This home built electric reverse trike (electrike?) showed up for sale and at first I passed it right by, but then I stopped, thought about it for a bit and took another look. As I kept going over the photos, I was more and more impressed by how well it was done while at the same time it isn’t overly complex. Then the wheels started turning in my mind.
Being a three wheeler, it’s classified as a motorcycle so it’s a lot easier to get registered and because it’s a three wheeler, there’s more room to carry batteries. A relatively simple tube frame is covered by fiberglass and ABS plastic panels, which means the body doesn’t have any difficult sheet metal or composites to form. The front suspension is from a Mazda Miata and the rear subframe and driveline is from a Honda Shadow, so it’s registered as a custom Honda Shadow although many other motorcycles could be used for the donor driveline.
Keep looking and you see the simplicity of it. Compared to an ICE powered trike, you have far fewer moving parts, an advantage all electrics have, and the complete build looks more and more like a project a less experienced builder could attempt with greater chances of success. Without all of the gas and oil and hydraulic fluids plus the associated plumbing the project is cleaner in the garage and from concept to completion you’re possibly looking at a lot less time than with a conventional build. You will still, however, need to do some welding.
According to the seller of this trike, it has a range of about 50 miles, nothing to write home about, but perfectly fine for a little short range runabout, and he charges it on 110 volts at home overnight. He says it gets up to highway speeds, but of course, your range will decrease a lot faster if you do that for very long. Range could probably be improved with different batteries, but that would be something not too difficult to modify after the fact. You pop open the panels, swap batteries, maybe make some other changes to the controller or motor and you’re off. This trike was completed in 2013 so the technology probably could be updated and improved if someone was starting fresh on another one today.
The point here is that these “electrikes” could be a great way for a novice builder to get started with something that takes him or her out onto the road, putting a substantial and usable project into their portfolio of completed builds. It increases their knowledge of electric vehicles and all of the associated technology, it builds their skills used in the process itself, preparing them for a bigger project later plus they gain a lot of confidence from carrying it through from start to finish. It’s something they can show to all of their friends and the inevitable crowd that will gather when they park it and feel the pride in being able to say, “I built that.” What’s not to like?
Whether you’re a fan of electric vehicles or not, you have to admit there’s a lot of potential here. Not so big it’s too intimidating to start, not so small and easy that anyone could do it, it really is a right sized project. Kinda makes you think, doesn’t it? I like it.
The electric reverse trike shown above is for sale on eBay.
UPDATE: I added this photo for those who think home built reverse trikes have to be simple or boring. Here’s a 3 wheeler designed for a combination of diesel and electric which is capable of running on either alone. It’s the XR3 hybrid designed by Robert Q. Riley and I think it looks really sweet. Now there’s a garage project that would be worth building.
Felipe Zapata says
Don’t think I’d like driving with two monster batteries that close to my private parts. Other than that, it looks great.
Paul Crowe says
There are a number of things that could be done to improve this particular trike according to a builder’s own ideas, but that’s not the point I was making, it’s the idea that it’s a doable project for a wide range of builders. Someone else might locate the batteries in a different place or use a different type of battery altogether. That’s the beauty of something like this and moving batteries is no more difficult, maybe even easier than relocating a gas tank in a conventional build.
By the way, where is that battery on a motorcycle, right under the seat? Close to what? How about that tank full of flammable liquid you’re wrapping your knees around? The chances of the batteries doing anything more dangerous than the gas tank on your conventional bike is about the same, I’d guess. People will get used to batteries the same way they got used to gasoline.
Patrick Michael Hayes says
Touche! I dread the leg wrap every time I ride. Straddling a mobile explosion!
Any update on the subject trike?
stinger says
A good place to put your cigarette whilst putting on your driving gloves 🙂
Eric says
Very cool! Now if only reverse trikes were more popular! 😎
Paul Crowe says
I see a lot of Can Am Roadsters and a few Slingshots around in my neck of the woods. Again, think of this as a potential build for someone starting out as a builder, not as a reverse trike or even an electric vehicle. It’s a gateway project and a good way to learn about electric drive technology which is definitely growing.
And look at the photo of the XR3 I’ve added in the article above. Think that might make reverse trikes more popular for some folks? Looks pretty cool, doesn’t it?
Patrick Hayes says
Consider it a GATEWAY project. Certainly something to tackle with the advent of maker spaces like The Crucible in Oakland, CA, http://www.thecrucible.org
Build on people!
scritch says
Those batteries need to be up front to keep the weight close to the pair of wheels. Trikes get too unstable as the weight moves to the single wheel. I wouldn’t be any more afraid of the thing with or without the batteries where they are; the trike is dangerous enough no matter where they are. I bet it’s a hoot!
Paul Crowe says
If smaller lithium battery packs were used, you could build a large flat battery under the floor like a Tesla.
Sebastian says
A lot of projects are do-able if you take them in small chunks and start with the ‘easy’ bits, building your skills as you go. That’s how I ended up building my own Hossack front end. IMO the key is just to figure out a way to test your work with controlled loads at appropriate safety margins. Would be nice to see an article on that, is something I have NEVER seen discussed on any customization site. Instead people depend on “experts” to say if tubing is thick enough, welds “look good”, etc.
Build and test, good enough for the Russian space program!
Paul Crowe says
True. Big projects don’t get done all at once, it’s one step at a time, but the point I’ve been making here with electric vehicles is the less complex build due to fewer moving parts gives the less experienced builder a (potentially) shorter build time until the project is finished and on the road. So many projects are abandoned before being finished and anything that helps get something substantial out of the shop builds skills and confidence to take on a more complex build later on. A builder with the discipline to stick with it no matter what can start a project of any size at all.
Patrick Hayes says
My daughter asked for a motorcycle a few years back. I could not say NO, so i told her she had to build one. Cumulative tasks Will equate to a full build, in time.
This keeps my mom happy (she is aa she is a definate NO WAY!), and I didn’t say NO.
Matt Gibbs says
Paul, Thank you for writing your article on my Electric Reverse Trike. It was a fun build and even more fun to drive. I added LED remote control lights under it for night shows. No booming stereo though… But that would be cool. You’re right about the goal of ‘simplicity’. It possesses normal and reasonable performance that keeps the driver safe while retaining the fun and ease of operation. The pedals are on an electrically adjustable plate to accommodate drivers of varying heights. I’ve relisted it on EBay. My hangar (where I do my fabricating and storage) is way too full so I need to sell it. Thanks, Matt