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Three-wheeled cargo motorcycle: characteristics, description.
What is a tricycle and what licenses do you need for it? Three-wheeled motorcycle A cargo motorcycle is a three-wheeled vehicle designed for use as a transporter of light weight cargo. These units require registration with the traffic police and a driver's license of the appropriate category. Next, we will consider the characteristics and features of the most popular tricycles.
general information
The three-wheeled cargo bike is not particularly new to the transportation industry. Similar samples have been known since Soviet times (“Ant”, “Dnepr”, MT with a sidecar). However, modern modifications of domestic brands and foreign analogues have made a huge leap forward. First of all, this concerns the power unit, functionality and additional equipment.
Small equipment can be equipped with a flatbed or dump body, have a reinforced suspension on springs or be equipped with car tires. Variations with a cabin have been developed. The power of the power unit varies between 11-18 horsepower, and fuel consumption is about 3-5 liters per hundred kilometers.
GT for long holds
Yamaha Niken GT is a version for traveling or long trips in comfort. Not the least important role in this is played by the enlarged windshield, which will deflect the oncoming traffic from the heads of even tall drivers.
There is a comfortable seat, heated grips, a rear luggage rack and side saddlebags. The downside of the latter is that they have zippers, so they are not airtight and allow water to pass through during heavy rains. Oh yes, they are also small.
Cargo motorcycle "Ural"
The Ural Hercules tricycle is a modification of a heavy motorcycle designed to transport various loads. The technology performed well on any road surface. Moreover, the unit can transport loads of up to five hundred kilograms. The design features allow it to be used on construction sites, warehouses, shopping centers and in agriculture. Removable sides allow you to transport oversized materials. A category “C” license is not required to drive a vehicle.
The domestic cargo motorcycle has the following technical parameters:
- length/width/height - 2.53/0.85/1.3 meters;
- fuel tank capacity - nineteen liters;
- speed limit - 70 km/h;
- power unit with a pair of cylinders - 745 cc. cm, 40 horsepower;
- starting system - mechanical and electric starter;
- gearbox - four-speed unit with reverse gear and ;
- brakes - front disc, rear - hydraulic drum;
- suspension unit - telescopic design at the front and spring version at the rear.
In addition, the unit has a microprocessor ignition system and a cardan final drive.
Cargo motorcycles "Lifan": description
The St. Petersburg company offered consumers a cargo-type tricycle called “Lifan.” The vehicle is an analogue of the Chinese version of the LF-200 ZH3. The equipment is designed for transporting small-sized cargo weighing up to 275 kilograms. The cargo motorcycle is equipped with a four-stroke gasoline engine with a displacement of 200 cubic centimeters and a power of seventeen “horses”. The multi-disc clutch assembly is placed in an oil bath. The power plant is started using a kickstarter or electric ignition.
The tipping body of the vehicle is designed according to the principle of a dump truck, which speeds up the unloading of bulk materials. The modification under consideration is economical, practical and light weight. Thanks to the presence of folding sides and compact dimensions, Lifan is excellent for use in the agricultural sector. Safety is ensured by a drum-type brake unit, and the tank capacity is enough to cover 170 kilometers without refueling.
Characteristics
The Lifan tricycle has the following technical parameters:
- power unit - single-cylinder four-stroke engine (volume - 197 cc, air cooling);
- gearbox - five-speed manual transmission;
- clutch unit - multi-disc element;
- fuel tank volume - 11 liters;
- weight - 305 kilograms;
- length/width/height - 3.2/1.25/1.4 meters;
- fuel consumption per 100 km - 6.5 liters.
- the body is a dump truck with folding sides.
The Lifan cargo motorcycle (tricycle) has a number of advantages. These include easy access to the engine, several color designs, affordable price and ease of maintenance.
Sportbikes
This type of motorcycle is the most powerful and fastest. It is designed for road-circuit motorcycle racing. These motorcycles have low fuel consumption. Servicing them is not difficult.
Superbike
A version of a sportbike, but even faster, more powerful, and easier to ride. The most famous representatives:
- Triumph Daytona 675;
- Yamaha YZF-R6;
- Honda CBR 1000RR;
- Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6RR.
