VIDEO SCRIPTS

THE BENEFITS OF RIDING A TRIKE

Hi. I�m Glenn from Easy Rider Trikes in McKinney Texas, just north of Dallas.

We use the awesome Motor Trike kits for all of our conversions and focus mostly on the Honda Goldwing for the trikes that we convert to sell. But we can convert most anything that comes in the door. So while these comments are regarding the Goldwing, they apply to other brands as well.

We started this business several years ago because we love riding and love riding trikes�and saw a niche in the market where we thought we could provide fellow riders a unique service that would keep us all riding longer and safer. From the beginning, our tag line has been, taking the elements out of riding

Our business plan initially was to search out good used bikes and convert them to trikes�using the Motor Trike kit. But we discovered an interesting dynamic. Many of the bike owners were giving up their bikes�and hence riding�for unnecessary reasons. Perhaps as they grew older, they no longer felt capable of dealing with a 1000-pound bike. Perhaps there were medical reasons or perhaps an injury. Maybe their passenger no longer felt safe on a bike. Lots of good reasons�if they only had two wheels.

So here is a bike owner with a good personal bike, modified and equipped to his or her liking, being sold for the wrong reason. How dis-heartening! They didn�t have to give up their passion for riding. We converted their beloved bike to a trike and put them back on the road again�on their own machine. And that gives us a lot of personal joy.

But there are plenty of other benefits of riding a trike.

Like our tag line says, it takes the elements out of riding. Wet streets, gravel, chug holes, road debris, oil�all great dangers to a two-wheeler�become non-issues to a trike.
A trike is much larger than a bike�and easier to see. Trikes are about 5 feet wide.
The ride is generally more comfortable on a trike�for both rider and passenger. And the Motor Trike kits with their rear air shocks are fully adjustable�even when moving down the road.
The third wheel greatly increases the stability of the ride, allowing the rider to enjoy the ride even more.
And the addition of the trike kit gives more storage for those road trips or just a jaunt down to the grocery store.

Trikes are much more common now than they were just a few years ago. And the engineering, research and development are just incredible. We would love to show you the artistry, design and excellence of these machines. So if your trip takes you to north Texas, stop by and check out our awesome Motor Trike conversions. We are just north of Dallas off Central Expressway. Or check us out on Facebook or our website at www.easyridertrikes.com

So until next time, ride safe and check six.

Easy Rider Trikes�taking the elements out of riding

DIFFERENCES IN RIDING A BIKE AND RIDING A TRIKE

Hi. I am Glenn from Easy Rider Trikes in McKinney Texas, just north of Dallas.

If you are around our shop much, you will certainly hear me say that trikes are not bikes. Yes, there are differences�and some of those can get you or your trike in trouble. And it�s our ethical responsibility to discuss those with our customers. I never let a new trike owner�or even someone on a test ride�get out of our building without having this discussion.

We use the awesome Motor Trike kits for all of our conversions and focus mostly on the Honda Goldwing for the trikes we convert to sell. But we can convert most anything that comes in the door. So while these comments are regarding the Goldwing, they apply to other brands as well.

Some of our customers are trike riders only or have never been on either bike or trike. Others are experienced two-wheel bike riders and perhaps have never been on a trike. It�s this group that concerns me the most because this two-wheel experience has created cornering and control habits and riding techniques that should be avoided in the trike world.

Remember, a trike is not a bike. While an experienced two-wheel rider enjoys the advantage of using the lean to assist them through a corner, these trikes do not lean. While the rider must lean his body into the corner to counter the centrifugal force, the trike will not lean. Trikes corner well�but the rider cannot expect them to help them through the corner by leaning into the turn.

And it is vitally important to remember that trikes are about five feet wide across the rear�or more. Too often, what is out of sight is out of mind. And trike riders who forget that they have that width behind them can get into trouble cutting a corner too close or trying to squeeze through narrow openings. Just a word of caution! I have made that mistake myself. Out of sight�out of mind.

Now the other significant difference between bike and trike, and perhaps the most difficult habit to change for two-wheelers, is counter-steer. Experienced two-wheel bikers understand how counter-steering can help them control and corner their machines�and they use it instinctively.

