Greetings.
Last year about this time I put a V562 on a sportster. It definately had some horse power issues. In a stong head wind it did not perform well.
I would like to try a ural sidecar on a dual sport metric bike but I can not afford a BMW.
I would like to hear from some KLR or V stom folks who have added a steel car on a dual sport .
Arkansas to the Artic circle on 3 wheels!!!
I have a Ural on a 1000 V Strom. If you do a search I have several threads and pictures.
Last weekend Connie and I rode the rig from LA to Las Vegas (650 miles), the week before to Prescott, Arizona (1,000 miles).
Lots of interstate and mountain passes.
I generally run 80 mph, but in the hills will sometimes have to slow to 70 or so, usually in 5th gear. I think the rig certainly has adequate power, athough HP is sorta like money.
btw, I have a Road King with a 95" motor, and I don't think it would have enough power. A sporty with a well tuned 1200 might be OK, but I think the Strom would have more useable power than it as well.
Some rigs have sufficient power but none EVER have too much!
If you thought your sporty with a Velorex was down on power you won't like a Ural or a KLR with hack!
I would expect the Sportster to be a fine tug, specially with a light hack. You just got to gear it right and be willing to wring it out.
I suggest a Rocket III or a ZX14.
That Rocket III really trips my trigger for a sidecar bike...The ZX14 is not far behind it 🙂
Greg, Thanks for the reply. Let me say in a nice way that the rig and I traveled. 33oo miles one week. But if you hit a head wind, It was doing good at 65.
And to you others, again in a nice way I said I couldn't afford a Beemer so you sujest a "Rocket" . I had less than 9k in the sportster and 562.
I am seriously thinking Kawi 1000 police bike with a ural sidecar.
Signed,
Preacher,
Arkansas to the Artic Circle!!!
The Rocket Three may not be the answer but I bet you can do better than an old Kwacker Cop bike. Many of the newer Japanese bikes and most of the newer Triumphs can be had a couple of years old, low miles and good shape, for less than your Sporty/Velo combo.
You should be able to find a bike with plenty of HP AND good brakes and suspension for a reasonable price.
My Suzuki Bandit 600 are 70hp, didn't cost much and have a good frame for mounting sidecars. The Bandit 1200 is every bit as good, has more power and is one of the screaming bargains in the used bike world.
Look around, you may have more options than you realize!
My tug is a Valkyrie. The Valks have between 90-100 hp with almost the same amount of torque. I've added heavy suspension front and back.
Two drawbacks. The Valk weighs around 750-800 pounds and has a big appetite. The advantages are excellent brakes, power, and reliability.
Used Valks are going from 6k to 10k. It's rumored that the Valk is becoming a classic so the prices might go up.
Did not mean to ruffle anyone when commenting on the Rocket III and ZX14 in response to Greg's post....we can all dream right and that is one of my dreams at this point. Yep, it is out of my price range too.
The comment about no rig having too much power but some having sufficient power is, to me, a true one. 'Sufficient' is good and that is where most of us settle in at.
The sporster is not a bad tug especially the 1200.
The airhead BMWs are good tugs too even though maybe are considered not powerful by today's standards
Many jap bikes will provide more power at less cash out lay though. We have had two personal rigs based on two late seventies XS1100 Yamahas. Suffieient power and not a bad tug at all. These can be had at quite resonable prices as can other similar bikes from Suzuki and Kawasaki.
Not to sound contrdictory here but one of my personal all time favorit sidecar rigs was a Velorex on a XS650 Yamaha. It was a fun rig and it took me all over the east coast from New England to Florida. Was it a powerhose? NO. But, it was a great thing on back roads of all kinds and was stone relaible. It would run on the superslabs if called on to do so but wasn't happy there and neither was I.
Almost any rig can have 'sufficient' power to do what it is called upon to do as long as we inderstand it's happy zone. If a pesron's happy zone does not match that of the rig then the fun of the sidecaring experience is lost.
Heck, look at the huge following the Ural rigs have!! All in what makes one happy right?
Ride any rig within it's capabilites and all will be fine.Like so many have said " The best rig is the one YOU OWN right now".
Now for me a Hyabusa rig is another dream right along with the Rocket III and ZX14 but may be a little more acheivable from a financal standpoint. Time will tell.
Best overall power bargain out there today? Gotta aggre with Vernon...the Suzuki Bandit. Good frame, easy sidecar hookup and they are avaiable at decent prices. Stepping to a lower cost bike would inclide any of the 1000cc and up inline four jap bikes from the late 70's and up that had a full frame.
Preacher,
Seems we have stryed from what you original post was about which was a dual sport type rig.
Power wise the oil head GS rigs work well and surely the V Strom does also. We have a R100GS rig that is no slouch although not as powerful as the ones above.
The KLR650 woudl be limited as vernon alluded to .
Converting an early jap bike is also a doable thing and can be appealing budget wise if you are handy.
Just some thoughts,
Thanks guys. ALL input is apreciated.
Preacher
Originally written by claude #3563 on 2/8/2007 5:27 AM
Preacher,
Seems we have stryed from what you original post was about which was a dual sport type rig.
(snip)converting an early jap bike is also a doable thing and can be appealing budget wise if you are handy.
Claude, did you see the CBR based dualsport Jay built for Aaron?
http://www.dauntlessmotors.com/Sidecars/Honda-CBR600L-Platform-Sidecar.htm
In a word; Wow!
Wouldn't that rig be wanting some ballast? That rig looks like it would weigh only 100lbs or so...
I don't know a thing about MX and off-road rigs.
Originally written by RedMenace on 2/8/2007 8:49 AM
Originally written by claude #3563 on 2/8/2007 5:27 AM
Preacher,
Seems we have stryed from what you original post was about which was a dual sport type rig.
(snip)converting an early jap bike is also a doable thing and can be appealing budget wise if you are handy.Claude, did you see the CBR based dualsport Jay built for Aaron?
http://www.dauntlessmotors.com/Sidecars/Honda-CBR600L-Platform-Sidecar.htm
Vernon,
Pretty cool huh? These type conversions are gaining in popularity.
Horst Ullrich (HU Sidecars) has done some pretty wild rigs. Hyabusa or Honda Blackbird dual sports anyone?
Click on the pics at the top of the gallery page here:
