Finally, I almost have the rig put together. I don't have the body on the frame yet but I couldn't resist a little low speed, trial run. We live on a fairly busy State road but mid afternoon is pretty quite. After a last check to make sure all the bolts were still tight, I took a deep breath and started my journey. The driveway is about 80 feet long and I was thinking "this feels weird" but I pressed on. I made the left turn onto the road and............. it scared the C**p out of me! .... but it seemed to track straight for the 300 yard 25 mph run to the country road I wanted to ride. Another left and not quite so scared now. 20 to 25 mph down a little two lane then a 90 degree turn at the end to go back. When I got home I had a big grin on my face. Everything I've read here is true, none of your two wheel instincts help and I've been riding for nearly 50 years. Not much of a ride but I guess it's best to start slow. Tomorrow I want to get the body bolted on and take it down to a school parking lot for some practice (if the rain we've had for the past month finally stops.).
The bike is a '99 Road King and the sidecar is a '95 Ultra. I was lucky, everything bolted up nicely. I have the toe in and lean set at the Harley specs from the manual but, as I've read here, it's best to see how it handles and go from there. This forum has been a great resource!
Pictures
Nice looking rig!
Enjoy,
Lonnie
Have fun
Looks like a neat rig! Enjoy. 🙂 🙂
(But those two tiny wheels on the sidecar and the 10 degree lean out look like trouble!) 🙂 🙂 🙂
Rotten Ralph - 10/30/2009 7:21 PM
Looks like a neat rig! Enjoy. 🙂 🙂
(But those two tiny wheels on the sidecar and the 10 degree lean out look like trouble!) 🙂 🙂 🙂
No wonder it scared me! 🙂
really nice rig & dont wait for the rain to stop you've got a stabiliser ( training wheels ) just grease up the shiney bits & enjoy.
Hank
Nice rig .....
I like the idea that you can carry a passenger outboard in the tub and still have all that room in between for gear and stuff. Just wonder if it is under the legal width limit for most roads as you show it in the pictures.
Seriously, I remember my first ride on 3 wheels...it scared the s--- out of me also. It seemed to have a mind of its own on our highly crowned convoluted roads here in Maine. But you will come to love it I suspect.
Hey, Blue: Looking good. After you get on the road, let us know and we'll try to work up an East Texas lunch ride.
Lee
MB5+TW200+CRF250L+GTV300+INT650
XL883R w/Texas Ranger Sidecar
Zuma 50F + Burgman w/Texas Sidecar<Mrs. SwampFox
Bill,
dont't forget enough ballast 40kg minimum and indeed my very first try was a 11hp Victoria with a l200 Steib from 1952 on a huge farm working lot. I nearly smashed it against the cows stable wall......in the first round! As my friends saw it, they not even tried themselves.
A year later my first own rig on the 13.12.1986 , I picked it up at the shop close to the University and on the way home 140km I went straight into the pasture 3 times. The next day I whacked away a road side plock with the frame fist right onto my knee.
So my advice is to ride with ballast, slow to very slow and get first a feeling in your "Hinterteil" on gravel roads, then on small roads and get into trafic as late as possible, You rode a lot andf your Reactions are OPPOSITE of what you need on the rig. I passed now 10 month on 2 wheels and the firstrides on 3 wheels are wierd again even for me.
Sven
Thanks for the kind (and funny) words and encouragement guys! Weather is perfect but sidecar ride didn't happen today, too much food and drink at Uncle Julio's for my birthday. Tomorrow is guitar playing at the coffee shop so sidecar work will have to wait until Monday. Thank God I'm retired!
I think I can carry 3 guitars in the sidecar.
I always thought I'd like a sidecar but started thinking seriously about it when my wife saved us from a low speed fall - Twice - on the same day. I started to wobble and she was able to put her foot down and help me make the save. I do OK solo but the extra weight of a passenger behind me is more than I can safely handle now....and they're cool! I was talking to a guy with a Ural rig sometime ago and he said "when you pull up on a motorcycle with a sidecar, people look at you like you just flew in on a dirigible" 🙂
OK - what make guitars are you going to carry?
I'm an Adrian Legg and Tony Rice wannabee. Only need about 200 or so years of practice, some finger coordination, and a little musical talent to be just like them!! 🙂 🙂 🙂
Long time Tony Rice fan here too. I've been working on "Church Street Blues" for at least 200 years!
I think I'll practice riding with the cheaper guitars in the beginning then move up to the Collings and Gibsons and wife 🙂
Thought you might enjoy these links to a CA Sidecar Jazz group.
The Griffith Park Sidecar Rally is huge, but these guys play anywhere.
enjoy, gp
Now that's cool! Thanks
Nice collection! 🙂
Is that a vintage Hummingbird? I have a '64 J 200 that's just great.
