8 Three-Wheelers That Make Cross-Country Adventures Better
Trikes get an unfair stigma because they do not lean like motorcycles and lack weather protection. That misses the point entirely. They are more than compromises for weak limbs or novelty weekend cruisers, since you get a unique take on touring where you bypass the need to balance the heavy mass of a traditional bagger or the physical toll. Today’s trikes offer high-speed stability, unmatched luggage capacity, and all-weather capability. The market has evolved to carve mountain switchbacks, cruise luxury interstate miles, and tackle unpaved roads. Here are eight three-wheelers that make cross-country adventures better.
Can-Am Spyder RT
Price: $27,999
Bombardier has been churning out three-wheeled recreational products for a very long time and therefore has a very refined range available right now. The Spyder RT is one of the models you pick if you want to do a long cross-country trip. The base price is under $28,000, but it can go to almost $34,000. Whatever you pick, they all come with the same Rotax inline three-cylinder engine that displaces 1,330 cc and generates 115 horsepower at 7,250 RPM and 96 pound-feet at 5,000 RPM. It is paired with a six-speed semi-automatic gearbox, and you can shift gears manually with thumb paddles. Cruise control is also available, as is a very thoughtful reverse function.
The features list is equally impressive. There is a 10.25-inch TFT touchscreen that is Apple CarPlay-equipped and linked to a four- or six-speaker audio system. It also acts as a display for the feed of the backup camera, which is optional on the base variant. The base variant also does not get the top trunk, only the saddlebags; if you specify the top trunk, which is standard on the other variants, you get a total of over 47 gallons of storage space (31 gallons without it). There is an electrically adjustable windshield, power steering, and traction control as well.
Can-Am Canyon
Price: $25,999
The Canyon is the off-road-ready Can-Am trike, and it follows the same variant pathway as the Spyder RT, where the base costs a little under $26,000, and the top-spec variant costs around $32,499. It runs the exact same engine and transmission as the Spyder, but there is a difference in the suspension. German specialist Sachs provides suspension for both base models, but there is a big difference in the amount of travel available.
Whereas the Spyder RT has 6.9 inches of travel, the Canyon has 10.2 inches of travel. The top-spec Canyon uses KYB Smart-Shox that have automatic self-leveling, just like the Sachs system on the Spyder RT, but on the Canyon they are also semi-active. Both versions of the trike use Brembo brakes with dual 270 mm discs up front with four-piston fixed calipers, and a single disc of the same size at the rear with a single-piston caliper. The Canyon has ABS that is calibrated for off-road situations as well. All that means this is the touring trike that quietly gets everything right.
2025 Harley-Davidson Freewheeler
Price: $31,999
The Freewheeler is no longer on sale, but you will find examples lying around. This used to serve as the entry point into the world of Harley-Davidson trikes and is built for long southwestern highways. It doesn’t have wind protection, but that’s fine because it only enhances the feeling that you’re riding a motorcycle. The front end is taken from the Road King Special, and the rear has the two wheels and the trunk. It is powered by the Milwaukee-Eight 114 engine; this is a very reliable engine that generates 90 horsepower and 119 pound-feet of torque. Thankfully, Harley-Davidson has also provided it with electric reverse gear so you can walk the trike backward.
It also has cornering-enhanced safety systems, so the ABS, traction control, and drag-torque slip control all have extra safety. But you need to be aware that this has the older rear suspension with only 2.3 inches of travel. It is a solid axle setup, which means there is a lot of unsprung weight at the rear, though the suspension does feature hand-adjustable preload. If you can bargain hard considering it is a 2025 model year, the value the Freewheeler can provide will override these disadvantages.
Harley-Davidson Road Glide 3
Price: $35,399
The Road Glide 3 was powered by the same driveline and running gear as the Freewheeler right up until last year, but for 2026, Harley-Davidson has given it an overhaul. It looks pretty different with a new sharknose fairing mounted on the frame offering much better wind protection than handlebar- or fork-mounted ones. It feels like a completely new model elsewhere, too.
