@mick-boon Who did you buy it from? I can remember back in the early 1990s I met two young guys from Ohio at the USCA National Rally in PA with commie sidecar rigs one Dnepr and the other Jiang, both broke down but these two happily went on an adventure repairing as they went along. I had read back then; there was often difficulty in titling these hastily constructed imported rigs not to mention the unscrupulous importers. I was always fascinated with them but stayed away for the previous reasons. How long have you been interested/own them. Do you consider yourself lucky for having reasonably reliable examples or a shrewd researcher and buyer. In any event I'm glad you're enjoying them.

I bought it from these people I found on Alibaba...    750cc Motorcycle Three Wheel Sidecar Cj750 Motorcycle For Travelling - Buy Cj750 Motorcycle sidecar Motorcycle china Three Wheel Motorcycle Product on Alibaba.com

I had a CJ in the past that was made from an old army bike, it looked great but what it really needed was taking apart and rebuilding properly.   I rode it as I got it but was constantly working on it, it took about a year, maybe 18 months before it was reliable.

I took a chance when I bought this latest CJ,  I really wanted another flathead CJ so I chanced it, I ended up with a refined side valve CJ like I never knew existed, so smooth ! it really is wonderful.

I highly recommend the company above, they did me proud,

PS , Regarding the titling , it's easy enough if you have the correct paperwork from the seller, the paperwork you will need in the US is similar ( I believe ) to Canada.      In Canada the machine needs to be at least 15 years old to qualify for importation, this is not hard to show if the seller will provide he paperwork.     If they will not provide the necessary paperwork then don't buy it.    

I first became interested when I saw a BMW R71 at a military event in Normandie France about 35 years ago, I thought it was the bees knees. It was soon after that I discovered an identical machine had been produced by the Chinese since the 60's, so identical in fact that most of the parts are interchangeable. The main difference with mine being an updated M1M version, is that it is 12 volt as opposed to 6, has reverse gear, and it has a (  electric start. I understand it was the Germans who were responsible the modifications  which they undertook on behalf of the Chinese government.  I hardly ever use the electric start but it's nice to have.  

I feel lucky to have found a supplier who cuts no corners and genuinely takes pride in their workmanship. I thought I would have to get the bugs out of it like all the others, but not so ,  this one is perfect.

I have friend who has been driving a CJ M1M year round in Maine for twenty years. His was in a garage fire before he bought it. He rebuilt it correctly and it has been a very reliable rig. Top speed is about 60mph...BUT, it will do 60 mph with a passenger in the sidecar, all day long. The best modification to that rig would be to replace the pressed steel brake hub CJ wheels with Ural 650 full hub brakes. After twenty years of driving in Maine winters, it has an interesting patina.

Posted by: @michael-lydon

↑

I have friend who has been driving a CJ M1M year round in Maine for twenty years. His was in a garage fire before he bought it. He rebuilt it correctly and it has been a very reliable rig. Top speed is about 60mph...BUT, it will do 60 mph with a passenger in the sidecar, all day long. The best modification to that rig would be to replace the pressed steel brake hub CJ wheels with Ural 650 full hub brakes. After twenty years of driving in Maine winters, it has an interesting patina.

I have always cruised around on my CJ's ( M1M ) at about 60 KPH, I listen to the engine rather than take notice of the speedometer.  The sidevalve engine sounds wonderful at that speed, I think that like your friends bike they will last for ages if maintained properly.

I have another CJ with a BMW R80 engine, it has lots of power, but having both I can say that they are nicer with the original engine.   

[img] [/img]

I think the M1M is superior to the OHV M1S version, I like that there is virtually no valve gear, it makes for a far simpler machine with little to go wrong.   I also like that the oil is simply splashed around the engine, no pump or oil filter to worry about. 

@mick-boon , just don't forget that the oiling system is the same as early BMW's. Oil to the big ends is supplied by the slingers. BMW slingers need service at around 30K miles. Slinger service involves removal of the crankshaft for slinger service or replacement.

Posted by: @michael-lydon

↑

@mick-boon , just don't forget that the oiling system is the same as early BMW's. Oil to the big ends is supplied by the slingers. BMW slingers need service at around 30K miles. Slinger service involves removal of the crankshaft for slinger service or replacement.

That's a new one to me.      I know of a CJ that's done over 65000 miles with only regular oil changes. 

Where did you find this information ? 

PS how many times has your friend in Maine who has been driving his M1M year round for 20 years had to rebuild the engine ? 

As already pointed out, be VERY careful when purchasing any motorcycle from overseas. Even if a model is approved in the US, but what you think is the same model overseas can be very tricky. If they are labeled (on the bike) as meeting standards somewhere else you should not buy it. The very same bike has to go through lots of every expensive testing which has to be done at a US lab and then be properly labeled and certified for the US. If it gets caught, Customs will tell you that it will require a letter from the manufacturer certifying that it was made to US standards. You will never got such a letter. I used to get call all of the time from people that had tried to import a Royal Enfield directly from India and they had two choices. Walk away, or watch it go into the crusher.

You might get lucky and customs won't catch it - or not. If you do get it in, you may have trouble registering it. In the 2000's thousands if not hudreds of thousands of Chinese bikes were brought into the US. None of them met specs. Many used the same test report, same VIN's etc. To top it off they weren't even a step above junk. The EPA refused to act, so many states got frustrated and put in their own rules. They can be the tough states.

If a motorcycle is indeed a Vintage bike you can bring it in freely but...... beware of suppliers that provide you with paper work and a wink that shows the bike is old when in fact it is not. It's a federal crime. You might get away with it but the Customs people are smarter than you think. I used to get calls from them asking how to identify which year a bike actually was manufactured. The rule is known as the 25 yeaar rule. Unless a unit was Manufactured more than 25 years ago it must meet all standards. 25 years and older and you are good. It is the manufacturing date, not the model year. Here is a reference https://www.nhtsa.gov/importing-vehicle/importation-and-certification-faqs

I'm not saying that you shouldn't attempt any legal, ethical way to bring in a non conforming bike, but I am pointing out what I have seen in the decades that I've done this. I am now homologating a British brand that is coming back into the US. I had not homologated a bike for 8-10 years and was surprised at how much more difficult it is now to get certified all of the way around. EPA is just the tip of the iceberg.

Full set of rules is attached

I need to make a clarification about my diatribe about the ins and outs of importing motor vehicles to the US. As someone has pointed out (correctly in this thread) to import a used non conforming vehicle into Canada, the 25 year rule does not apply - Canada instead has a 15 year rule. My knowledge about the rules and regulations in Canada is weak at best. 

Posted by: @cozy-sidecars

↑

I need to make a clarification about my diatribe about the ins and outs of importing motor vehicles to the US. As someone has pointed out (correctly in this thread) to import a used non conforming vehicle into Canada, the 25 year rule does not apply - Canada instead has a 15 year rule. My knowledge about the rules and regulations in Canada is weak at best. 

In this case that would have made no difference as my bike is from 1986, which makes it 39 years old. 

PS, I think it's only the frame of the bike that needs to be older than 15 years to ensure it's admission into Canada.

PPS Earlier this year I imported a complete sidecar on it's own, it was regarded as an accessory rather than a vehicle and not subject to any import restrictions.  It has the old CJ style ( which is why I bought it ) but is 4" shorter.    It's a  solid sidecar with a heavy duty  frame, but the tub is not as substantial as an original CJ sidecar.

I got it for my Savage.

[img] [/img]

ood 

As far as customs is concerned, I would be surprised if importing a sidecar into America was any different than importing a sidecar into Canada.