8 years ago purchased a new low cost aka cheap Velorex 563. 3 weeks latter it was mounted on a 1996 FatBoy Harley.
This was to find out if Payton would like riding in one and if it was possible for her. After her first ride she told Grandmother "It was the first day I felt alive".
Now between the Velorex, And the Twin Classic she has well over 40,000 miles in sidecars.
I made changes over time to the Velorex. Moved it to a Harley 750 Street. Replaced the 16 inch spoke wheel with a 15 750 street rear wheel and a large axle .
Put 15 inch car tire on both the bike and the sidecar.
We have beat this Velorex up. Off road,snow ,ice . More rain than I can tell you about. The Velorex will never be a high end sidecar. But for a $3,000 dollar experiment it exceeded every goal we had for it.
It has also served others in allowing them get try one out as they ventured into sidecars. It led to a great friendship with someone that wanted to try out. That ended up with assembling him one just like ours. The journey is not over for the Velorex. I plan to modify the suspension a bit. Repaint it and the bike.
I agree, had my 562 mounted to a harley dyna for years many miles and smiles for sure. I just recently sold it to a guy whos wife has some health issues ( hope it gets her back in the wind) and purchased a hanningan classic to go on a roadking. Again over the years I did most of the modifications you mentioned and it never really gave any problems. A great way to experience this sport on a budget. I can't emphasize enough that it does take time to learn this riding style.
Quote from redharley on October 2, 2023, 6:17 pmI agree, had my 562 mounted to a harley dyna for years many miles and smiles for sure. I just recently sold it to a guy whos wife has some health issues ( hope it gets her back in the wind) and purchased a hanningan classic to go on a roadking. Again over the years I did most of the modifications you mentioned and it never really gave any problems. A great way to experience this sport on a budget. I can't emphasize enough that it does take time to learn this riding style.
The Velorex will always be here. It has long paid us back for every dime invested in it. Always come up with new ways to play with it.
It has also been used to expose others to sidecar by driving it.
Our Hannigan Twin Classic has about 75,000 miles on it now second bike it has been on. It will pass the 80,000 mark in 2024 with ease.
Every time I read or see any mention of Velorex, I think of my old friend Lonnie Cook. Probably the best sidecar rigger for Velorex I've known. When he knew his time was short, he gave his FLH/Liberty to his son and put his Dyna?Spalding anniversary edition on the market. I bought it and rode it home from Boise. It was always a good reminder of Lonnie. Sold it after my truck burned. And more recently, sold my FLH/Liberty so now I dwell on memories.... So be it. The clock keeps ticking.
Quote from Reardan Tom on October 4, 2023, 11:01 amEvery time I read or see any mention of Velorex, I think of my old friend Lonnie Cook. Probably the best sidecar rigger for Velorex I've known....
Sure do miss Lonnie, and his photos, and his practical approach to sidecaring.
Good to hear of folks enjoying their Velorex sidecars.
Lee
MB5+TW200+CRF250L+GTV300+INT650
XL883R w/Texas Ranger Sidecar
Zuma 50F + Burgman w/Texas Sidecar<Mrs. SwampFox
The velorex was first on my 1996 Fatboy. It was a rush job to get it here and mounted by Payton's 7th Birthday. We had 3 weeks to get it here and road worthy.
Some slight damage in shipping. Local body shop did a rush job fixing it.
Got it done. The goal was for her to ride at the same age her much old sister started riding.
It was latter moved to the 750 Street as a temporary Tug so I could work on the Fatboy . Worked so well on the 750 Street it still on it today.
First sidecar was a Velorex 700, back in the last millennium. Purchased used for $900. Spent about that much more to have it mounted properly on a 1978 R80/7RT (which I had bought back from insurance company for salvage cost, again about $900). This was for a vertically handicapped wife... who despite several "short bikes" suffered through multiple slow speed tip-overs. Sidecar solved THAT problem. Unfortunately, it created a new one... "it's not a real motorcycle because it doesn't lean". Sold that rig back in the last millenneum as well - it was up in Wisconsin, last I knew.
My "new" wife (yes, I finally solved that problem) would frequently fall asleep on the back of my solo bike (with a helmet "doink"), so bought a sidecar to put her in so as not to lose her. Having learned my lesson the first time, this rig came "pre-assembled". The Hannigan has since been moved from a BMW K1200LT (RIP) to a GL1800 Goldwing (thanks to Kent at Texas Sidecars).
My first sidecar a Velorex 562 was purchased from the USA distributor in LI NY back in 1991. After seeing an ad in Cycle World magazine, I decided sidecaring might be fun. With that sidecar I introduced several of my riding club members to the sport and helped them mount theirs. Some took to it like me, others not so much. Here's a pic of my grandson's first ride, at the time I had already been piloting that XS650 with Velorex for about 15 years. BTW he's in college now. That outfit is gone now but I enjoyed enjoyed the **** out of it.
That is cool. I will likely keep the 563 to the end. It was Payton's first
