Can you ID this ebay side car?

looks to be a hitchhiker. would best be suited to a lighter bike than a big harley.i always thought they looked pretty cool.

Originally written by punkozuna on 3/29/2008 5:09 PM

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=190210586367&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=009

This is the second one of these I've seen on ebay in the last month. One was in Canada, this one is close enough to me to be worth considering.

Anybody know what it is? I assume that if it was on a big twin harley, it would be suitable for use on a 600 pound kawasaki ex-cop bike?

TIA for opinions and info.

It's a HitchHiker. I had one on a GL1200 Goldwing which was borderline. I would never put one that light on a bike that size, but it would suit your Kawasaki. Make sure you use good quality mounting hardware. Some of the stuff that came with a new one wasn't suitable for use. If you end up owning it, you can find a copy of the original mounting information here; http://tinyurl.com/2z3ett

It is a HitchHiker and I have one on a1980 H-D FXEF. Of the 3 s/c's I have tried in the past year it is the best. If the one in Canada had been closer I would have bought it. Went 1000 miles, round trip, to get mine. When I got there the guy told me I could make $600 without loading it. A local guy called while I was driving there and offered that much more than the price we had agreed on.

i have a 90 i bought new and a 93 i got used. go for it........fly

Thanks! It looks very 1970s to me (in a good way). Are they still in business ? I assume not since google didn't come up with anything.

That's a great looking set-up....Your FX is VERY cool....whole thing looks like it's moving while sitting still....betcha Willie G would dig it....so...has that back tire seen a few burnouts? LOL

Originally written by punkozuna on 3/30/2008 8:22 AM

Thanks! It looks very 1970s to me (in a good way). Are they still in business ? I assume not since google didn't come up with anything.

No, If I remember right, they started out in Iowa, moved to Minneapolis, then ended up in Ohio. I was working for a motorcycle shop in 1993 and bought one new while there, but I remember the business phone was already disconnected then and everything was done through the owner's home phone. I still have at least one of the original mounting diagrams here, maybe even more.

Thank you, have you not read why tire manu. will not give any wear-out gaa. on tires on H-D FX's? They breake their tire lose with each shift.
Have not figured out how that affects the front tire yet! The picture with the bald tire is older than the other. Notice the stock mirrors are back on and yes there is a new tire on the back.

How can you have HitchHikers from the 90's when everything I have learned says they have been out of business at least 25 years?

Originally written by silvergoldsmith on 3/30/2008 10:56 AM

How can you have HitchHikers from the 90's when everything I have learned says they have been out of business at least 25 years?

I don't know what to tell you. I worked for that shop for one season, from December of 92 until October of 93. I bought it new during that time. I still have the instructions in the original mailing tube here somewhere. I'll try to find it and see if it has a postmark on it. Where did you get your information?

First info came from Lonnie [Hack'n] and everything I have read since then supports what he said. Could what you bought be new old stock? Mine must be an early one, wire wheel with no brake, and the signed hand paint work. Also my mounting 'kit' looks very different.

Hitchhiker was in business in London, Oh. till 96. it was sold in 97 to a man in Ky. who never did anything with it. He has since past away.
fly

Here's a shot of the one I had on my Goldwing.

<a href=" "<img src=" "
and

I was told this was a 1990 model when I bought it. The one we ordered in 1993 was for a customer's Sportster. The only thing different, if I remember correctly was that mine had an air fitting for the air shock on the left side of the sidecar body, just behind the seat and the new one just had it on the shock itself. Both had car tires and neither had a brake. As to whether it was NOS I could not say. It was represented to us as the newest model and the guy told us he was working from home because they were preparing to move the company to a new facility. Later, I heard he had gone out of business.

Mike,
The original designer/builder of the Hitchhiker sidecars, Bob Loberg, was in Minnesota.
It was later re-introduced in the '80,s and produced by Pat Sheehy in Ohio. Then like many other Marques it faded away, maybe to be re-introduced again like so many others in a fresh package with a new name.

Lonnie