Trike conversion

[Boatman37210]

I have a Tricity I am “thinking” about converting to a trike or in this case it would be 4 wheels instead of 3.  I assumed it was registered as 2 wheels, but then maybe not. Talked with Ozimoto in Pattaya and they can complete in about a week.

 

My questions are these:

1. Will it be legal to ride on the road?

2. If yes, do I need to re-register to reflect conversion?

3. If no and I ride on the road anyway, how do I handle being stopped? i.e. pay my 200 baht and be on my merry way or is it more complicated than that now?

 

I will not be riding a lot, but need something more stable and easier to ride. The Tricity has a comfortable ride, which I do not want to loose, but it is a heavy scooter compared to others and at least to me not as easy to ride as advertised. My wife has a Scoopy I find to be much easier to ride, but it is not comfortable.

 

Your thoughts would be appreciated.

 

Thanks.

 

 

[DILLIGAD]

Wear a red nose and big shoes, then you may even get away with the 200b !


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[Boatman37210]

39 minutes ago, DILLIGAD said:

Wear a red nose and big shoes, then you may even get away with the 200b !


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I don't even have a clue what that means, but thanks.

[tifino]

maybe the Land Transport Authority can be approached (or maybe on an online search) for a detailed description of the registration detail that pertain to Trikes 

 

for example: does the description actually state the number of wheels?

 

... the number of axles?  (technically you would still be only 2 axles - just like a car, which has 4 wheels, but still only 2 axles... )

 

just make sure the remainder of the machine stays close to original, i.e. from the rear lamp, up to the steering head

(labels, stickers, colour, engine, seat etc) ,

in other words, whatever is actually described in the registration detail

(Pick on the Can Am Spyder for example, which is a typical motorbike, up until the steering head region)

Edited November 18, 2016 by tifino

[guzzi850m2]

So you want to have 2 rear wheels, right? So a trike but with 2 front wheels.

 

I doubt very much that will be legal. Handicapped persons are normally allowed to have a bike converted into a trike and have it registered, but non handicapped persons are not.

 

So that means no insurance if something happens and the police can fines you anytime.

 

What does the shop say about legality?  

 

Yes you should ask the Land transportation office if it can be done legally, but as I said, I doubt that very much. 

 

I think you will be better off selling it as is, if you find it difficult to ride and try a PCX or Nmax or something like that.

[papa al]

Sounds like a great idea.

You should be able to find a doctor to attest to your need.

This Ozimoto, what do they say about the legalities?

[jay1980]

18 hours ago, Boatman37210 said:

 

I will not be riding a lot, but need something more stable and easier to ride. The Tricity has a comfortable ride, which I do not want to loose, but it is a heavy scooter compared to others and at least to me not as easy to ride as advertised. My wife has a Scoopy I find to be much easier to ride, but it is not comfortable.

 

Does the Tircity not lean over to aid stablity on corners? So giving it 2 wheels at the back it could not do this anymore so it would be less stable.

 

If you find riding your wife's conventional 2 wheeled Scoopy OK why don't you just get a fully legal 2 wheeled scooter that is more comfortable  like an Nmax?

Edited November 19, 2016 by jay1980

[canthai55]

Let me see if I understand what you want to do ... Tricity front end banks during turns. You want to add trike wheels at the rear of the bike, which will defeat the banking of the front wheels ... So it will ride like a Quad - and not bank at all. And it will not bank at all which a motorcycle does when going around corners, or banks on the highway around curves ... May I ask you what you hope to accomplish with this feat of engineering ?  I suspect nothing - in fact it will be worse than you can imagine.

[Don Mega]

Just now, canthai55 said:

Let me see if I understand what you want to do ... Tricity front end banks during turns. You want to add trike wheels at the rear of the bike, which will defeat the banking of the front wheels ... So it will ride like a Quad -

 

 

would it ride like a trike, not a quad ?

[Boatman37210]

9 minutes ago, canthai55 said:

Let me see if I understand what you want to do ... Tricity front end banks during turns. You want to add trike wheels at the rear of the bike, which will defeat the banking of the front wheels ... So it will ride like a Quad - and not bank at all. And it will not bank at all which a motorcycle does when going around corners, or banks on the highway around curves ... May I ask you what you hope to accomplish with this feat of engineering ?  I suspect nothing - in fact it will be worse than you can imagine.

