Interested in buying a sidecar

Welcome Jeff! Here are the first of many answers, I'm sure.

A sidecar can be very comfortable on the freeway. That said, the Dnepr/Ural is probably more suited for casual cruising on back roads.

Generally, the bigger the bike, the bigger the sidecar you can haul. One tries to find an appropriate match (and there are sometimes pretty broad limits as to what is appropriate!).

There are lot of "kits" available. Mine is an EZS kit designed for my BMW R1100RT. It works great and the quality is top notch. OTOH, the kit retails north of 10K, so it's easy to spend *lots* of money on a hack. Check out www.ezs-usa.com.

A sidecar is no longer a motorcycle. By that I mean on a motorcycle you press left to go left. With a rig attached you pull left to go left. It can be very disorienting to have the same motorcycle as a solo bike and as a sidecar rig. Not that it isn't done. Hannigan has some kits desiged to be easily removed. They will tell you that most customers start with the rig attached, remove it maybe once or twice and then just leave it attached.

Have you had an opportunity to ride a sidecar? It's a lot of fun and addictive, but completely different.

If you can, consider finding a sidecar training course like the S/TEP (Sidecar Trike Education Program) offered by Evergreen Safety Council in Seattle, and in other places by other providers. More about that here: http://www.esc.org/Sidecar%20Trike-shell.htm. (Check out the National Class Schedule on the right hand side towards the bottom.

The great thing about these classes is that the rig is usually provided so you get a taste of what it's like be comitting your money.

You can also check out some of the resouces here at sidecar.com.

Again, welcome to sidecar.com and ask away: there are always folks happy to offer their opinion. Click on the USCA logo at the top left of the screen and you'll see "Links and Books" and also "Sidecar Vendors"

Happy hunting.

Originally written by caducus on 11/7/2006 11:56 PM

I have, for a long time, been interested in getting a bike with a sidecar. Not knowing anyone that rides one though makes asking questions a bit hard. If no one minds, I'd like to pose a few here.

Looking at different models I have actually found myself most interested in one that was on your classified section. It's a dnepr/ural with a new engine. I love the classic look so much more than anything from the past 40 years.

- How suitable would a s/c rig be for freeway use?

Urals are not generally interstate-burners. The new 750's can cruise comfortably at 55. Many owners claim their's are happy at 60mph. They're fine for sprints of 65mph. Most of us owners find them happiest on state roads at or under 60. Mine is happiest at 55.

- Is there any weight limit for sidecars, other than what my horsepower can logical haul?

I don't see anything in the specs ( http://www.imz-ural.com/patrol/specs.htm). Used for practical reasons as utility vehicles for decades, your rule of thumb is probably OK. You can load them up as long as you take corresponding extra care (e.g., driving slower, gentler, etc). The key would be to keep them under that threshold of stress which exceeds the design. Still, I would not want more than 400lbs of total weight on the rig for long rides.

- I've never heard of that previously mentioned brand before. How are those "kit" rigs in terms of quality?

Terrible, crappy, horrific, a pile of factory seconds and rejects. Run, do not walk, away. Even if you got good parts - you'd still have the battle of titling it.

- How easy, if at all, is it for me to pull the s/c off and use my bike as a regular motorcyle?

Pulling it off is about a 20 minute procedure. However, getting it back on and realigned is a whole other story - about an hour and a half once you have done it a couple of times. Even if the setup does not require realignment, you will need to take the time to carefully check the toe-in and lean-out. Also consider tire wear. Most "pusher" (rear) tires are flat since they stay upright all the time. These do NOT corner well as solo bikes. I have one Ural as a SC rig and another set up permanently as a solo ride. I would not consider a Ural to be a 'convertible' rig.

Here's some other forums you might be interested in - if you haven't already browsed them:

IMWA'a forum:
http://imzwa.secureforum.com/login

Russian Iron Forum:
http://www.russianiron.com/ironforums.htm

Now to put in my biased plug:
I love my Urals! They're not right for everyone - but they are thoroughly enjoyable. We have a great owner's group/forum (the best I've seen in 27 years of riding)on the IMWA site (ref'ed above). Parts are inexpensive - by comparison to Japanese and Euro bikes. Quality continues to improve every year. I hope you'll join us!

