Trike Information.
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52 Reasons Why a Vanquish Trike is
Better Than a Car or a Motorbike.
1. Everyone loves a Vanquish Trike, from little kids to hard-core bikers to moms, grannies and grandpas.
2. A Vanquish Trike is half car and half motorbike, and incorporates the best features of both vehicles - economy, safety and FUN!
3. Vanquish Trikes are rigorously tested for maximum safety and outstanding build quality.
4. Vanquish Trikes designs are unique. There are no other trikes like them in the world.
5. A Vanquish Trike weighs 20%-30% of an average car, making it much more powerful and fuel efficient because of the increased power-to-weight ratio. This is especially important when making a buying decision, because of the soaring fuel prices in South Africa.
6. Trikes will be charged lower toll fees than cars, bakkies or SUV's.
7. With 3 wheels on the road, you save 25% in tyres and wheel rims, and you reduce your tyre tax.
8. With 3 wheels in contact with the road at all times, creating the "tripod effect", a Vanquish Trike has a low centre of gravity. It is as safe and stable as a car and as economical and fun to ride as a bike. Any motorists who are afraid to switch to 2-wheelers can ride a Vanquish Trike safely and with confidence.
9. Vanquish Trikes have 4 disc brakes. The same braking power can stop a 350kg - 650kg vehicle far quicker than a 1,500-2,000kg vehicle, making Vanquish Trikes extremely safe.
10. If more people rode trikes than drove cars, the reduced weight on roads would mean less road damage and lower fuel bills. Fewer tyres on the road means less rubber in landfills. Tyres, petrol, oil and engine wear are all greatly reduced. Therefore, less government spending on road repairs and on crude oil imports means more money would be available for other infrastructure.
11. Trikes are not listed in the Motor Dealer's Handbook. They therefore don't devalue like cars and bikes do. Trike prices are governed by willing-buyer-willing-seller trends. You could resell your trike after years of pleasure for what you paid for it, maybe more.
12. A Vanquish Trike is like having two vehicles in one. Instead of having a car to drive to work every day and a bike for weekend fun, your Vanquish Trike will do both for you. We are introducing an entry-level range of trikes for youngsters wanting their first bike, but their parents are afraid they will have an accident and get hurt. This can’t happen on a trike unless the rider is VERY irresponsible. Our entry-level trikes can be used as economical town and city runabouts – go to work, go shopping, visit friends, go to the beach.
13. Having a Vanquish Trike will vastly improve your social life as everyone who sees you on it will want to talk to you and be friends with you. If you want to be popular, get a Vanquish trike!
14. Anyone can ride a Vanquish Trike with confidence - big or small, male or female, young or old, able-bodied or disabled.
15. Vanquish Trikes offer a wide range of vehicles to suit all tastes and pockets, from entry-level trikes to superbike conversions to 4-cylinder, V6 and V8 car engined trikes to economical commuter and delivery vehicles.
16. All Vanquish car-engined trikes come standard with metallic paint, independent or live rear suspension, a boot, a long-range fuel tank, an automatic or manual gearbox, refurbished engines and gearboxes, mag wheels, leather car seats and lap belts.
17. Customers can choose from a wide range of optional extras to further personalize their vehicles, making each one truly unique.
18. Optional extras include: universal entertainment centre with radio, CD, MP3 and DVD player, GPS, pinstriping, airbrushing, LED lights, fixed or removable canopy, cooler, roll bars, 4-point harnesses, keyless go, remote start (auto trikes only), fire extinguisher, tyre weld in the tyres and more. Most of these items are standard on the more expensive models.
19. Customers can choose their engines, gearboxes, air intakes, steering configuration, front forks, wheel rims, paint colour, exhausts, boot design, seat colour and number of seats, making their trike totally unique.
20. Vanquish Trikes are bigger and more visible than bikes, making other drivers more aware of them on the road and less likely to sideswipe or run into them.
21. By building trikes locally we recycle materials, create jobs, spend less money overseas and save millions in foreign exchange. And we keep prices down, making Vanquish Trikes more affordable to more people!
22. Trikes have fewer parts than cars that need repairing. The engine and other mechanical parts are largely exposed or easy to reach, so time and maintenance costs are greatly reduced.
23. Trikes are cheaper to license and insure than cars and you usually only need a motorbike (A1) license and helmet to ride one.
24. Trikes are less likely to be stolen or hijacked than cars or bikes. Vanquish Trikes have too high a profile, are too noticeable and too easily identifiable. Thieves and hijackers will most probably not know how to drive them, either, and there is no hijacker's "shopping list" for trikes.
