Introduction to the Tilting Trike Motorcycle Build
This project is a fully handmade tilting trike motorcycle built to explore a different riding experience and gain new engineering knowledge. Unlike a normal three wheel motorcycle, this custom tilting trike motorcycle allows the rear wheels to lean together with the bike while cornering.
The main goal of this build was not only to create a unique machine, but also to experience the feeling of riding something completely handmade. Riding a custom built motorcycle gives a completely different feeling compared to a factory made bike.
During the first test rides, the bike showed very good balance and stability. The current car tires work surprisingly well for testing the concept, but more rounded motorcycle-style tires would improve the riding performance even further.
At the moment, the fuel tank, mudguards, and seat are still under construction. A full finished build video will be uploaded after completing the remaining parts of the bike.
This custom tilting trike motorcycle build was created to test a unique rear leaning system.
Custom Chassis Design of the Tilting Trike Motorcycle
The chassis of this tilting trike motorcycle was completely hand built using steel box tubing. The front upper section of the chassis uses a 1.5 inch × 3 inch steel box bar with a thickness of 1.6mm. The rear section of the chassis was built using 3/4 inch steel box tubing with a thickness of 1.4mm.
The frame design of this tilting trike motorcycle build was completely handmade.
The lightweight rear tubular structure was designed to support the tilting suspension system while keeping the overall weight low.
Almost every major component on this motorcycle was handmade, including:
Front hub
Upside down front fork
Steering column
Clip-on handlebars
Chassis
Rear hubs
Swing arms
Tilting mechanism
This makes the project a true DIY tilting trike motorcycle build.
How the Rear Tilting System Works on This Tilting Trike Motorcycle
The most unique feature of this tilting trike motorcycle is the custom rear leaning mechanism.
The rear section uses two separate swing arm stages. The first main swing arm is connected directly to the chassis and can move up and down using a mono shock suspension setup. This swing arm is 40cm long from the chassis pivot point to the rear linkage pivots. This tilting trike motorcycle build uses a handmade rear leaning mechanism.
The differential is mounted inside this main swing arm section.
Two additional single-sided rear swing arms are connected to the back of the main swing arm using pivot shafts. Each rear wheel has its own independent swing arm. The distance from the rear wheel hub center to the swing arm pivot is 36cm.
The system allows both rear wheels to lean together with the motorcycle while still moving independently.
Custom Rear Linkage System and Wheel Movement
The rear leaning motion is controlled using a custom linkage and tie rod setup.
Two tie rods are connected to both rear swing arms. These tie rods connect to two equal length linkage bars measuring 23cm each. The linkage bars are connected to a center cross bar measuring 39cm wide.
The center section of this cross bar uses a bearing-supported pivot connected to the main swing arm.
Because of this linkage design:
When one rear wheel moves upward, the other wheel moves downward
When one wheel moves downward, the other moves upward
This system helps the entire rear section lean naturally during cornering while maintaining balance and suspension movement.
The rear suspension itself comes from the main mono shock mounted to the first swing arm section.
Differential and Chain Drive Setup
This tilting trike motorcycle uses a custom differential drive system with dual chain outputs.
Power comes from a Honda CH125 air-cooled engine. The engine drives the differential using a 14T front sprocket connected to another 14T sprocket mounted on the differential.
Custom output shafts were made for the differential. Each shaft uses a 428-32T sprocket. From there, two separate chains transfer power independently to both rear wheel hubs using matching 428-32T sprockets.
A spring chain tensioner is used to maintain chain tension automatically, eliminating the need for a separate manual chain adjustment system.
The exposed chain drive layout gives the motorcycle a raw mechanical appearance and also makes the entire drivetrain visible from the outside.
The dual chain drivetrain was specially designed for this tilting trike motorcycle build.
Single-Sided Rear Swing Arm Design
The rear wheels use two identical single-sided swing arms. The wheel hubs and swing arms are welded together as one solid structure.
The wheels are positioned inside the swing arm structure, while the chains and sprockets remain visible on the outside. This gives the motorcycle a very unique mechanical appearance.
The rear wheels are spaced only 10cm apart, creating a compact rear section while still allowing the tilting mechanism to function properly.
Upside Down Front Fork and Front Suspension
The front suspension of this tilting trike motorcycle also uses a fully handmade setup.
A custom upside down fork was built specifically for this project. The fork length is 65cm with a steering angle of approximately 26 degrees.
Learn more about motorcycle suspension geometry from Wikipedia.
The front wheel uses the same wheel and tire size as the rear wheels and includes a front disc brake setup.
The custom front hub, steering column, and front suspension system were all fabricated by hand. A custom suspension layout was developed for this tilting trike motorcycle build.
Wheel and Tire Setup
This motorcycle uses 12 inch rims with 155/65R12 tires on all three wheels.
Rounded tires would be more suitable for a leaning trike motorcycle, but these car tires were used because they were easier to find locally. Even with the current tires, the concept works surprisingly well during testing.
Future tire upgrades will likely improve handling and cornering performance even more.
Final Thoughts on This Handmade Tilting Trike Motorcycle
This handmade tilting trike motorcycle is still under development, but the main engineering concept is already working successfully.
The combination of a custom rear leaning system, differential drive, independent rear swing arms, and handmade chassis makes this a very unique custom motorcycle project.
More updates will be added after completing the fuel tank, mudguards, seat, and final finishing work. A full riding video and complete build showcase will also be released soon.
This DIY tilting trike motorcycle build is still being improved and tested for better performance and stability.
You can also check out my other custom tilting trike motorcycle project inspired by the Honda Gyro concept. Unlike this leaning rear wheel setup, that build uses a different tilting mechanism and compact three wheel layout. Read the full build article here: Custom Leaning Trike Bike – Amazing Handmade Build & 1st Test Ride
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