The first greeting: Greetings! The first part of the subject line has been addressed.....
New to the forum and very glad to have discovered the URL with a recommendation from the BMWLT website.
My Rig: 2001 BMW K1200LT with Hannigan 2+2 sidecar. Purchased with 7,840 miles on it in April, 2009. Motorcycle currently has 23,900 miles on it, most without the sidecar. I have put approx. 2000 miles on the sidecar since I bought it. Sidecar has electric camber adjustment, quick connect disk brake (not abs as the sidecar port is located in front of the abs system for the rear brake, and a built in fan (woo hoo for the fan!). As you can see the primary color for the rig is the color of Bavarian Royalty, BMW Mauve Metallic.
The issue: I have had the sidecar on and off several times with good results. Handling has been fine until..... this last time. The handling has gone to Hades, it pulls hard right, and I'm pretty sure I know why. I'll get to this in a minute.
This photo is not of my bike but the red arrow is pointing to the culprit for the handling issue.
The last time I removed the sidecar the bolt/nut were mightily seized together and I could not remove this connecting link from the bike. In my attempt to separate the bike from the hack I loosened the two bolts that hold the adjustment for the length of the lower tube to bike hard point and did not record the length of the original set up. I ultimately wound up grinding the head off the Grade 8 bolt with a 4" angle grinder.
When I put it back together the tube length was adjusted too long and the toe out made riding the bike 6 miles to work on the freeway absolutely miserable! I figured this out after reading numerous excellent set-up posts on this site. None of the adjustments for length have been altered on the other three hack to bike connections.
The question: Should I lay a straightedge along the front and rear tires and start with 0" toe in/out measured back of rear wheel to front of front wheel and make subsequent minor adjustments to perfect the handling or should I start from scratch as if it is a new install? I don't have an installation manual for the Hannigan and after reading some of the comments I'm not too sure the factory would be too forthcoming if I contacted them.
Thanks in advance for your consideration,
Loren
Here are the Hannigan specs.
Enjoy!
Lonnie
Lonnie, you are the man! Thank you!
I notice you are located in Boise,ID. In late August, 2011 the big international BMW K1200 LT convention called the CCR (Curve Cowboy Reunion)will be held in Boise. Should be some sidecars present at the event. I know mine will be there!
Thanks again!
Loren
Lonnie, a thousand more thank yous! I followed the process you sent me and the rig performs better than it did when I bought it!
As I mentioned in my original post the vast majority of the miles I have put on the bike have been without the sidecar. Mainly for two reasons. Number 1 the LT is a hoot in the twisties. Especially for a nearly 900 lb bike. The second reason is because it is so much harder to steer in town with the sidecar attached than without it. It still requires more effort but much less than it took before I did the set up. 60 mph down the freeway it runs straight and true, hands off, with the cruise control on. Nice!!!
I might just leave it attached 'till spring. We would like to use the rig for quick weekend camping trips. We already have most of the gear, tent, bags, fold up stove, etc.
BTW I marked the relative positions of the eight attachments which mate to make up the 4 attachment points to make subsequent installations EASY!!! After reading this forum I now know to start with the back attachments and work my way forward.
Loren
