TRIKE for SALE

 This one of a kind trike was built for me during the winter of 2009-10 so I have ridden it for 4 summers and had a lot of fun on it.  Now I have another trike as well so one must go.

1983 Yamaha 650 Maxim with the back axle from a mid 1970s Datsun car (now known as Nissan). The motorcycle, as of this evening, has just over 61,400 kilometers on it and has loads of life left.  

 

Saddlebags shown in photos are not included.

 

There is a second engine included (around 34,000 kilometers on it), a spare front wheel, spare gas tank, spare seat.... and loads of other parts.

 New fenders were put on last summer, and the new Candy paint job (Lazer Blue). Brackets were built to give support to the fenders.

 

Upper and lower steering stem bearings were also done in 2012.

 

The front tire was new last season so has lots of good rubber on it yet.

Also last summer I had lots of work done to the back brakes: new linkage was built, then new shoes, cylinders and drums were put on.

 This unique, original trike is a good deal at $4500... with all the spare parts it is a steel at that price.

Asking $4500

Will consider reasonable offers.

Note:
The sound in this video is not this trike, but is a combination of the wind and the Harley it was being videoed from.
The video was taken July 29, 2013.

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Old School Trike Building

If you follow my blog you know I am building myself a trike.  Currently the motorcycle I bought myself at Christmas is over at my friend Roxi's place as my driveway is not good at the best of times and there is no way the motorcycle could be taken up that hill in winter time. Now, with most of the snow melted away, I am getting excited to get to work on my conversion.  As I start to do the actual work, I will be taking and sharing photographs and videos all the way through the conversion process.  So far I have been doing research and have found I need to get a rear end with a rear ratio of 3.3:1.... or close to that though it does not need to be exact.

This is the 1991 Venture Royale, 1300cc that I am converting into a trike. 

I will share a better photo of it when I get it out of Roxi's garage.

Here is the information I have come up with on vehicles that MIGHT have the right geared rear end.... though the fellow at the local auto wrecker said the only way I can find out what the gear ratio is, is to find the little metal tag that was on one of the bolts, and if the car is very old that tag will likely be broken off so the rear end will have to be opened up to be able to find where the gear ratio is stamped into the ring gear.  Knowing the gear ratio required, I then needed to find out what vehicles could have this.  I phoned Dodge dealership to see if a '78 Aspen had this since a friend of mine is willing to give me the rear end out of his father's old car if it's the right one.  The man at the dealership said it would depend on what rear end was ordered from the factory, it could have the right one or not, several different ones to choose from.  

Summary of Vehicles Recommended on Facebook

*1970-74 240Z

*10 or 12 bolt Chevy had 3.3.1, 65 Chevelle . A lot of boss hoss trikes use 10 bolt.

*Ford rear end 8or 9 inch series 3.31-1

*Mustang GT's 3.31:1

*69 Camaro has a 12 bolt with 3.31

*Ford F150's in the early 90s had 331's so did late 80s broncos not sure what year but a Nissan frontier has a 3.3:1

 

Two people gave me a link to a place that specializes in rear ends in Burnaby, B.C.  They give lists of vehicles along with a list of the possible rear ends that they might have.  In the list below I have included the ones starting around 1980 and newer as I figure older than that is going to be a challenge to get ahold of, though I would be open to an older one if it was the right one.  I want the axle to be approximately 52" wide (long?) from outside brake to outside brake... and I want disc brakes rather than drum breaks.


 

Summary of I.W.E. Rear Ends

1980 and newer

(3.31:1 ratio)

FORD:

Dana 30 Rear:
85-89.5 Ford Aerostar minivan

Dana 44 Front, Beam & TTB:

59-79 Ford F100, F150, F250 4x4

71-79 Bronco U-100, U150
80-97 Broncos (TTB, coil spring)
80-96 F150 (TTB, coil spring)
80-86 F250 (TTB, leaf spring)

Dana 60 Rear:
55-85 F250
74-85 F350
68 E300 van

Dana 61 Rear:

74-87 F250 Ford 2x4
80-85 F350 Ford 2x4
75.5-87 E250, E350 Ford Va

Dana 80 Rear:

88-current F350 & F450 Super Duty

Ford 9.75 Rear:

97-up F150 w/5.4L or High GVW

98-02 Expedition 4x4 beam type
03-up Expedition IRS

JEEP:

 AMC-20 Rear:
76-83 rear CJ-5
76-86 rear CJ-7
81-85 rear CJ-8
79-86 Wagoneer, Cherokee SJ, half-ton PU

Dana 35/AMC-15 Rear:
84-01 Cherokee XJ (mixed apps. w/D44 & 8.25)
87-96 Wrangler YJ
93-98 Grand Cherokee z
97-up Wrangler TJ (4cyl and many 6 cyl)
99-04 Grand Cherokee WJ (Super 35)