25. Vanquish Trikes can perform as well as expensive, high-performance sports cars that cost millions of Rands, but at a fraction of the price.
26. Vanquish Trikes are a novelty for most people, but a necessity for others (eg: disabled and elderly riders).
27. Trikes are easier and cheaper to customize than cars, with more attractive results.
28. Building trikes locally creates job opportunities and contributes to taxes.
29. Vanquish Trikes are easier to park than cars and take up less space. Two trikes (his & hers) can fit in a single garage.
30. Trikes can't lose traction and slide out from under you in a tight corner with stones, sand, oil or gravel because you don't lean a trike into corners like you do on a bike – on a trike, you drift through the corner!
31. If you hit something lying in the road whilst on a trike, you are less likely to come off and get killed, maimed or injured than if you were on a bike.
32. Trikes offer a smoother, more relaxed and more comfortable riding position than a bike, so you can travel further without fatigue.
33. Trikes mostly have bigger fuel tanks than bikes, so you travel further without having to fill up so often.
34. Trikes are much safer and more comfortable for passengers to ride on.
35. Trikes mostly have greater seating capacity and storage capacity than bikes, so you and your partner can go shopping or a family of four can go on holiday on it.
36. On a trike, you don't have to wear hot, heavy, uncomfortable protective gear, saving you thousands of Rands and increasing comfort, therefore lessening heat discomfort and fatigue on long rides in summer.
37. On a trike, you have more time and opportunity to enjoy the scenery as you ride.
38. Trikes fitted with car engines are cheaper to maintain than bikes.
39. Vanquish car-engined trikes and a few superbike trikes (eg: Gold Wings) have a reverse gear. (We've now made reverse gear a standard accessory on all our trikes).
40. Passengers can be entertained with DVD's and MP3's while riding, with intercom’s built into their helmets.
41. Trikes can be fitted with auto gearboxes or manual gearboxes with "click shift" and cruise control.
42. Trikes are cheaper to maintain than cars because engines are easier to get to without all the body panels, so workshop times and costs are greatly reduced.
43. Trikes can be ridden safely by disabled, paraplegic and elderly people, as well as those who would love to ride bikes but are too afraid to do so, or who are too afraid to ride pillion, eg: biker's wives, kids or girlfriends.
44. Trikes can bring families together instead of causing a rift between husband and wife, as bikes often do (because the wife is too scared to ride, but hates being left behind when her husband goes riding. She can experience feelings of jealousy over the bike because of her husband's love for it). The ultimatum "It's either me or the bike" most often ends with a biker selling his bike - or getting divorced!
45. A wife can ride a trike while her husband rides a bike, so they can go on rides together and share the biking camaraderie that was previously the husband's exclusive domain. They can even take the kids or friends with them.
46. Trikes can carry up to 4 people comfortably, so an entire family of 4 can go riding safely on one vehicle.
47. Trikes are unique, so they keep their resale value better.
48. Bigger trikes can be fitted with a towbar and they can pull a trailer with total loads of up to 200 kg.
49. Vanquish trikes come with water-based tyre weld (not silicone-based) in their tyres to prevent blowouts.
50. Once you have ridden a Vanquish trike, you'll be hooked like no bike can hook you.
51. You often hear on the news about people who are killed, maimed or injured in bike accidents. You never hear about someone being killed or injured on a trike!
52. As a result, you save a fortune in medical, medical aid, insurance, repair and hospital bills and work "downtime" is reduced so you don't suffer from lost income. This is especially of interest to business owners who run a fleet of delivery scooters.
Important Guide on How to Ride Your New Vanquish Trike.
PLEASE NOTE: Riding motorcycles and trikes has inherent risks. Always wear appropriate protective gear and ride within your comfort zone and ability.
Riding a trike is completely different from riding a bike, and trike-riding techniques need to be learned. Trikes also behave differently to a bike on the road, especially when it comes to cornering and avoiding obstacles.
Trike riding techniques differ from trike to trike, depending on power delivery, centre of gravity, fork rake and trail, damping, handlebar length, handlebar width, braking ability, number of passengers, seating position of passengers, rider's seating position and rider's competence.
The following tips relate to the Yamaha 1200cc V-Max trike designed and built by Vanquish Trikes, but most of these relate to other types of trikes as well.
On cold days, open the choke so the engine is idling slightly higher than normal after starting it and run the trike for a couple of kms before closing it again.
Always keep both hands on the handlebars while in motion to avoid "tank-slap". If you do take one or both hands off the handlebars and tank-slap occurs, immediately grab the bars again with both hands and close the throttle to avoid damage to the trike or being thrown off. DO NOT hold the handlebars too tightly! DO NOT grab the brakes! Grip the handlebars firmly while the trike decelerates until the tank-slapping stops. There are a few ways to prevent this from happening, including fitting a steering damper, available from Vanquish Trikes as an optional extra.
