Reverse Trike

Nitrotate · Dec 2, 2009

What’s up guys? I haven’t been around here much because I’ve been so damn busy at work and home but I figured I would share what has been taking up all my time at home lately…

I’m building a reverse trike. I managed to get my hands on a Yamaha FJR 1300 for the powerplant!!! This thing’s going to move pretty good!

Here’s the pictures, I’ll keep adding to them as I progress, I’m moving pretty fast really. I built the frame and connected the motorcycle in about 5 days.

I’ll be working on the roll bar and front suspension in the next couple weeks.

Here’s the bike I got, it was only wrecked in the front end, everything else is fine and it starts and runs perfect!

Here’s the frame:

…continued on next page…

Here is the bike connected to the frame, I still have to do the support bars back to the bike and the roll bar etc.

Duff · Dec 2, 2009

Well, I think this is a first... at least on the forum. I don't ever recall anyone making a trike (forward or reverse) out of an FJR. It is taking an interesting shape, I look forward to seeing it progress.

Good luck!

By the way... why did you make the front-end so long? Any conceptual drawings to give us an idea what you are shooting for?

wfooshee · Dec 2, 2009

^^^ My question, too. I was expecting something CanAm Spyder-ish, rider using the FJR seat, but this looks like a car with an FJR instead of a rear axle, room for 2 people side-by-side in that frame. I'm worried about cornering dynamics as long and wide as that is. I'm also worried about how much weight that swingarm is gonna be expected to carry.

Something that size, I think I'd rather just bolt the FJR motor into the back, drive a conventional diff off the shaft and use a conventional rear suspension.

Keep us posted, I'd like to know how this goes!

Leskid · Dec 2, 2009

what I'm struggling with is: how is that frame attached to the bike? Only at the steering head?

I think I need to go back to school

but way cool! I want to see more!

bikesniffer · Dec 2, 2009

Looking forward to the finished product...

did you ever check this puppy out?

https://www.grinnallcars.com/content/home/scorpion_III.html

Alfred

Khunajawdge · Dec 2, 2009

or this Campagna T-Rex?

Nitrotate · Dec 2, 2009

Duff said:
Well, I think this is a first... at least on the forum. I don't ever recall anyone making a trike (forward or reverse) out of an FJR. It is taking an interesting shape, I look forward to seeing it progress.
Good luck!

By the way... why did you make the front-end so long? Any conceptual drawings to give us an idea what you are shooting for?

I'll try to get some conceptual stuff for you guys to see but it will accomodate 2 passengers side by side.

wfooshee said:
^^^ My question, too. I was expecting something CanAm Spyder-ish, rider using the FJR seat, but this looks like a car with an FJR instead of a rear axle, room for 2 people side-by-side in that frame. I'm worried about cornering dynamics as long and wide as that is. I'm also worried about how much weight that swingarm is gonna be expected to carry.
Something that size, I think I'd rather just bolt the FJR motor into the back, drive a conventional diff off the shaft and use a conventional rear suspension.

Keep us posted, I'd like to know how this goes!

It's much easier to just connect the bike, less build time, supplies and calculations. Lot's of people have done it. Most of the weight (planned) should be toward the front for better stability so the rear won't take as much as you might think. The wheel base will be approximately 122" and should corner like a sports car. Here is a trike that a guy built with almost the exact same concept and dimensions: https://www.mride.se/The_T42_turbo.html

Leskid said:
what I'm struggling with is: how is that frame attached to the bike? Only at the steering head?
I think I need to go back to school

but way cool! I want to see more!

LOL, yeah I mentioned up above, it's not done being attached yet, I still have to run brace bars back to the bike as well as up to the roll bar (not done yet). I'll post more pics as I go and you'll get a better idea.

bikesniffer said:
Looking forward to the finished product...
did you ever check this puppy out?

https://www.grinnallcars.com/content/home/scorpion_III.html

Alfred

Yep, that's a lot like what I'm building also.

Khunajawdge said:
or this Campagna T-Rex?

Yeah the T-Rex is the first reverse trike I ever saw a year or two ago and what inspired me to start this project.

ALDAWG · Dec 2, 2009

Good luck, I hope you don't get hurt with that thing...

rickysnickers · Dec 2, 2009

Khunajawdge said:
or this Campagna T-Rex?

I saw one of those on the road last week and wondered what it was. It was really pretty cool looking. The thing sounded awesome too!!

Rick

nofreeride · Dec 3, 2009

Good job, Nitrotate. You are making quick progress. For those who are not yet fully educated, there are actually many home-built reverse trikes out there, along with some plans, kits, and turnkey models.