Harley-Davidson equipped it with the Milwaukee-Eight VVT 117 engine that generates 105 horsepower and 129 pound-feet of torque. It has lost a little bit of its fuel efficiency rating, going from the 40s down to 39 MPG, but that’s a small price for more kick. It also has the new De Dion rear axle, which more than doubles the rear suspension travel. Likewise, the unsprung mass has been reduced significantly thanks to the new rear driveshaft and suspension setup.
2025 Harley-Davidson Tri Glide Ultra
Price: $37,999
Like the Freewheeler, the Tri Glide Ultra also belongs to the previous generation of Harley-Davidson trikes, which means it gets a live rear axle with just 3.0 inches of travel. This has the old fork-mounted Batwing fairing and lowers, so it is definitely a better choice for highway runs. In addition, it redefines touring comfort with pillion accommodation that is much better, with the sofa-seat-type backrest and armrests as standard; the backrest comes thanks to the trunk, which takes luggage capacity to 50.9 gallons from the Freewheeler’s 15 gallons.
You also get triple-beam headlights, a 6.5-inch touchscreen with navigation, a four-speaker audio system, and Harley’s full electronic safety suite. The Milwaukee-Eight 114 here is the Twin-Cooled version with liquid cooling for the cylinder heads, and it generates 93 horsepower and 120 pound-feet of torque. The full package also looks the business, thanks to the choice of premium paint finishes and the option of blacked-out or chromed forks and engine.
Harley-Davidson Street Glide 3 Limited
Price: $39,199
The Street Glide 3 Limited has essentially taken the place of the Tri Glide Ultra in the current lineup. It has the same upgrades as you would expect, which lets it get comfort and reliability just right. It retains the fork-mounted fairing but gets the new design with the horizontal DRLs on either side of the LED headlamp, and it has a veritable throne for the pillion. There is a massive 53.1 gallons of luggage space thanks to the additional space from the pillion backrest.
The features list includes a 12.3-inch TFT touchscreen display with Skyline OS, a four-speaker audio system with 50 watts per channel, highway footpegs, a gear shift pedal with a heel shifter, heated grips, and heated seats for both occupants. It also has comprehensive safety with Harley’s full electronic suite, with TPMS added. The engine and chassis are from the current updated lineup. So you get the Milwaukee-Eight VVT 117, along with the De Dion rear axle with five inches of travel, lower unsprung weight, and tool-free adjustment for the rear preload.
Harley-Davidson CVO Street Glide 3 Limited
Price: $54,999
The CVO Street Glide 3 Limited is so loaded with luxury and features that it is the Harley built for owners who already own a Harley. It is an upgrade from anything and everything in Harley’s current trike range, with a price difference of nearly $16,000 compared to the Street Glide 3 Limited. Part of that is because it gets the Milwaukee-Eight VVT 121, the biggest and most powerful engine in Harley’s current range with 114 horsepower and 138 pound-feet of torque.
Like the rest of the range, it gets the new De Dion rear axle with five inches of travel, a Watts linkage, and a sway bar, alongside the full electronic safety suite, making it ideal for high-speed touring. Creature comforts include a Rockford Fosgate audio system, a 12.3-inch TFT touchscreen with Skyline OS, and 53.1 gallons of storage space.
Boss Hoss ’57 Chevy Trike
Price: $64,995
Boss Hoss is known for making some of the most expensive motorcycles you can buy today, and that is because they bung in a Chevy small-block V8 into a motorcycle chassis for your riding pleasure. The obvious step up is to a trike, and it has a range of trikes as well. One of the most striking ones is the ’57 Chevy Trike, thanks to its combination of chrome, pastel colors, and the fin-tails that were a distinguishing design element of the car that inspires it.
This is a custom-built motorcycle, so there is a choice of engines available. The largest, most powerful one is an 8,128 cc engine that generates 600 horsepower and 568 pound-feet. Thankfully, it has a four-speed automatic gearbox with overdrive and lockup, and a reverse speed. The all-analog instrument cluster is in keeping with the theme, but it has air suspension with rear preload that adjusts at the touch of a button. There is over 63.6 gallons of storage space in the fiberglass trunk.
Sources: Can-Am, Harley-Davidson, Boss Hoss
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