US Patent 7610979 Reverse drive system for a three-wheeled vehicle

A rear axle assembly for a vehicle having an engine and a rear wheel including an axle configured to couple to the rear wheel, a compensator bowl coupled to the axle and having a ring gear, and a drive member coupled to the compensator bowl. The drive member is configured to be driven by the engine to rotate the axle in a forward direction. The rear axle assembly also includes a motor selectively engageable with the ring gear. The motor is operable to drive the ring gear to rotate the axle in a reverse direction.