Superbikes are often distinguished by the “factory tuning” of the Suzuki GSX-R 1000 sports motorcycle.
Naked (naked)
These motorcycles are completely free of plastic and cladding elements. At first they were made from sports bikes, for this reason they have the same technical data. In most cases, nakeds are driven on city streets, since due to the lack of fairings their speed is not so high, and the aerodynamics leave much to be desired.
An example would be motorcycles from well-known manufacturers: Honda CB1100 EX, Suzuki GS500E, etc.
Suzuki GS500E
Tricycle Spark
Let's look at a few more cargo motorcycles from different brands. Let's start a brief overview with the Spark model. The modern tricycle with the SP125TR-2 body is very popular due to its ability to be used in the agricultural sector for moving small loads. The unit with folding sides and a dump body is equipped with a four-stroke single-cylinder petrol engine with liquid cooling. It has a power of twelve horsepower at 7000 rpm and a working volume of 125 cubic centimeters.
Characteristics:
- The weight of the device is 280 kilograms with a maximum load capacity of 0.5 tons.
- Length/width/height - 3.26/1.23/1.27 meters.
- Transmission - cardan type.
- Brakes - drum mechanism.
Features of the vehicle include the presence of sides that fold down on three sides.
Foton FT-110 ZY
This brand is widely represented in the domestic market. The tricycle of the series in question has an original design, an affordable price and good characteristics.
- power unit - engine with a volume of 110 cubic centimeters and a power of 8 horsepower;
- fuel consumption is about three liters per hundred kilometers;
- load capacity - up to 200 kg;
- maximum speed - fifty kilometers per hour;
- gearbox - four-speed unit with reverse and reverse.
The Foton line also includes more powerful versions, differing in engines, transmission and load capacity.
New "Ant"
The reanimated model of the famous Soviet tricycle was manufactured by Soul. A copy of the legendary “Ant” has the following capabilities:
- engine - four-stroke engine;
- volume - two hundred cubic centimeters;
- power - 16.5 horsepower;
- the five-speed gearbox is equipped with reverse gear;
- there is a lightweight cardan shaft;
- suspension - double spring system;
- enlarged body;
- improved optics;
- reinforced front fork.
In addition, the Ant Soul cargo three-wheeled motorcycles are equipped with a self-tipping side, can transport up to seven hundred kilograms of cargo, and are easy to maintain and repair.
In a situation of economic crisis, small business owners are wondering how they can save money and not lose profits. For most business companies, cargo transportation is a major item in the cost estimate. If we are talking about small-sized and not too heavy loads, then the ideal option would be to switch to three-wheeled motorcycles, the so-called tricycles or trikes
.
Tricycle: technical specifications and description
A tricycle is a vehicle with three wheels. In simple words, it is a modified motorcycle. Tricycles are vehicles with a wheelbase consisting of 3 wheels. These include three-wheeled motorcycles, bicycles, cars and scooters. To drive it, category “A” or “B1” must be indicated on the driver’s license; the choice of category depends on the weight and number of passenger seats.
A tricycle designed for carrying cargo first appeared in Italy in the fifties
.
The most famous model is the Piaggio APE.
They remained the most popular model of tricycles, successfully maintaining a high bar in European markets. These trikes are actively used in the flower trade, for their transportation, in courier services and many other organizations.
The Ant scooter was considered an analogue of the Piaggio APE in the USSR
, produced from 1960 to the end of 1995. The scooter was exported to more than 20 countries.
In addition, motorcycles with sidecars
. They were used by the police, rural doctors, postmen and many other categories of workers. A whole family of motorcycles with sidecars occupied an important position in the market.
There were also craftsmen who made three-wheeled motorcycles with their own hands.
, equipping the rear axle with two wheels. The design, although not particularly practical, was perfect for use in the village.
In Asian countries, tricycles are used as cargo and passenger transport and are called "Tuk-Tuk".
Tricycles can be divided into two types: cabin and non-cabin
. A tricycle equipped with a cabin can be used until late autumn and even at the beginning of winter. Modern models of cabin tricycles are equipped with a windshield, heater, wipers and a comfortable passenger seat. This makes the small, nimble trike almost a complete analogue of small cars like the Daewoo Matiz. However, maintenance of a three-wheeled motorcycle is several times easier and cheaper.