Companies make and sell trikes all the time and people have bikes converted to trikes, so not sure why you think this is such a far fetch idea.  I'm basically in the information gathering process right now, so difficult for me to answer your questions.  I've never owned or ridden a trike, so do not know how they are designed.  Did see a pic of a conversion where it looked like it might allow for the back wheels to lean at least to some degree.   Planning on a trip to the shop shortly to see conversions and get questions answered.  If it will not be legal to ride on the road, then it is a no go.

 

Most of my problems are at slow speeds.  Anyone familiar with landing gear and who might be able to install?  Small wheels come down when you reach a slow speed to steady the bike and come up when you speed up.  From the youtube vids looks like a possible solution if they make for a small bike.  The wheels are small and inconspicuous, so don't think the police would be a problem.  Passing a bike inspection might be a problem unless they could be taken off easily prior to. 

 

42 minutes ago, jay1980 said:

If you find riding your wife's conventional 2 wheeled Scoopy OK why don't you just get a fully legal 2 wheeled scooter that is more comfortable  like an Nmax?

 

I have been thinking about this possibility.  If I can't find what I consider a reasonable solution on the Tricity, that will be the route I will go.

 

 

 

[canthai55]

1 hour ago, Don Mega said:

 

 

would it ride like a trike, not a quad ?

 

I picked quad because of the dual front wheels. If you have never ridden a conventional trike, they high-side very easily. The only tilting trike conversion that I know of is by Tilting Motor Works. For HD. But tilts front wheels ala Piaggo. There may be more but I am not aware. Enlighten me anyone ...

 

 

[Don Mega]

21 minutes ago, canthai55 said:

 

I picked quad because of the dual front wheels. If you have never ridden a conventional trike, they high-side very easily. The only tilting trike conversion that I know of is by Tilting Motor Works. For HD. But tilts front wheels ala Piaggo. There may be more but I am not aware. Enlighten me anyone ...

 

 

 

I used to own a 250cc Honda trike (offroad) so am very familiar as to how killdeathy they are, the quad I replaced it with was a lot more civilized.

Edited November 19, 2016 by Don Mega

[canthai55]

I should have made another post. The trike quote was directed at the OP. Those Honda 3 wheelers were killer - and not in a good way !

[LivinLOS]

The serious answer.. 

 

It is 'possible' to make this legal, however it requires inspection and passing by the royal society of automotive engineers.. A process which is not easy to understand, clarify, or even get information on. As a non Thai fluent speaking westerner I would rate your chances in the slim to none range. 

 

Back in the 90s or so, this was something that could be fixed with a relatively small envelope.. Around 2000 that envelope became quite large (100k I was told) and I am lead to understand it is VERY difficult to achieve now. The people to follow up if you are serious are the few makers of modified car chassis. I know a Thai workshop making modified cars from donors and they claim (note the claim !!) that these are being legally inspected and modifications noted on the registration docs. 

I used to know a farang on Phuket with a harley trike, legally done, back in the 90s at OK money.. Theres a guy in Chiang Mai with a triumph rocket, no idea if hes had it legally done but seeing how much money is in that, I would assume so. If you mean doing to to a bike of that cost, its a huge risk, if you man modifying a wave to make a disability scooter, just do it and ride. 

Edited November 20, 2016 by LivinLOS

[tifino]

many of the tilting concepts have been applied to quad bicycles, and youtube has many examples, showing how each are done;

 and of course - which ones are successful.

There was one example of an all terrain quad bicycle, which even though the wheels went all over the place to follow terrain angles

- the rider/seat combination of the machine stayed vertical.

 

Copyright of a design you find and like, won't be a problem, in the land of copy-anything...

[jpinx]

I had a Harley trike for years in NZ.  Long springer front forks and a hard tail.  Great fun machine, but a pig to manouevre in tight spots, like making a simple 90° turn into a street.  That had to be done extra slow and with lots of leading space because in a trike the front wheel does not easily follow the input from the handlebars.  Having the twin front wheels would, I suggest, make this worse, not better.  I suggest the OP would be much better advised to get any suitable trike based on a conventional scooter and save himself all the agony and expense of breaking ground with the authorities.  

[Don Mega]

2 hours ago, tifino said:

many of the tilting concepts have been applied to quad bicycles, and youtube has many examples, showing how each are done;

 and of course - which ones are successful.

There was one example of an all terrain quad bicycle, which even though the wheels went all over the place to follow terrain angles

- the rider/seat combination of the machine stayed vertical.

 

Copyright of a design you find and like, won't be a problem, in the land of copy-anything...

 

I dont think the OP is looking to buy a quad bicycle.

[Grubster]

I think that you are going to make this an unsafe bike. The PCX Honda 150 is the most comfortable and easiest bike to ride in my opinion, much more comfortable and easier to ride than your wife's bike.

[tifino]

6 hours ago, Don Mega said:

 

I dont think the OP is looking to buy a quad bicycle.

 

my approach is just about the existing comparable concepts approach to designing a 4W; as unless OP has something to go by as a reference, then designing will be too much hit and miss. Having a pattern, or two to test ideas against, might reduce headaches

[Boatman37210]

DELETED - search for Ozimoto on FB

Here are pics of some nice conversion by Ozi Moto in Pattaya.  Don't think rear wheels lean on the ones in the pics.  Supposedly they are legal and they get them registered. 

 

21 hours ago, jpinx said:

I suggest the OP would be much better advised to get any suitable trike based on a conventional scooter and save himself all the agony and expense of breaking ground with the authorities.  

 

Good thought.  Getting a Tricity converted is heading into unknown territory.  Buying one that has already been converted you see what you are getting and can easily check the legality before purchasing.

 

 

Edited November 20, 2016 by seedy
LINK

[DILLIGAD]

Forgetting about various design concepts, I just note than not many quad-bikes are registered here. That must tell you something about the possibility of what you want.


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[mrwebb8825]

OP - Why not completely dump that strange, dangerous type bike and go with a nice sized Harley with a padded seat and a sidecar for groceries or the Mrs.? They are 100% legal, insurable, stable, comfortable and maneuverable.

[guzzi850m2]

31 minutes ago, mrwebb8825 said:

OP - Why not completely dump that strange, dangerous type bike and go with a nice sized Harley with a padded seat and a sidecar for groceries or the Mrs.? They are 100% legal, insurable, stable, comfortable and maneuverable.

Good idea, but at a 2mill baht price-tag I think.

 

Not many here could afford that including myself.

[mrwebb8825]

15 minutes ago, guzzi850m2 said:

Good idea, but at a 2mill baht price-tag I think.

 

Not many here could afford that including myself.

Actually, you could do it with a nice Honda or Yamaha. Had a friend in Hua Hin that did this when his leg went game on him. Even had a reverse gear installed. Kept it all under 400k THB.

[guzzi850m2]

Yes sounds good but you need some kind of medical condition that warrant the use of a trike so you can get a permit of use. OP didn't say anything about that? 

[Boatman37210]

Apparently you can't link to other sites, so here are a couple of pics.  Nice conversions I think.  Can convert PCX, Wave, Click.  Also Tricity, but they have never done one.

Edited November 21, 2016 by Boatman37210

[DILLIGAD]

No sign of a legal number plate on both of those photo's.


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[papa al]

3 hours ago, Boatman37210 said:

Apparently you can't link to other sites, so here are a couple of pics.  Nice conversions I think.  Can convert PCX, Wave, Click.  Also Tricity, but they have never done one.

What did the company say to your question in OP?

[Boatman37210]

9 hours ago, papa al said:

What did the company say to your question in OP?

They have a web site that is not complete, so maybe new.  The contact section is complete, so about 3 or 4 days ago I sent message asking about the legality.  No response so far.  Their facebook page seems somewhat extensive. They use the word "handicapped" a few times, so maybe as stated in this thread the only legal riders of trikes would be handicapped riders. 

 

My wife talked to the owner's wife on the phone.  Very helpful, but no mention of being handicapped as a requirement to register.  She sent several photos on Line messenger.  Think I will get wife to send Line to her today asking about registration. 

[Boatman37210]

 

14 hours ago, guzzi850m2 said:

Yes sounds good but you need some kind of medical condition that warrant the use of a trike so you can get a permit of use. OP didn't say anything about that? 

I draw disability from the VA, but never thought about it qualifying as a "disability" for this purpose.  The more I think about it maybe it would qualify . Think I will give it a look see.  Maybe it is enough.