I'm thinking of buying a TowPac MiniTrike kit for my 2005 Burgman 400 but, after reading comments in this and other forums, it seems that people either love it or hate it - there's no in between. I'd like to see some comments on what the REAL story might be.

For example, I've seen the workmanship described as both "well made" and "a piece of *&%@" (sloppy welds, flimsy materials). Is this a case of quality control slipping, i.e., early models WERE well made but the manufacturer is now cutting corners? Related to this is the recurring issue of the grade and length of the bolts above the shocks - where customers have to buy replacements for what is supplied before they can complete the install. Is this fixed in later models of the kit (i.e, if I bought a kit today, would I also have to buy my own high strength bolts of appropriate size)? Are loose nuts simply a question of installers not putting on LocTite? Are broken brackets due to flimsy material or installation? Are tire wear problems simply a case of improper inflation or toe-in adjustment?

Likewise, the ride is variously described as smooth or rough. Is this due to riding on interstates versus country roads? Is it due to the installation and setup? (Some people seem to adjust the wheels to touch so lightly that they can be rotated while the rig is stationary, while others appear to set up the rig so that the TowPac wheels carry some of the weight.) Handling is variously described as either "no problem: (after a learning period) or "it has a mind of it's own". Is this differing perception a result of puttering abound the subdivision at 20 mph versus aggressively riding the Tail of the Dragon?

I'm reminded of the story about the blind men and the elephant where one man, feeling a leg, described it as tree-like while another man, feeling the trunk, described it as snake-like.

So, what is a REAL Burgman400/TowPac rig like?