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Harley-Davidson's Trihawk
A look at three-wheeled motorcyling
Part 2
By Jim Wolcott
Driving the Trihewk
Driving the Trihawk? Yes. Though technically a motorcycle, the Trihawk responds to
steering input as does a small sports car. The
control layout is pure automotive stuff: the
gas, brake and clutch pedals on
the floor, gearshift lever to the
driver's right, and a steering
wheel with stalk-mounted turn
signals will make the a u to buff feel
right at home.
The Citroen engine is equipped
with a manual choke, which will
prompt the engine to light instantly
with a twist of the ignition key. The
transmission easily snicks into gear,
and with application of gas and
clutch, you're o££!
A first-time Trihawk pilot will
probably break the wheels loose with
a decisive chirp: the engine's reason'ably poweriul, aRe the clut€h engages
suddenly. Interior space is tight, and
successfully engaging second gear
takes a conscious effoTt at moving the
shirt lever straight back. Up through
the gears, and the Trihawk reaches
speed with a glorious exhaust note
trailing off behind.
At highway speed, the first thing
that's noticed is how smooth the airstream is for an open-topped vehicle.
Air spills smoothly orr the top of the
windshield, without the familiar
sPOTtS-car burble and turbulence. The
engine makes a fair amount of racket,
but the smooth air tream enables
driver and passenger to talk comfortably with the top down.
\ Off thetheax~e
center - 12 inches off the ground!
AIe there peculiarities to the Trihawk? Well, a few. Having two wideset front wheels, with the single rear
wheel centered between them, makes
for exciting moments when dodging
potholes. In addition, bumps and expansion joints on a freeway seem to
hit the Trihawk on three planes (left,
right and center) - which seems to
transform those bumps into a lengthwise vibration. The wide front track
and limited steering movement make
for a ~7-foot turning circle. U-turns
at intersections are difficult, at best.
But the most interesting aspect of
driving a Trihawk occurs after parking and walking away from it. Inevitably, the driver has completely fogotten about the absence of the fourth
wheel. It's usually in this sudden flash
of realization - the "OhMyGosh! I
forgot it's a lhree-wheeler' " - that a
Trihawk pilot comes to grips with
what this machine is all about. The
Trihawk is a lightweight, spoTty and
fun-to-drive car.
No ... not quite a car. A Trihawk
is a Trihawk, and is comparable to
'nothing
