Hello,
New to this forum but have been watching it for awhile. I currently ride a Suzuki 650 V-Strom. It is a really great bike and fits my commuting needs perfect. I have seen that Dauntless has put a sidecar on a V-Strom 1000 which looks really great. I have also corresponded with Jay and he recommends a Sputnik sidecar on the 650 due to its lighter weight.
So my question, how well is the 650 going to haul around the extra weight of the sidecar and a passenger? For those not familiar with this bike it is a fuel injected v-twin. It hauls around two people just fine at highway speeds. I am not sure how much more she can take and still keep up on the highway. I know others have ridden similar displacement bikes and would like their feedback. Also would like to know from more experienced riders if I wouldn't be better off just moving up to a 1000cc displacement and put a sidecar on that instead.
Thank You for whatever information anyone can provide.
If you think you will be comfortable and patient enough to cruise the highways at 50-60 mph, then the 650 will be ok.
remember, the sidecar will be hanging off to one side, with a passenger also, and the bike will be dragging it along.
top speed will drop quite a bit, and you will be doing a lot more down/up shifting with the bike when hills and curves come up.
A 1000 CC minimum is recommended by most. I had a 750 in my Beemer for 2 years with a Terraplane SC attached. got tired of all the downshifting on hills, and had a 1000 RS engine installed. Sweetness!
just like an auto tranny now!
My wife has a CB650 with a Velorex that does not do to bad on the road at 60 to 65
Ron in Co
The 750 I had in my Beemer did ok on the highway cruised at 70 on level, but in hill country it was a washout. on single lane hyways I had a long line of cars behind me going up hills.
this was with a Terraplane SC, 180 pound passenger, and large cargo trailer loaded with gear.
without the trailer it was OK.
I HAVE GS550/VELOREX. NO PROBLEM TO CRUSE AT 65 TO 75 ON FLAT. IN THE HILLS .........
I've been pondering the same dillema.
I've got a 23 year old Honda GL650 with a Dneper sidecar. I carry a Search & Rescue pack, coldweather gear, and a substantial tool box in the sidecar. Occasionally I carry 1 or 2 six year old kids. On the highway I keep my speed at 65 mph to maintain my fuel economy. It will cruise at 75 mph without a passenger, but I loose 10 mpg at that speed. I have thought of getting a newer bike. I would like to have a dual sport because there are so many dirt roads around here, but you need to be able cruise on the highway also to connect all those dirt roads in Idaho. The Suzuki Vstrom is one bike I have been lusting after. I can't make up my mind as to whether I should go light and nimble or heavy and solid. There is no money in the budget just now, but that will change one day.
I HAVE GS550/VELOREX. NO PROBLEM TO CRUSE AT 65 TO 75 ON FLAT. IN THE HILLS .........
You must be a little guy or your bike is quite heavily modified. My son had a GS650L. I once had to ride it home from Madison, about 300 miles, and I had trouble maintaining the speed limit. It was a lot happier on state roads.
If you need to spend time on the SuperSlab, the 650 might work, but you'll be happier with a bigger bike.
While on this subject, I know we'll hear from people who will remind us that 30 years ago a 650 was a big bike and that people have been riding sidecars on 200cc bikes for years. Thirty years ago there were 1/10th as many cars on the road, no one had heard of Road Rage, and we didn't commute 80 miles to work every day.
Trust me, you'll prefer the big bike.
Hi SidecarMike. I am 6'2" 290lbs.Bike has no modifications (only front sprocket 14 instead 15 and air shocks on the rear). Did you attend Butterfly II?
Originally written by VLAD on 6/8/2006 10:38 PM
Hi SidecarMike. I am 6'2" 290lbs.Bike has no modifications (only front sprocket 14 instead 15 and air shocks on the rear). Did you attend Butterfly II?
No, I didn't. I'm in Northern Wisconsin and don't get the opportunity to travel too often.
That must be one heck of a Suzuki. I'm smaller than you are. (But not by much.) :0)
IN MY PIC YOU'LL SEE ME ON THE '83 GL500I THAT MULED MY SPIRIT OF AMERICA FOR MANY YEARS AND MILES. WHEN IT WAS YOUNGER I COULD GET 70 MPH ON THE SLAB HAULING A FULL LOAD OF TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT FROM ONE CITY TO ANOTHER (THE BEST MILES ARE THE ONES YOU GET PAID TO RIDE 🙂 !)
