3 wheeled contraptions and discussion - Page 7 - Cut-Weld-Drive Forums

**J_J_** · June 13th, 2008, 09:38 PM

I had a 3 legged cat awhile back she got around great had lots of kittens...

Back in the late 80's there was a company that made a 3 wheeler I thought it was called the Trihawk but I cant find anything on it now! they used vw front end with a honda goldwing drivetrain and glass body naturally but it rode nice was a blast, they were demoing it at a convention and got to take it through a parkinglot road corse.. most bitchen!

HeidelbergJohn4.0 · June 14th, 2008, 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J_J_

I had a 3 legged cat awhile back she got around great had lots of kittens...

Back in the late 80's there was a company that made a 3 wheeler I thought it was called the Trihawk but I cant find anything on it now! they used vw front end with a honda goldwing drivetrain and glass body naturally but it rode nice was a blast, they were demoing it at a convention and got to take it through a parkinglot road corse.. most bitchen!

Ask and ye shall receive!

http://www.designmassif.com/trihawk/

http://www.3wheelers.com/trihawk.html

Actually What you are referring to was the FireAero designed by the same person, Dave Stollery. The Trihawk was front wheel drive, whereas the Fire-Aeros used a complete motorcycle for the drive.

http://www.3wheelers.com/fireaero.html

**J_J_** · June 14th, 2008, 10:50 AM

yeah they werent real pretty but it was a kick, Always wanted to build something like it for street and mild off road and set up so when you made a turn the back wheel would pivot/ lean into the turn, another thought never to see the light of day....

The Magicians Eye · June 14th, 2008, 01:12 PM

fungus · June 14th, 2008, 06:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J_J_

I had a 3 legged cat awhile back she got around great had lots of kittens...

Back in the late 80's there was a company that made a 3 wheeler I thought it was called the Trihawk but I cant find anything on it now! they used vw front end with a honda goldwing drivetrain and glass body naturally but it rode nice was a blast, they were demoing it at a convention and got to take it through a parkinglot road corse.. most bitchen!

The trihawk was actually based off a citroen front end. I'd have to agree, they were an awesome car. I think 82% of the weight was distributed on the front axle, so the center of gravity was low and on the end w/ 2 wheels.

I've got an article in Popular Mechanics on it when it was first produced if you'd like me to scan it and post up. They were eventually bought out by Harley Davidson, so you might be able to ask pretty please and get the original blueprints for it. I've seriously considered making one many times using the front end out of some small front wheel drive car and the rear of a motorcycle. Maybe after I get done with roxanne and the El Camino.

It'd be really fuel efficient and safe!

Steve White · June 14th, 2008, 07:28 PM

I've had this link on my site for ever and always wanted to build something using this method. If it wasn't for our f'd up reg's about what is and isn't a motorcycle/trike I'd have likely done it years ago. http://www.rqriley.com/frp-foam.htm

mkparker · June 14th, 2008, 08:08 PM

Dadgum! I go on a Bug parts junket and you guys start throwin' handfuls of poo at each other! I do like a spirited discussion though and more to the point, with Doc's indulgence.

Quote:

It's kind of a sad sight with no body on it.

Yeah, but so is she!!

Opps..that's waaay too many wheels!!

OK back on topic, check out this one from Buck Rog...oh not Buck Rogers, but Lehigh Valley Choppers

Extremely well designed, but the body hurts my eyes. This one is better with it's clothes off!

The Magicians Eye · June 15th, 2008, 12:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mkparker

OK back on topic, check out this one from Buck Rog...oh not Buck Rogers, but Lehigh Valley Choppers

Extremely well designed, but the body hurts my eyes. This one is better with it's clothes off!

Now that thing kicks ass! Now this is a top dollar machine! This is what I expect to see when someone tells me they spent $50,000 or more on some sort of vehicle. Honestly I'd expect to have to pay more for this level of engineering and craftsmanship. You don’t get much better than this as far as quality is concerned.

hal · June 23rd, 2008, 10:33 AM

oakie power three wheeler

**J_J_** · June 23rd, 2008, 12:03 PM

Sweet I'll take Two !

HeidelbergJohn4.0 · June 23rd, 2008, 02:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fungus

The trihawk was actually based off a citroen front end. I'd have to agree, they were an awesome car. I think 82% of the weight was distributed on the front axle, so the center of gravity was low and on the end w/ 2 wheels.

I've got an article in Popular Mechanics on it when it was first produced if you'd like me to scan it and post up. They were eventually bought out by Harley Davidson, so you might be able to ask pretty please and get the original blueprints for it. I've seriously considered making one many times using the front end out of some small front wheel drive car and the rear of a motorcycle. Maybe after I get done with roxanne and the El Camino.

It'd be really fuel efficient and safe!

Here is an engine pic. It hangs waay out front.

Graham1728 · June 23rd, 2008, 04:49 PM

Just thought I would add mine to the mix. I just got the R1 motor running this weekend. hope to drive in a month or two

motherlodephoto · June 23rd, 2008, 05:35 PM

If Im not mistaken, TriHawk was bought out by Harley Davidson in the 80's and they just let it die.

fungus · June 23rd, 2008, 06:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by motherlodephoto

If Im not mistaken, TriHawk was bought out by Harley Davidson in the 80's and they just let it die.

