News & Tips

Five checks before you load your tricycle in the morning

Two minutes before the first trip saves days off the road. Here is the routine our mechanics teach every new rider.

1. Tyres. Look for cuts and check the pressure with a gauge, not your thumb. Under-inflated tyres overheat under load and wear out in weeks.

2. Oil level. Park on flat ground, wait a minute and read the dipstick. Top up with 20W-50 if it is below the mark.

3. Brakes. Squeeze and press both brakes before moving. A soft lever or a long pedal means adjustment or new shoes.

4. Chain. It should move about two finger-widths up and down. A dry chain needs oil; a loose one needs adjusting.

5. Lights and horn. Check the headlight, indicators, brake light and horn. Being seen is your first safety system.

Why cargo tricycles make sense for traders in Ituri

A tricycle carries about ten times what a motorcycle can, costs a fraction of a truck and goes where trucks cannot.

Market traders in Aru, Bunia and the towns around them move goods in small, frequent loads. A pick-up is expensive to buy, to fuel and to repair; a motorcycle cannot carry enough.

A cargo tricycle sits in between: up to a tonne of payload, fuel use close to a motorcycle and a turning circle that fits a crowded market lane.

Most owners pay back the purchase within the first year by carrying their own stock and renting out spare trips to neighbours.

Cargo 200 or Cargo 250: which one is right for you?

Both are built on the same tough chassis. The difference is the engine, the box and the kind of route you run.

Choose the Cargo 200 if most of your trips are in and around town, your loads are mixed and you want the lowest running cost.

Choose the Cargo 250 if you run long routes, climb hills with full loads or carry heavy goods such as drinks, cement or flour every day. The water-cooled engine stays cool in that work.

Not sure? Visit a Batrixa showroom for a test ride with your usual load, or send us your route on WhatsApp and we will advise.