Originally written by ural3wheels on 11/8/2006 4:39 AM

- How easy, if at all, is it for me to pull the s/c off and use my bike as a regular motorcyle?

Pulling it off is about a 20 minute procedure. However, getting it back on and realigned is a whole other story - about an hour and a half once you have done it a couple of times. Also consider tire wear. Most "pusher" (rear) tires are flat since they stay upright all the time. These do NOT corner well as solo bikes. I have one Ural as a SC rig and another set up permanently as a solo ride. I would not consider a Ural to be a 'convertible' rig.

I hear this argument a lot and think it needs to be qualified. Most people I know who ask this question plan to use the bike on two wheels most of the time and occasionally add the sidecar. In that case, there should be no problem with tires. Only if you spend most of your time with the car attached, will the tires wear flat.
I also want to comment on removal. There shouldn't be any adjustments necessary if you pull the sidecar and reattach it properly. Unless there is something really strange about the Ural bike. I have a Ural sidecar mounted on my Valkyrie. To remove it, I raise the sidecar wheel off the ground and place it on a small 4 wheeled cart, similar to a mechanic's creeper. I then unplug two wire connectors, one for the sidecar lights and one to the trailer hitch. Next, I sit on the bike, pull the top two bolts from the upper mounts and lean the bike onto it's kickstand. Now I roll a second flat 4 wheeled cart (with a 4X4 laying on it) under the sidecar left frame rail and secure it to the sidecar. Then I disconnect the lower two mounts(loosen the screw at the back of the ball socket)and roll the sidecar away. Normal time of removal is under 5 minutes. My wife timed me once putting it back on, 18 minutes.
Some Urals have a leading link front fork. This is for sidecar use only. If you plan on riding on two wheels, make sure the one you buy has a conventional style front fork.
I'm guessing your freeway question has eliminated the Ural or Dnepr from your list. I also require something that can maintain Interstate speeds for a minimum of two hours between stops.

Having owned just about everything out there at one time or another, I have only two requirements when I want to put a rig together. The bigger the better and it will last the longest on the freeway if it has a driveshaft and liquid cooling. But that's just my opinion, others may disagree.

We can custom build you most any rig you may want as long as it is a safe set up. We pick up and drop off in California about every 4 weeks. Our next trip south leaves in a couple of days but is only going to centeral California.
Feel free to ask any questions of us you may have. We are the Ural sidecar importer as well as the Sputnik importer and also build 5 models of sidecars.
Jay Giese
Dauntless Motors Corporation
www.dauntlessmotors.com
866-638-1793

Thanks everyone for the info.

I still cant get over how good that Ural looks. I may have to pick it up anyway and just limit my freeway driving to small spurts.

As for other rigs. I'm looking for something used and fairly inexpenive. Provided it has the right look and price, I would much prefer to have something that can cruise on the freeway for long durations. Does anyone have any recomendations on rigs, or an ideal classified section for sidecars. I lokked at cycletrader.com and the choices were slim. This site is a little better, but the only 2 rigs in my price range were the ural and one that looked hideaous.

Again, thank you, and I look forward to joining your ranks.

-Jeff

Put an ad in the local paper saying "Sidecar Wanted". You might get more offers than you expect. Good Luck

p.s. Hideous is sometimes only a rattlecan away from Nice. :0)

I have considered selling my Suzuki Bandit sidecar. I would need to get around $6000 for the rig. It is a 600cc, makes about 70hp and can do freeway speeds without feeling stressed. Probably can't do much more than freeway speeds, but I took one to the Yakima Rally last spring and did 70mph most of the way and it seemed just fine. Send me an email if you are interested.

I got lucky and found my Honda Gl650/Dneper all set up with a for sale sign by the side of the road in a near by town for $3500.00. I didn't have a clue about what I was getting into and took a chance. I haven't regretted my desision to buy it. I get a lot of people that think that it's a BMW or Moto Guzzi, or even a Ural. They are astonished to find out its a Honda. Even though it's only a 650 cc engine, it will run 80 mph all day. I spent a lot of time on the internet educating myself. I window shopped for a year before I found this one. The good deals are out there, you just have to be patient.