WHEN THE ODOMETER STARTED HEADING WELL INTO ITS SECOND TIME AROUND SHE STARTED GETTING TIRED. 60 MPH WITH AN EMPTY SIDECAR BECAME A HARD PUSH. TIME FINALLY CAME TO RETIRE THE RIG. MY SON IS WORKING ON GETTING IT TO THE THIRD 100K MILES AS A SOLO.
BOTTOM LINE IS IT WAS A LOW BUCKS RIG, I HAD A LOT OF FUN WITH IT. MY KIDS LOVED IT GROWING UP. MY MOM HAD SOME OF HER FAVORITE ADVENTURES RIDING IN THE TINY, FIBERGLASS BULLET. IT MADE MANY A LONG ROAD TRIP AT WORK A HECK OF A LOT MORE BEARABLE. MADE THOSE MILEAGE CHECKS GO A LOT FURTHER, TOO. CAMPING TRIPS, RALLIES, GROCERY GETTING THAT BIKE DID IT ALL. WAS MY PRIMARY TRANSPORTATION SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE YEARS.
IF YOU'RE LOOKING TO LONG DISTANCES ON THE INTERSTAES AT HIGH SPEED, THEN I DON'T THINK YOU'LL BE REAL HAPPY WITH A 650. BUT IF YOU'RE LIKE ME AND ENJOY BACKROADS AND TASKING YOUR TIME GETTING WHERE YOU'RE GOING ON A BIKE TRIP THEN HANG A LIGHT CHAIR ON THE SIDE OF THAT V-STROM AND JOIN THE MADNESS. THAT INJECTED TWIN OUGHT TO DO ALRIGHT.
WOULD YOU BE HAPPIER ON THE 1000? PROBABLY, IN THE LONG RUN.
LIKE THE MAN SAID, "SPEED IS A MATTER OF MONEY. HOW FAST CAN YOU AFFORD TO GO?"
BTW, I'M 6'4" AND TOP 300 ON THE SCALE. I ONCE HAULED MY BUDDY'S WIFE IN THE RIG AND SHE WAS WELL ABOVE THE 200 MARK. HAD A COOLER STRAPPED ON THE BACK OF THE HACK. A WILD RIDE, TO SAY THE LEAST. AND THE ABSOLUTE BEST RIGHT HAND TURNS EVER!!! STILL GOT IT UP TO 65 - 70 (OK, ON THE LONG DOWNHILLS) (WISH I HAD VIDEO OF THREE OF US PULLING HER OUT OF THE CHAIR... ROFLMAO JUST THINKING ABOUT IT!!!)
My 600 Suzuki Bandit does 70 easily with the sidecar. There is more to it than just displacement-HP, weight and width of the hack, gearing- you know, the usual stuff. With more displacement you might not need to pay as much attention to this stuff-maybe you can load a big bike down with sand bags and extra fuel where you might need to try and keep your loads a little lighter with a smaller rig and keep your rpm up in the power band. Some small bikes haul sidecars just fine, some not so well, and may require you scale back your expectations and drive a little slower. I am not real familiar with the Wee Strom. If you think two up without the sidecar is maxing it out, perhaps you have answered your question regarding adding the sidecar to it...
You must be a little guy or your bike is quite heavily modified. My son had a GS650L. I once had to ride it home from Madison, about 300 miles, and I had trouble maintaining the speed limit
Sidecar Mike,
I don't know if you were refering to myself or Vlad when you said I must be a little guy. Of course I would never refer to myself as little, but I am 5'7" @ 170 lbs. Judging by your photo, you must out weigh me just a little. As for modifications, I didn't notice anything obvious, nor did the previous owner mention anything. Besides, I have found too much epoxi and bailing wire to think that the previus owner was mechanicly adept. By the way, the GS650L was a Suzuki, not a Honda.
I just got back from a 100 mile loop from my home. Half the distance was on a dirt road that was being worked on after the spring run off. Pretty rough. I bottomed out my touring suspension on a rut I saw too late. The last half of the loop was highway. I was able to cruise at 80 mph till I got into traffic. I rolled it up to 90 mph on a short hill. I had the sidecar windshield folded down, and the tarp over the chair. Also I am driving at around the 5000 foot elevation.
At those speeds, there is nothing left if you need to goose it to get out of trouble. If you drive sensibly, I think 650 cc is enough, but bigger may be better here. I'd like to try bigger when the budget permits.
