Our goal had been to get the trike done in time for the David Mann Chopper Fest 2012 held in Ventura, CA. As the days were checked off on the calendar we also checked off items on the to-do list. The horn was added for safety. The flasher relay had to be swapped out for one that worked with LED lights. Diamond plate boxes were made to cover the electrical panel and battery, plus they served the dual purpose of being steps onto the trike for the passenger. California law requires we have footpegs for the passenger, and A had a vintage bar he was willing to contribute to the project.
However, all this last minute work meant A) I wasn’t out practice riding the trike and B) we didn’t have the time for thorough final systems check. Throughout the week prior to the festival I would spend as much free time as I could at the shop. Each night I would take her out for a ride a little further away from the nest. Each trip something else went wrong.
First the shifter linkage popped loose from its moorings. It was an easy short term fix, but a few days later it was decided the piece needed to be re-engineered. This allowed greater stability, but also repositioned the shifter. It meant that 2nd gear was less close to my belly, which was good, no more popping it out of gear when hitting big bumps in the road. However, it also meant after I had learned how she shifted I had to learn a new pattern. Regularly attempting to downshift from 3rd to 2nd I still accidentally hit 4th instead. The good news is that now finding reverse is even easier.
Next the wiring acted up. The clasps just slide off the tabs. It is simple to tighten them with pliers. However, it is only after they have fallen off that it is discovered they are loose. First the brake light switch went. Then the starter connection fell off. These are the little things that add up to trouble.
The rear fender mountings continue to be a problem and will have to be re-engineered. Their current design creates friction when turning or the tires bounce. The trouble is the axles move a great deal, it is part of the swing axle design, but we cannot mount the fenders to the axle system. So when the tire moves it hits the fender. Despite re-welding the mounts to allow for greater movement there is still rubbing. We will have to spend some time figuring out how to do it better.
By the time the event rolled around we had put forth too much time and energy not to attempt to drive out there. However, the morning of the trip was the first time she had been tested on the highway. And of course the ride was not without incidence. First we discovered the throttle was set so low that she could actually move in gear with the clutch out and no gas on the accelerator, and no driver in the seat. That was an exciting adrenaline surge to wake me up in the morning.
We made the 75 mile drive to Ventura in the twilight hours of morning. Other than being told I was driving too slow it went well. At the event my beauty was one of four trikes at the event, and the only VW trike on the lot. We got a lot of looks. The biggest and most recurring compliment was that she looked comfortable to ride, which she is. Before leaving we had starting issues. Turns out the battery negative cable had bounced off its channel, and the starter connections had bounced off their tab. Both were easy to fix.
Since it was late and we were all tired and hungry we decided to stop halfway home for dinner at Famous Dave's Barbeque. On the way we stopped to gas up. There were a few fumbled attempts to get back on the road. First, it was discovered that if I floor the accelerator (as was necessary to maintain speed up and over the mountain pass) that the accelerator spring gets caught on the carburetor housing. When that was fixed a different problem arose. Now that her throttle was not open enough to allow the vehicle to move without gas or driver, I didn’t have enough fuel moving through the line, and had to continually pump the accelerator when stopped so the engine wouldn’t die. This was particularly disconcerting while driving through Thousand Oaks on our way to dinner. Roll up to light, let engine die, sit with foot on the brake, when light turns green, hit the gas and the ignition and continue on. Luckily I grew up driving a VW so this strategy was not completely foreign to me. Unfortunately, due to the placement and height of the pedals I was unable to rest the heel of my foot on the brake and pump my toes on the accelerator to keep the engine from dying. Similarly, since the clutch pedal is on the opposite side of the frame from the brake and accelerator I couldn’t use one foot on the brake and the other on the gas. When we pulled up at the restaurant it was discovered that despite buying a turnkey motor there was no fuel filter installed. We looked inside the tank, and while I still had about 1/3 tank left, we could see debris in the tank. Despite new lines, clean motor, new tank, there was still debris. We topped off the tanks for good measure and revved the engine until the debris cleared. We sailed smoothly home with no further glitches riding into town again on the twilight side of the day.
