7 Of The Coolest Looking 3-Wheel Motorcycles (Or Trikes) Ever Made

Three-wheeled motorcycles, or trikes, have been around nearly as long as conventional motorcycles. There are pros and cons to riding a trike. They are heavier, bulkier, and broader than a traditional motorcycle, eliminating some benefits of the two-wheeler's ability to maneuver into small spaces. They also tend to be more expensive, as they require more production materials.

On the other hand, a trike can be a superb vehicle for those whose physical attributes prevent them from enjoying a traditional motorcycle. People who are unable to put two feet on the ground at a stoplight could still enjoy the wind-in-your-hair experience of a motorcycle ride.

Love or hate them, trikes have occupied a steady niche in the cycling world for decades. Custom and factory builders are still working hard to create advanced, amazing three-wheeled motorcycle designs. In honor of this storied cycling niche, we look at some of the coolest-looking trikes ever made.

As classic Americana goes, the Harley Davidson Servi-Car is a vibe. Introduced in 1932, the Servi-Car was directed toward the service market, as the name suggests. The rear storage bin made possible by the trike configuration allowed it to do anything from delivering ice cream to participating in a police patrol.

Originally, the Servi-Car was conceptualized as a vehicle that could be towed behind a car without a trailer (another benefit of trikes if you think about it). That way, mechanics and service station owners could make deliveries of repaired vehicles while towing the Servi-Car, and then zip home on the trike.

The original trike weighed 630 pounds and included a three-speed transmission with reverse gear. Harley used as many stock components as possible to build its first trike, adding an automotive rear axle and storage box. Initially powered by a D-model engine, Harley replaced it with a new R-series side-valve engine from 1932 to 1936 before settling on a W-series flathead to see the Servi-Car through its life. Further performance enhancements and advancements were reserved for other members of the Harley-Davidson line. 

The Servi-Car was purely utilitarian, yet it proved incredibly popular, as evidenced by its 40-year career. When Harley discontinued it in 1973, it had seen service as a delivery vehicle, tow truck, police trike, and even a commuter vehicle. It even saw service in the Second World War.

[Featured image by Ideal Classic Cars via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | CC BY-SA 4.0]

Next up is about as far from a Servi-Car as possible: The Boss Hoss Dragon demonstrates just how broad the spectrum is regarding trikes. They can range from little utilitarian wagons to wildly customized machines.

Boss Hoss has a reputation for cramming automobile engines into motorcycle frames — and not just any automobile engines — American V8s. Outfitted with the buyer's option of a 430 hp 383 stroker or a 563 hp 454 small block V8 engine, the Dragon is not for the faint of heart or wallet. A 2025 model goes for $77,700.

The Boss Hoss Dragon is a motorcycle take on classic American muscle cars. On top of the absurd V8 powerplant, the raked front end, exposed rear differential, and chrome galore make no bones about combining into a trike tribute geared toward lovers of American design.

Purists might scoff at the outlandish ethos of motorcycle building put forth by Boss Hoss, but the simple and elegant Dragon makes our list as one of the coolest-looking trikes out there today.

Recent trends have seen the third wheel moved from the trike's rear end to the front: Polaris' Can-Am Spyder turns the trike idea on its head. Trikes tend to originate with cruiser-style motorcycles, but the Can-Am takes a sportier approach.

Powered by a Rotax 1330 ACE with an unusual in-line three-cylinder engine making 115 hp and 96 lb-ft of torque. For those versed in sportbike performance, that is a respectable number in line with the final iterations of the Yamaha R6. Don't get too excited; the Can-Am weighs 1,021 pounds and almost certainly won't be able to match the speeds of the 419-pound R6.

The Sypder might not be able to compete with the super-sport bikes, but it presents a tidy and attractive package for tons of weekend fun. The reverse-trike configuration allows for a minimum of 31 gallons of storage space. And the RT Limited and RT Sea-to-Sky editions include even more storage and upgraded passenger accommodations.

The Can-Am Spyder is a perfect fit for someone who may have owned a sport or sport-touring bike, but no longer wishes to ride one. Can-Am considers its Spyder a luxury vehicle. With premium speakers, a low center of gravity, and an ergonomic but thrilling experience, it's one of the coolest trikes out there.

