Trailmate Meteor & Gas Power

[PatrickW]

Build is finished!

Well...I think I have finally finished the build of my Trailmate Meteor. I must confess that when I started, I had no idea where to begin...but, with the help of you guys here at MBc, I got on the right track and forged ahead.

I made some modifications to the original Meteor. Most obvious, is that I traded out the original 20" spoked rear wheels for 24" Skyway mag/composit wheels. I intend to increase the front 16" spoked wheel to match the rear ones, but that will require a slight front fork extension.

Other than that, the build seems complete, and the engine is pretty well broken in. On a smooth flat road, no traffic, and no wind...my local friendly deputy was kind enough to clock me on the radar...42 mph! And...the trike was not even 'skitish', altho I would not have tried to make any sharp corners, or Evil Knievil routines.<g> I guess I might be an addition to the 40+ mph club, if you will have me.

I do find that cruising at 25-30 mph is quite comfy, and seems to be safe.

Here are a few final pics for anyone who is interested:

 

[SimpleSimon]

Sweet looking ride. Am I seeing your drive train correctly - you have engine ppower to one rear wheel, pedal power to the other? My eyes ain't great, so I may well just not be seeing all of it clearly.

 

[PatrickW]

Gearing

Yup, that's how I set it up. I have the motor driving the right rear wheel, and 21 gears of pedal power on the left rear wheel. I thought that might be sorta interesting so that's why I put that picture of the under-carriage in the last prog note.

 

[SimpleSimon]

Fair enough. Wouldn't have been my choice, but it's your bike. I had a trike years ago with power on the right rear wheel only, left wheel was just a free spinner. I grew to hate that drive choice.

 

[Alaskavan]

That should get you the 20 miles to the trails in fine style. Your build would probly be a good one for longer trips, too.

 

[PatrickW]

Gearing

Thank you very much from someone who should know about these things. I appreciate the 'vote of confidence' from one of the Guru Bike Builders. My gearing set-up seems to be working quite well. The farthest I have gone away from my garage is about 8 miles...but I have gone round-and-round the area closer, just in case something happens. Once I get the motor fully broken-in, I'm going for that Water Park and the trail that runs around it. I also have a longer, straight route mapped out once I get everything broken-in and running smoothly. I have a straight, new road about 5-6 miles running north/south at the end of my block...I intend to run up and down it at varying speeds just as I would a new car (only on a smaller scale.)

So far, I love that bike/trike.

 

[motorbikemike45]

Very nice.

 

[PatrickW]

Thanks for the compliment and your time to read about my trike. You've done some pretty nice stuff, yourself. Thanks again, and Happy New Year

 

[2door]

Thanks

PatrickW
I believe we have spoken on another forum. Thanks to you I've discovered the origin of my strange little trike. Thanks for posting the link to Trailmate. I own a red 'Joyrider'. See their product line. Many years ago I purchased this weird little 3 wheeler at a swap meet and used it as a plant bike until the powers that be bought me a golf cart to get around our four buildings. I stored the trike for, maybe seven or eight years before dragging it out and giving some thought to motorizing it. I had a Titan 4 stroke that needed a project and it found its way onto the trike. I ran it direct drive to the live rear axle via a centrifugal clutch and a 41T sprocket. It is scary fast and a little unstable due to the light front end. I would think your trike will be much better at speed because of its center of gravity being further forward.
Keep in touch and maybe if my wife and I get down to our place in Englewood this summer I can look you up.
Tom

 

[PatrickW]

I really don't remember talking to you before, but if you could IM me with some particulars to refresh my failing memory, I'd appreciate it. I'm glad that you got your little Trailmate Joyrider up and running on gas power. However, I think you might reconsider the gearing...it seems a little too tall (to say the least)...especially when you consider it's overall construction, brakes, and weight. I'm sure everybody on this forum is glad to see another Motored Bike out there...but I'm equally sure nobody on this forum wants to see somebody get seriously hurt. Check that gearing, and let me know how things turn out...K?