The faster a bike corners, the more the rider must lean into the corner to counteract the centrifugal force. Trikes tend to under-steer in a corner because they don't lean in a corner like a bike does. When cornering, pull on the inside handlebar while pushing on the outside handlebar. At the same time, lean into the corner. The faster you corner, the greater the "G" forces that are trying to throw you out of the corner, so the more pressure you must put on the handlebars and the more you must lean to counteract the centrifugal force.
Vanquish Trikes will soon fit tilt suspension to all our trikes as standard equipment, so the trike will lean into the corner with you, up to 45 degrees, just like a bike does!
Try not to change gear or brake whilst cornering. This could cause you to go wide if you stop concentrating on turning into the corner. Instead, change before or after the corner, and corner more slowly to avoid having to brake. Change down before the corner. Your trike has enough compression to allow the engine to slow you down, if you aren't travelling too fast.
If you must brake, eg: because a car suddenly stopped in front of you instead of continuing through the corner, don't let up on the force you are using to keep your line in the corner. Again, leaning into the corner makes a big difference. Make leaning fun!
If you must change gear in a corner, learn the "2 finger" gear change, especially when cornering left. If you pull in the clutch with 4 fingers you lose the power to pull the handlebar at the same time. Instead, hold the handlebar with your two "outside" fingers and thumb whilst pulling in the clutch lever with your two "inside" fingers. This way, you keep a relatively firm grip on the handlebar whilst pulling in the clutch.
Cornering, changing gear and braking simultaneously require several things to be done at once. You must lean into the corner, pull on the inside handlebar, push the outside handlebar, pull in the clutch, change gear, open the throttle, pull on the handbrake and push on the footbrake. Practice this on a road without traffic until you can do it without thinking about it.
Braking in a corner is always more difficult when turning left, and changing gear in a corner is more difficult when turning right because your outside arm is stretched furthest from your body and your wrists are at an unnatural angle to your arms.
All Vanquish trikes have independent rear suspension, except the bakkie trikes. Because you are sitting very close to it you will feel the suspension working when you travel over uneven ground. This is normal and you will get used to it very quickly.
Changing lanes on a dual carriageway is easy. Turn the handlebars slightly and you will move sideways. The 3-wheel stability allows you to look over your shoulder after you have indicated your intention to change lanes to make sure there are no vehicles in your way. The trike is also fast and powerful enough to allow you to accelerate away from anyone tailgating you. Changing down one or two gears before accelerating will make sure of that.
If you see a pothole in front of you, remember that there is a gap between the outside of the front tyre and the inside of the rear tyre. Allow the front tyre to pass close by the left or right lip of the pothole and, if it is not too big, the rear tyre will also miss it completely.
If you see a large object lying across the road, it is best to drive around it completely. If oncoming traffic prevents you from going right and there are obstacles on the left (eg: the curb), slow down and drive over the object slowly after first making sure it has no nails or other sharp objects sticking up on it. Slow right down to a crawl for ditches running across the road, eg: where the Roads Department hasn't refilled a ditch properly yet.
If you cannot avoid riding over an obstacle, it is better to let a rear wheel hit the object than the front wheel. Insert water-based anti-puncture fluid in your tyres to prevent blowouts.
When applying the hydraulic handbrake, press down firmly on the foot brake pedal to apply pressure to the rear braking system, then turn the valve half a turn forward to lock the pressure in the system. To release the hand brake, turn the valve the other way without putting pressure on the brake pedal.
The V-Max trike is light enough to sit on it and push it in reverse with your feet if you are on a flat surface or even a slightly inclined one. On a steeper gradient, turn on the engine, engage first gear and use it to move back and forth until you are facing the direction you want to go in.
Reverse gear assemblies will soon be available from Vanquish Trikes as standard equipment!
THINK BEFORE YOU PARK! Assess the situation (gradient, other vehicles, available space, exit route) and park the trike in such a way that getting out again will be easy for you.
You can pull into a kerbside parking space front first with a trike, because of the single front wheel. Just be careful not to clip the car parked in the space behind you with your inside rear wheel.
When mounting or dismounting from the trike, take care not to kick the rear mudguard or brake/indicator lights. If you have opted for a high rear box, making it difficult to swing your leg over, step up onto the left footrest and step over the saddle with your right foot.
To prevent wind buffeting at high speed, fit a large windshield, available from Vanquish Trikes as an optional extra.
Have your trike serviced regularly at any brand-name motorbike dealer, or your favourite dealer’s workshop.
