Tricycle Motorcycles
Tricycle motorcycles are a unique but popular alternative vehicle. They run on 3 wheels, hence the ‘tri’ part of the name. Trike motorcycles (or Trike for short) come in 2 main formats. 2 wheels in the rear (known as a delta configuration) with 1 wheel in the front. Or 2 wheels in the front and one in the rear, which is known as a Tadpole design.
The tadpole design is less common and more difficult to design. Due to the centrifugal forces when rotating, they are not usually well balanced either, so it is usually professional companies that address this design. The Delta style is much more popular for homemade custom trikes.
A homemade trike traditionally has a motorcycle front end (motorcycle forks, 1 wheel, 1 headlight, fork suspension) and a custom rear end often modified from a small car chassis, to include 2 rear wheels, bench seat and adequate suspension.
A tricycle motorcycle has no roof (like a Reliant Robin) and is not a motorcycle with a sidecar. There is often confusion in the definition of 3-wheelers, but you normally recognize a trike when you see one, as they are quite different from other 3-wheelers.
Tricycles are not sold in large quantities because they have a fair amount of negative points about them. Both compared to a car and a motorcycle. Motorcycles are out in the open, which feels good, but leaves the driver vulnerable compared to a car where they are protected inside a large metal box. A tricycle is similar to a motorcycle in this respect. Because they do not lean to turn like a motorcycle, they are generally a bit more stable, although drivers often do not have a motorcycle helmet. Cars have the disadvantage of being large and therefore cannot go through traffic jams like a motorcycle. Because half of a trike has a 2-wheel base, they also have this disadvantage.
As such, Trikes will likely stay away from the mainstream and remain owned and manufactured by eccentric enthusiasts who want something a little different and stand out from the crowd.