In many countries, a tricycle is the most affordable means of transportation for both passenger and freight transport.
American style motorcycles
Custom
In most cases, this type of bike is made to order in a unique design or in several copies. Most often it is a product of alteration. For this purpose, either one motorcycle of a certain model is used, or several varieties that are mass-produced. Re-equipment can be carried out by both individual craftsmen and workshops.
All motorcycles of this type are original in essence, because they are created according to their owner’s ideas about the “iron trotter” standard and fully meet his needs.
The example is the 1976 Honda CB550F Super Sport from Recast Moto.
A variation of this type of motorcycle is the brat custom , which is based on the developments of Japanese craftsmen “Brat Style”. This workshop is a pioneer in the production of bikes using a mix style (cafe racer, chopper, tracker).
Characteristic features of a Bret Custom:
- average engine capacity;
- shortened suspension;
- narrow fuel tank located closer to the seat;
- narrowed steering wheel;
- shortened rear wheel fender;
- not pretentious, but interesting appearance.
As an example, consider the Honda CX-500.
Scrambler
As a rule, this type includes “classic” style motorcycles, which are intended not only for daily travel, but also for off-road driving. This is achieved by redesigning the bike and reducing its weight. Currently, there are modifications of motorcycles, both custom-made and mass-produced.
The scrambler is distinguished by the presence of:
- studded (embossed) tires;
- shortened frame;
- long travel suspensions;
- spoked wheels;
- raised muffler.
A custom representative of scramblers is the Triumph Street Scrambler (Tramontana project).
Bobbers
They do not have design frills that would impede the rapid driving so necessary for racing competitions. In particular, the bobber lacks a wing over the front wheel, there are no brakes, and there is no dashboard. The frame has been reconstructed and the rear fender has been shortened. Minor fasteners are removed from the bike.
To make it light and maneuverable, many structural elements are replaced with smaller ones: fuel tank, saddle, headlight, battery. Another characteristic feature of a bobber is the identical wheels.
A typical representative of the class is the BMW R75/5 1973 from GT-Moto.
Choppers
A heavy motorcycle in the made in USA style involuntarily evokes associations with true bikers. You can't help but notice him - he simply attracts attention. Technical characteristics allow you to make impressive trips along city streets. The main thing in these bikes is not the engine power, but the appearance.
You can find choppers that are mass-produced, but for true bike enthusiasts and the entire subculture, they prefer do-it-yourself ones. You won’t see a single plastic part on this bike; it contains a large amount of chrome.
Choppers also have the following characteristics:
- seat in two levels, located low;
- the driver's position allows you to stretch your legs forward;
- low speed engine;
- the steering wheel is longer;
- the rear wheel is small in diameter but wide;
- The fuel tank is drop-shaped.
The representative of the new chopper is Custom-Wolf Harley-Davidson.
Dregsters
Heavy class bike with a powerful, highly accelerated engine. Used for mini-races on public roads with a section length of slightly more than 400 meters.
This type of motorcycle is equipped with a long wheelbase and special stabilizing stays that prevent rear tipping. In order to protect against fire, especially in sports models, the tank is made of fire-resistant material, since nitric oxide and nitromethane are often used as fuel.
The main features of a dregster:
- the presence of durable fairings;
- low center of gravity;
- high structural stability;
- small front and large rear wheels.
Examples include Kawasaki VN1500 Drifter, Harley-Davidson V-Rod, and Yamaha Dragstar.
Motorcycle Yamaha Dragstar
Cruiser (cruiser)
A motorcycle with a spectacular American style appearance is used by lovers of long roads. The convenient design allows the biker to sit vertically in the saddle of a steel horse and feel comfortable. His body does not experience tension for a long time.
Thanks to the high-raised steering wheel and low-set seat, the hands are parallel to the road. Equipping a motorcycle with a good suspension softens the shaking on small potholes and potholes.
The cruiser is still not intended for driving on bad roads, nor for driving fast. The motorcycle is not very maneuverable, so you shouldn’t drive recklessly, especially on sharp turns, otherwise you may lose your balance.
