October 2008:  Harley Road King Conversion Begins

I have busy over the last several months working on, riding and improving the Vmax.  I now have put over 4,000 miles testing the Vmax in all weather conditions including riding it through a slushy rain storm and it has performed beautifully.  I have received a tremendous amount of positive response to what I am working on and I am starting the process to produce the kits and make them available for sale beginning in 2009.  It is taking longer than anticipated because I am completely redesigning the parts for production in SolidWorks.  I just picked up the finished spindles and spacers.  I will be picking up the new hubs by the end of the week.  The redesign of the A-arms is about finished and we should begin production on those in the next few weeks.  I am building my next kit on my 2001 Harley Road King  I just purchased.  The bike only had 3700 miles on it when I picked it up. 

Besides redesigning the hubs and a-arms I have been busy with my tilt lock system which is now working on the Vmax in manual mode.  As I come to a stop, I flick a switch and the tilt is locked up and I do not have to put my feet down.  It is really nice to have in heavy traffic.  I am working on automating the process to be speed controled.  My first automating system was analog and did not allow much adjustability so I scrapped it.  I have decided to go digital for the tilt lock control brain and now have the circuit board done and working.  The software is being custom designed and will allow me to adjust my engage/disengage speeds.  I am using a quadrature hall effect sensor which will sense both forward and reverse direction.

The other improvement I will be adding to the Harley is a front piece of body work that will fit between the fenders.  I will be working to keep the Harley look and feel.

I am now also looking for potential investors.  If you or anyone you know may be interested in becoming a partner in this venture, please contact me.

Articles on Tilting Motor Works can be found at:

http://thekneeslider.com/archives/2007/11/20/tilting-v-max-trike-by-tilting-motor-works/

http://soundrider.com/current/sep08/DP809-more_things_change.htm

November 2007:  V-Max at Cycle World

The V-Max is going to be introduced at the 2007 Cycle World International Motorcycle Show in Seattle (Nov. 30th, Dec 1st & 2nd.)  come visit us at booth 3023.  We will be accepting deposits for kits for delivery in the first half of 2008.

September 2007: V-Max first test ride

The Tilting Three Wheel conversion of the V-max was successfully test ridden!  The suspension uses custom Works Performance shocks and braking comes from two Buell perimeter style 6 piston calipers.  The suspension on this new TTW is far superior to the design on my original Honda.  The power is all you would expect from a V-Max.  The first test ride was quite a thrill.  Small adjustments still need to be made before I really push it and put up some videos.  The kit requires the removal of the stock V-Max front forks, wheels and brakes.  The kit slides into the triple tree and attaches with 8 bolts to the bottom of the frame where you would normally mount crash bars.  New longer brake lines are then routed to the calipers.  I plan on exhibiting the finished vehicle with new paint and fenders at the Seattle International Motorcycle show in November.  I plan on delivering completed kits in the beginning of 2008.

MAY 2006:  V-Max delivered to shop to begin conversion, Sliding in Dirt video added

Jeff Hiatt who is a nationally ranked flat track racer ( http://www.worksperformance.com/html/sponserd/jeff_hiatt.html)  took my TTW out to a dirt field to see what it could really do.  You can see the results in the Sliding in Dirt video in the video section of this website.  He was impressed with the handling in light of the poor front suspension.  He found he could slide it in a very controlled way just like a motorcycle.  His major complaint was a lack of power which did not allow him to carry a slide all the way through a corner.  He could power slide the rear wheel easily but was not able to really slide the front.  He had to put his inside foot down to prevent the TTW front falling over in a full slide.

The V-max was delivered to the machine shop to begin the conversion process into a TTW

JANUARY 2006: New Protoype Begins

I have just purchase a 2001 Yamaha V-max as my next donor bike to build my new Tilting Three Wheeler.  The V-max was chosen because it has more power than my original Honda Rebel (1200cc -vs- 250cc), the gas tank is already located under the seat (keeping center of gravity low) and also because of the mounting attachements welded onto the lower part of the frame (originally put there to mount forward highway pegs) which will allow me to attach my tilting pivot to the frame without welding.  The idea is to make a kit that would just require the removal of an existing bike's front fork assembly and bolting on the two wheeled tilting front end.  I will not be cutting the frame in  any way like I did on the original design.  There are several advantages for doing it that way.  The first is that it is far less expensive to build.  The second is that local licensing laws do not require any inspections if your modification is something that can be bolted on and can be taken back off without any permanent vehicle modifications.  Local laws define a motorcycle as having two OR three wheels.  The third advantage is that it will be far easier for me to sell kits with the customer's option of: 1) Buying the kit themselves and installing it on their own bike, 2) Sending their bike to me and I do the modifications for them or 3) I buy a bike for you and send you a converted tilting three wheeler.

NOVEMBER 2005:  Tilting Motor Works receives street legal status

I have finally completed all of the required state inspections and now have the only street legal tilting three wheeled vehicle which has all wheels tilting in the United States.

I am currently toying with the idea of building a kit that would bolt onto the front of a Harley.  Is there any interest in a kit or would people be more interested in buying a complete vehicle?