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The smooth ride of the Roadsmith HDSS is primarily due to our innovative suspension system that offers a ride like no other trike. The Trike Shop was the first to offer Independent Suspension for trike conversions over 14 years ago. The cynics said it would never work. They're eating those words today. Talk to anyone who has actually ridden an Independent Rear Suspension and a solid axle system trike for a period of time and ask them which one rode better. They won't deny Independent Rear Suspension rides nicer and corners awesome. IRS is the way manufacturers of cars, SUV's and ATV's have been, and are going. Trikes are no different. These trikes are built with a purpose "Touring in Comfort".
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The multi-point mount of the chassis to the bike frame actually strengthens the bikes frame as well as dissipates the added stress of a trike. We attach to existing mounting points on the frame like the upper shock mounts and the swingarm mounting area. A feature of the trailing arm type independent suspension is the fact that there are very few moving parts. There are literally only two pivot points on each trailing arm. This eliminates any adjustments or maintenance requirements. There are more complicated ways to design a suspension, but why?
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We have designed this kit with automotive parts that are easily accessible, should you happen to need service on the road. The rear brakes are large 11 inch dual disc. The Constant Velocity (CV) joints and brakes are a VW Beetle application. These heavy-duty parts for a light-duty application have proven to be dependable for extremely long.
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Bolts solidly to the bikes frame via the upper shock mounts and the swingarm pivot area of the bikes frame. This design actually strengthens the bike's frame, thereby reducing the torsional flex that a trike puts on a frame.
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Our new adjustable length swingarm that now carries our differential has a unique adjustment system that has a central cam adjuster, similar to an axle adjuster. When the hex-bar is turned the cams evenly push back the differential to tighten the trike belt. Just tighten the nuts up on the machined and slotted swingarms and you're done. The differential housing simply has a set of spider gears in it and is filled permanently with gear lube.
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It's that kind of detail and engineering we've put into the design of this conversion. We don't want to leave you hanging with some special parts or tools required for you to drive your trike for many years to come.
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The HD kits come with a new Gates Polychain carbon fiber drive belt. These are much stronger than the stock belts.
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The stabilizer bar also known as a sway bar is a flexible link between the two trailing arms. The bar uses the torsion effect to always try to keep the trike righted or sitting square to the ground. The beauty of the stabilizer bar is the fact that when one wheel hits a bump the bar can flex quickly to absorb the movement then return. This is the same technology used in almost every vehicle today.
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Just think if you had “no lean”. This means your trike is always perfectly square to the ground. In effect, if you go over a 2 inch bump with your right wheel, the trike rocks up 2 inches. But with Independent Suspension, just that wheel goes up. The antiquated solid axle system is only made today because it’s cheaper and easier. Technology has improved a lot in the short history of trike conversions but some are too stuck in their ways. We offer only the most innovative designs to our customers.
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We increased the wheelbase of this bike by about 6 inches. This puts the rear wheels back behind the passengers’ seat area rather than sitting right on top of the wheels. Any vehicle that has a longer wheelbase will have a smoother ride. It’s just common sense.
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Large disc brakes more than handle the stopping of this trike. Remember trikes stop faster and easier than bikes. With more tire contact area and much better stability, braking a trike is not the white knuckled balancing act that a bike can be. The wheel bearings, calipers and rotors are all right from a high production automobile application called the VW Beetle. Like all of our constructed drive train, we use off the shelf parts for your convenience.
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The axles are custom made for our conversion kits, but the Constant Velocity (CV) joints are standard automotive applications such as VW and Porsche. We use automotive type parts for all of our drive train because it’s designed for a much heavier load, meaning these parts will probably last forever in this light-duty application. Again using off the shelf parts for your convenience.
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The alloy wheels that come with our conversion kits are clear-coated aluminum rims that have a similar look and finish to the bikes front rim. They are a 16 x 7 inch, 5 x 4.5 bolt pattern; positive 35 mm offset size that fits many automotive applications. We also offer a chrome plated option.
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The HDSS comes with a new set of cross-over exhaust pipe extensions and a set of new throaty mufflers. We even have the pipes connected with a cross over pipe between them.
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The large storage compartment comes completely carpeted to both protect and store your riding gear. The trunk (4 cu. ft.) has about 50 percent more capacity than the stock saddlebags. This gives you a larger space to fit larger objects into. The large trunk door opening also allows for easier packing or loading. This convenient trunk will fit all your gear securely away from the elements.
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The slick body design incorporates the look and feel of the original motorcycle. We feel the trike conversion body should melt seamlessly into the original body parts. The body is constructed of heavy-duty fiberglass. It is then painted with urethane paint, flat sanded, and buffed to a mirror finish to ensure a perfect paint match both in color and finish. The mounting system for the body ensures a rock solid attachment and no exposed mounting hardware. Notice the added foot room for the passenger, another feature of a longer wheelbase.
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With any touring machine a trailer hitch is a familiar sight. When riding a trike a trailer is not a danger like it is on a bike. The back of a trike will never feel like there’s a trailer back there. So we include a 1-1/4 inch receiver for a trailer hitch neatly tucked under the body. It is incorporated into the rear body support and is welded directly into the strongest part of our frame. This is not an option or add-on, it’s built right in. It is another one of the innovative ideas built right into the design of our trike kit.
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