Watch Jay Leno ride a tilting Harley-Davidson trike
Tilting Motor Works builds a bolt-on conversion for Harley-Davidson and Honda Goldwing motorcycles that adds tilting wheels up front. Leno checks it out.
In this video, Jay Leno is initially rather dubious about the leaning trikes from Tilting Motor Works, but he walks away convinced after a ride on one. Engineer Bob Mighell's company creates a bolt-on addition for Harley-Davidsons and Honda Goldwings that adds two wheels up front for greater stability. This clever development means that riders can still tilt the bikes over like a traditional motorcycle. Mighell came up with the idea out of a desire for better performance when riding on the backroads. He reasoned that an extra wheel up front would provide better braking capability and also greater stability in case he hit a patch of oil or gravel. However, the real market for his trike conversions has been older riders and petite women who have problems holding up a heavy cycle. The company already built 12 examples and has started on the next batch of 25. At first, Jay says that riding the trike is a weird sensation. You can still lean, but it's odd to see the two wheels in front. The extra width also means that riders can't split lanes. After more time on the road, Leno eventually calls the handling impressive and admits this solution is easier to control than a sidecar. Get a deeper look at this novel three-wheeler on the latest episode of Jay Leno's Garage.
Tilting Motor Works conversion offers the stability of 3 wheels with no compromise to the ride.
This leaning 3-wheel conversion offers the stability and safety benefits of three wheels with the handling of a two wheel motorcycle. The conversion involves removing the front fork and the front wheel and replacing it with a new front end that bolts to the frame. Conversions are performed by TMW or its authorized dealers with a price range of $9,995-$12,995US + installation. Located just outside of Seattle, WA, check them out at: www.tiltingmotorworks.com