Basically, counter-steering is a technique used at medium and higher speeds to get the bike to lean into the direction of turn. For example, if I want the bike to turn right, I first push slightly on the right hand grip as if to turn the steering to the left�hence the term counter-steer. That motion leans both rider and bike to the right�into the turn�followed by the rider providing handle bar pressures to steer to the right and into the turn.

Since the trike will not lean, there is really no benefit to counter-steering. But it is worse than that. Trikes are not bikes, and they corner and handle differently. Trying to counter-steer a trike, especially in a high performance turn, can cause a resonating shimmy or shutter dynamic in the front steering and frame that could cause loss of control.

That will be the subject of another video, because it is a very complex dynamic. So for now, let�s just leave it at this�do not counter-steer a trike. Try to break the habit! We generally encourage first-time trike riders to ride initially only with the right hand until they get used to the feel of no leaning and no counter-steering.

So the things to remember from this:

Trikes are not bikes.
Trikes do not lean.
Trikes are wide across the rear end.
Trikes corner differently.
Do not counter-steer a trike.

So until next time, ride safe and check six. And if your trip takes you to north Texas, stop by and check out our awesome Motor Trike conversions. Or check us out on Facebook or our website at easyridertrikes.com

Easy Rider Trikes�taking the elements out of riding

ADDING AN EXTERNAL BATTERY CHARGER

Hi. I am Glenn from Easy Rider Trikes in McKinney Texas, just north of Dallas.

We have been an authorized Motor Trike dealer ever since we opened the doors and use their awesome kits for all of our conversions, focusing mostly on the Honda Goldwing for the trikes that we convert to sell. But we can convert most anything that comes in the door. So while these comments are regarding the Goldwing, they apply to other brands as well.

Motorcycle batteries are never inexpensive to replace, and a bad battery can ruin your riding experience. Here at Easy Rider Trikes, we add a charging cable and include a trickle charger with each of our trikes. In this video, I am going to cover several interesting ways to do that. Each is a simple, Saturday morning project. The difficult part is to get the owner to remember to plug in the trike during periods of little or no use.

Regardless of your approach, wire the trickle charger or battery charger directly to the battery, using a fuse, appropriate connectors and suitable wiring. Double check the polarity as you connect the parts. I use connectors and terminals wherever I can to keep the installation neat and safe.

The installations I show today are using the trickle charger just to keep the battery charged during periods of non-use. The same approach could be used for a battery charger to re-charge a down battery, but the trickle charger is the point of focus today. Each type of charger has its own unique characteristics and limitations, and one should not be substituted to do the job of the other. If you need to charge the battery, use a charger. If you are just trying to keep the battery fresh, use a trickle charger, unless the charger specifically states that it has a trickle, low amperage function.

Anytime you work on the electrical system, disconnect the ground battery cable at the battery. If you disconnect both, re-connect the ground cable last. Generally, the ground has a black cover or no cover, and the hot has a red cover. The fuse should be near the hot or red side of the battery.

Although 12 to 14 gauge wire will be more than enough to carry the 10 amps from the battery charger [probably your worst case], the heavier wire will survive more of a beating from use and storage. 16 to 18 gauge will probably do the job if only a trickle charger is used. We build our cable out of 14 gauge, the best of both worlds.

Start with terminal ends to connect to the battery. Add a fuse near the hot terminal of the battery. Add enough wire so the excess wire can be handy but stashed out of sight. Add any type of connector to connect the harness to the trickle charger wiring. But the hot wire must be covered and protected from grounding. Replace the trickle charger clamps with the same kind of connector. But most important�watch the polarity. Red charger wire must connect to red battery terminal and be protected. This is the hot wire and cannot contact the frame or any trike metal.

Re-assemble the trike and hide the on-board wiring, keeping it out of the air flow and away from the exhaust and engine heat. When it is time to attach the trickle charger, pull out the wires connected to the trike, and attach them to the charger.

Another clever way to hide the wiring is to use a 12-volt outlet, such as a cigarette lighter socket. This also gives the rider a power source for accessories. The outlet can be added in many places. I prefer the left fairing pocket�out of sight and out of the weather. Position the wiring again away from chafing points and exhaust heat. Watch the polarity, connecting the hot red wire to the center pin of the connector. Since we are dealing with plastic, the outer outlet shell will need to be connected to the ground side of the battery. The red wire from the trickle charger must be connected to the center pin of the male power plug. This outlet will be hot at all times so should be covered or plugged so that coins etc cannot find their way in there to create a short. I keep a USB converter partially pushed into mine. Outlets can be purchased at an automotive store with a cover or plug. This makes for a very clean connection plus the advantage of a hidden and convenient 12 volt source.

