Trike, front wheel drive?

brindledog

Finding my (electric) wheels
Apr 22, 2017
19
21
88
Appleton
I'm having difficulty steering a trike, The motor is in the rear near-side wheel and the steering has a mind of its owm. Would changing the motor to the front wheel solve this problem? I realise there may be some loss of power on steep hills but I can live with that. The trike has a tilting steering column which can be locked into place. I'd love to be able to steer round gentle left and right-hand bends (going in a straight line would be good too ...) Many thanks for advice. Thought - maybe the ability to steer anything at 85 is a factor! Fingers crossed :)
 

grldtnr

Esteemed Pedelecer
Sep 22, 2012
627
288
south east Essex
It might help if you post which trike you have.
If you are new to trikes, they are notorious for not going where you want to!
 

brindledog

Finding my (electric) wheels
Apr 22, 2017
19
21
88
Appleton
It might help if you post which trike you have.
If you are new to trikes, they are notorious for not going where you want to!
Sunlight is a great help. On closer examination the trike appears to be a Batribike (Batritrike?) with front wheel drive and pedal drive to the nearside rear wheel. This may be the cause of the difficulty steering the thing? The front wheel and handlebars have a tilting facility, supposed to help steer the beast on a chosen course. Limited help. as my frequent encounters with the kerbstones in the Close bear witness ... help, bright ideas needed :-(
 

grldtnr

Esteemed Pedelecer
Sep 22, 2012
627
288
south east Essex
Sunlight is a great help. On closer examination the trike appears to be a Batribike (Batritrike?) with front wheel drive and pedal drive to the nearside rear wheel. This may be the cause of the difficulty steering the thing? The front wheel and handlebars have a tilting facility, supposed to help steer the beast on a chosen course. Limited help. as my frequent encounters with the kerbstones in the Close bear witness ... help, bright ideas needed :-(
Contrary to popular thought,you do have to balance a trike to steer it, , actually what you have to do is counterbalance it, the trike will naturally want to steer with the camber of the road,what you have to do is counteract this force, if it's going right, counter steer left, it's a very conscious thing, you don't just sit there.
Being relative high up, when cornering at speed, you have to lean to counteract wheel lift in corners, turn left , you lean left, otherwise you could turn over to the right.
You just have to unlearn bike riding, and relearn tricycling, but ultimately, it's the same, you balance a bike by Intuitively steering left and right, triking you have to consiously do this till it becomes 2 nd nature.
One word of warning, you NEVER master a trike, you will forevermore be learning to ride it, they are tricky things to ride.
 
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grldtnr

Esteemed Pedelecer
Sep 22, 2012
627
288
south east Essex
Contrary to popular thought,you do have to balance a trike to steer it, , actually what you have to do is counterbalance it, the trike will naturally want to steer with the camber of the road,what you have to do is counteract this force, if it's going right, counter steer left, it's a very conscious thing, you don't just sit there.
Being relative high up, when cornering at speed, you have to lean to counteract wheel lift in corners, turn left , you lean left, otherwise you could turn over to the right.
You just have to unlearn bike riding, and relearn tricycling, but ultimately, it's the same, you balance a bike by Intuitively steering left and right, triking you have to consiously do this till it becomes 2 nd nature.
One word of warning, you NEVER master a trike, you will forevermore be learning to ride it, they are tricky things to ride.
I fail to see how this post helps
If you have control problems (real problems) then you should discover Mogo and buy a standard electric car. This is not necessarily Tesla)) There are many options now, including hybrid ones. Road safety concerns not only you but all road users. It makes sense to ride something more manageable and reliable than trying to curb the bike))
I fail to see how this posting helps ,the OP original query was about steering difficulty.
 

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