Dana 35/AMC-15 Rear:
80-85 Eagle AWD

Dana 44 Rear:
86 CJ7
63-91 Wagoneer/ Grand Wagoneer SJ
74-83 Cherokee SJ
87 Cherokee XJ
96-98 Grand Cherokee ZJ V8 (C Clip aluminum D44)
97-up Wrangler TJ (optional, Std. on Rubicon)

Dana 44 Front, Beam & TTB:

63-87 J series trucks

74-91 Wagoneer
74-83 Cherokee SJ
01-up Jeep Wrangler Rubicon

(CHEVY:)

Dana 36 ICA Rear:
84-96 C4 Corvette (auto trans only exc. 84)

Dana 44 Rear:
84-85 F Car Camaro, Firebird
92 F Car Camaro, Firebird

Dana 44 ICA Rear:
80-83 C3 Corvette
85-96 C4 Corvette (aluminum, manual trans)

DANA 44 FRONT, BEAM & TTB:

67-80 GM K series

(3.27:1 ratio)

Ford 7.5 Rear: 74-78 Mustang II 75-80 Mercury Bobcat 79-86 Mercury Capri V8 78-83 Fairmont 80-97 Thunderbird 79-current Mustang V6 79-00 Many RWD cars 90-95 Aerostar 84-90 Bronco II 84-up Ranger 4 cyl or small V6 Ford 8.8 Solid Axle: 86-up many Ford fullsized RWD cars w/V8 86-current Mustang V8 87-88 Thunderbird V8 05-up Mustang V8 (31 spline) 83-96 Bronco (mixed apps w/ 9” to 86) 83-96 F150 (mixed apps w/9” to 86) 97-up F150 w/ V6 or 4.6L V8 86-90 Ranger chassis cabs 90-up Ranger w/ 4.0L V6 (some 3.0L also Supercab) 90-01 Explorer/Mountaineer/Navajo SUV 98-02 Expedition/Navigator 4.6L V8

(3.25:1 ratio)

Ford 9" Rear:

78-86 Bronco (82-86 mixed apps with 8.8)

57-86 Ford F100, F150 4x2 & 4x4 trucks (82-86 mixed apps with 8.8)

(3.23:1 ratio)

GM 7.5 Rear: 85-89 Astro/Safari 82-84 Camaro V6 91-93 Caprice (5.0L V8) 76-87 El Camino 78-87 Malibu 75-93 Misc. V6 fullsized RWD 75-80 Monza 83-93 S10 trucks & SUVs (four and small V6 after 88) 78-81 Century 78-88 Cutlass 82-84 DeVille, Fleetwood Brougham 82-86 Firebird V6 78-81 LeMans 77-79 Phoenix 78-87 Regal 90 Roadmaster 75-80 Skyhawk 78-87 Skylark 75-80 Starfire

GM 7.625 Rear: 90-98 Astro/Safari Vans 90-01 Camaro V6 90-00 Firebird V6 91/92 Caprice 88-04 S10 trucks & SUVs (4.3L V6) 88-90 Cadillac RWD (w/o towing package) 91-02 Bravada V6 91/92 Roadmaster (5.0L V8) 98-02 Isuzu Amigo 4x2 96-99 Isuzu Hombre 91-current Rodeo (4 cyl & 4x2)

(3.21:1 ratio)

Chrysler 7.25 Rear:
7.25 Rear
63-89 Chrysler, Dodge and Plymouth rear drive cars, mostly with six-cylinder engines.
87-98 Rear of 2x4 Dodge Dakota trucks with four-cylinders and some V6 engines.

Chrysler 8.25/8.375 Rear: 70-89 Chrysler, Dodge, Plymouth full and midsized cars 86-up W100,W150 (depends on engine) 66-97 B-100, 150, 200,250 Vans 87-up Dakota V6 01-up Jeep Liberty KJ

Chrysler 9.25 Rear: 74-85 Large Chrysler, Dodge and Plymouth cars 69-up Dodge B series vans 69-up Dodge D and W series trucks 74-93 Dodge Ramcharger 74-81 Plymouth Trail Duster 98-up Dakota rear V8's 98-up Durango rear V8's

For some reason, Blogger won't let me post lists into here without a great deal of work to re-do things and I could not get it to put these straight, so here you go, its all staggered.... though maybe it will make the lists easier to sort through without confusion.

Wolf Family

I Got A Bike

On December 8th, just one week ago, I posted that I had looked at a 'new' motorcycle, a 1991 Yamaha Venture Royale that I felt was good in many ways, yet not for me.  I continued to look at Kijiji through all of BC, looking each day to see what new posts had been made selling motorcycles.  I was looking for the 'right and perfect' motorcycle for me to trike. I saw nothing on Kijiji that suited me or my needs, though in the past I have seen many that would have done very well.  A friend of mine heard about a 1987 Honda Goldwing or sale and it sounded like a good deal... until we saw it.  It was in fairly rough shape and had been sitting unstarted for 10 years. I may have been tempted to buy it if I could get it for a couple hundred dollars, but he was asking a lot more than that. By the sound of it we may have been able to talk him down to $800 to $1000, but with all that would need to be done on it, that was too much. Also, when I sat on it and held on to the handle bars I was leaning forward just enough that it would be impossible for me to ride as my back would be in such pain I would not be able to function.

