Here’s another example of a tilting 3 wheeler. This one is for sale on eBay and is based on a Pagsta, which is a small Chinese based motorcycle. This bike was built as a proof of concept for a custom bike and, according to the builder, it works, so he’s selling this and going the 3 wheel custom route.
Over a year ago I asked if tilting 3 wheelers might be a new direction for custom builders and, sure enough, more are starting to show up. The tilting 3 wheel V-max was one recent example and in that case and this one, the front end is made in a way that it could be added or adapted to a wide variety of different motorcycles.
The front end on this 3 wheeler is not finished to show quality, it’s just built to figure out how to make everything move correctly but the many photos he has on the site seem to show a well engineered idea.
This could be an interesting year. I would bet there are more than a few tilting 3 wheelers under construction and they’ll start showing up at custom shows and in the magazines. This one could also be an idea generator for the more mechanically inclined among you. Interesting.
Link: auction has ended
christopher says
i like this. i REALLY like the simplicity. what i don’t like is that maximum lean appears to be only a few degrees. won’t stop you from looking cool going down the road. but it will probably kill the fun if you decide to crank up the speed at all. maybe the fully built final version will have more lean angle. . .
Wolly says
I agree with the lean angle comment but it looks like there may be a bit of a twisting moment where the vertical member attaches to the suspension arm. I don’t know how long it is going to stay that way. Attached i mean. BUT I am really fascinated with the possibility of the grip a reverse trike could offer. Does going fast on a motor cycle mean always having to be on the limit of adhesion?
Wolly says
A hydraulic 3 wheel drive reverse trike would be interesting.
Wolly says
of course it would have to be diesel and tilting!
Walt says
Using a single shock/spring unit is an interesting idea — I wonder if that affects the independent operation of the wishbones (a bump on one side would tend to cause the other side to lift)? Can’t really see from the photos how he’s got the setup attached to the bike. I’d like to see video of how these bikes deal with nasty situations, like a diagonal railroad crossing, an oil patch, sand on the road, etc. If they can prevent a front end wipeout that would be a real benefit.
chirstopher says
walt – the way this system is set up i would imagine that hitting a bump on one side would actually tend to push the other side onto the ground even harder. giving you more grip on the tire on flat ground. a good thing. of course i’ve never ridden the thing so that’s just my assumption.
Walt says
Christopher
You’re right — it appears this design would transfer upward force on one wheel into downward force on the opposite wheel, thus increasing the tendency to push the chassis (the bike itself) upward even more. This is opposite to what an anti-sway bar in a car would do. What effect this would have on vehicle dynamics, especially in a tilting vehicle, I don’t know. I’m no chassis engineer. My head hurts now and I must go lie down.
Sean says
See if this thing had a slightly older looking headlight, you would have your steampunk tilting reverse trike. Amazingly cool.
BikerVoodoo says
So does this work exactly like the Piaggio MP3 or is something different?
chris says
does anyone know the builder or of any close up pics of the front suspension i am currently building a dirt version of this and really would like to see the setup better
chris says
to me it looks like all he did was weld uprights to the lower a arms connocting them to a singl shock can you see anything more?
chris says
well i figured it out. however instead of having those huge uprights stickin out lookin ugly i just mounted my shock 3 inches above the lower a arms and it gives a much more stable feel than having it way up high also looks a lot cleaner