I just bought a used hannigan Astro 2+2 sidecar for my 2001 goldwing. Does anyone have any information as far as, do I need ez steer? or how they handle? Thanks....
For this heavy a sidecar steering mods are a must for easy handling with the GL.
You can try it without first since the trail can be altered at any time later if the steering is too much effort for comfort.
Lonnie
Thanks for the info! I'm having it shipped to a local motorcycle shop to install, after all I'm hearing I hope I did the right thing buying it. This is my first sidecar. I hope I can make it work, I love the way it looks....
Congratulations! Hope to see some pictures when it's finished.
1oldtimer - 9/2/2009 1:06 PM
after all I'm hearing I hope I did the right thing buying it. This is my first sidecar. I hope I can make it work, I love the way it looks....
What on earth have you heard???
I am quite sure you will decide to have an ez steer installed.
Thanks everyone for your input. After talking to Dave at Hannigan I'm a little more at ease. He is there sidecar specialist. This is not only my first sidecar, its my first goldwing. I've ridden bikes all my life, mostly harleys, and most of them chopped. I'm getting older and enjoying the comfort of the goldwing. This sidecar looks so comfortable, I think my wife is really going to enjoy it. My next task will be to learn how to post pictures on here when I get the rig finished.
Hey old timer! I have a Hannigan 2x2 Bandito that is almost as big as your astro. It just doesn't have the top. When I first got it rigged up to my Triumph Rocket, I thought I had made a terrible mistake. It was heavy, hard to drive, and frankly quite discouraging.
However, you DO get used to the sidecar and after a short while I really started enjoying it. Now I love to ride it. I don't have the EZ steer or any kind of steering mod, so my steering is extremely heavy. It made my shoulders and arms sore at first, but now I don't even think about it. I think my muscles just adapted to the extra pressure required.
If you do get an EZ steer or some other steering mod, my understanding is that they make the steering very easy, so if you are concerned, that may be the way to go.
Regardless, once you get used to having the hack, and get your steering sorted out, I think you'll just love it.
I have a 1998 Goldwing with a Hannigan Astro. No easy steer.
It's my first rig so don't have anything to compare it to, but the steering is Ok. Quite functional and enjoyable the way it is.
I'm sure it would be easier with ez steer etc. - but I do like the option of discounting and enjoying the Wing solo, occassionally.
Enjoy,
Congrats on your rig to be. I, like you am an experienced harley guy and currently have a '03 Heritage Classic. When I started researching sidecars which I needed for my wife and son to ride with me, I learned pretty quick that the harley just didn't make the best rig. So I went shopping and found a 1996 Goldwing SE with the Hannigan Astro installed that I bought immediately after seeing the pics and talkng with the nice lady owner. She had the car installed in 2000 by Dave's folks in Kentucky and initially declined the EZ steer option to see if it was really necessary. She said she drove the bike almost a year without it and after that went back to Dave to have that option installed and told me it was the best money she ever spent. I flew into Detroit, picked up the bike and drove it to Philadelphia with zero sidecar experience other than a quick instructional drive that she provided me to get the basic feel for the rig. The Goldwing/Hannigan is so stable that many of the horror stories you hear about where the rig starts to fly on right handers, or the empty rig concerns with ballast or the passenger on the back of the bike and no one in the rig just don't apply to this rig. I can ride with my wife on the back of the bike with no passenger in the car and no additional ballast and not a problem, or any other combination I choose. The best advice I was given as to handling was to simply watch the warning signs when approaching curves and if it said 45, then do 45. I've learned over time that you can exceed these values, but that comes with experience. Starting out this was the best advice given and served me very well as I was learning the idiosyncrasies to driving on three wheels. Oh yeah, and one other, just remember you have another four feet or so on the right side you've never had to worry about before ;^) Good luck and enjoy. Since I've gotten this rig, I had to buy a battery tender for the Harley as it's seldom ridden anymore :^)
Randy
The 1800 wings do steer harder with a sidecar than the 1500 ones do. Best bet try it for a while but I think you will end up with a fork mod if it is an 1800.
