Stupid Trike Axle Questtion.

[chopper]

 Now I'm not talking about building a large, serious, and practical trike.  Just a smaller around town beater.  There's a guy on ebay right now that has two Sportster trikes he built for sale and they both have a nice vintage look to them.

  If a guy built from scratch, do you think you could use a straight axle? A similar design to that of a ATC or ATV rear end. I know it would "crab" a bit going around corners, but my ATV gets around pretty well without a differential.  As I say, just thinking about a small around town play bike

[Old Crow]

I saw a Sporty in town a couple of weeks ago that had some kind of a straight axle kit that just bascially replaces the swing arm.  Even uses the stock shocks, brake rotor and belt and leaves the stock rear fender and such in place.
He had a pair of saddlebags hung in the space between the old rear fender and the new trike wheels.  Didn't look half bad.
Looked like it would take an afternoon to switch it out.

[FLH_Rider]

Look on Ebay there is a shop that sells the swingarm kits,,,

[Deye76]

Crazy Art (had a shop on the eastside of Detroit) grafted a 45" trike rear section to a 70's swing arm back in 1977 or 78 for Heavy, a crippled member of the Outlaws.  Any shovel frame easily accepted this. He has done many since, until his retirement. One Vietnam Vet from St. Pete Fl. still rides his as does "Goergeous George" from Warren, Mi. Don't see why a late model swing arm couldn't be adapted. IIRC an outfit out of Tx. copied this design and marketed it in the early 1990's.

[truck]

Chopper, this is what you need to make.


[attachment removed after 60 days by system]

[chopper]

These are the ones I was talking about....

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230716273222&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649

[rayfeldt]

Remember John Fatboy and his old lady Rocky?  I don't get on OFOPOS much in more but I believe she has a Sporty trike.  I can't remember if they built it or bought it but might be something to check into.
Later,
Ray

[76shuvlinoff]

These are the ones I was talking about....

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230716273222&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649

Pretty cool but IMHO for a daily driver it needs fenders and bags or a trunk.

[HDFAT2001]

I saw those 2 in the parking lot at Rossmeyer's during Biktoberfest, pretty simple and cool looking.  Probably the best rear for a "sport" trike though is the Frankenstein rear.

[Deye76]

The ebay sportster looks like it utilizes the rear belt. 

[Old Crow]

Those look pretty much like the bike I saw, except he kept the stock 2 up seat and rear fender.  Then added fenders to each of the back wheels and a pair of leather bags hanging between the spaces.

[chopper]

Back to the original question.... (I do tend to wander a bit)

  Could you use a STRAIGHT, live axle.. one without a differential (spider gears) I know it wouldn't be optimal, but do you think it'd work for short runs?

[truck]

I think you'd have a real hard time making turns anywhere other than on a loose surface.

[harleyfarmer]

There's a reason Honda quit making the old atv solid axle 3-wheelers. Too many of us leaned the "correct" way while turning and plowed into a tree more than once. I think they were the most dangerous motor vehicle I ever drove. Why not make one wheel a drive wheel and the other free wheeling. Just a thought.

[Doc Dyna]

I went with a Frankenstein rearend and wanted the wild, radical look.  For touring I ride my Ultra.  I'll try to attach a picture.

[attachment removed after 60 days by system]