Finally got me a full rig. The last few months have been a roller coaster ride after getting into my head I wanted to get in to the world of sidecarist. First I thought I had the extra cash to put a rig on my Harley. Picked up 1979 Velorex cheap to restore. But the IRS had other plans for my extra cash. Then the State taxman decided he needed more from me then I planned and I had to part with my Harley to pay him. But low and behold I had some cash left over from selling my Harley and I find someone who had a complete rig and they too needed cash to pay the taxman. To get the cash they decided to sell their Kawasaki/Champion Escort rig. So now I am a proud owner of a low mileage yet older Vulcan 800 classic with a Champion factory installed Escort. Only issue is a faulty petcock from setting in storage too long.
By the way I have a 1979 Velorex 700 in need of restoration if any one interested $600 located in Little Rock, AR
Glad you got stuff sorted, and still riding! 🙂 I'm in the middle of re-doing my Velorex, it's a 562, but if someone wants some noobie help, have them PM me. I'd need to check, but I think the 700 had a decent axle & suspension from the beginning, I need to redo mine.
The tax man giveth and the tax man taketh away. That's a fine looking rig. Looks like the Escort is tricked out with all the options. I have an Escort on my Valk and really like it though not painted to match. Like the whitewall. Was it a local bike?
That's a nice looking rig, and a good starter rig. I've heard that the Vulcan 800 was made at the Kawasaki factory in Nebraska. But do you really think the sidecar was installed there? If yes, it would be nice to see some close-up pics of the struts and mounting points on the bike.
Have owned 5 rigs but Rig #2 is my current one!
I am sorry I didn't mean to indicate the Kawasaki Factory, in fact the VN800 were built in Japan, but at the Champion factory, the person who had the car installed claims the local Kawasaki dealer sent the bike in 1999 to California to the Champion factory to have the sidecar installed. We have no sidecar dealerships in Arkansas. Maybe it was sent to a champion dealership in California, I am just repeating what I have been told. Here are pictures of the connections. Every connection is using the bikes "natural" bolt holes, if that is makes since?
Right now because the bike has been in storage I am having the gas tank cleaned and coated, rebuilding the petcock and cleaning the carburetor. I find that just drainig the old gas and putting fresh gas in was not good enough, after a 40 mile ride to get get a feel of the rig gasoline did not want to stop flowing when the bike was turned off, something I expect from a bike sitting in storage for 8 to 9 years.
Jeff_Online - 4/18/2018 12:17 PM
Glad you got stuff sorted, and still riding! 🙂 I'm in the middle of re-doing my Velorex, it's a 562, but if someone wants some noobie help, have them PM me. I'd need to check, but I think the 700 had a decent axle & suspension from the beginning, I need to redo mine.
In my research there seems to been a change of the Model 700 axle since it was first built, I couldn't say if the original axle is inferior quality or not. the one I have was built in 1989.
Valkrider - 4/19/2018 12:05 AM
The tax man giveth and the tax man taketh away. That's a fine looking rig. Looks like the Escort is tricked out with all the options. I have an Escort on my Valk and really like it though not painted to match. Like the whitewall. Was it a local bike?
Yes, it is a local bike, only 800 miles have been put on the sidecar since it was attached to the which bike only has 2100 mile on it. But low millage does not mean problem free. but I am happy to iron the problems out.
Well, just measure the diameter. If it's 15mm, it's might be due for an upgrade. The 20mm seems to be the minimum most would accept for a decent sized bike. (Bigger than a Rebel, say.) The trailer wheel upgrade seems pretty consistent with 25mm (1").
I'm using a 35 mm (1 3/8"), but I figure not only is bigger better, but I need more weight in the car anyhow. Definitely overkill on that one, but the frame will bend before the axle ever will. 🙂
Oh, and it wouldn't be unusual for a dealer to send it out like that. Champion is in Garden Grove, CA, sounds sensible and probably legit. Not sure I'd call sidecar manufacturers a factory myself, but then I work in (and am currently sitting in) the largest factory in North America. At least I think it still is, that sort of thing changes all the time.
Jeff_Online - 4/20/2018 7:17 AM
Well, just measure the diameter. If it's 15mm, it's might be due for an upgrade. The 20mm seems to be the minimum most would accept for a decent sized bike. (Bigger than a Rebel, say.) The trailer wheel upgrade seems pretty consistent with 25mm (1").
I'm using a 35 mm (1 3/8"), but I figure not only is bigger better, but I need more weight in the car anyhow. Definitely overkill on that one, but the frame will bend before the axle ever will. 🙂
Well right now I am not going to worry about the Velorex, maybe later... I am going to concentrate on the Vulcan/Champion rig.
Anddajets - 4/18/2018 9:56 AM
Finally got me a full rig....Kawasaki/Champion Escort....
Very nice! We're not too far away down here in NW Louisiana - hopefully we can meet up along the way sometime.
If this is your first rig, please take the time to learn to drive the outfit before venturing too far. We do have a sidecar training class down this way in East Texas.
Lee
MB5+TW200+CRF250L+GTV300+INT650
XL883R w/Texas Ranger Sidecar
Zuma 50F + Burgman w/Texas Sidecar<Mrs. SwampFox
Very nice looking bike and sidecar. Welcome from a newbie also.
SwampFox - 4/20/2018 7:52 AM
Anddajets - 4/18/2018 9:56 AM
Finally got me a full rig....Kawasaki/Champion Escort....
Very nice! We're not too far away down here in NW Louisiana - hopefully we can meet up along the way sometime.
If this is your first rig, please take the time to learn to drive the outfit before venturing too far. We do have a sidecar training class down this way in East Texas.
Thanks, I would like to take that class. Right now I am having the tank cleaned out and internally coated, in the process of rebuilding the petcock and cleaning the carburetor as well doing a full going over, oil change so on and so forth. Being in storage since '09 didn't do the fuel system any good.
Though I been motorcycling since 1973 this is my first venture into sidecars, I will be taking it easy until I get use to it.