See:

https://reversetrike.com/home.html

And:

https://www.3wheelers.com/enter.html

Finally:

https://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/reversetrike/

This one requires membership but has a lot of photos and good information.

Since the first thing many people bring up when hearing about trikes is their concern for handling and potential rollovers, here is a link to a great technical article:

https://www.rqriley.com/3-wheel.htm

A well-designed reverse trike (two wheels forward) can have great handling. Nitro, I mentioned to you before that I've had this idea for some time, so I will be following this closely. Since the finished product will be quite a bit heavier than the FJR, have you thought about a reverse gear or how you would implement it?

Nitrotate · Dec 3, 2009

nofreeride said:
Good job, Nitrotate. You are making quick progress. For those who are not yet fully educated, there are actually many home-built reverse trikes out there, along with some plans, kits, and turnkey models.
See:

https://reversetrike.com/home.html

And:

https://www.3wheelers.com/enter.html

Finally:

https://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/reversetrike/

This one requires membership but has a lot of photos and good information.

Since the first thing many people bring up when hearing about trikes is their concern for handling and potential rollovers, here is a link to a great technical article:

https://www.rqriley.com/3-wheel.htm

A well-designed reverse trike (two wheels forward) can have great handling. Nitro, I mentioned to you before that I've had this idea for some time, so I will be following this closely. Since the finished product will be quite a bit heavier than the FJR, have you thought about a reverse gear or how you would implement it?

Thanks for the compliments. Yeah I'm still kicking around ideas for the reverse gear, I have an electric winch that I'll probably use. Most guys will build a sprocket that drops down on the chain but since the FJR is a shaft drive I'll have to be a little more creative...

I'll keep posting here as I go for you guys. Hopefully nobody critisizes my designing too much... I'm not an engineer and this is my first trike... LOL

I'm having the roll bar bent tonight or tomorrow night and then the next set of pictures will show it and the rest of the supports that go back to the bike. Then I can get plugging on the front suspension.

madmike2 · Dec 5, 2009

You'll want to change the back tire to a car tire. Here are links to threads about car tires that fit the FJR whel/frame.

https://www.fjrforum.com/forum//index.php?s...amp;hl=darkside

https://www.fjrforum.com/forum//index.php?s...amp;hl=darkside

k7lvo · Dec 5, 2009

Here's another interesting project.

https://nortonshrike.com/the_story_of_the_shrike.html

PDX Rider · Dec 5, 2009

See I would love to see something like this,

https://www.cycleworld.com/article.asp?sect...article_id=1065

done with an FJR.... Mind you I am biased since that is what i currently own, and ride every day. When you are riding it, you cannot tell they are there, and you can still scrape the center stand.. first time I scraped it, it scared the **** out of me.

dll · Dec 5, 2009

I took a long ride on the spyder touring model the other day, pretty interesting and absolutely terrific for carrying a 2nd person, otherwise I was happy to be back on two wheels ...

Very cool pics!

Pepperell · Dec 6, 2009

A few trikes showed up in Lowell, MA this summer for Tuesday Motorcycle Nite. Link to Photo bucket for Hi Res Pics

Nitrotate · Dec 8, 2009

Here's a few things I got done this weekend. Got the roll bard bent and in place and some of the bracing back to the bike done.

Nitrotate · Dec 14, 2009

Ok latest update, I got all the support bars built, mounted and fully welded on. I made sure that the bike would detach before I welded them in place permanently. Got the bike all perfectly square and true. In these pictures the bike’s rear suspension is holding it in place and I can get inside and jump up and down to move the suspension. The only issue I have is the ground clearance is a bit less than expected so I’m going to have to raise the rear suspension up an inch or two. So if any of you have any good cheap tricks to raise the rear end of an FJR, PLEASE SHARE!!!!

Woohoo! Making progress! Now on to the front suspension…

user 213 · Dec 14, 2009

Nitrotate said:
The only issue I have is the ground clearance is a bit less than expected so I’m going to have to raise the rear suspension up an inch or two. So if any of you have any good cheap tricks to raise the rear end of an FJR, PLEASE SHARE!!!!

Meissner dogbones, or Hyperpro raising kit. Both make lowering and raising kits. All they are is different lengths of the dogbones in the rear suspension. Easy enough to fabricate too. Shorter dogbones = higher rear ride height. Typically 5/8 to 3/4" translates to an inch of ride height change from what the lowering folks have said. Search on lowering+links+how to and you should get some hits.

Also check out the Darkside FAQ in the FJR FAQ section for info about running a car tire on the rear. Certainly applicable to your project.

Reverse Trike

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