In case your neighbor didn’t have a Green Machine (video below) growing up like I did, the “big wheels” alternative looked like a little 3-wheeled pedal sled that was steered with two sticks instead of handle bars or a steering wheel. If you wanted to spin out (and what else would you want to do?), you’d simply push one stick forward and the other stick back and hold on!
Well a lot has changed in the almost 50 years since the Green Machine debuted and Huffy knows it has a lot of adults, like myself, nostalgic for that drift experience without having to do all of that pedalling.
Enter the Huffy Electric Green Machine…
So when Huffy said it was building an electric drift trike, based on the Green Machine, I was of course intrigued. Who amongst us 50-year olds doesn’t need a drift trike to zoom around the driveway every so often?
Drift Trikes are a thing for adults as well as kids and there are both gasoline and electric versions that are gaining in popularity.
It turns out Huffy used a lot of its e-bike expertise in building the Electric Green machine.
The front wheel is a more traditional bike rubber with a 250 watt hub motor. If that doesn’t sound powerful enough, remember this is geared for a max output of 15mph (or maybe up to 20mph later with some updates) which means high torque and acceleration.
There are 3 speed levels and each one will get you drifting. The battery is a removable 36V without a stated capacity but I’d guess close to 400Wh. More importantly it has a cool array of LED power indicators. The seat is adjustable from below 5 foot folks to over 6 footers. Instead of pedals on the front wheels, there are now pegs for your feet.
The rear wheels are replaceable drift sliders that are easily removable once wear has rendered a new set necessary. There is only a front brake but it is a big disk and with the rubber meeting the ground, stops the Green Machine in its tracks, even in the middle of a drift.
In fact this can be throttled to full speed for over an hour according to Huffy, meaning that at 15mph you have a range coming close to 20 miles? Could this be a commuter? It is pretty low, so you might want to get one of those big orange flags for your big wheels commute to school/work.
We got a special opportunity to try it this week in New York City. My 12-year old had a blast (though it is officially 14 years+ and up to 220lbs) and of course I felt some serious nostalgia getting behind the ‘wheel’. It is super easy to get drifting and a lot of fun to race around a track.
We were on a smooth cement surface but look forward to trying it on my driveway at a later date.
Huffy will put these bad boys on sale for $599 later this year and of course they’ll be ready for holiday shoppers. Look out for our review in the coming weeks and months ahead.
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