Collectors of oddball gas-powered non-road-legal vehicles unite! Or, maybe I’m the only one here who is interested in things like this, I sure hope not. This is a 1970s Alsport Tri-Sport and it can be found listed here on eBay in West Milton, Ohio. The seller has a buy-it-now price of $900 listed or you can make an offer. I’m going to see if I can get through this one without making an offer on it.
I hope that there are others out there among the millions of Barn Finds fans who like seeing weird vehicles like this Tri-Sport. They’re not for everyone but anything this cheap and fun should appeal to a few readers. These Tri-Sports are somewhat rare and the price on this one – were it local without several hundred dollars in shipping charges – would ensure that it would end up in one of my hoarding storage units filled with oddball two and/or three-wheelers. You can easily spend $900 for a brake job on your 2012 Chevy Cruze, I’d rather have this Tri-Sport.
Alsport, Inc. out of Norwalk, Ohio made these incredibly cool recreational vehicles in the ’70s and this one even has the rare ski attachment so you can use it in the winter. Can you break trails in deep, powder snow with it? No, of course not, but you can burn across packed trails or logging roads and it may be more of a way to take this trike to a snowmobile gathering than really being a serious winter use vehicle. Still, a factory ski attachment and only $900? Dang.
The seller mentions a couple of areas where the fiberglass was repaired, including the photo above on the rear of the front fender. That’s unfortunate but maybe it could be restored by someone who could do a better job of it. The company made five models with four-cycle Tecumseh engines from 3-hp up to 7-hp and there was also a two-stroke 12-hp model that would have been the one to have. The seller says that this example has an 8-hp Tecumseh which isn’t listed as being an option but maybe it’s a 7-hp or a replacement engine?
Yeah, it’s most likely a replacement with the plastic gas tank, it looks almost exactly like our 8-hp snowblower engine. I did find an old Mechanics Illustrated story on the Tri-Sport which lists an 8-hp and also a 14-hp which other factory brochures don’t even mention so I’m guessing that things changed along the way as with most of the smaller independent manufacturers in this era. The seller says that this Tri-Sport will do almost 40 mph which is really cruising on something this small. I wouldn’t recommend “dropping a Hayabusa in this thing” unless your life insurance is fully paid up. Have any of you seen an Alsport Tri-Sport?
Scotty, you highlight the craziest stuff! And that’s cool. This one could be the next Disney movie, “Honey, I shrunk the VW Trike!”
I like it, though with the nonsuspension in the rear it’d be a little hard on the tukus (tokhes?)..
Great for Daytona Bike Week, Reno Street Vibrations or Sturgis!!
Tuchus,,,
I come from a rural area and country kids had 3 wheelers.. I think made by massey Ferguson and they had tecumpseh motors on them ..we used to run up and down gravel, dirt and blacktop roads all day.go to creeks and just explore..it was a lot of fun
Being an avid dirt biker in the ’70’s, I had heard of these, but never saw one. A friend and I built a go-kart with a single cylinder JLO, same tires, only 4, and skis for winter. It worked on only the hard packed snow, the rear tires actually held it back.These were pre-ATV’s, trying to cash in on the awful Honda 3 wheeler craze, and were probably just as dangerous.
And love the oddball stuff, keep ’em comin’, SG.
These had nothing in common with the notorious “crawl up the back of your legs” honda 3wheelers.
I got one in the bed of my truck it’s an amazing bike only thing is it needs fiberglass work I’d sell it for the right price runs and rides amazing morganfield ky 42459
hey aaron do you still and if so how much do you want for it
Hello,
I hope you still have the Alsport Trike!!! What do you want for it??? My 15 yo daughter wants it!!!
Thanks
Mike in Texas
Neat. Never saw them before……….
Man, if that were anywhere near me I’d have already bought it.
Like it…too bad it wasn’t listed a few days ok…add a fez and an ear ring then crash the 4th of July parade as a Shriner.
I had a trike similar to this but, I can’t remember the brand. It had a twin cyl 2 stroke engine of some kind. It was a pull start and was very hard to get started, it looked about like this one but somewhat larger. It had no suspension and the footpegs were on the front forks and it ran like a bat outa” hell when it ran.
