Here is that Motor Trike Article...
Default Wing Ding & Reverse Trikes
Wing Ding & Reverse Trikes
Reverse trikes are starting to share the limelight. Besides a number of Spyders running around the campground, parking lots, and the town of Billings, there were three different reverse trike conversions being shown.
Motor Trikes has a conversion for both the Goldwing and the VTX700 (I think it is). The latter one was discussed here just a couple of weeks ago. They had three Goldwing RTs and one VTX RT available for demo rides. I dinked around and didn't get signed up for a ride since owning one is a non-starter for me. But I wish I would have just to see how it compares to the Spyder RTS. The four RT demo units were booked solid every day from Wednesday to Saturday. That, to me, indicates the interest out there in the reverse trike configuration.
I attended a seminar given by the owner of Motor Trikes. His topic was, "2 in the back or 2 in the front?" When I asked about hard engineering data or objective studies comparing the two configurations he said that would cost me about $100,000. Obviously they have spent a lot of money developing the RT and aren't about to freely talk about the engineering behind it. He rode a Spyder shortly after they came out and didn't like the way Nanny controlled things. He also could see that the reverse trike was the wave of the future, so he set about developing a conversion for the Goldwing that would provide a top notch riding experience. For a performance comparison he cited a highway curve with a reverse camber signed at 40 or 45 mph near their factory. A two wheel Wing, and the conventional trike, can take the curve easily at 65. He took his reverse trike around it at about 82 mph. His son, who is either braver or dumber, I don't know which, rode the reverse trike around the curve at 87 mph! As for cost the kit is about the same as the conventional trike but installation labor is about 1/2 as much. The front wheel track is a bit narrower than the Spyder.
In real life the coffin design doesn't look as bad as it does in the photos, but that still ain't sayin' much! I talked to one Goldwing rider who just came back from taking the RT for a ride. He was impressed how easily it steered. It had more sway than he liked. But he was impressed enough he is considering it a real option when he's ready to move from two wheels.
Hannigan had one reverse trike available for demoes and it was booked solid. I didn't pay too much attention to it other than the nose looks kind of like their sidecar and better than the Motor Trike version.
The third one, and one that's been discussed here, is the Tilting Motor Works conversion. There were no demo bikes available, but he had a Goldwing, an F6B, and a Harley there. The owner rode the just now finished F6B from Seattle to the show. I went to a seminar put on by the owner, Bob Mighell. From the way he talked his development was keep building and revising until he had a unit that performed like he wanted, which is to duplicate the two wheel riding experience. His unit for the Goldwing looks impressive. It is narrower than the other two conversions and Spyder. It also has less body, and to me, blends in better to the Goldwing shape. The TMW conversion will allow the Wing rider to tilt far enough to scrape pegs. I asked about the gyroscopic effect of the two wheels compared to a single wheel. He said it is a little bit more and provides absolutely true counter steering. Currently his conversion disables ABS braking but he's working to develop an ABS controller that will enable ABS braking. He offers an option that will automatically hydraulically upright the bike at parking lot speeds and stopped.
If anyone wants to seriously stick with a Goldwing, but wants the stability of the three wheel configuration I suggest you take a close hard look at the TMW unit. All three conversions are in the $10k to $13k price range.
According to what the Motor Trikes owner said, Honda's banner year for Goldwing sales was 2008 with about 12,000 units sold. The recession hurt them, as did the introduction of the Spyder. Sales last year were about 3,000 units, a 75% drop. I talked to a Honda rep who is the sales manager for power sports for WY, MT, and the Dakotas, plus maybe some more. I asked him about the Neowing. He said, "What's that?" He did not know Honda had a leaning three wheel concept vehicle out for show. He said Honda puts out many iterations and variations of new products to gauge public reception before they finally decide what, if any, new product they will produce. So the Neowing may still prove to nothing more than a pipe dream.