Then I got a call from my friend Rozi. You see, the Yamaha I had looked at belonged to a friend of hers and she was trying to sell it for him. When she told him I had been over and looked at the bike, and that I was a friend of hers wanting to build a trike, he told her he would drop the already good price by $800.  I went back and looked at it again, and I bought it!  So now I own the bike which is still sitting outside at Rozi's place as there has been a LOT of snow falling in our area in that time and there is no way I can bring it home just now.  I don't think it will fit into the back of my truck for me to bring it home; I would need 2 or 3 strong men to help load it into the truck if I measured and found it would fit; my driveway is so steep and so snowed in that I'm not sure I could back the truck up the hill and into the front of the carport which is the only place I have to store the bike and my current trike is in the carport so there is no room for the new bigger motorcycle. Rozi has a carport and will let me put the motorcycle in there for the winter as soon as some other stuff is moved out of the carport.  I can park it beside her ex-boyfriend's Harley that is still sitting there.  I still will need to get a couple guys to come over and help move it as it is too big for me to move, too big for me to ride as a 2 wheeler since I can't touch the ground with my feet when sitting on it.  I think getting a couple friends to move it should be no problem.

This is what it looks like now.... I look forward to being able to show off photos of what it will look like when the work is done and it is converted to a trike.

Building a New Trike

Having decided that I want to build another trike with a larger motorcycle,  I went to look at a 1991 Yamaha Venture Royale today.  It is Yamaha's version of Honda's Gold Wing, a full dressed touring motorcycle.   There are many things I like about this motorcycle, including the foot boards instead of foot pegs, the 'toe & heel' shifter, it has a radio/cassette player, though it doesn't have the driver's backrest it does have the hardware for mounting one, it is water cooled, it is in fairly good shape and priced fairly low so mostly fits my budget. What I don't like about it is that it has too much 'stuff' on it and I don't mean the saddlebags and trunk.  The gas tank is built in so you don't actually see it and there is a lot of 'body' over the engine. I'm not sure how to explain it, maybe that it's an 'old foggy' bike or a 'nerd' bike... it's a very nice bike, just really not my 'style'.  It's so.... errrr.... Joe Citizen, and I'm a bit of a Rebel! Could I wear my 'biker leathers' with this, or would I need some fancy 'motorcycle suit' for it? Haha.  When I sat on it there was SO MUCH fairing, though I guess I would get used to that in time.

I didn't take photos of the motorcycle for sale, though I went to Google Images and downloaded photos of the 1991 Yamaha Venture Royale.  The first ones are pretty much exactly the same as the one I went to see, including the color blue.

These next photos are still the Yamaha Venture Royale, but are a different body style.  Much more what I want to own and ride!!  The fairing is much smaller, though still has the radio built in, it still has the saddlebags, trunk, etc, does not have as much plastic? over the body hiding the gas tank and engine.   If the motorcycle for sale looked like these ones, I would own it by now, lol.

Now check out this next photo.  This is one gorgeous trike!!  This is what I want for my trike!!  It is like the 2nd batch of above photos of the Yamaha Venture Royale that has been changed to a 3 wheeler which is called a trike.  I would be proud and happy to have this as my new ride!!

Alas, the one I saw is of the body style shown at the top of this post and as much as I do like things about it, I don't think I would love it as much as I would love one more of this body style, so I think for now I will continue to look for a motorcycle I am more attracted to, fits into my budget, and is easily converted to a trike.  After 3 awesomely wonderful summers of riding the trike I made from a 1983 Yamaha 650 Maxim motorcycle, I know I want to keep riding, and I know I need a bigger trike. My current one is great, and I've outgrown it.  I ride with 2 motorcycle riding clubs as well as some 'non club' friends. All theses other riders have big motorcycles and I like to keep up with the pack, not lag behind.  My 650 does keep up  with the 'big boys', but I fear the little guy will not last as long as he should running at the higher RPMs that it has to run at to keep up with the bigger bikes.  I know someone else will love the little guy and I will love my new, much larger trike.

This is a photo of my current trike.  I added a windshield after this photo was taken, otherwise it looks the same now as it did in the photo.  A motorcycle that looks like this one though is larger, has a much larger cc rating (instead of a 650 if it was 1100 or somewhere in that area) I would be very happy with as I do like the look of this one.  I do plan to have a totally different look to the trike portion on the new one.


I am so grateful for the little trike I have been enjoying for the last 3 summers.
I am so grateful for the wonderful, fun, adventuresome rides I've taken on my trike.
I am so grateful for the friends I've made while riding my trike and for the clubs I am a member of... All Canadian Riders Club, British Columbia Lone Wolves, Brothers of the Third Wheel.
I am so grateful for my 'leathers' that not only protect me while I ride, but also look good on me.
I am so grateful for my adventuresome spirit that allows me to get out and ride my own ride.