Looking for 1st sidecar

If you are talking about a CJ sidecar from E-bay CNOLMOTORSPORTS it isn't really new but totally refurbished. I just bought one and was very pleased. I previously owned a URAL 2005 Tourist and the CJ was a little rougher in finish and welds etc. but not enough to really bother me.
Quite a decent sidecar for the money. The only bothersome thing might be that it doesn't have a sidecar brake. I might later add a disc if it stops too hard.

As far as shipping goes I went to USHIP and got several bids . I took the lowest and the sidecar was delivered to my door in rural Maine in a little over 7 days in perfect shape. Total shipping was $600 from CA to Maine. That might have been dumb luck but again I was very pleased.

Your really going to want a sidecar brake, the car is heavy enough that it going to be noticeable when stopping, a body in motion tens to stay in motion blah blah blah and at 60 or so MPH that body will be very noticeable.

I've had a few XJ650s with URAL sidecars run on and off road and the only brake ever used was the unlinked stock URAL brake off-road for drift turns.
Never needed one on the pavement.

Lonnie
NWSC, LLC

Originally written by Hack'n on 3/30/2009 11:42 PM

I've had a few XJ650s with URAL sidecars run on and off road and the only brake ever used was the unlinked stock URAL brake off-road for drift turns.
Never needed one on the pavement.

Lonnie
NWSC, LLC

Get used to driving without the brake and then decide. For what little it is worth I ain't big on sidecar brakes at all.

Thanks everyone for input. I have been toying with the idea of a sidecar for a year and think I have the bug.

Yes scrinch it is the sidecar you are talking about.

Do any of you know if I would need a profesional to do the install and if so what whould I be looking at for approximate costs.

Thanks again
Fred

For what it is worth from a newbee, my rig (88 Goldwing with a California side car) does not have a brake on the side car. I have gotten used to controlling it with the bike so I do not know the difference a brake would make. The best piece of advice was previously posted - drive defensively.

Originally written by Fast Fred on 3/31/2009 9:07 PM
Yes scrinch it is the sidecar you are talking about.
Fred

I just wanted to say Jerry was great to deal with and it is as shown in the picture on ebay. Mine came with a set of rear view mirrors and keys in the trunk. Now... if I can just find the CJ bike that those keys go to....

Dauntless motors has many different mounts . http://www.dauntlessmotors.com/Mountinghardware/sidecarmountings.htm
Prices vary between $400-600 depending on bike. As far as the price of installation I remember seeing $500.00 somewhere but imagine that could vary a lot according to the amount of labor required for a specific bike and mount.

I would think with some research and a moderate ability with hand tools you could do the install yourself, but I am no expert, so defer to others very helpful members with much more knowledge than I, on this post.

Do any of you know if I would need a profesional to do the install and if so what whould I be looking at for approximate costs.

Thanks again
Fred
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Sure you can, if you have a area that you can put the bike and sidecar with at least 4 feet of room around it and don't mind laying on the deck, getting up and down a whole bunch of times, have the kit for that bike with bubble levels and a undercarriage frame that will hold the car
leavel while moveing it sideways and back and forth and a way to hold the bike 1 or so deg's out while doing all the work necessary to mount it you can do it, you will get all the help this forum can give so if your the adventurous type you CAN do it, one thing about doing it your self you will know all there is to know when it comes time to make adjustments and that in it's self is priceless not to mention the pride factor you will have in doing it.

Originally written by Fast Fred on 3/31/2009 9:07 PM

Thanks everyone for input. I have been toying with the idea of a sidecar for a year and think I have the bug.

Yes scrinch it is the sidecar you are talking about.

Do any of you know if I would need a profesional to do the install and if so what whould I be looking at for approximate costs.

Thanks again
Fred

My son and I installed a Motorvation sidecar on my Valkyrie. It can be done providing that you learn all that you can such as Hal Kendall's cd on sidecars and asking the knowledgable folks here. Two people, patience, enough space to work, maybe a dolly, and a reasonable amount of tools will help. It's a great learning experience.

This is interesting stuff! After riding solo 50 plus years I bought a Velorex 652 last summer and mated it to a BMW R/75, '71 vintage. I got all the specs off the internet, got a lot of help from a veteran and lined it up with a couple of 2x4's, tweaked it a little and have been having a ball with it. The first thing I did when I got it was to remove the brake shoes. Haven't had any trouble stopping it yet.

Hi Fred my 2bob's worth do it yourself if you can get all the advice you need here & post blow by blow pics. i bought a 1981 harley cle chair and fitted it to my 83 flh easy peasy you might think but it's fitted to the left so big cut & chop job wish i had kept photo record. when you have done it & tweaked it you will know the rig every nut & bolt. on a note of caution if you have it done for you when you get it back go round it with a spanner it's your life.

Hank 41, I decided to have a guy with 20 yrs. of mounting sidecars install it for me. If I ever change bikes I think I would attempt to install if it didn't take a lot of welding. My welding leaves a lot to be desired.

I will heed your advice and check all bolts. In fact I need to get better at doing this in general and I think it's probably more important with a sidecar rig.

I can't wait to get it back and start learning how to ride it.

The color won't match when I get it but I will post pictures. Plan on painting it this fall. Don't want to waste riding time.

Fred

As far as price, it isn't cheap. I talked to Dauntless about mounts for a Moto Guzzi Eldorado - Dnepr sidecar set up. The part that attaches to the bike is $525, but there is another $300 for the adapter for the sidecar. Good thing is, the sidecar can be fitted to any bike with a Dauntless kit, but the kits aren't universal --- so another $525 for another bike.

Guy I talked to at Dauntless (Jay) was very nice and informative. I'm looking into the cons of using the weld-on pieces that came with the Dnepr car. According to Jay, the Eldorado frame is quite stout. I happen to know a master welder that can attach them to the frame for free. From what I have read, the Dnepr / Ural mounts can be suspect. (Can't say I have seen a post / thread from a specific person who faced an issue with them).

Let me know if you find any other sources for mounting kits.

AJ

The Dnepr/URAL weld on mounts have been known to crack and cause frame tubes to break after a few thousand miles (sooner with heavy usage).
Especially on bikes using higher alloy steel than the Russian iron uses.

Lonnie