp; the SS with Turbo is closer to 250RWHP). So now, it's apples to apples, or not. Looks to swing in favor of the SS. The Slingshot is serviced by probably a hundred dealerships in the US alone. It's made by multi-Billion dollar American company. That, makes the Vanderhall a niche vehicle. We wish them luck. And the dealers, may need yet more luck.
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