In addition to the above features, this motorcycle is different:
- strong brakes;
- powerful engine;
- drop tank;
- wheels of the same size;
Among the disadvantages, significant fuel consumption can be noted.
A representative of this species is the Yamaha Raider S.
Power cruiser
This bike has a more durable design and features similar to a sportbike. The engine exceeds 100 horsepower, has a strong and reliable braking system, and has an inverted fork.
Sample – Yamaha Raider Bullet Cowl.
Lux cruiser
The special equipment the bike is equipped with allows you to comfortably make long trips. Thanks to the spacious trunks, you can take the necessary things on the road. And the presence of a navigator, air conditioning and a stereo system creates additional convenience. Features also include a built-in headlight in a voluminous plastic fairing that protects the motorcyclist and his legs from the wind.
There are very few brands of this motorcycle around the world, as they are produced in small batches. A typical representative of the class is the Indian Chieftain.
Dresser
A type of cruiser that is equipped with additional elements:
- fairings;
- chrome trim;
- voluminous trunks, bags, etc.
Additional accessories began to be offered by Indian and Harley-Davidson in the middle of the last century. There were people who wanted to decorate their bikes with a full dress. Later, such motorcycles began to be called dresser. Currently, among American bikers this is the name given to touring models equipped with panniers and fairings.
The use of tricycles in cargo transportation
The carrying capacity of most tricycles varies from 250 kilograms to one ton. They can be either with an all-metal body
, and
covered with an awning
. The possibilities of such a vehicle are endless. A trike can be used as a passenger taxi, but is most often used in cargo transportation. It is used in small businesses to transport flowers, products, goods, and documents. The scope of their application directly depends on the load capacity of the tricycle.
Their main advantages are low cost and low fuel costs. On average, with a load of one ton, a tricycle consumes no more than 4 liters of gasoline per 100 kilometers. With the same parameters, the truck consumes about 9 liters per 100 kilometers. A three-wheeled motorcycle, with proper maximum load capacity, can easily cope with the same tasks that a truck can handle. However, using a trike will significantly reduce the cost of fuel and the purchase of freight transport.
If you need to transport goods or products with a total weight of up to one ton, then a tricycle is ideal for this and will save a round sum that can be spent on other needs.
It is very common to see a wide variety of motorcycles on the roads, which allow you to move around on two wheels, something cars cannot do. This type of transport has been firmly established in people’s daily lives for quite some time now, so the next model on the road will no longer be a surprise to anyone. Bikers hold their own gatherings and full-fledged motorcycle rides, and even motorcycle races are organized. But this all applies only to two-wheeled models. But what can be said about three-wheeled motorcycles? Are they popular? Is it possible to often see something like this on the street?
Three point security
A significant difference between a classic motorcycle with two wheels is the incredible safety of the Niken model. Even if you slip in a turn (which you still need to try to do), you will, of course, eventually fall over, but the roll will increase much, much slower than the instantaneous slipping of one steered wheel on a standard motorcycle. Due to the peculiar design of the front suspension, the wheels in front will gradually move sideways, giving the rider time, and therefore a chance to correct the situation.
It turns out to be a good help for beginners. Of course, it is known that a horse will stumble even with four legs, but in terms of safety, Niken gives a head start to ordinary two-wheelers, although it is not comparable in safety to ordinary trikes. It is simply unrealistic to fall on them according to the classical scheme.
The only negative feature: when braking, the motorcycle becomes weak when maneuvering. Although, maybe this is a trick of the engineers? They seem to suggest that it is inappropriate to press the brake lever on the arc...
And a few more words about braking: the two front wheels are capable of transmitting enormous braking forces - they have all the grip you need! Therefore, it is necessary to operate the front brakes delicately even on a straight line. Where there is not enough effort on a regular motorcycle, there may be an excess of it on such a device. And if you hold it harder, you can do a “stoppie”, or even a front somersault... Be careful if you ever have the chance to ride such an unusual device.
What it is?
