Wall Street Journal: Aging Boomer Bikers Now Riding "Trikes"

Motorcycles may forever symbolize youthful rebellion but the aging bodies of baby boomers are finding them increasingly difficult to maneuver. In response a growing number of boomers are turning to a sort-of motorized trike, this according to a recent story in the Wall Street Journal--a publication that seems to be publishing "look at the funny boomers" articles with increasing frequency.

These trikes are not small nor inexpensive. A 2008 Stallion, one of the models on the market, will start with a base price of $29,995 and many models go up to $40,000. Even Harley-Davidson is making them.

Wearing a stars-and-stripes bandanna around his head, Mr. Henneberg says discomfort from a Vietnam War leg wound and the general effects of getting older made it increasingly hard to hold up his heavy bike at traffic lights. The trike's stability allows the couple to relax during long rides, like the 300-mile trip to Sturgis from their home in Loveland, Colo. "It's a lot more comfortable for both of us," says Mrs. Henneberg, who sat in the back.

The fact that boomers often like to ride with a passenger in back is also increasing the move to trikes say professionals in the field. This is because the heavier the person in the back the harder it is to maneuver the bike. "Many of these riders are guys with wives who have -- we like to say blossomed -- over the years," says Jeffrey Vey, president of Texas-based trike maker Thoroughbred Motorsports Inc.

Not all motorcyclist enthusiasts are on board with the three-wheelers. Noted one observer of a trike piddling by in downtown Sturgis, "Why bother?"