Phoenix Trike Works is owned and operated by the

father/son team of Willis and Joseph Wilcken,

specializing in hand-crafted, custom-built trikes.

 

The love of all things on wheels bit Willis Wilcken Sr

at a young age.  Much to the frustration of his

father, he began modifying the family car while still

in high school.  By his early 20's, he had created his

first custom car, a Morris Minor with a Buick V-8.

He owned many motorcycles, but after laying down

a bike with his daughter on the back, he wanted

something a little more stable.  He built his first

trike in 1964, a completely hand-fabricated machine

with a rake and stretch that was revolutionary.

After building numerous trikes through the 60's and

70's, many of which have appeared in news and

magazines, he went back to custom cars until his

son re-infected him.

 

Growing up around all the custom creations in his

dad's shop, Joseph never stood a chance.  He

began turning wrenches with his father when he

was 15.  After high school, he spent a few years

working for "the man" in the corporate world.  It

didn't take too long before became fed up with it

and returned to the grease and grime and good

honest work of a mechanic.  When the itch to build

customs started to burn again, he noticed how far

custom motorcycles had evolved while the current

trikes still resembled tractors.  After the prodding of

a friend, and a second mortage on his house, he

decided it was time to resurrect his dad's old trike

design.

 

With Willy's know-how and Joe's creativity, they set

out to create trikes the way they were truly meant

to be, and Phoenix Trike Works was born.