The dealer south of here is a sidecarist. I'll be seeing him next week. I'm guessing he will know something.
As far as improvements go, I would have liked to see a choice. Maybe keep the car they have, but also offer a suspended model. My wife hated the way our 76 rocked on the frame. She equated it to riding in a boat that's half full of water. I tried to tether it, but then she complained it rode too rough. I never rode in it, so I can't say.
Just as they offer different model bikes, maybe a second model sidecar would have peaked some interest.
Just a thought.
We have a lot of sidecars around here too. I know of 7 within ten miles of my home, and I no longer have one. Four Harleys, a Ural, a Moto Guzzi/Velorex, a Virago/Formula II, and a Goldwing/Formula II. Actually, there's a fifth Harley rig, a newer Ultra ridden by a woman, but I haven't met her yet.
SidecarMike - 7/29/2010 7:18 PM
The dealer south of here is a sidecarist. I'll be seeing him next week. I'm guessing he will know something.
As far as improvements go, I would have liked to see a choice. Maybe keep the car they have, but also offer a suspended model. My wife hated the way our 76 rocked on the frame. She equated it to riding in a boat that's half full of water. I tried to tether it, but then she complained it rode too rough. I never rode in it, so I can't say.
Just as they offer different model bikes, maybe a second model sidecar would have peaked some interest.
Just a thought.
We have a lot of sidecars around here too. I know of 7 within ten miles of my home, and I no longer have one. Four Harleys, a Ural, a Moto Guzzi/Velorex, a Virago/Formula II, and a Goldwing/Formula II. Actually, there's a fifth Harley rig, a newer Ultra ridden by a woman, but I haven't met her yet.
Mine doesn't rock.
Hack'n - 7/29/2010 7:41 PM Hey guys, why not leave the text acronyms for the Gen Zero sites. Us geezers on the site work better with old school english. I finally got "As far as I know" but it took a lot longer for the "I love German Shepards" bit to get decoded a while back. And to think that back in the forties I was a candidate for cryptographers schooling at Langley, VA Times do change, don't they. The old farts didn't dig our jive then either. The squares weren't hip! Crazy man, crazy. Wha's happenin' Dadio? Ain't nothin' to it. Lonnie
OH!......AFAK.......Is that what that means....:) ......
BS
Hack'n - 7/30/2010 5:33 PM
BS
•BS
Big Smile
Well, I confirmed it. I went to Bear Tooth Harley in Billings MT and asked about the Sidecar. A memo was just sent out and Harley will complete current orders and stop taking any more. That sucks.
I ordered a TLE last month and have been told by my dealer there is a possibility that no sidecars will be shipped anymore from the date of the MOCO announcement ....................... anyone have any suggestions for a aftermarket car?
paddler8967 - 7/31/2010 9:38 AM I ordered a TLE last month and have been told by my dealer there is a possibility that no sidecars will be shipped anymore from the date of the MOCO announcement ....................... anyone have any suggestions for a aftermarket car?
This will get a dozen different answers.
Personally, I feel the Motorvations and Hannigans are the best engineered ones out there. If I ever go back to a Harley, it will have a Hannigan Astro 2+2 on it.
coalminer16 - 7/30/2010 10:39 PM
Well, I confirmed it. I went to Bear Tooth Harley in Billings MT and asked about the Sidecar. A memo was just sent out and Harley will complete current orders and stop taking any more. That sucks.
Copy of memo?
if i ever need to get a new one i think id get a liberty
to
I didn't ask for the memo-sorry.
coalminer16 - 8/1/2010 1:45 AM I didn't ask for the memo-sorry.
I guess I wouldn't think to ask. I'd assume people would take me at my word.
timo482 - 7/31/2010 7:12 PM
if i ever need to get a new one i think id get a liberty
to
Liberty is no doubt a very good quality product and no one would go wrong purchasing one of these Pete Larson creations.
We have mounted quite a few Hannigan Classics to large and small Harleys with excellent results. These are very adaptable sidecars of good quality and provide a good match. The ease of entry via the flip open front is a huge plus for passenger comfort. They are also very nice in that the convertible top and/or tonneau cover lifts up with the opening front. There is also an exterior opening and lockable trunk.
Also have done numerous sidecar outfits with our own Aluminum bodied 'American Classic' sidecar which is similar in body shape to 'The Motor Company's' '36-'67 offering although most of the ones ordered request a door opening and larger trunk area. Many opt for an exterior opening trunk in lieu of getting into that area by tiliting the seat forward. These metal bodied sidecars are basically built to order. Due to being fabricated from steel or aluminum modifications are not as big an issue as they are with glass bodies.
SidecarMike - 8/1/2010 8:02 AM
coalminer16 - 8/1/2010 1:45 AM I didn't ask for the memo-sorry.
I guess I wouldn't think to ask. I'd assume people would take me at my word.
Yes, we would. If only we knew you better. LOL.
I can't tell you how many of these rumors I've heard and never seen any documentation. At this point, I don't doubt that they may cease production. Nonetheless, there is still nothing in writing to reflect this. The only thing I've seen about Harley's actions lately is that they intend to ship parts to India and have them asembled into completed motorcycles over there. This will capture the new Indian thirst for consumer products. (Sacramento Bee Business section today, 8-01-10)
Frankly, I think any company should discontinue making any product, whether it's a sidecar or a toaster, if they find that there is no longer a market. The present downturn in the world market has hit the motorcycle and sidecar market particularly hard. If Harley does cease production of sidecars, they won't be the only company to do so. Manufacturers of luxury items cannot operate in a vacuum. Market forces tend to affect all manufacturers of a certain type of product.
In any case, I spoke to a manager of a Harley-Davidson dealership last week when I took a demo ride on a Trike and a Springer Softail and he had no documentation on this. I really don't doubt that they will quit, however. As a long time HD watcher, I notice when things change and they pretty much gave up on advertising sidecars fully 15 years ago. So, if they cease building them, who would notice at this point?
On the good side, if they do quit building sidecars, when the recession clears, anyone who owns one may find that it is easier to sell and that it hasn't depreciated as much as ordinarily......the laws of supply and demand are still in operation.
By the way, I quit taking people's words for anything a couple of years into my marriage. LOL.
🙂
