LOOKING like a Morgan Three Wheeler that’s been given a Buck Rogers makeover, the Honda Gold Wing powered Tri-Magnum was one of those strange ideas that probably should have remained just that an idea.
Purchased as a do it yourself kit, the bike/tricycle/car was originally built around a Kawasaki Z900 engine, although the torquey lump from Honda’s long-distance Gold Wing made a much more sensible choice. People have got creative with their kits though, with BMW R1200 units being fitted and even turbochargers!
The chassis for the Tri-Magnum is more motorcycle than anything else, with the original chassis from the Gold Wing donor bike forming the backbone of the machine. Forming the front end of the vehicle is the kit car builders’ best friend in the form of a VW beetle twin-beam front end and suspension set up.
Draped over the Franken-frame is a fibreglass bodyshell, that wraps the Tri-Magnum giving it a distinctly eighties silhouette. It’s a case of function and form though, as the vents and ducts in the shell actually help to feed air to the Gold Wing inlets and to keep the engine cool.
Creature comforts aren’t high on the agenda, so if you were looking for a nice comfortable daily driver, think again. There’s no aircon and with that mainly glass cabin sat on top of a large engine, the Tri-Magnum gets quite hot! It also has no reverse gear, no luggage space and isn’t the most versatile thing on the road!
Have you ever seen a Tri-Magnum on the road? Let us know in the comments below.
