~A Purist's-dream: -This rare awesomely exhilarating 1983 TriHawk-304 (ie: 3-wheel & 4-cyl.) sportscycle 2-passanger (side-by-side) roadster is economically Calif./DMV-licensed as a motorcycle, and has a rigid steel-frame w/Rollbar and wide-stance stability (-so no helmet is required by Cal.-DMV), --nor is any 'smogging-test' ever required. For safety, the steel-frame surrounds the cockpit, hence there are no hinged-doors, -the ingress/egress 'sill' being low enough as to enable a limber driver & passenger to merely step-in, sit-down, and adjust the comfortable bucket-seats to one's liking'; -and there is a large stow-space behind the seats.!
In May-1982 Road&Track-magazine put a TriHawk-prototype through its paces, and concluded:.. “We see the TriHawk as a proper sportscar, that’s well designed & executed, with just a touch of zaniness mixed-in purely for the fun of it;, -putting a big-smile on your face, and on the faces of passers-by and drivers around you.!” That same year, J.Bleustein-VP of Harley-Davidson, took the prototype for a brisk ride, -and was so impressed he soon persuaded the HD/Board-Directors to acquire the propriety Patent & Mfg.-rights for $4M (-about $12M in today's dollar$ !). Around the same time, Milwaukee’s finest also acquired 'Holiday-Rambler MotorHomes', -thereby offering the TriHawk as a novel sales-inducement option, to tow-behind the 'big-rig'. They initially made vehicles in batches of 10-units in 1983 from their DanaPoint Calif. facility pictured. However, by Feb.-1985, Harley-Davidson was in a parlous state financially, and had to 'shelve' the promising TriHawk endeavor with some 96 cars lovingly built. A few months later announcing they would make the cars in Wisconsin at a rate of 100-units per month, whilst contemplating a change of engine to the Porsche-designed albeit H-D made narrow-angle ‘Nova’ V4-engine. This event was forced upon H-D as Citroën suddenly decided to terminate the aircooled GSA-engine being used in the TriHawk, which is a spirited Citroen FWD 1.3L/1300cc OHC/4cyl.-aircooled engine w/5-spd.Transaxle (-same precision unit as in the early Lotus Esprit), and front/disk-brakes (-no Pwr.-anything needed as it weighs only 1,360-Lbs., 70% in-front) Although H-D design-team could have readily adapted the popular VW/aircooled-eng., -yet sadly, production never got going again owing to H-D's excessive overhead-costs, with a further 11 remaining 'unbuilt' cars being merely sold-off in Kit-form.!
TriHawk has become renown for its amazing competition roadability easily on par with Corvette & Porsche (-albeit without need of outlandishly costly Fat-tires), recording a tenacious 1'G+ grip upon R&T's-Skidpad; -the uniquely advantageous FWD/weight-bias virtually 'pulls' it through hair-pin turns, --unlike other inferior cheaper 3-wheel designs which rather 'push' via a single/rear-wheel, -the 'physics of it' thereby imparting a potentially very dangerous sudden 'tipping-action' upon application of power while in a turn!!
The TriHawk's R&P-steering feels like driving a Formula-1 racer; -and this is the only TriHawk known to have the convenience of a precision-engineered 'safety-approved' steering-wheel that instantly-detaches via push-button on the steering-hub as shown in pictures, -for greater ease of ingress/egress, and to 'take-with-you' as to thereby deter vehicle-theft!
This specimen is essentially a Spyder-roadster, -TriHawks were offered with a Rag-top (-canvas) snap-on readily erected over the included 'Rollbar plug-in' stainless/Top-bow; -and could be fully-enclosed via nusiance Side-curtains.
In Xlnt.-condition, with only 13,600-miles, -this specimen has it's original/silver-finish, -always garaged, and is Calif./DMV- registered. Also possibly the only TriHawk made with a nifty front/'Tilt-open' Eng.-cover to 60-degree angle; --which Eng.-cover also readily detaches cleverly via simple tool'less Quck-release aircraft-pin means if desired (-great convenience feature for tinkering or for showing!).
Driving this TriHawk is sheer-JOY, --and the deep-throaty mello-rumble of the Sidewinder-exhausts is music to one's ears! Don't relish parting with this 'stunning specimen', -but at age-87 a gent sadly realizes he needs to part with his toys; --thus price drastically reduced from $20K to a firm>>> $16,995.oo (cash, -no trades)..!