Well, that�s it. Be sure to gather all your parts before starting on the project. Protect the wiring. Honor polarity. �And disconnect the battery�s ground cable before starting.

So until next time, ride safe and check six. And if your trip takes you to north Texas, stop by and check out our awesome Motor Trike conversions. We are just north of Dallas out Central Expressway. Or check us out on Facebook or our website at www.easyridertrikes.com

Easy Rider Trikes�taking the elements out of riding

INSTALLING A FRONT ROTOR COVER ON A GOLDWING AIR BAG TRIKE

Hi. I�m Glenn from Easy Rider Trikes in McKinney Texas, just north of Dallas.

We use the awesome Motor Trike kits for all of our conversions and focus mostly on the Honda Goldwing for the trikes that we convert to sell. But we can convert most anything that comes in the door.

Our business plan initially was to search out good used bikes and convert them to trikes�using the Motor Trike kit. We select only those bikes that have been garaged and well maintained. There seems to be plenty of them around the north Texas area, so we can afford to be selective in our purchases and conversions.

One of the interesting dynamics of this process is that we get bikes with all sorts of accessories and modifications�and we generally pass them on to whomever purchases the converted trike. So we get to see trikes decked out in a variety of accessories.

One addition of chrome that we especially like is a front rotor cover. It tends to balance out the look of the additional mass of the back half of the trike. It comes either lighted or not. It is one of the more complex chrome additions, but certainly not impossible. It is not your basic snap-on trim. But You Tube covers the procedure as it does with so many similar accessories.

But what does seem to be impossible is finding one that will fit on a trike with an airbag. I have looked at most trim providers, and all seem to say �except for airbags�. There is a conflict between the rotor cover and the triggers for the airbag. There is a trigger on each front fork.

One customer really wanted the covers on his airbag trike and was willing to let me experiment. What I discovered was that the conflict was between the triggers for the airbag and the mounting points on the rotor cover�two holes on each side located on chromed plastic triangles that do not show after all is re-assembled. Cutting off the triangles does not show, yet reduces the number of attachment points. The remaining attachment points seem to be adequate since we have had no problems following this procedure. Use a fine hacksaw blade to remove the triangles, and only remove enough to remove the conflict.

So until next time, ride safe and check six.

Easy Rider Trikes�taking the elements out of riding.

CHASING RABBITS DOWN HOLES—ELECTRICAL SWITCHES

Hi. I�m Glenn from Easy Rider Trikes in McKinney Texas, just north of Dallas.

The Honda Goldwing is an engineering wonder�very detailed and very complex. I guess that is what I would expect from a company that also make very good cars. And like their cars, there are redundant systems with many inputs and safety features. The good news is that it makes the Goldwing a very dependable and safe ride. The bad news is that a failure is some small sub-system can create major problems.

Our business plan initially was to search out good used bikes and convert them to trikes�using the Motor Trike kit. But we will not purchase a bike that has not been garaged. Too many problems. And even a dirty switch can cause real issues.
For example, a failed kickstand switch or clutch switch can prevent the starter from working in any gear but neutral. And there are lots of other similar problems. A dirty kill switch can prevent the starter from working in any gear. A little time studying the wiring diagram in the service manual can point out the possibilities.

The very nature of riding will expose switches to the elements, and even tho� they are generally enclosed, they are seldom sealed. And our experience has shown that a good cleaning can fix many electrical issues of this type.

Experience has also taught us that these miniaturized switches can be difficult to access and even more difficult to replace�not to mention the expense. So here�s the cleaning process.

Use the wiring diagram and common sense to determine the switches that can fail your system.
Starting with the simplest and most convenient, one at a time, open the case as much as you can and blow out with an air hose.
Get a spray can of electrical contact cleaner from your hardware or automotive store and hose it down. Soak it good! Be sure to use lots of towels and plastic to protect painted surfaces, for you never know what all is in these solvents.
Blow it out with the air hose. What solvent the air hose doesn�t get will evaporate.
Try the switch. If it does not correct the problem, repeat and then go on to the next switch.