If the classic chrome V-twin is your speed, the Big Bulldog has something to say to you. It might not be a small-block V8, but 124 cubic-inch S&S SuperSidewinder 45-degree V-twin packs. The six-speed right-side drive transmission runs a belt drive to the rear end.

The styling is pure American custom chopper and little else. Big Dog allows consumers to stick with a solo seat or add a two-up rear end, indicating that this trike may be a little more for lone wolves who like their machines simple and the wind in their hair. That is the chopper way, after all.

The Big Bulldog hits the center of that diagram between art and engineering. It is a beautiful machine that hits all the right marks of a custom chopper, from its elegant exhaust to its meaty rear wheels and chrome in all the right places. The Bulldog might not tickle your aesethetic pleasure centers, but from the perspective of simple yet elegant chopper design, its one of the coolest trikes out there.

If you thought trikes were the exclusive purview of custom builders and the bikes of yesteryear, look no further than Harley-Davidson. You can upgrade your Harley-Davidsion for passenger comfort or spring for the Tri Glide.

Harley's latest and greatest is several evolutionary steps beyond the previously mentioned Servi-car. This trike is anything but utilitarian. It comes equipped with one of the best Harley-Davidson engines ever made: the 114 cubic-inch Milwaukee 8 (M8), rated for 87 hp and 117 lb-ft of torque.

The engine is not the only strong point of the Tri Glide. It is unmistakably modern, but the Tri Glide is a cruising machine with all the modern amenities: full-fairing, 5.25-inch speakers mated to a Boom! Box GTS infotainment system, hands-free Bluetooth phone operation, a rider/passenger intercom, anti-lock braking system, traction control, drag-torque control, and enhanced cornering (especially handy if you're moving from a two-wheeled machine).

But it's not the nameplate, the amenities, or even that beefy V-twin that attracts us to the Tri Glide. The bottom line is that the trike is simply handsome. It is stately, solid, curved, and squared in all the right places. Some might prefer the custom jobs, but for those who don't, it's nice to know someone is making brand new trikes in a classically gorgeous package.

If the Tri Glide is a little ho-hum to you, check out Rewaco's Pur3 GT. This brand only builds trikes, which means the Pur3GT was built out of a pre-existing two-wheel design. 

Buyers can choose from three engine options, though all are 1.5-liter four-cylinder Ford Focus engines making between 108 and 174 hp. The most potent choice claims a top speed of 113 mph and a 5.5 second 0-62 mph performance.

The Pur3 GT's most distinctive feature is its size. It is an insane 6 feet, 3 inches wide and 11 feet, 4 inches long, with a dry weight of 1,300 pounds — light on its feet, it is not. But look at those armchairs! They look like captain's chairs from a conversion van. If not for the brilliant glossy paint, detailed finish, and measured hot-rod design, the Pur3 GT looks like it could charge out of a scene from Mad Max.

While you might not be going for Mad Max vibes with your expensive new trike, we assure you we mean that as nothing but a compliment for Rewaco.

We couldn't complete a list of the coolest-looking 3-wheel motorcycles without the Yamaha Niken GT. Like the Can-Am, the Niken's third wheel is positioned in the front, but it carries a distinctly different stance.

The Niken uses Yamaha's Leaning Multi-Wheel (LMW) format. Yamaha filed patents for this unusual design as far back as 1976. The idea was that the configuration would provide trike-like stability with bike-like maneuvering. Yamaha has hammered at the idea over the years, putting forth the the odd four-wheel Yamaha Tesseract concept, amongst others, before arriving at the Niken.

The third wheel setup adds weight, so while the Niken looks as sporty as it gets, a curb weight of 595 pounds kicks it up a level compared to the supersports. Yamaha nestled an 890cc, 113 hp in-line three-cylinder CP3 EU5 engine inside the frame.

Yamaha calls its Niken GT a sport-tourer — a category not well-represented within the trike market — and at first glance, that's what it looks like. The Niken could be a YZF1000 if you squint. But look closer, and you'll see that it's actually evidence that there is still room for innovation and risk-taking in vehicle development.

Admittedly, the Niken is a strange-looking machine. But strange can be cool, and we're glad Yamaha is out there making people second guess.