Harley Highway KING

That's purdy! 

It's  Purdy, but I am of the opinion that H-D chose the wrong Champion sidecar for this application.

Champion also makes one with a side DOOR on the sidecar, and the older riders/passengers are finding it a very nice thing to have a DOOR on the sidecar, for easier entry/exit.

And...whilst we were visiting the Indian Motocycle (yes, it was spelled that way 100 years ago) in Iowa, during the USCA National Rally last month, I mentioned to 2 different Indian representatives that with H-D working in collaboration with Champion Sidecars to make that new limited edition sidecar rig...as shown above....wouldn't it be smart for Indian to make contact with Hannigan Sidecars, and get the ball rolling NOW, to have Hannigan do the same thing with their Heritage sidecar, or their Arrow Elite sidecar, rather than playing catch-up 3 years from now, when people see what a great job H-D did in having those Champion sidecars made for them.

Of course, it went in one ear and out the other ear of both of those reps, as there was nothing inside their noggins to stop the idea from flowing through.

According to my source that rig was sold by St. Joe Harley Davidson in Missouri for $54,000 plus a not shown tour pack. He said that St Joe Harley put it together as they have an experienced sidecar guy on staff. My source sent a couple of pictures to my phone when he was there last Saturday.  

  I had time today to look at them closer. The Tub is small on the inside .  IMO too small. The mounts look good and though out . But the removed the rear passenger board.

The upper rear and front braces are just straight bars not bent to fit. The Sidecar brake appears to be plumbed to the front brake.

Last picture look down you will see the banjo bolt.

No test rides of course . And no talk about price unless in the Room with salesman / Finance expert.

 I'm I missing something here, the banjo looks like it's on the rear master cylinder. Also not impress with the rear mount looks to awkward. 

Quote from 2FLTC on July 17, 2023, 7:25 am

 I'm I missing something here, the banjo looks like it's on the rear master cylinder. Also not impress with the rear mount looks to awkward. 

  It is on the from look straight down you will see it.  I would need a closer look to figure out what they have going on with  it.

The sidecar frame is sturdy so having that rear upper so far back from lower mount should be ok but you are right looks funky.

  It looks good. But more like a show peace than a real world option.

But  that was what HD was shooting for.  A limited edition bike and then an even more limited sidecar option.

In a prefect world HD would like to sell them to someone that takes it home and parks it. Hoping it will double in value over night.

Every person I saw get in the tub said the same thing  Small crowed.

Quote from smitty901 on July 17, 2023, 7:50 am

  It looks good. But more like a show peace than a real world option.

But  that was what HD was shooting for.  A limited edition bike and then an even more limited sidecar option.

In a prefect world HD would like to sell them to someone that takes it home and parks it. Hoping it will double in value over night.

 

To me that means...H-D "failed" on this plan. If their intent is to market these "limited edition" sidecar rigs solely to the RUBbies, the Rich Urban Bikers...that will buy it, and store it inside their corner office on the 25th floor of their bank building, to show it off as them being a "biker", then they have failed to understand what their real world marketplace is. Maybe they can sell ALL of them to members of the Montgomery Street Motorcycle Club members, and they can all "display" them, rather than actually riding them.

The last thing we need, is another "show piece", rather than a usable, functional sidecar rig.

CEO wants to make HD the high end ultra rich status symbol . The the peons can just buy the shirts and clothing to pretend.

Rich people don't care what it cost. They call you to pick it up and was it because it has dust on it. Don't care what a repair cost.

CEO like those folks and has no time for the rest.

I still must be missing something on the gold one they have the banjo with what looks like a quick connector facing the sidecar and one the red it's facing the bike which looks a lot cleaner. Both are mounted on the rear master cylinder. 

I will try to get a better look. The brake line runs under the sidecar frame in front straight across

I enlarged this one. Look by front brake master cyl. You will see the quick disconnect.

I think what you see in the rear is a wiring harness.

I don't get the stereotyping of the people who would be interested buying this type of rig. I've seen some pretty high end rigs of the USCA members. I think it would be a good thing if Harley Davidson started offering sidecars again.  

@mike m, the stereotyping, as you call it, has been brought on by H-D becoming a clique thing, a cultish thing, where the newer riders in the past 30 years think it's COOL to own a H-D, but they really don't ride them. I used to be very heavy into riding H-D's...actually won the HOG annual high mileage contest every year for 4 years in a row, in '85, '86, '87, & '88, with more than 100,000 miles a year on my bikes, for a total of 427,000 miles on my 2 different FLHT's. That is shared mileage, so each one had over 200,000 on each bike, in those 4 years. H-D even took those two bikes in, and gave me a brand new '89 FLHTCU in exchange, as they wanted to tear my engines and gearboxes apart, to see how they wore with that many miles on them in a short period of time. They did it again in '91...took in my '89 FLHTCU, and gave me a '91 of the same bike, because of mileage on my bikes.

But that was all before the RUB's took over the H-D scene. When the wannabees started buying bikes, and strutting their designer clothes, that was too much for me.  I switched brands, and Honda started doing the same thing with me, taking in my Goldwings that had over 100,000 miles on them in one year, and giving me a new Goldwing...a couple of times.

Sure, I have a load of money into my new '19 Goldwing w/DCT, and Hannigan Dream sidecar, to the tune of close to $ 50k, but I actually drive my rig places, rather than hiding it in an office, and bragging to other businessmen that I own a $50k sidecar rig. Mine gets used...properly...but gets used.

The new sidecar rig H-D is putting together is designed for SHOW, but not GO.

Okay, if someone wants to spend 50 large on a display bike, to showoff in their office, or living room, great for them. But that is an extremely small demographic of the H-D buyers that can afford to spend 50 large on a display model.

Knowing the sidecar manufacturers as I do, there are several models out there that would have been better suited for H-D to collaborate with, to offer a usable version of this sidecar rig.

Quote from mike m on July 17, 2023, 7:57 pm

I don't get the stereotyping of the people who would be interested buying this type of rig. I've seen some pretty high end rigs of the USCA members. I think it would be a good thing if Harley Davidson started offering sidecars again.  

  HD not really going into sidecars. This is just a limited edition bike with a aftermarket sidecar slapped on to play off the limited edition hype.

Smart move that they let Champion do the sidecar. But do not expect this to be a major HD move.

They both dropped the ball with the sidecar it is small inside and hard for many to get in or to put someone in. A sidecar is not a set of training wheels.

It is a tool that extends the possibilities for riding and sharing the ride.