Giant 11,000-Lb. “Trike” Turns Heads

Giant 11 000-Lb “Trike” Turns Heads TRACTORS Maintenance 45 “It feels like you are driving a locomotive down the road ” says Jim Gesto about his nearly 11 000-lb Tower Trike motorcycle At 102 in wide 18 1/2 ft long and about 102 in high it has the largest footprint allowed for motorcycles For Gesto a longtime rider who has lost friends in motorcycle accidents his investment and design are all about safety “The first thing I want is the rider to get out of the crash zone exposed to grills and bumpers So the driver is up higher The second thing is stability - when hitting something - because of its weight size and trike configuration It handles like a race car ” he says He adds that dual tires on the front make lane changes and driving on uneven surfaces safer; there’s also a seatbelt Finally a cross and 10 commandments on the back express his personal convictions “The engine is bolder and bigger 102 decibels at idle so you need hearing protection ” Gesto says It attracted the attention of visitors at the Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville Ky this spring and former talk show host Jay Leno drove it for 1 1/2 hrs Gesto says His first trike sold to a collector for $119 000 but with jigs made for mass production he’s hoping to get the price down to $70 000 to $80 000 Because of its size he recommends potential customers come to South Bend Ind to ride one to see if they like it As the owner of a couple of businesses Gesto started making the Tower Trike as a hobby and has invested $2 5 million in research and development “If it starts saving lives it’s worth every penny ” he says “You’re going to see and hear this trike ” And that visibility makes riding a motorcycle much safer Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Jim Gesto South Bend Ind www towertrikes com

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