TRIKE LIFE IS THE NEW BIKE LIFE

As motorcycle riders are getting older, the question arises am I getting too old to ride a motorcycle?  That is a question as you get up there in age, you may need to ask yourself. Statistics show that many motorcycle riders give up riding from age 60 to 80.  There are still many riders in this age range, but in general, riders sell their motorcycles or let them gather dust.

Why do older people stop riding?  Physical, mental, and general health are big factors to consider when riding a motorcycle.  Your body will tell you when you are too old to ride a motorcycle.  The age varies; I have met guys riding into their 80s, while I know others who sold their motorcycles when they hit age 50.

Your physical condition significantly impacts your proficiency in riding a motorcycle.   You cannot ride a bike, safely, if you have a serious medical condition that impairs your mobility, reaction time, and your vision.

Mental health plays a major role in your ability to ride a motorcycle.  Riding under the influence of drugs or alcohol is a recipe for disaster.  Dementia, lack of concentration, and age-related mental illnesses are clear warning signs you need to stop riding for your safety and the safety of others.

When is it time to stop riding, see if any of these apply:

• A rise in the number of close calls.
• Feeling fatigued as well as unstable all the time for no obvious reason.
• Easily forgetting places or getting lost while riding on the road.
• Delay response times.
• Feeling apprehensive as well as uneasy before or during a ride. And if you are unsure about your capacity to react quickly if anything sudden occurs.
• Staying present as well as conscious of your environment is difficult.
• If you have poor eyesight, then it will be difficult for you to navigate at night time.
• Consistency and concentration issues.
• It is difficult for you to get on as well as get off your motorcycle.
• If you fall over your motorcycle regularly and are unable to retrieve it.
• Have trouble keeping your line or remaining in your lane.
• If you hear from others, not just your family, that you should stop riding.
• At high speeds, it can be difficult to notice traffic signs and lights.
• Reduced ability to evaluate vehicle distances and distances at corners as well as slopes.
• Conserving balance while traveling at an idler speed or while settling on your motorcycle is hard.

This blog says it is about Trike Motorcycles, you are probably asking why I am being told I am too old to ride.

Let us say you are getting older, but you still want to ride.  There is an option between two and four wheels, you can opt for three wheels.  A Trike motorcycle can give you the freedom and feeling you had riding a motorcycle, but give you the added safety and comfort you might be looking for as you age.

A trike motorcycle is a 3-wheel motorcycle with 3 distinct wheel tracks. Some trikes feature dual wheels in the front, while others have 2 wheels in the back. Like a 2-wheel motorcycle, trikes will also have handlebars to steer and a saddle for the rider and passengers. The engine is positioned in the center of the trike under the rider.  Most older motorcycle riders tend to choose a Trike with the two wheels in the rear.  New riders, if interested in a trike, tend to pick a trike with two wheels in the front.

We will focus on a Trike Motorcycle with two wheels in the back. Harley Davidson offers three models of Trike Motorcycles.  The Free Wheeler, the Road Glide 3, and the Tri Glide Ultra for those who really want added comfort and style.  A new Harley Trike start at $30,000 and can go up to as much as $50,000 for the ultimate custom trike.

You have the motorcycle of your dreams and do not want to break the bank for a new Trike.  You are in luck, most V-Twin motorcycles can be converted into a Trike Motorcycle.  There are Trike companies who specialize in doing these conversations.  The average cost, depending on the motorcycle being converted, can run you $10,000 to $20,000 to go from two wheels to three wheels.

The advantages of riding a Trike Motorcycle:

• Greater comfort, more stable than a motorcycle
• Easier to ride, balance is not as essential as riding a motorcycle
• Can be ridden with physical handicaps
• More space for you as a rider and for a passenger
• More storage space for longer trips
• Safer under bad weather conditions
• Improves physical and mental health
• You are still being part of the motorcycle lifestyle

So maybe it is time to consider giving up two wheels, but three wheels open a world of new opportunities.

Start living the Trike Life!