Keep your trike clean and in excellent mechanical condition. The better you look after it, the better it will look after you.
Trike Riding Tips #2
How to Ride a Vanquish Trike on a Beach / Soft Sand
Always make sure that you have permission to ride on the beach and that you do not enter restricted (conservation) areas!
You can be fined if you break the law.
Here’s a list of sand-driving tips:
• Use wide, knobbly tyres
• Reduce tyre-pressure to improve traction
• Drive smoothly with gear changes at high revs
• Make sure your wheels are pointing straight before pulling away
• Avoid soft sand at the base of dunes and gullies
• Take turns as wide as possible
• Travel straight up or down dunes
• Follow in others' tyre tracks to drive on compressed ground
• Avoid braking - coast to a stop
• Don’t slam the accelerator if you are bogging down
• If you’re stuck, try to reverse along your own tracks
Vanquish Beach Trikes and exo cars are 1, 2 or 4-seaters with a roof and roof-rack for rods and surfboards and a lockable boot for accessories. They have 500cc or bigger engines and a reverse gear. They have wide, knobbly off-road tyres containing water-based tyre-sealant. Vanquish beach trikes and exo cars are fully street-legal.
How to Prevent Tank Slap
Here are 4 things that Vanquish Trikes do when building our trikes so you can avoid getting a speed wobble.
1. We can add a 3-4° rake to the front forks. This is a last ditch effort, as it's very expensive and labour intensive.
2. We add one or two steering dampers to the yolk. This is a quick and easy solution.
3. We can add a fork brace just above the front mudguard. This is another quick and easy solution.
4. We make sure the rear wheel diameter is smaller than the front wheel. We do this as a matter of course when building Vanquish Trikes.
Tyre Pressure
Trike FAQ.
All You Need To Know
frequently asked questions
In the simplest of terms, a trike is a motorcycle that has had the rear wheel removed and had an automobile rear end and two wheels added. Because of this “tripod effect”, it won’t fall over like a two-wheeled motorcycle can. A fiberglass body is sometimes added to the rear with fenders and a boot / trunk (on most models).
There are several different reasons to buy a trike. The primary reason – they are a lot of fun! They are also more economical to run than a 4-wheeler and they hold their value better. Trikes give you all the experience of riding a motorcycle with more stability and safety. Other good reasons are if you have poor balance, weak knees or weak legs. You may be too short, too big or too small for a bike. Maybe you don’t want to ride pillion, and are tired of looking at the back of a helmet, or just want to be independent. And a trike eliminates the inevitability of coming off, as with a bike.
Vanquish Trikes is the only company in South Africa designing and building trikes from roadworthy or refurbished car and superbike donor vehicles for general use on the road. Leading edge technologies, outstanding designs and careful parts selection produces strong bodies, powerful performance, modern styling and incredible good looks at affordable prices. We specialize in reputable Japanese superbike brands, Triumph, BMW and Harley Davidson road bike conversions, and a wide range of frame designs incorporating car drive trains from 1400cc up to 4.4L V8’s, and all our designs are uniquely our own. All our mechanics are certified and have customizing experience. We have the first trike showroom in the country and we are offering exciting dealership opportunities. We offer demo rides throughout the week and outrides on Saturdays and Sundays so you can try before you buy. We will soon have financing available and you will get excellent service from our friendly staff! We will also carry a full line of accessories for your trike, and triker gear for you.
Vanquish Trikes can convert all bikes and superbikes from 350cc upwards into a trike design of your choice. You can choose from commuter, sport, cruiser, runabout, chopper, family, luxury, roadrunner, disabled or delivery trike designs. All of these can be further customized to make them uniquely your own.
Yes, you can! Come and talk to us about your requirements and your budget. We will advise you on which trike design and drive train would best suit you and your circumstances. Or check out the “Build Your Own” page on this website.
Standard warranty is 6 months on parts and labour with unlimited mileage. Extended warranties are not yet available but this is something we are working on for the future.
The resale on trikes varies from model to model. Also, there is no Motor Dealer’s Hand Book that dictates what you should sell your trike for, so it’s quite possible to sell your Vanquish Trike for the same or more than what you paid for it, even 10 years down the line. The free market principle of “willing seller, willing buyer” applies. On the whole, Vanquish Trikes maintain excellent resale value and market appeal. It may take a little longer to sell due to the smaller three-wheeled market, but this also accounts for their ability to retain their value. The Vanquish Trike Center will sell your good condition Vanquish Trike for you.