Quote:

The trihawk was actually based off a citroen front end. I'd have to agree, they were an awesome car. I think 82% of the weight was distributed on the front axle, so the center of gravity was low and on the end w/ 2 wheels. I've got an article in Popular Mechanics on it when it was first produced if you'd like me to scan it and post up. They were eventually bought out by Harley Davidson, so you might be able to ask pretty please and get the original blueprints for it. I've seriously considered making one many times using the front end out of some small front wheel drive car and the rear of a motorcycle.

a-hem

CThomas715 · June 23rd, 2008, 08:13 PM

check this out. It looks fun

Here's a link to the main page. http://www.flytheroad.com/
It's unfortunate it'll cost an arm and leg if it ever makes it to production.

trikertroy · June 24th, 2008, 05:54 AM

Hey!!... MY trike gets 1000mpg at 200mph... It doesnt exsist yet either...

HeidelbergJohn4.0 · June 24th, 2008, 04:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by motherlodephoto

If Im not mistaken, TriHawk was bought out by Harley Davidson in the 80's and they just let it die.

You're not. They bought it and killed it off and put it into mothballs. The guy that runs the page I put up knows the whole long story. Longer story short, they have had their own reverse trike design for quite a while but it's a bike not a car.

Steve White · June 28th, 2008, 02:24 PM

A guy has setup a Facebook group and if you join it you might win a T-Rex.

I was going though the pix and reading the comments and apparently there are some big things coming out of T-Rex. For example they are releasing a fully electric Rex and apparently it has pretty much the same performance spec's as the gas one. It was also interesting to note that all of this activity is going on in Quebec and Toronto. The company has only listed itself in the press and stuff as an U.S.company since jumping the border but obviously the Quebec parent company is alive and kicking arse.

I'm also glad to see that the classic looking Rex is still being made and sold vs. that fugly thing that was posted earlier in this thread.

**J_J_** · June 28th, 2008, 02:41 PM

giveaway ends when they get 1 million people to join? so how much are they selling the information of those who join for? I'm sure it's enough to cover the cost of a couple of t rex's

Steve White · June 28th, 2008, 07:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J_J_

giveaway ends when they get 1 million people to join? so how much are they selling the information of those who join for? I'm sure it's enough to cover the cost of a couple of t rex's

Its facebook, people only see what you want them to see and joining a group doesn't change that.

mkparker · June 29th, 2008, 12:42 PM

The Cirbin - T Rex merge mentioned earlier by JohnH.

Campagna Motors

Yummy!

The Magicians Eye · June 30th, 2008, 03:24 AM

I kind of like the V13R. It's a little funky as far as the shape and design goes but I still kind of like it. What I find odd is that this one is $10,000 less than the T-Rex but it seems to be more refined. I still have to say both of these are still over priced though. $40,000 for a base model is a bit hard to swallow. They need to figure out a way to bring the price down to the mid or low 20s if they really want these to sell well. The concept of a wheeled car/bike isn't going to be an easy thing to sell in high numbers here in the US unless they make the deal too tempting to pass up. Speed and performance won't sell these all by them selves. The market for people that buy vehicle based on speed and performance only is very small. There are so many other factors that your average customers will have to consider. Most people will over look the idea of buying one of these at the first site of the price tag. One of the first things people ask when seeing something odd like this is, "how much do they cost?" I suspect many people will say that thing is bad ass but way out of my price range and then move on.

mkparker · June 30th, 2008, 05:18 AM

Both of the above vehicles are way bad ass, but way out of my price range!!

Like that?

I'm gonna keep dreamin' though!

HeidelbergJohn4.0 · June 30th, 2008, 06:16 AM

Now they basically have the equivalent of a sport bike and custom cruiser product line. Different strokes for different folks. I'll stick with the T-rex design and performance.

What I always found interesting was a new vehicle which was basically a T-Rex with roll hoops instead of the lateral bars forming the roll cage showed up on the Campagna webside a few years ago, powerec by a 110" S&S motor, then it dissappeared just as quickly. Shortly afterwards the Cirbin company showed up with their original roadster, almost identical to the topless t-rex but with a less attractive body.

I suspect a large portion of the difference in price is between buying engines straight from Harley and a using a typical off the shelf V twin style transmission and using custom wiring and electricals, vs buying and stripping complete ZX14's from Kawasaki for the mechanicals and electronics on the T-Rex and then adding in the the cost of the reverse gearbox.

I know from talking to the dealer in Baltimore that most if not all of the T-rex's sold by the dealer in Maryland were originally and (probably not so legally) titled as Kawasaki ZX-14's, not T-rex's. Maryland's vehicle code didn't allow such a wheel arrangement as a Motorcycle or a car, even though the feds do, and people actually had their titles yanked last year until a new vehicle type was passed. He was kind of suprised that I knew about it but confirmed all of that was true. I've been told it was recently passed, but I haven't seen it myself.

trikertroy · June 30th, 2008, 06:43 AM

A lot of VW trikers use the title of the motorcycle neck as their title.. I know this is NOT the way to be legal,, but the cops/DMV etc dont catch the problem except for a few unlucky folks...I put all my Bettertrikes thru the DMV process changing them from a car to a ASPT motorcycle title...(assembled from parts)...When the cops are in my mirror, I dont worry at all,,, being completely legal is a VERY good thing...