Looking for some ideas on bikes in the 1000cc to 1300cc class from 1999 to 2004 that would be good at pulling a sidecar. I figure to upgrade my rig (’92 750 Virago w/ 200 lb sidecar at times carrying a 250 lb passenger) in 2007 so doing some looking this year. Looking for a bike that’s good for the commute but can also go the distance to rallies and such - comfort. A good bike that can go the distance of 12 years, which should put me into retirement.
There's a world to choose from in the Japanese Cruisers. Since it looks like you prefer a naked bike.
Most are easier to Hack than your Virago. Any of the Nipponese big four companies products have very low maintenance, competitive pricing and lots of pulling power. Beyond that and looks, triple discs are nice, wide bars are nice, hydraulic clutches are nice, shaft or belt drive, large fuel supply and a six speed trans would be a bonus.
None have adequate sidecar shocks, but that's no big thing to change out.
Lonnie
Please don't pigeon hole into just Japanese or just cruiser type bikes. I want to think "outside" the box.
Lots of people are going with Moto Guzzi's. 1100cc, Shaft drive, Fuel injected, full frame, easy to mount a sidecar to.
Jay Giese
Dauntless Motors Corporation
Jay, what about a Kawasaki Concours? I understand you sell a subframe for them.
Wayne,
I assumed when you said you were "looking for some ideas" that you meant it.
So what's with the "Pigeon hole" statement?
Can you afford a Swiss Duetto at $50,000 + ? It'll do almost 200 mph.
You're riding a rice burner at present so I thought you might want some professional input regarding some good tugs and options available at reasonable cost.
If you don't want any ideas, don't ask.
Personally, I presently have two Harley rigs.
Hack'n, I am serious about getting some ideas. $50,000 is a bit much for me. But maybe a non-Japanese bike might do. Maybe a tourer type bike might work. If you don't want to give any ideas, don't respond.
" I want to think "outside" the box."
So go ahead--why are you asking for someone to do it for you?
There are so many bikes avaiable out there today that would work for you it is really hard to pick one that would be best. The Guzzis are nice machines. I have one right now to mount a sidecar on. It will be an easy mount due to the reasons Jay mentioned. The metric cruisers also are great candidates. Recently did a mount on a V Star..sweet rig!! But if your tastes are not limited to the so called cruiser bikes then the options are really plentiful.
Recently had a friend who had a Hannigan mounted to a 600 cc sport bike.Unlikely combination? We both had some concerns going in but to tell you the truth this thing turned out to be one nice rig. I was amazed when I took it for a ride at the power it had and also how fridly the power band was. For a bike with a what ? 12,000 rpm redline you woudl think th ethingwoudl be dead at lower revs and hard to ride ...boy were we surprised!! I think an article on it will be in the next issue of Hack'd.
The K Bikes are popular. So what if you need a subframe..so do many machines. The K bikes are some of the simpliest to convert to car tires if that is what you may want to do. Lots of bang for your buck on the older K's.I prefer the older mono levers my self but newer ones are okay too.
The Connie you mentioned? Not the easiest mount in th eworld but shoudl we really be that concerned with that if we are going to keep a given bike for a long term relationship. Good tug!! Vern Goodwin has proven that with his rig.
You will ultimatly be the one who will have to narrow the selction of bikes to what style of machine you want. You will need to ask yourself about what kind of riding you want to do and what kind of 'look' you want.
Cruiser, tourer, dual sport, etc etc bring many images to mind. Many will give you more all around happiness and some will be more limited due to design.
Right now I have two scratch built sidecar rigs under construction. One is a GS based rig that will have car tires all around, a leading link, swaybar and a pretty much platform type open sidecar. Will it be happy on the interstates? Yes, it will do okay but it is not the ideal place for it. I also have a similar rig based on a K100 with leading link, car tires,reverse etc etc. under construction. It will sit a little lower and have a cargo box sidecar with accomodations for a passenger. It will possibly be a little more at home on the super slab.
Both of these rigs have their pros and cons but will work in varied conditions. Can we compare these to a Goldwing with a large touring sidecar...well maybe so but the comparison is not fair simply due to the design differences depending upon where they will be driven the most.The wing would obviously be out of it's element on a dirt road..where as the other two will be pretty darn happy there.
Good question but from the info provided the answers are too numerous to
get very specific. Yes, thinking 'outside the box' is good but a little help on where you want to go 'outside the box' and even what 'box' you are stepping out of would narrow it down some.
Claude, thanks for the reply. I'll try asking the question this way. Here's what I've narrowed my list down to and need to narrow some more. Which one's WOULDN'T make a good sidecar bike for interstate road driving, country twisty roads, and every day just running around with a 200 lb sidecar (with 250 lb passenger sometimes)? Or not a good durable bike? Then I need to decide after that.
1000cc to 1300cc
Yamaha V-Star, XVZ Royal Star Venture
Moto Guzzi EV, Stone, Breva V1100
Honda VT1100 Shadow Spirit, VTX1300, ST1000 Pan-Euro, ST1300 Pan-Euro
Kawasaki Concours,
BMW K1200LT, R1150RT
Buell S3T Thunderbolt
1400cc to 1600cc
Kawasaki VN1500 Mean Streak. VN1500 Nomad
Suzuki Marauder VZ1600
Yamaha XV16A Road Star
Honda Valkyrie
EXCUSE ME FOR BUTTING IN GUY'S BUT OF THOSE THAT Y0U HAVE LISTED I WOULD TAE THE 1150RT FORTHE DIRT AND OCCASIONAL TOURING ,BUT MAINLY THE 1200LT .
FOR TOURING
P.S. CLAUDE LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AGAIN THIS YEAR @ THE RON DE VOO IN PA.
