MTC Trike kit on a VV1700

[hank43]

Haven't seen many of these, so thought I would start a new link to see if anyone else has triked a vv1700


Have not figured out the paint part yet, but just may leave it black, kinda blends in with the VV1700 color scheme. What do you all think?

[/img]

[David (N. Alabama)]

Welcome to the AVA forum Hank. The trike looks interesting. How about some photos from the front and back?

[hank43]

Sure thing!
MTC wiring harness has additional breakouts for extra lights, I'm thinking of adding turn signals to rear panel either side of the trailer hitch.
I ordered black painted fenders, thinking that I would have painted to suit locally, now having second thoughts, Kawasaki paint scheme also has black painted surfaces, what do you all think? I checked around for Kawasaki factory paint to match the bike, found it to be $197 per qt, plus clearcoat and labor.
Added chrome metal passenger foot board bottoms, best $15 I ever spent!





[/img]

[hank43]

Well, maybe eventually I'll get the hang of this forum stuff, Click on a picture, and you will be taken to photobucket where you can see all 16 photos. I still have to do some cleanup on the bike, tucking in wires etc. I think I made the installation harder than it should have been, it is really quite easy to install these kits, after installation, they just require a little tuning up to perform perfectly. Well, as perfect as they can concidering that front rake on bike is unaltered and the bike will steer harder ....

Also, stopping and not putting a foot down just seems un-natural, but that is what you must do. We look forward to many miles of happy motoring.

hank

[David (N. Alabama)]

Nice looking rig Hank. How does it ride?

[Kevin B in Illinois]

Met a couple the other day on a brand new 2011 Voyager 1700 that has been converted to a California Trike Conversion. The dealership in Mattoon Illinois is triking out the Voyager 1700's and yes they have reverse on them. It was a beautiful trike and I told them about the AVA and the IPVMC and they are looking at going on some of our rides sometime. I'm figuring that a reverse for the regular VV's has to be something that is in the works since it seemed to run off the starter button like the GW's and the Beemer's. Nice looking Voyager Hank, I'm kinda biased towards that paint scheme.

Kevin Braddy
IPVMC
President

[Me Again]

and yes they have reverse on them.

Awesome.
There is a place out in California making the 4 wheel trikes that told me they could fit a 1300 and they have a reverse kit for those. Heard later they did not have a kit for the XII .

[David (N. Alabama)]

If I require a trike in the future, I am going to want one that leans into the turns.

A Trike kit would be nice for hauling a camper behind the bike. Then you leave the camper and kit in the campground and go explore the back roads. It would definitely be an adjustment jumping back and forth between the kit and two wheels.

[Me Again]

It would definitely be an adjustment jumping back and forth between the kit and two wheels.

Thats pretty much what I have heard.
Once they are on ,they are on for life.
You have to "relearn" to ride every time you go from 4 to 2 to 4 .
My knees are getting bad enough I have to seriously look for more wheels ,although I would prefer outriggers over trike.

[DHACK666]

Haven't seen many of these, so thought I would start a new link to see if anyone else has triked a vv1700


Have not figured out the paint part yet, but just may leave it black, kinda blends in with the VV1700 color scheme. What do you all think?

Nice color.

An older friend of mine has one of those on his 1100 shadow.
His wife says it makes for a hard ride and on our city streets, smooth highways are ok but it beats the sh** out of her in the city.

[Bill O]

Sure thing!
MTC wiring harness has additional breakouts for extra lights, I'm thinking of adding turn signals to rear panel either side of the trailer hitch.
I ordered black painted fenders, thinking that I would have painted to suit locally, now having second thoughts, Kawasaki paint scheme also has black painted surfaces, what do you all think? I checked around for Kawasaki factory paint to match the bike, found it to be $197 per qt, plus clearcoat and labor.
Added chrome metal passenger foot board bottoms, best $15 I ever spent!





[/img]

Just want to say hey and express my admiration for a very nice looking setup you have. But, just curious!, that trailer has a very, very strong resemblance to one I knew very well. If it is the one I think it is, I just want to let you know you have a great one, there, and I am glad to see it in good use!

