How Can I convert my Harley Davidson Road Glide to a Trike?

How Can I convert my Harley Davidson Road Glide to a Trike?

Posted by Art In Motion Parts Department on 2nd May 2016

Road Glide Trike Conversion

 Harley Davidson Road Glide can be converted to a trike using many different options and quality brands of trike conversion kit.  The first step is to put a new suspension on the back in place of your rear back motorcycle wheel.  This will change the motorcycle from two to three wheels.  You can use either independent rear suspension or a fixed axle.  Next, you will need to rake out the triple tree to modify the "trail" of the vehicle for safe handling. You may also need to modify, or replace your motorcycle exhaust. 

There are also options that you can add such as a  reverse, modifying the trike for handicap fitment.  Finally there are options for fenders only, fenders with your original bags, and many different body styles such as Corvette, Servicar Body style, or traditional Harley style body. 

When   converting your Road Glide to a trike, there are a number of good quality kits to choose from, and some things to think about also.

What are some of the Harley Road Glide Trike Conversion Options?

Here are a few links - use the  Road Glide Trike Kit Finder to find more!

What Kind of Trike Suspension Should I use for my Road Glide conversion?

This is your choice! If you ride a lot of long distances you may want to consider the extra cost of independent suspension.

  • Independent Suspension: When a trike has independent rear suspension each rear wheel moves vertically independent of the other. This kind of conversion kit has the most parts of any trike conversion kit. Independent suspension kits are usually the most expensive type of conversion.
  • A fixed axle suspension converts most belt or chain driven motorcycles into a trike. With a fixed axle the left and right side are tied together. The conversion takes only a few hours by a competent mechanic. Many of these also have a limited-slip differential (LSD). LSD is a type of differential gear arrangement that allows for some difference in angular velocity of the output shafts. This means that the wheels both stay powered when you need them to.

Harley Road Glide Trike Conversion FAQ

  • Do I really have to spend the extra money on raking the triple tree on my trike? The answer depends on how much you value your arms and spine. The trike will be difficult to turn and handle if you do not do it.  Raking the triple tree essentially moves your front wheel forward and reduces the trail. Trikes require a smaller trail number than a two-wheeled motorcycle.
  • Do I need to change out the rubber mounts? Yes, sometimes you do need to change these during the conversion.  We will ask you about how many miles have been put on your bike since the last time they were replaced. Depending on your mileage and model we recommend replacing the rubber mounts during the trike conversion.
  • Do I have to also buy a Reverse Gear?  This is an option that you can purchase either at the time of the initial trike conversion, or later on.  We know many riders never need the reverse gear, so you might want to try it out first without reverse before spending the extra money.  However, if your reason for your conversion involves legs or hips, you might want to purchase the reverse along with the kit 
  • Can I get trike wheels to match my front wheel?  In some cases this is possible.  If your front motorcycle wheel is custom, the rear trike wheels may need to be custom cut.  We also usually recommend that you source the trike wheels locally after we let you know the bolt pattern to save on shipping costs. 

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