I put a surplus JLO engine on one of these that I hopped up to about 18 – 20 HP. As the speed increased, the low-pressure rear tires would gain in circumference as well and the thing would get faster and faster. It could not jump. I tried that once and my backbone served as the rear suspension. These things are not for the faint-hearted.
Cool trike, cool post. Can’t get enough of these, Scotty!
I had a Rupp Go-Joe, a similar concept but with 4 wheels and an 8 hp Tecumseh engine. You rode on a long seat like a snowmobile and it was fun in the summer and winter (I wish I had the optional front skis).
Growing up, a friend had one of these. I remember it being hard to steer. It would understeer something terrible. We had a photo of his dad (6’4″ aprox 250lbs) sitting on it. It was a fun ride though.
1972. Winter camping in Boy Scouts in upstate NY. One trip he brought one of these with him. He created a track for us. We all had a great time bombing around in the woods with it.
I had one a couple years ago. 4 stroker. Fun to drive and lots of looks and laughs. Traded it for a boat.
Had one when I was a kid with same motor, we took the govenor off and it would scoot and it would do awesome drifts! Finally the rod came through the block from over revving it lol. It sat in the back shed on the farm for years and then someone swiped it along with a little Bonanza chopper mini bike that I was going to fix up…
These were a blast! Life before the litigation craze.
Agreed, but we all have to admit just how dangerous these are. I drove a Honda three wheeler, once………..once. Scared the you know what out if me. The four wheelers were much better, and the UTVs better yet (like I use now). Talk about a crummy balance. When you are 13 having the front end come up is cool, but you are too young to understand that a broken neck and quadriplegia is forever. I have seen to many peoples lives ended and even worse than ended by 3 and 4 wheelers. Should they be outlawed? No, but we need to stop giving them to kids and drunks.
yup, ‘s a reason they banned the 3 wheelers.
Anything w/a motor on here, eh Scoto?
No comment bout “drop in an LS.” from da cheby guys…yet.
Like the grass wip motor powered drink mixers (a ‘blender’) and the belt sander races – some guys will come up w/anything, not 4 me (but I CAN think bout the 18/21 inch tired, 225 cc model with some protective 10 ft sno drifts around. ‘d feel like a kid ona big wheels! weeeee!).
Thanks for nother good’un Mr. Gee
Please, downers need not apply.
Hey Gregg, ever taken care of someone with a broken neck? Didn’t think so. So many here take life so recklessly, it is all fun and games with our machines until an accident happens. Trust me, it is no fun hearing a 20 year old man sobbing that he wishes he could die from a hospital bed, it is worse hearing many others who have said the same thing. Regret is wonderful, but does not change some peoples reality. Am I a downer? Probably, but I read all these crazy posts about how people want the biggest engines and to do stupid things with them. Cars are not toys, they need some respect. Some of us have made a life trying to pick up the pieces of shattered lives. I love old cars, but I drive them sedately and with respect, I wish others would do the same. Might put me out of business, but that would be okay with me.
Yeah, we took many a lump, but it was all in good fun,,,
I’m sorry to hear of 36 Packards stories,, injuries were common, almost like a badge of honor. Moderation was the key with these things, many couldn’t grasp the concept of “take it easy at 1st” and for some reason, opened the throttle wide open and lost it. I had a blast with this stuff too, dirt bikes, motocross, snowmobiles, go-karts,, got pretty nuts, but never too nuts. I knew the difference from having fun and trying to kill yourself.
I had one of these in 88 or 89, I don’t remember the Springer front on the one I had though,best 10 bucks I spent as a 12 year old,took some tinkering but I had “lots” of miles and memories on that sucker.lol Thanks for the write up and the trip down memory lane!
I’m lookin’ for a, “needs a small-block Chevy”, post. :-) :-)
Eight ninety-five…ninety-six…ninety-seven…
NO LONGER Available :-(
I just went to make an offer and I’m guessing it’s been sold.
I had one of these during the early ’70’s in my mid teens. 8 horse Tecumseh with a Comet torque converter. They did understeer pretty heavily, and the brake was a single band on a drum on the rear axle, operated more or less with a bicycle brake handle/cable, so it was marginal. But we had tons and tons of fun on ours. I bought it with a friend and we ran the bejabbers out of it. Was well made, although various bits of fiberglass needed touching up at times. We did a lot of running on slippery snowy roads, but didn’t have the ski. The one pictured has front suspension on the fork – I want to say that ours didn’t, but it was a long time ago!
