I just wanted to say hello and give a BIG thanks to the site. I've been reading and collecting info and pics of sidecars for several years now. This site, in particular, has been a wealth of information.
My original plan was to add a sidecar to my KZ1000. However, I recently sold it so I have switched gears and plan to add one to my KLR instead.
Unless a really irresistable deal comes along for a used sidecar, my plan is to build one. To that end I am still collecting information but I'm getting very close to firing up the MIG. Of course, my wife thinks I'm crazy and I have no doubt some of you will agree.
Anyway, thanks to all of you for providing so much information and I hope that I'll be adding photos of my rig in the not so distant future.
Hello and welcome! Keep us posted on your progress and show us photos if you can!
I have been having a ball on my KLR sidecar rigs.
I presume you've seen the article about putting sidecars on KLRs in the recent issue of the club newsletter?
I have a some pix and info up on my website:
http://adventuresidecar.com/articles.htm
I used a Dauntless mounting kit on one of the bikes and have been very happy with it. Even if you build your own frame it puts the mounts where they need to be and gives you a solid place to bolt it up to. Or you can get the whole shooting match from them.
http://www.dauntlessmotors.com/Sidecars/dualsportsidecars.htm
I've seen a number of your posts in various places and am currently waiting to complete registration to view, yet another.
Thanks for the tip on the Dauntless mounts.
Pics will follow. The wife is weakening.......... unfortunately not to the point of letting me pull out a credit card for a new sidecar....... but enough to humor me while I build one.
My wife hates riding on the back of a solo bike but loves the sidecar. She says on a solo bike she only sees the back of my head but she gets a much better view from the hack!
Amy navigates for me when I do dualsport rallies. It works great-she gets to tell me what to do(which she dearly loves to do 😉 and I get to concentrate on driving.
you might look for a used sidecar. It is not unusual to find an old Velorex, Sputnik, Jupiter or even a Ural or Dnepr sidecar in the $500 to $900 range.
It might be a little beat up and you might want to beef up the swing arm or suspension on the Velorex(Jawa) Sputnik(Jupiter) or even substitute a better wheel. Even so, it will be almost cheaper than building from scratch and most of the hard stuff will already be done. Start cruising ebay, craigslist and your local nickle ads, maybe even take out a wanted ad. I bet you will find something very cheap that will make a good starting point.
DON'T RELY ON UNIVERSAL MOUNTS IF THEY ARE OFFERED YOU. You really do want at least a partial subframe. If you go with Dauntless mounts you may want to re-enforce the rear bike frame too. It is a known weak point on the KLR. At least do the upgrade to the rear frame bolts(search the KLR forums for info)
About the sub-frame; In order to run the Dauntless sub-frame would I would have to lose some, or all, of my aftermarket goodies like the aluminum skid plate, lower engine guard with highway pegs and the Paris/Dakar nerf bars?
the lower mount bolts to the foot pegs and the front motor mounts and you will probably loose that skid plate. I cut a new one from aluminum diamond plate and fastened it to the subframe. It actually is much better than the aftermarket skid plate that was on the bike when I got it. I was able to sell the aftermarket skid plate to another KLR rider so that worked out well for me! I don't know if the nerf bars can still fit, but you really don't need them with the hack. ebay and recoup some of the cost for the mounting kit!
Originally written by RedMenace on 3/24/2007 9:13 AM
ebay and recoup some of the cost for the mounting kit!
That was my thought.
I sent out an e-mail to see if an old buddy of mine still has his old sidecar for sale. I believe he said it was an "Eagle". I know he has run it on some fairly light bikes (500 to 750 cc) so it shouldn't be too heavy for the KLR. My biggest concern would be that the frame may need some re-enforcing for even mild off-road use. But, I suppose it's nothing I couldn't manage with some cross tubes and gusseting.
The wife and I tried riding two-up on the KLR. Maybe it was the dished Corbin seat I'm running but it was not comfortable for two. Her biggest concern with riding in a sidecar is staring at hubcaps. She doesn't really care for the idea of being that low. But, for some reason she doesn't like the open feeling of the Dual-Sport style either. Given the choice, it looks like she'd prefer low and enclosed.
I am a new sidecar owner and so recent a USCA member that I don't even have a reply to my mailed-in check and registration form yet. I have a question on tire pressure on my sidecar, and wonder what you guys would recommend. I am riding a BMW'88 R100RT with a subframe installed and a Ural car hooked up. I have a duplicate of my cast aluminum "snowflake front wheel on the hack, with a disk brake and the stock 18" Ural tire on it (Until it wears out and I can match it to my Dunlops.), and I don't have enough experience to even guess at what tire pressure I should be running, or if I should vary it according to whether I am riding with the sidecar empty or with a passenger. I don't plan to run it on anything but hard-surface streets and roads anytime soon. Any suggestions?
Hi Donald and welcome to the club! My fault no one has gotten back to you. The membership secretary has you on the roster and sent me your name but I hadn't gotten to forwarding it to your state rep. You do know we are having the NW regional Rally at Hayden Lake,IDAHO this June, don't you? You can find out more about it here:
http://adventuresidecar.com/firstever1.htm
As far as tire pressure goes, I would stick with the recommended pressures on the sidewall of your tires. Just guessing probably in area of 36 psi but I would go with the what is on the sidewall of your tires.
dkaag---Your USCA new member package was mailed on Tue 3/20/07. Let me know if you haven't received it by 3/28. I can easily send another to you.
Al Roach
USCA Membership
uscamem@sbcglobal.net
Vernon:
Thanks for the howdy to the club. I figured I shouldn't exceed the tire's max pressure. I was just wondering about optimum pressure, loaded and unloaded, for reasonable handling and wear.
Again my guess is you will be at or near the load rating for the tires, so the tire manufacturers maximum recommended pressures should be about right. A lot of the Ural folks run lower tire pressures, but I really don't like the handling with squishy tires and I doubt if it helps with tire wear.
It turns out my friend's sidecar is no longer available. His wife has started to ride and bought her own bike. She wants the sidecar installed on her bike.
So, I'm back to Plan A, to build one. I'm still checking Ebay and Craig's List but early indicators are still pointing towards building a sidecar.
Hack'n was extremely helpful when it comes to a swingarm, hub & wheel.
RedMenace ~ I found your site quite fascinating, particularly all the photos of your dualsport rigs.
As I told Hack'n, I'm just waiting for the buyer of my KZ1000 to come pick it up so I'll have room to get to welding. I'm also building a KZ440 for my youngest son. By building, I mean that it is being converted to a dualsport. I get this funny feeling that he'll want a sidecar for his, too. But, I've got plenty of time for that as he's not due back to the mainland until 2012.
