[Clubford00]

It was cool right up to the point he said 10,000 bucks !

 

[HammerTime2]

very expensive training wheels, i'll pass.

 

[Half_Crazy]

Why? Was there something wrong with the bike or rider that required this $10,000 fix?

 

[bikeriderga]

I surely would not be the first to put these on my bike! Can you imagine the jokes?

If you want three wheels, why not the cheaper real wheel route? I agree, this unit seems to have much better cornering dynamics, but isn't very attractive and comes with a very steep price. Besides the real wheel units give you a lot more travel space and makes long hauls much easier.

Good luck to any entrepreneur, but I see this as becoming a bust!

If you want a Can-Am, why not just buy one. Why retrofit?

 

[Andy]

Why? Was there something wrong with the bike or rider that required this $10,000 fix?

What I took away from watching that video is that this is a new patented design that can be adapted to various existing bikes as well as has the potential to be used by manufacturers for new bike models.

While I've never priced rear wheel conversion kits, I'd venture to say they are in the same price ball park.

Having seen many products go from the initial design state to full production over my career, my gut is telling me that this one has potential. I personally wouldn't be surprised if Polaris was looking at something like this for future models as Can-Am has had a good amount of success in a relatively short period and has sold quite a few units of forward-wheel trikes.

This leaning-style suspension appears to be adaptable to variety of products...not just bike conversions.

 

[dsjr70]

4000 units a year at $10,000 each? That sounds very optimistic... Instead of paying $10k for it plus installation I would rather buy the Ultra trike for the same amount.

 

[poptop]

He mentioned he was an electrical engineer, I would venture a guess that he has also worked in the parts pricing department for Victory Canada!

 

[Half_Crazy]

Why? Was there something wrong with the bike or rider that required this $10,000 fix?

What I took away from watching that video is that this is a new patented design that can be adapted to various existing bikes as well as has the potential to be used by manufacturers for new bike models.

While I've never priced rear wheel conversion kits, I'd venture to say they are in the same price ball park.

Having seen many products go from the initial design state to full production over my career, my gut is telling me that this one has potential. I personally wouldn't be surprised if Polaris was looking at something like this for future models as Can-Am has had a good amount of success in a relatively short period and has sold quite a few units of forward-wheel trikes.

This leaning-style suspension appears to be adaptable to variety of products...not just bike conversions.

Again... Why?A 3-wheeler that leans I might as wellbe a motorcycle. The Spider or a trike... even those scooters that lean... have applications for people with disabilities, old folks, people of small stature, etc. Looks to me like you have to hold this thing up and it uses the kickstand, so it might as well be a bike and I see no real advantage over a bike that would be worth 10 grand.

 

[Andy]

Looks to me like you have to hold this thing up and it uses the kickstand, so it might as well be a bike and I see no real advantage over a bike that would be worth 10 grand.

Yes, I thought it was strange seeing a kickstand on a three wheeler too! That was one of the benefits of riding a three wheeler...NOT having to put your feet down at a stop or while in heavy traffic.

I will say that after putting a few thousand miles on a Spyder, it was strange that it was not leaning in a curve. The rider leans, but not the Spyder. That's why I think this suspension could have some practical applications. But yes, at $10K, it's expensive!

Time will tell if this suspension has some merits.

 

[Keith Grey]

I see Andy's point about potential, but I think he needs a hydraulic locking mechanism with a lever on the handle bar that locks the tilting mechanism and does away with the kickstand.
Polaris should partner with this guy and do their own Spyder. The spyder would be waaay cool if it leaned, and imagine the off road version!!

 

[kevinx]

I like it. Allows the those with minor disability to continue riding without loosing the dynamic of the ride itself. 2 in the back trikes are horible to ride, and incredibaly unsafe in hard manuvers. If $10K is the retail price of the unit; he is gonna sell a bunch of them. My dad always said. "Sell to the rich....They have the money"

 

[stilcrazee]

10k plus install may be a lot more affordable to someone who already has a bike but for one reason or another cannot ride it as a 2 wheel unit. This looks like it would handle much better than a trike. I wouldn't run out and invest money in this manufacturing just yet unless it got me the patent rights also.