Fifty Plus (50+) - Recumbent Trike or ...

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robtown
04-12-12, 01:07 PM
I'd like to get the FFR electric assist recumbent trike. I was planning to sell off my Parmount, my 3 speed, my ALAN cx bike, my Bionx kit, and many other items. I probably still will.
The wife suggested I get a new car recently. This is my opportunity. I will attempt to get this car and have the trike as the fallback. Hey -the GTO would be new to me! Honestly, I want both.
1970 Pontiac GTO, 455ci, Edelbrock heads, Torker intake,Holley 850 carb, turbo 400, 3:55 posi, ps, pb, Cardinal redw/black vinyl top, red int, rally gauges
http://cars.nmsell.com/global-includes/imgmanip.php?nmskey1=car&tag=tag&normal=normal&thumbname=adXID_12318_01.jpg
At about 25% the cost of the car with a top end of 40mph.
http://www.ffrtrikes.com/v/vspfiles/assets/images/lynn2.jpg
stapfam
04-12-12, 01:13 PM
Are you mane enough for the RED one?
Dudelsack
04-12-12, 01:20 PM
I rode in that model Pontiac in my reckless youth.
The trike is ubercool.
I say: get 'er done.
robtown
04-12-12, 01:44 PM
Are you man enough for the RED one?
I'm not even man enough for my bikes (but they let me ride them). In third grade I visited my grandparents and rode in my grandfather's 63 Catalina. I drove that car to college. It was a boat with style. I still dream of it occasionally. The GTO would suffice as a replacement.
The GTO owner is 88 years old and allegedly burns rubber when he leaves the ChicFilet parking lot each weekend. He's had a lot of work done to the car. Unlike my bikes, I would not be the mechanic - so it has to be good to drive. I'd say my chances are 50/50 that I will get permission to buy one of the two. If I raise the cash from selling off some bikes I will buy the trike regardless.
Tom Bombadil
04-12-12, 03:21 PM
That is one bad looking trike!
Just looked them up. Are you leaning to the 30 mph model or the 40 mph model?
http://www.ffrtrikes.com/FFR-Transition-One-p/t1.htm
robtown
04-12-12, 03:49 PM
That is one bad looking trike!
Just looked them up. Are you leaning to the 30 mph model or the 40 mph model?
http://www.ffrtrikes.com/FFR-Transition-One-p/t1.htm
40mph of course! I'd probably spend most of my time between 20mph and 30mph but the extra power might come in handy. The special front crank is expensive but I want to contribute past 25mph.
It'd be very economical if replacement batteries at 15k - 30k mile intervals didn't cost $1k. I could feasibly sell my 2000 Volvo and rely on my 97 pickup truck, the trike, and my other traditional bikes. Having the GTO as a second backup wouldn't be that much of a hardship.
Tom Bombadil
04-12-12, 04:57 PM
If you can get out close to that 30K interval, then $1000 isn't "too" bad for the replacement batteries. If one drove 30,000 in a vehicle that averaged 25 mpg, then that would consume 1200 gallons of gas which would set you back $4000-$5000.
I wouldn't mind having one of those trikes.
The GTO I could pass on. I like little sports cars better.
fietsbob
04-12-12, 06:20 PM
Velomobile.. its a recumbent tadpole inside an aerodynamic Body.
some are Monocoque
Body is the frame so the weight is not redundant.
http://www.bluevelo.com/quest_velomobile.html
Have you considered getting the Pontiac GTO and also a Greenspeed GTO?
Monoborracho
04-12-12, 08:17 PM
Tell me more about the Paramount (spoken in a low quiet voice)
robtown
07-24-12, 12:21 PM
Update - I'll have the 411R trike within two weeks. I sold all of the items on my list - and a lot more to fund the purchase. I even opted for the Industry Nine wheelset. My son's 240 Volvo died and he will be buying my (discounted) 2000 S80 Volvo on the installment plan.
A coworker is my agent for acquiring the GTO. So far it doesn't look good - he tells me to be patient. In the meantime I got him a Seven Cycles Elium SG carbon fiber and titanium custom frame (circa 2008) and built it with DuraAce 7900 and a FSA compact carbon crankset. It built out at 16 lbs. The total cost was approx $2k - not bad when new ones are $6k+. I'm counting on him to get me the GTO.
Phil_gretz
07-25-12, 09:12 AM
[QUOTE=robtown;14522183]Update - I'll have the 411R trike within two weeks. QUOTE]
If you ride the trike when we ride together, I'm riding exclusively in your slipstream. :thumb:
robtown
08-22-12, 05:30 PM
My trike - shipping next week.
http://img854.imageshack.us/img854/1660/mg2352.jpg
cranky old dude
08-23-12, 01:50 AM
All this GTO talk reminds me of my 19th Summer. Being a party orientated college student (aka drunk) I was required to attend Summer School at our area Community College. The plan was for me to pass Chemistry. It didn't work out very well.
Back to the Goat! I drove my mother's '66 Pontiac Lemans back and forth to school all summer. Since the Lemans and the GTO were the same body my 19 year old long haired self was a sitting duck for every police officer that saw me. I used to get pulled over and asked for ID and an insurance check at least twice a week for the entire summer. The really sick part is that the Lemans had a slug of a six cylinder engine that barely enough power to keep the car rolling. :eek:
overthehillmedi
08-23-12, 11:06 AM
Cranky, did the police get to know you by first name, or vice versa? :)
fietsbob
08-23-12, 01:30 PM
One fellow flipped his retrofitted Cattrike, loosened one side of the rear wheel.
when he engaged the motor it's torque chewed away the metal around the axle
and he had to buy a new frame ..
Im pondering on a electric, vespa like scooter and a sidecar ,
adding space for a bigger or a second battery.. to increase range..
loneviking61
08-23-12, 08:33 PM
If I had a huge bike path network, i'd buy one. But on the road! No way. The top of a trikes seat is at the same height as the bumpers of lots of big SUV's.
gtragitt
08-23-12, 09:43 PM
GTO's were fantastic. I really liked the early ones with the 389 and three 2 barrel carburetors.
That trike is truly awesome!
robtown
08-27-12, 06:57 PM
Trike is shipped - arriving Wednesday!
http://img846.imageshack.us/img846/2568/mg2296.jpg
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