I think you have the insurance thing backwards, depending on your wife’s sense of humor. If she’s got the policy out and checking it twice, perhaps that hopeful look should discourage one from further antics!
If it didn’t have a Tecumseh motor, I’d be all over this. Worst air cooled motor ever.
Hmmm, i have $900 in my bank account and Norwalk is only a few hours from me……..
sold !
We sold these for a while back in the 1970s. These were actually very safe. The center of gravity was centered and much lower than the Honda. They were almost impossible to flip or roll.
I had one in 74-76 and it was cool but would pull a wheelie on demand, not sure what motor I had but it was fast.
The ski! No way! $900? If I could drive there and back from Saturday morning to Sunday evening I’d own it. But that’s my rule. Keeps me from having hoarders storage full of them.
Anybody know if they are a solid axle?
Mine had two axles on pillow blocks with a differential that spun with axles. My JLO engine wrung two of these off at the differential. It would be impossible to steer with both wheels pulling at the same time unless the surface was very slippery.
Mine was,both wheels pulled,and not a shock in sight,not hard to steer as one would imagine being both rear wheels being live.
Thank you much.
Yes sir, anytime. Eastern panhandle of Wva here by the way…
I have one in the garage. Crazy fast and no brake so it only comes out on special occasions.
Hello gentlemen from the Buckeye state. About 4 years ago I saw one of these sticking its nose out of a barn on a local sheep farm, I turned around and asked the old man if he would sell it? 200 bucks later it was mine. The body was painted plum crazy with ghost flames and had a plastic and wood top on it that looked like something from an old carriage. Ed roth wood have loved it. Fun fact the lug pattern on these are the same on back as a chevy small lug. [ like the rims on an s10] that’s whats on mine. Mine is an Alsport Trisports SL model. the SL stands for street legal. I am 6″2″ 328 lbs and it was clocked at 32mph with me on it. My daughter in law is about 120 and just last week tried to give it full throttle, wiped out the strawberries and laid it on its side. she wont go near it now. I love that thing!!!!
Believe it or not JC Penny’s automotive sold something like this in the early 70s.
Used to ride these at camp in the early 80’s- an absolute blast, but an absolute death trap. All the weight is in the back, so forget about any steering grip. Still much more fun than anything out today.
I had a friend whose dad sold these classic 3 wheelers at his Fiber Glass shop in Roanoke, Va . In the early 70’s . They were a blast . And it good to see they are still out there . If I remember right he also sold the ( Stein) or (Stien ) brand of dirt bikes .
I just brought one home. It needs an engine so I am thinking the 420cc predator would be a good fit. Its missing a few items like the seat cushion, front fender, and headrest so I have some work to do. The plan is to have it ready by the 4th of July parade in my home town.
mom got me one when i was 11 loads of fun in the woods behind my house.
tried a jump….once…..learned quick i was not evil kenevil that lack of suspension was bad. had a roll bar on the back so friends would stand on the axles and stradle that engine and hang onto the roll bar for dear life….such good times. when i grew up it had sat in the garage at her house for 20 yrs but i tell ya, gas in the tank aired up the tires and that baby fired up after 2 pulls – took it home with me and shared the joy with my own kids…..loads and loads of fun until it was stolen….either that or the wife got rid of it while i was at work cuz the 10 yr old ran over the 3yr old…lol
We had one in the early 80’s. Loved that dang thing, what a fun, bouncy loud death trap. Would love to get my hands on one again.
I had one of these in 1978, downstate Illinois. I was 13. My friends and I loved it! I actually won it, as part of a contest among paper boys… I was delivering papers, got a lot of new subscriptions, and won this trike. Life changer. Amazing bike.
My uncle decided to become a reseller of these in the early 1970’s in one of his many hair brained get rich schemes. He had like 5 of these at the family farm when I was 6 years old. We had a family gathering one summer afternoon and I got to ride in one of these several times sitting on my dad’s lap. This sure brings that memory back. I’d thought about that day many times over the years but have never seen one of these three wheelers since that day.