Hopefully, this will correct the issue. If you can access the guts of the switch, use a tiny piece of fine sand paper to clean the contact areas.

If you are handy with an ohmmeter or continuity tester, check the switch.

The Goldwing is a complex machine, and its systems depend on a variety of inputs.� Be patient and follow the wiring diagram to determine those inputs. Preventive maintenance is a good idea to prevent getting stuck out on the road somewhere. About once a year, go across the handlebars and clean all of the switches as discussed above. It can be time well spent.

During a Motor Trike conversion, the kick stand is removed, leaving the switch with a plastic tie to hold the switch in place. I recommend cutting the three wires to the switch, connecting the green wire and the green/white wire, and capping off the black/yellow wire. You can use connectors if you wish; I prefer soldering and heat shrink.

So until next time, ride safe and check six.

Easy Rider Trikes�taking the elements out of riding

TRIKE FRONT WHEEL SHIMMY

Hi. I am Glenn from Easy Rider Trikes in McKinney Texas, just north of Dallas.

On some of our conversions, including my own personal Goldwing trike, and on some of our walk-in customer trikes, I have encountered trikes with significant front wheel shimmy. It generally occurs on a road rough enough to give input to the steering�but not always. It can occur on any road surface�usually at slower speeds.

To test its seriousness, I take it out on a smooth expressway near our shop, stabilize the speed at about 30 mph, take my hands off the grips, and punch forward one of the grips with my fist. This gives an input jolt to the front wheel and fork assembly. What happens next tells me how bad it is. If the shimmy dies out immediately, it is stable and probably not a problem. If the shimmy stays at about the same rate or gets worse, and it can get a lot worse, then action is necessary to prevent damage to the tire and front fork assembly�not to mention rider comfort and control.

Mechanically, this is a very complex system, for there are many inputs�some under our control and some not. Using great simplification, we basically have a mass [the trike and its rider], a spring [the actions of the tires, springs and the frame flex], and dampening factors [shocks and natural stiffness of the trike parts]. Yes, greatly simplified�but adequate for this analysis.

Each of these factors [plus more] determines how the trike responds to an input such as a road bump or hitting the grip with your fist. And changing any of them will change the trike�s response�to some degree. Granted, many of these cannot be altered without great effort�so let�s start with the simple stuff.

The easiest fix [and this works in most cases] is to stiffen the tires�simply by adding more pressure. Tire pressure is something we tend to neglect�and we will pay for it. Blow up the front tire to 42 psi and the rear to 24 psi�just the reverse of each other as a memory trick, and take your trike for a test ride. This cures the issue most of the time�and it makes your trike more controllable�tighter in the turns. What we did was to take out some of the springiness by making the tires harder. It�s a quick solution with great results�in most cases.

Likewise, change the rear shock air pressure a bit to see if that makes any difference.

Now to take it a step further, add a commercially available bracket or fork brace that attaches to the fork tubes just above the fender. This will stiffen the front end and might reduce the flexibility. It is an easy installation.

And finally a solution that I don�t personally like. There is a steering damper [like a door closer or shock absorber] that dampens the steering motion between the frame and the fork. I don�t like adding anything that, if it fails, can prevent turning the fork for steering. Just a personal choice.

Beyond these three or four, there is little that can be done easily�like changing out the front tire, checking bearings in the front wheels and fork, checking the front wheel for damage, replacing shocks.

The very nature of having three wheels as opposed to two presents its own set of coupling problems�where one issue causes another. If you are old enough to remember Fords with a solid front axle where a bounce of one front tire would alter the camber of the other tire [since both are tied together with a solid axle] and would give steering input. It was called bump steer. One major advantage of the Motor Trike independent rear end and suspension is that it removes much of the coupling between bumps and control. If you ever ride a trike with a solid rear axle, you will feel the difference. The independent rear end provides a better ride with more control.

So if front end shimmy is your problem, first blow up the tires to 42 psi front and 24 psi rear. And maybe change the air pressure in the rear shock. Then try the bracket. If this doesn�t do the job, it may be time for a trade-in�and maybe we can help.

Easy Rider Trikes�taking the elements out of riding