In South Africa, this is a bit of a grey area. Some officials say you must wear a helmet if you are riding a bike trike, but not if you are riding a car trike or if your trike has roll bars and seat belts. However, with the poor condition of some roads and the high number of unlicensed and uninsured drivers on the road, for safety’s sake we strongly recommend wearing one.
You only need a motorcycle license (Code A1) to drive a trike.
If you are an experienced biker, with two wheels on the rear of the trike, you will notice an increase in the amount of road feel. At low speeds there is some side to side movement, but once higher speeds (over 40 km/h) are reached, the trike rides very similar to the two-wheeled equivalent. See our “How to Ride a Trike” for more information.
A bike-to-trike conversion will cause a marginal decrease in both fuel economy and top speed. This is due in part to the added weight and the increased drag created by the rear wheels and fenders.
Fuel economy on a bike trike will decrease 10 – 20% on average depending on the trike and motorcycle model. However, a car-based trike will use about 20%-30% of the fuel that a car uses. It will be lighter, faster, more powerful and more economical than the original 4-wheeler.
Yes, trikes are more stable than a two-wheel motorcycle because of the two wheels at the rear. The added weight of the rear suspension and wheels makes the trike able to pull heavier weights than bikes. Trikes are more adept at pulling trailers because the fenders buffer the wind away from the trailer creating less air resistance. Trikes are also affected less by trailer movement than bikes. Trailers custom-made for trikes are better than trailers made for cars because the size ratio between the trike and trailer must be considered. Vanquish Trikes will soon start manufacturing trailers specifically built for trikes.
Trikes handle quite differently from regular two-wheeled motorcycles; however they are relatively easy to learn to ride. You just have to get used to them! With proper instruction you will become quite comfortable in a short period of time. The Vanquish Trike Center can help familiarize you with trike riding and assist you in becoming more comfortable on three-wheels. See our ” How to Ride a Trike ” for more information.
Under normal operating conditions, the trike will not tip. However, all vehicles have the ability to tip if operated in an unsafe manner.
Vanquish Trikes corner much like small sports cars in the way they hug the turns. An experienced rider should actually be able to out-corner most cruiser or touring motorcycles. However, Vanquish Trikes does not recommend exceeding the posted speed limits.
The steering is noticeably different from that of a two-wheeler. There is no counter-steering on a trike so greater effort is required to turn at slower speeds. This effect decreases as higher speeds are reached. Vanquish Trikes can install a 3-degree raked triple tree to make steering easier on many trike models. It makes it feel like power steering.
Raked triple trees are a front-end modification that slightly stretches out the front wheel of the motorcycle with standard front forks. This results in easier turning and a “power steering” effect. Although not required on Vanquish trikes, many customers find them advantageous.
Unfortunately for a single front wheel, the forces involved in braking are higher than accelerating, so making sure the ability for a trike to brake when in a corner must also be very carefully considered. When further compromised with a narrow front tyre, with a round profile which tends to limit braking ability, then problems can occur, eg: sliding. Hence, like a bike, brake in a straight line before the bend and accelerate through the corner, unless you have a trike that is poorly balanced and you need to compensate for poor handling, eg: by leaning into a corner, or by slowing down.
Handlebar shake or “tank slap” is caused by the ergonomics of a three-wheeler, caused by road vibration travelling forward from the two rear wheels towards the single front wheel, and amplifying. A two-wheeler is designed to turn at higher speeds by leaning into the corners. On a 3-wheeler, the handlebars are steered left to make the trike go left. A three-wheeler does not lean, but there is nothing stopping the rider from leaning, eg: to create a drift through a fast corner. Basically, on a trike you have to steer it where you want it to go. Some minor shake in the handlebars is characteristic of certain models of trikes at very low speeds. As you increase your speed, the shake will go away. This is not dangerous and should not cause any alarm. If you are uncomfortable with this, Vanquish Trikes has various accessories and technical solutions available that can help reduce or eliminate “tank slap”. See above for more information on this.
Bike trikes are light, and are therefore fairly easy to push backward or forward manually. Car-engined trikes all have a reverse gear. The trick is to view the terrain, and park the trike in such a way as to allow easy access or departure without straining yourself, especially if you are on your own. Vanquish Trikes can install a reverse gear on your trike as an optional extra.
Yes, although we also use live axles on some of our trikes, eg: our delivery trikes, which also use leaf spring rear suspension rather than coil over shocks. There is a trade-off between the two axle types. A live axle trike handles better in fast corners than one with independent rear suspension, but the IRS (Independent Rear Suspension) trike is much more comfortable to ride, especially on long trips. Independent suspension has been proven to be less stable during fast cornering on a trike application but they are equally fast in a straight line. You just have to slow down more for corners. If you are not going to throw your trike into corners, the independent suspension is the better option.