Why ride a trike

Driving a trike is different than a bike. In fact, most states require drivers of three wheel motorcycles to obtain driving certifications before going on the road. But if you want a refresher or more confidence before class starts , read on! There are two main ways to steer with motorcycles. Bikes use "counter steering" where riders lean to counter centrifugal forces so they can turn without tipping over.

Trikes use something called "direct steering". With direct steering, there is no leaning involved. This makes trike motorcycles easier to steer and makes them easier on knees and legs. Instead, they steer much like a car. But instead of turning the car wheel in the direction you want to go, you tilt the handlebars in the direction you wish to turn. Before you take the turn, you will need to slow down a lot. Then maintain your speed as you approach the turn.

Wait until you are through the corner before you hit the throttle again. You'll need the extra boost to pull out of the turn and back to the routine driving. Aim for a smooth turn. Jerky turns can make you lose control. Most children will initially encounter some trouble handling the trike at first, but they eventually learn how to coordinate their legs, arms and their speed.

As your child becomes stronger and more adept at riding their tricycle, they learn to become more independent and confident. Children at this age are voracious learners and will start looking for things to do for themselves.

A trike gives them the freedom to go where they want. This is in stark contrast to riding a stroller, which is pushed by the parent. With a trike, children get some level of autonomy that they did not have before. A trike is a great tool for teaching children basic road rules. As the child grows, you can even start teaching other road rules, including traffic lights, road signs and more. Faulty or preconceived notions often hold us back from trying new adventures.

We form opinions based on what we've heard, or seen, but seldom from personal experience. For me, I had put trikes into that box of preconceived notions and never tried to think outside of it -- that is, until I rode a Lehman Conversion and ripped that box wide open. Lehman is the leader in the development and conversion of two-wheel motorcycles into three-wheel trikes. I am struck by the words of our instructor Kevin. Experience, we've been told, is always the best teacher. But not with riding a trike; here the experienced must be untrained from two-wheel thinking, to three-wheel riding.

Step one in this back-to-school program is a minute instructional video , an excellent though brief overview of everything we can expect to encounter on a trike. Additionally, there's a detailed page safety manual, highlighting the science of trikes, along with some common sense two- and three-wheel safety approaches. Never, ever, put your feet down. There are three wheels, so you won't tip over. But most certainly you can "mouse trap" your feet under the body or rear wheels - not an enjoyable experience.

All units have a hand brake, just like the one in your car, and you must release it before moving out. Without a kickstand, there's nothing but the hand brake to keep the trike from rolling into Grandma's Corvette. The wheelbase of a trike is the same as that of the two-wheeler, but because of its bodywork, it's slightly longer and a whole lot wider. To determine just how wide, once seated, stretch out your arms -- that's the width you must allow for when cornering.

A trike involves "direct steering. Using the Point, Lock, and Roll system, we went into, and out of, every type of corner quicker than when riding any comparable two-wheeler. And what's more, we did so with increased confidence from not having to brake or steer around light road debris, such as sand and gravel. Look into and ahead of your direction of travel.

Good advice, whether on two, three, or four wheels. Use both front and rear brakes. On a two-wheeler, your rear brakes are 30 percent of your stopping power. On a trike, though, two rear wheels mean twice the stopping power, so you don't want to override your front wheel.