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Nomad ready to come in it's new version

4K views 24 replies 11 participants last post by  ol' school 
#1 · (Edited)
The Nomad is ready to come home in it's new form since my wreck back in May. I am healed and now it is too!!! It is now a California Side Car Kruze trike with a matching CSC Escapade LE trailer.
 
#5 ·
Lots of folks do it with two wheels. You'd be amazed how little a small trailer actually affects the bike. Of course, it IS different! More weight, something pushing on the bike, etc.
 
#8 ·
I promise more pics as soon as we get it home. That pic was at California Side Cars facility in Arrington, VA... Will be making its way home today. BTW, the exhaust is modified too. They cut the mufflers down, cap them and run straight stainless pipe up over the independent rear suspension to their own tail sections. A little more rumble than stock but not as loud as my V&N Hines Twin Slashcuts were.
 
#10 ·
Do they move everything to a new frame, or just from the swingarm and rear subframe? Did they put a rake kit on the front end or weld a new head on the frame?

I am not a fan of trikes because they don't lean, but I have seen some nice looking ones and the Vulcan 1700 trikes are some of the best "sporty" looking I have seen.

Enjoy. I would rather be in a convertible sport car if I could no longer handle 2 wheels.
 
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#11 · (Edited)
They use the same frame sanes the swingarm, shocks and the bolt-on framework that holds the saddlebags,etc... Their trike frame and independent rear suspension bolts onto the original frame. They say it could be converted back into a two wheeled version by reinstalling the parts they removed.

For the front end they install a raked triple tree and a steering stabilzer to make it easier to steer.

We had rode a Tri-Glide prior to persuing getting the Nomad triked even though we had been talking about its possibility of being triked due to health issues and were not happy with the Tri-Glides solid rear axle ride. My wife actually stated the Tri-Glide price was "way too much to pay for a vibrator"... LOL. Even the HD salesman laughed at that. Our Kawasaki dealer is also a California Sidecar dealer and we had rode a Voyager they had done and were both happier with the ride.

As far as not leaning I guess that goes with the trike territory. I even talked about getting an old convertible since I had spent many years restoring and owning my share of classic cars over the years but decided we have way too many biker friends not to be riding with them so it was "do the trike".

Enclosed is a picture of the "kits" CSC has sitting in their shop for Indians off their Facebook page to give you an idea of what their kit looks like to make a motorcycle a trike.
 
#16 · (Edited)
Thanks Rick! I agree that CSC did a good job on maintaining the original design lines...

os,, how long have you had it triked? miles? who did yor conversion, a dealer or CSC direct? looks like you have the steering kit on it.? we will need a write up report as to how this is working for you and why CSC.?

I did my 07 electraglide with their package. the dealer hosed the install horribly and CSC rescued it. only cost me $huge. but when it was done right it was a tremendous triple play. I rode it 20k miles 2yrs, blue ridge - natchez trace - glacier np,, and then sold it, not cuz it was a trike, becuz it was a hardley and the motor was about to blow.

CSC makes one the finest rear end drive line and suspension systems in the trike market. their gold wing w/offset shaft drive is king. poncho
Poncho, it was done at CSC's facility. My Kawi dealer is a fairly new CSC dealer (within the past year) but so far his mechanics are only driveline certified so are only doing Gold Wings in house. I was just as happy it was done at CSC so I knew the guys that put it together do that everyday not just as needed.

We are just now in the process of getting it home from CSC. So far it has been delivered back to the dealer. They have a few parts to replace yet from the accident (windshield, left front engine guard, light bar, left drivers foot rest and mounting bracket) so we've got no miles on it yet... Was at the dealer yesterday morning to look at it and the matching trailer. They look awesome in person. Now we are chomping at the bit to get it home.

As far as why CSC, we rode a Tri-Glide which is basically a solid axle Lehman trike as well as Motortrike and Champion trike and wasn't happy with them. Motortrike and Champion didn't offer the steering kit and they felt too twitchy for me. The Motortrike dealer said they could buy a CSC steering kit (had done that for other customers). My dealer had a Voyager they had triked through CSC's facility for someone else that backed out on the deal. It had the steering kit on it and the wife and I took it for an extended test ride and were very pleased with the way it handled and rode. We also liked CSC's trike body as their design flowed with the Nomads lines better. The final deciding factor was it could be serviced at our own dealer that we have been totally pleased with over the years since they are a CSC dealer.

And BTW, your HD CSC was a good looking ride too.
 
#14 ·
The Nomad is ready to come home in it's new form since my wreck back in May. I am healed and now it is too!!! It is now a California Side Car Kruze trike with a matching CSC Escapade LE trailer.
os,, how long have you had it triked? miles? who did yor conversion, a dealer or CSC direct? looks like you have the steering kit on it.? we will need a write up report as to how this is working for you and why CSC.?

I did my 07 electraglide with their package. the dealer hosed the install horribly and CSC rescued it. only cost me $huge. but when it was done right it was a tremendous triple play. I rode it 20k miles 2yrs, blue ridge - natchez trace - glacier np,, and then sold it, not cuz it was a trike, becuz it was a hardley and the motor was about to blow.

CSC makes one the finest rear end drive line and suspension systems in the trike market. their gold wing w/offset shaft drive is king. poncho
 

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#18 ·
OS,, do some research check this subject out and get familiar with it b4 you experience it firsthand unexpected; BumpSteer.
Yes I learned it is a bilt in characteristic of all trikes, rear drive.
What it is and how it affects your trajectory is only under certain circumstances.
I had my trike bak finished from CSC for 6 months and already 6k smiles. I rode it to Glacier NP. On a slow 2 lane blacktop along the river, I was going all of 20mph in 2nd gear. I reached both hands behind me to straighten my pack and the very minor undulation in the road surface, the rear wheels will inflict a deflection in steering.
In this circumstance because both hands were off the bars the front end went full lock to lock side slapping. I tried to catch the bar with my hands and only got smacked hard enuff to break wrist. Fortunately I was not at speed and hit the rear brake as the trike was headed into the river. Holy schitt wtf was that? BumpSteer!
Lesson 2. I rode it to San tonio to see my bro. Coming up to his house, he is standing in the street where I am fixing to park, so I make a late decision to turn into his drive and the inside rear wheel hits the curb. The front end cuts sharply to the rite and as I attempt to wrestle it straight I accidentally accelerate and luckily am able to stop it inches b4 center punching my bros roadglide! His eyes were bigger than moons! mine too! Bump steer, the rear can adversely affect the front.
Be aware and ahead of the curve not behind it.
Otherwise they are rock solid at all speeds and squatt down flat in the corners F1 rear suspension. poncho
 
#22 ·
271 miles today on the new CSC trike. Pretty awesome ride! The wife and I are very pleased... It was good to be riding Road Captain leading our crew again after 2 months healing time???The only one missing was my brother. His Softail Slim hasn't made it home yet from our mishap...
 
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