Japanese Motorcycle advice needed

Jack,
Keep in mind that there are many Ural sidecars mounted on many differnet bikes. If you are looking for that 'vintage'; look you could consider mounting just a Ural sidecar on maybe a BMW airhead or some other machine. 'The look' can be had and the benefits or this sidecar your wife liked can be had even though the tug may be another brand.
Sorry I missed you at the RON DEE VOO!!

Thank you again for being so patient and helpful.

I'm definitely a guy who likes the older looking rigs. I also have always had a fondness for BMW's (I just never thought I would own one). Maybe I've been looking at this wrong and I should be looking for a cheap BMW and try to get the sidecar later (Stieb has some very sharp looking boats if I can dream). I guess I would be looking at en early 80's or older BMW to get that classic look. If you have any suggestions I'm open to them - guess I'll have to wait and see what turns up in my price range.

thanks again, and be sure I will bug you Claude (I just have to figure out what I really need to know!),

jack

I found my rig by placing a "want to buy" ad, and someone who knew someone with a rig is how I found it. I've owned the older BMW's and years ago had a sidecar on a R69S, a 600cc bike. I now own a Honda GL1100, 1100cc. I think you'll do much better in the 1100 cc plus range.

Cost and performance were critical to me. I paid $5500 for my GL1100-EML rig, and I have another $1000 in to it for repairs to make it reliable for long travel. I did my own wrenching mistly, but did hire some machine work out. I took last winter to do the work, and I've been putting lots of miles on this year. I'm having a hoot!

Mike Senty

Hey, SidecarMike,
I have the same combination of bike and sidecar. Although, they are not yet attached to each other. Did you weld the suppled brackets on to your frame or get special clamp-on attachments? I want to procede ASAP and don't know where to start.

Poppa

Campy,
I have a '73BMW R75/5 I bought new, and rode it 2 up all over the country for 30 years on 2 wheels. 2 years ago I put a sidecar on it. the 750 was great riding by myself, but it worked harder with my wife as passenger, especially when I got to hill country. Then I be rowing thru the gears to keep up with the traffic.When I hook my cargo trailer on it, it was more shifting time! up, down, up down.
last year I installed '77 R100 RS engine in it ,and ...wooooo! much better pulling power! like an auto tranny now..no need to shift down on hills now unless I am going under 50 MPH.
I highy reccommend a bike with 1000 CC or more , if you are going to do ANY type of highway cruising on vacations.
You may say 55 MPH is fine on the highway. but after awhile, you are going to want to open it up to 70 in the straight stretches, and then you will really appreciate the extra power on tap.

Well as an update I am halfway there . . . a little over a week ago I bought a 1974 BMW R90/6. I've been riding it for the last week and getting used to the sounds and oddities (and trying to figure which are normal lol).

Anyway now I'm keeping my eyes out for a used sidecar for it (something in a Ural, non bullet Steib, or old style motorvation). If we can't find a used sidecar we'll probably opt to buy a Ural car this winter and hang on it for spring. (Then I can start searching for a solo bike, heh). I'm looking forward to getting this all worked out this winter and having a rig to learn on in the spring! Hopefully I can get to the Ron Dee Voo in the right kind of transportation next year!

Thanks for all of the help you people have so kindly given me, I look forward to the day I have something to contribute to the board besides questions. 😀

jack

sounds like your on your way! keep us all updated on your project. have fun!
P.S. we all learn, even from questions.

I bought the bolt on subframe (DMC-HVALK) and the update kit from Dauntlessmotors.com. I removed the bell mounts from the Dnepr and had a sleeve welded on so it would use the adjustable mounts and heim joints. Photos at http://www.sidecar.com/megabbs/photos/photo-thumbnails.asp?albumid=168
If I had it to do over again I would spend the money and buy the same kit. The only change I would make is to go to a 16 inch wheel on the sidecar. A Valkyrie sets very low and the Dnepr normally rides high. Dropping from a 19" wheel on the car to an 18" made a big difference, but a 16 would bring it down even more. Oh yeah, line up all the subframe stuff and start the bolts loosely before you tighten anything! It will keep the air in your garage from turning blue. :0)

Thanks for sharing the pictures. I'll probably try to victimize Claude when the time comes (be careful how nice you are or it come back to bite you in the end) to mount it. I figured I'd buy the subframe from Dautless to make things simpler.

I thought about using a Dnepr sidecar, but have heard they have less leg room. I'm not sure I need a lot of legroom but I'd rather ere on the side of too much rather than too little. With the R90 being higher than your bike I guess I'll have to figure out what size wheel when the time comes.

thanks again,

jack

You're not all that far from the California Sidecar Factory, located in Arrington, VA [NOT Arlington!]. You may find it worthwhile to pay them a visit, to see their product line first-hand. My 2 cents...Tom in NH

the size of the wheel is irrelevent when it comes to ORIGINAL mounting of the tub,if you want to use the original wheel on the tub.. just get the tub sitting horizontal on jack stands or whatever, and line it up with the bike subframe. from there, you move the mount connections to fit...up down, back, forward, keeping the tub level, with original wheel.
the problem comes later, if you want to change wheels on the bike or tub.......then the mounts will have to be moved, to allow for a smaller wheel.