Many people will not be able to answer not only the question about the popularity of this vehicle, but they quite possibly do not even know what three-wheeled motorcycles are, for them this is a real shock. However, the modern world is an unusual place, so you shouldn't be surprised if you see a motorcycle with three wheels instead of two. As a matter of fact, this is its main difference from an ordinary motorcycle - it has one more wheel. However, you should note that three-wheeled motorcycles are far from the most popular name - one might even say it is a little incorrect, although still acceptable. In fact, such vehicles are called tricycles, which is quite logical and sounds much better. But the younger generation, which likes to borrow foreign words, is much more likely to use trike to refer to a similar vehicle.
Let's move on to the unique aspects of the Yamaha Niken
What can you say about the riding characteristics of this motorcycle? In short, they are unique.
On the one hand, while driving the motorcycle, as motorcyclists who have been in the saddle of this unusual bike note, it handles like any other relatively heavy motorcycle (the Niken GT version weighs 267 kg). A little imposing, moderately “thoughtful.”
However, despite its outlandish appearance, its first unique feature is noted. The motorbike is quite agile and maneuverable than it might seem at first glance.
“You don’t even realize that it has two wheels at the front because the bike moves along a normal radius with the usual lean for motorcycles in this class, up to 45 degrees. You won't even see that you have two wheels in front, because they are completely covered by the large fuel tank. Wide and spacious, it holds up to 18 liters of fuel,” marvels Clemens Kopecky, journalist from Motorcycle Magazine.
By the way, the Yamaha Niken has a completely ordinary side stand on which the motorcycle rests, like any other two-wheeled unit.
The fork, or rather two parts of the front suspension (essentially, these are two forks with legs turned 90 degrees), work independently of each other. This way, one can be on the curb while the other doesn't lose traction.
Prevalence
Three-wheeled motorcycles today are an extremely common form of transport only in some countries. For example, in the United States of America it is unlikely that you will surprise anyone by appearing on the road on a tricycle. Also, naturally, trikes are a popular vehicle in Japan, which is always ahead of the curve with new technologies. Moreover, Scandinavian countries are also gradually starting to use tricycles on a regular basis as a standard means of transportation. In Russia at the moment there are not many trikes, but you can get one of them without any problems - they are just used mainly for entertainment, extreme trips, and so on. So far, the widespread use of the tricycle as a standard vehicle is not expected, and in the near future the three-wheeled motorcycle will be a rare guest on Russian roads.
The motorcycle is well equipped
Standard safety equipment includes ABS, traction limiting system, and cruise control.
Dual USD 41mm forks are adjustable for compression and rebound. LED lighting all around is installed as standard.
The monochrome LCD display looks somewhat old-fashioned, but it is quite informative.
Two driving wheels
It's time to figure out what a three-wheeled motorcycle can be. In fact, there are not so many options, but the most common of them is a vehicle with two rear driven wheels and one driven front wheel. This is a great design that allows you to achieve both high speed and excellent stability. Such models can often be found both on roads in standard traffic in countries where this type of transport is common, and in other places as recreational transport. However, before you go to buy or rent a three-wheeled motorcycle, you should definitely look at the photo. The fact is that two wheels are not always driving.
Yamaha Niken: What's the point of a motorcycle with two wheels on the front?
“Trikes”, or tricycles... Do you know what they are? I’m sure many have unmistakably pictured a tricycle in their minds. Absolutely right, here it is:
But only motorcyclists or people who are interested in motorcycle technology will think about this first:
But, as you understand from the title picture, there are many more types of tricycles than it seems at first glance. Technically, any motorcycle that has three wheels in its design would be called a tricycle. And it doesn’t matter at all which axle the two parallel wheels are located on – the rear or the front. Even if you attach it to the side, in the middle of the motorcycle, the trike will still remain a trike.
However, if you install double wheels on the front axle, the design will become much more complicated (after all, the motorcycle needs to be controlled somehow) and the bike will automatically acquire a very unique look, to a certain extent “cosmic” and in many respects technological.
The best example of illustrating such changes was the 2017 model year motorbike – Yamaha Niken. This unusual motorcycle looks evil and, damn, it's just incredibly distinctive! Probably, every time someone meets him on the road, at a gas station, he always asks the same questions: “How does it work?” and “Is it difficult to manage?” We are absolutely sure of this. We don’t even know why...?
