Two Wheel Drive Motorcycle

New Tonganoxie bike to trike conversion business ready for boom

Dave Plomaritis’ love for motorcycling riding continued after his physical limitations started to diminish what he could do on two wheels.

The 64-year-old Leavenworth man’s passion for motorcycles traces to the moped he owned when he was 15. He graduated to an Indian and continued through a variety of bikes. But two back surgeries in the 1980s coupled with the unsafe drivers of Florida prompted him to give up his motorcycle license when he lived in that Southern state.

“I can walk and all that, but it’s difficult to hold a two-wheeled motorcycle up,” he said.

Plomaritis rekindled his love for riding in 2004 after he met the owner of Motor Trike at a Myrtle Beach, S.C., gathering. The Troup, Texas, company manufactures kits that convert select motorcycles to three-wheeled trikes.

Plomaritis has been a Motor Trike dealer since 2005, converting larger touring motorcycles to three-wheeled trikes.

“I got into this because I was in the situation many people are in where I can’t ride a two-wheeled motorcycle,” he said. “I was looking for a way to continue, and that’s this.

“I enjoy doing the same for other riders in my situation. I enjoy making trikes for those in the same situation.”

The kits replace a bike’s rear wheel, drive train and swingarm with replacement manufactured parts and a fiberglass rear body. Unlike some other conversion kits on the market, Motor Trike doesn’t require any welding or the alternation of remaining parts, Plomaritis said.

Customers include those too small to be comfortable on the large touring motorcycles that lend themselves to conversion, such as a woman from Junction City who wrecked the Harley Davidson she got to ride with her husband.

“After the crash, she was afraid to ride it and parked the bike in the garage,” he said. “They got a conversion, and she rides that bike everywhere. She’s got over 10,000 miles on it since the conversion.”

But Plomaritis said the bulk of his customers and those driving the popularity of Motor Trike, its competitors and the introduction of Can-Am two-wheel front-end trike are, like him, Baby Boomers.

It is a growing market he hopes to further tap into with his new Tonganoxie showroom and shop at 1601 Commerce Dr. in the Urban Hess Business Center.

“This location appeals to me because it is on the route I used to take from Leavenworth to Lawrence,” Plomaritis said. “It’s a very scenic route. When motorcyclists are out running, they take Leavenworth Road to Tonganoxie Road to connect to (U.S. Highway) 24.

New SOF dirt bike emerges | Kit Up!

All Wheel Drive has been proven to substantially enhance performance of off-road motorcycles even under the most demanding conditions. You can easily conquer the gnarliest hills, ruts, mud, roots, and logs that would cause havoc on a conventional motorcycle. The Christini AWD system also dramatically improves cornering and straight-line stability on all surfaces. The AWD system makes the motorcycle noticeably easier to ride and substantially reduces rider fatigue, allowing you to ride faster for longer periods of time. The AWD system can be turned on and off with a simple flip of the engagement switch. The mechanical Christini AWD system provides distinct advantages without compromising the performance of the motorcycle. Power that would otherwise be lost due to wheel spin is transferred immediately to the front wheel. The system adds just 15 lbs additional weight and has a power loss of less than 1/10th hp.

The Christini AWD system has been extensively race tested and has a proven track record of reliability in World Enduro, GNCC, Endurocross, Red Bull Last Man Standing, and Hare scrambles. The system is easily maintained and does not require any special tools.

Although the tactical employment of these vehicles cannot be revealed at this point due to OPSEC considerations, it is known that this dirt bike has garnered high phrase in several Special Operations units. It isn’t difficult to see why, the Christini system appears robust, rugged, and easy to repair in austere environments, in other words, perfect for unconventional military units.

Kit Up! contributor Jack Murphy is a former Ranger and Special Forces Soldier and is the author of the military thriller Reflexive Fire .

its definately a spin of a CRF450X (maybe even higher displacement, although i dont know why they would need it). and the CRF450X (CAN) burn diesel with some modifications (just like diesel engines can run bio-diesel). It wont be cheap to convert them, but, is anything really 'cheap' in the SF community anyways? very cool idea, however, ditching a bike worth $10,000 (with minimal upgrades) would not look good in an AAR. I dont see this going *real* far…

Reply

Wrong. The Ural was a direct copy of the BMW-R71, i.e., the Russians stole it from the Germans shortly before the two totalitarian regimes went at it.

The Christini is a 450, and their technology uses chains and shafts to transmit the power, not hydraulics.