Bill O

[Kevin B in Illinois]

Here's the trike that I saw in Effingham Illinois next to the Kawasaki Dealership. They are producing several of these.
Kevin Braddy
IPVMC
President

[Turbo4x4]

Hank,
Just curious about the clearance between the outrigger fenders and the bags. Can you still fully open the bags without hitting the fenders?
Nice looking setup. My wife and I have talked about going with a trike conversion when the knees go also. Who says you can't ride forever ?

[hank43]

Hank,
Just curious about the clearance between the outrigger fenders and the bags. Can you still fully open the bags without hitting the fenders?
Nice looking setup. My wife and I have talked about going with a trike conversion when the knees go also. Who says you can't ride forever ?

Nope! Bags will not open hardly at all, at least for the Kawasaki Voyager, Other bikes, this may not be a problem, email MTC they will respond the naxt day. . However, there is a work around....sort of. When you purchase the kit, order the replacement bag hinges for $140.00. After you install the kit and the new hinges, you contact the selling dealer or MTC direct, they will tell you how to return your old hinges, and when they receive them, you will be mailed a refund check from MTC for the $140. Now, how the hinges work? They simply replace the long Kawasaki hinge pin with two "hairpins", chromed of course. When you want access to the saddlebags, you unlock the bags and pull the hairpins, and then lift the entire top of the saddlebag off. Kind of mickey mouse, but it does work, and doesn't really cost you anything because the money is refunded. If you ever wanted to sell the bike, simply replace the hairpins with long steel pins. (Haven't checked this, but I think a couple of pieces of welding rod would work as hinge pins!)I opted out, and simply returned their hinges and received the refund. I got my refund just 8 days after returning the hinges. In my case, I pull a trailer when I travel, and don 't really need access to the saddlebags. We still have the top trunk of course.

A word about the painting. If you want matching paint to your bike, they do offer this. I thought it a might expensive, so ordered the basic black, thinking that I would just have the fenders painted to match the bike locally. When I checked into the exact Kawasaki factory paint colors, I was shocked. It is a two part paint, the base color coat, then the clear top coat. The paint costs....$197.00 per QUART!!. You will need at least two qts, one color, one clear, plus the labor charge from your local body shop to apply it. In my area, that could be another 3-500 dollars, so the factory matching matching paint job would probably be cheaper in the long run. In my case, I think I will leave the fenders black, as the Kawasaki factory paint job is Blue and Black anyway.

I haven't said much about the quality of this kit. IMHO, it is actually pretty good, the kit came in a 60x60x36 inch cardboard box mounted on a pallet. Opening the top of the carton revealed a wooden frame surrounding the Voyager kit. The wheels were not mounted on the axles, but that was simply a matter of 5 heavy chromed lug nuts per wheel. The fenders come painted black, pre-mounted on the Voyager, and the lights were pre-mounted on the fenders. I thought I had a problem with the lights, but all I had to do was connect them to the bike wiring with the supplied wiring harness, and everything worked out well. My fear was that the Kawasaki Voyager bike has LED lights for stop lights, and common incandescent lights for running and turn signals. Included with the kit wiring harness is a conversion box that connects everything perfectly. Also in the wiring loom is a trailer plug (For the provided trailer hitch!) and a left and right side extra wire breakout in case you want to add additional lights. I plan to add two amber signal lights on the mud guard. A nice touch from MTC I thought!
Dealers - Send me a PM and I will reveal who I got this from. I don't know if this forum permits "advertisements" or not, but I found this dealer to be very helpful when I was installing the kit.

Hank

[hank43]

Nice looking rig Hank. How does it ride?

Took it out for it's maiden voyage(r)(...couldn't pass that up!) Up in the low foothills and some minor twisties, handled pretty good, only really exciting times were when we hit some bad pavement at speed, forgot about that low ground clearance. Made a loud bang that woke me up when the belly pan hit hard! Sure be glad when California starts paving roads again, instead of just painting them!

hank

[dwhite815]

I just ordered a legup kit from landing gear.com.
I have a gold wing trike also.
I like the idea of two wheels and 4 only at slow speeds or stop signs.