Another source for rigs is e-bay. Depending on how far you want to look, this opens up the world. I’ve found some unbelievable factory rigs in Europe. On e-bay, patience can pay off. My latest purchase was a Honda GL650 / California 1 rig for my wife. It came with a leading axle front fork assembly and an easy steer triple tree as well as an 18 inch square profile sidecar tire on the front wheel. The back is set up with a 15 inch car tire (very cheap to replace), and the original owner also mounted an extra shock on the swing arm for the added weight of the sidecar. The sidecar has a one of a kind coil over spring suspension unit with a disc brake. Under the sidecar is a hand made 4 gallon stainless gas tank which feeds the carbs with a fuel pump. The tank on the bike drains into the sidecar tank, giving the rig a range well over 300 miles between fill ups. I’ll admit this bike was an unusual find, especially at under $2500, but it was a 28 hour round trip on a Sunday from Niagara Falls to Bangor, Maine to pick it up. Dealing with people on e-bay can be risky. You have to take them at their word where distance is involved. There were several e-mails and telephone conversations involved. On a purchase like this I normally won’t deal with anyone unless they have a 100% feedback rating.

Jeff

I got back into sidecars a couple years ago. I went to a sidecar rally, and I learned a whole lot. I did have specific questions to ask, similar to what you have. You will do yourself well to attend a rally and ask questions. Sidecarists are very willing to honestly answer your questions. It will help you with your decision.

For freeway speeds and long traveling, I strongly suggest a dedicated rig with leading link front fork, adequately sized motor, plus the other comfort features you personally like for the mule. Function and appearance, plus cost, are things you need to consider for you to be satisfied with your choice. Think carefully about function, when considering the Ural. Even with my own rig, at freeway speeds above 75 my gas mileage really falls.

I placed WTB ads on this site, and on Internet BMW riders. I found what I wanted that way, an older EML rig on a GL1100 Honda, in decent shape. Because of my requirements, I ended up traveling about 1000 miles for the right rig. It's old, but it's been a decent rig, and great for travel. Buying an already set up rig is a good way to go. However, to find what you want in the used sidecar market, often you need to hunt and wait for the one you want. I decided on a dedicated rig like the EML set up, after considering the various bits of advice I received at a sidecar rally.

Originally written by caducus on 11/10/2006 9:44 PM

Thanks everyone for the info.
I still cant get over how good that Ural looks. I may have to pick it up anyway and just limit my freeway driving to small spurts.
As for other rigs. I'm looking for something used and fairly inexpenive. Provided it has the right look and price, I would much prefer to have something that can cruise on the freeway for long durations. Does anyone have any recomendations on rigs, or an ideal classified section for sidecars. I lokked at cycletrader.com and the choices were slim. This site is a little better, but the only 2 rigs in my price range were the ural and one that looked hideaous.
Again, thank you, and I look forward to joining your ranks.
-Jeff

============================================================
Jeff,
The Ural rig sare neat for what they are. If you are just shopping for that 'look' and do wish to run at freewayspeed when or if you desire then you can get that 'look' in other ways and have th ebest of both worlds. Older airhead BMWs are avaiable at decent prices and when hooked to a Ural or sidecar of similar looks can be made in a really good all around go anywhere type rig.
I have a BMW /2 conversion ( Has a later engine in it)with a Ural on it in the shop right now. It without doubt has 'the look'. On the way over here he was on a state road and said he felt like it was Getting pretty windy. Then he looked down at the speedometer and he had creeped up to 75 mph. The rig was still happy.
You would not have to go as 'vintage' as a /2 to get the same type of look though. Almost any airhead will do although the larger displacement ones woudl be highly prefered.
These bikes can be had for 3k and up and are out there. Ural sidecars as well as Dnpers go for a decent price too. Even a Velorex may meet your needs if done right.
Check out all the options, read a lot of the older posts here and at SCT and then think it over.
You also may want to get in contact with Doug Bingham who is not far from you. Go to sidestrider.com for his contact info.
And by all means post often. You are entering into a world that can be quite addicitive and tons of fun. Welcome aboard.