Well, the thermometer climbed all the way up to 45 today. The driveway is still pretty muddy but no longer icy soooo.... I just put 21 miles on the rig going nowhere in particular. What fun! Archie thought so too. The mile we rode it in near zero weather a while back doesn't count. This one does. So the maiden voyage was on Christmas Eve.
Now comes the tough part, Tom. All that cleaning and detailing.
Well, at least you don't have 120 spokes to polish up like some of us.
Naw, I don't do that. Just a truck brush and some Tide works for me. I'd much rather ride than wax and polish.
How do you like the steering? Pretty nice, Huh?
Lonnie
The steering is sweet. Very. Had a wee bit of slow speed wobble a couple times. If the Ural did that I'd tighten the damper a little. One day next summer I'll come riding in to your place Lonnie. Hope I don't get there to find a note on your door "Back in 3 weeks" or some such!
Well well 45 degrees
I put 21 mile on my new rig too, Tom,,, in a parking lot, round and round and round and , well you get the picture.
Merry Christmas
PS. this thing turns hard????
No wonder it turns hard there Duck! You got a cow for ballast in that overgrown tub! Now you're gonna try to tell me that ain't really you in that photo. That you downloaded it on line or some such...
well up until yesterday I was a wannabee, and had to hack a photo from the net. NOW I'm a NEWBEE!!!!
from all the stuff I've been reading the last three mo. though, I really didn't think the steering would be as difficult as some have said it would be. but you really got to committ to turning the bars on this rig
Sounds like you could use Pete's raked triple tree. Have you checked it out at www.libertysidecars.com? It comes highly recommended. Just ask Lonnie. Or Tom Samuelson. Or me. Or....
Merry Xmas to you guys.
Hey Duck those trees will make a big diference.
Money well spent.
I have raked trees on my rig and makes turns a breeze and you'll never think about a reverse gear.
Enjoy that rig !!!
Hey Duck..glad you are up and running!! Yes, as has been mentioned the tree mod will surely make a difference. I would say that you may want to give it some time though. Right now being as the sidecar thing is new to you you are more temse than you realize. You are also using muscles you are not used to calling to service. Many have run for many years with stock steering and many have switched over early. Some have made th eswitch after years of hack riding and said 'why didn't I do that ten years ago?" and some have actually decided they liked it better th eway it was. Take some time to practice and get relaxed on the rig and then make a decision you just may be surprised.
Oh...good to see you at SCT too. Welcome aboard.
“Sweet steering”
I talked to Pete @ Liberty a couple mos. ago about the tree conversion, because of all the good things I’ve read about it, however, no one around here new any thing about the product or the installation requirements. ( Frazier’s H-D in Buford Ga. sold and set up my rig, their first Hack deal)… and at my age I’ve become the type to take the path of least resistance (don’t want to install it myself)…I think I can though.
New subject:
JOECAPY posted a question about putting a shock on the hack, please follow me here, steering and handling seems to be a popular subject, I notice if I push down on the nose of the car about an inch (H-D TLE) and release the pressure from the nose of the car, it will rock back and forth like a baby cradle (no shock or torsion bar??) but in addition to this marvelous observation, I also noticed (the bike is on a level surface) the handle bars shimmering, and the front forks moving, in other words the hack not having a descent suspension may be causing some “SWEET STEERING” issues. If that little bit of deflection in the car suspension causes that much reaction to the rest of the rig setting still and on level ground, what’s going on at speeds? I’d like to know if this is common with other model rigs….what do you guys think?
Duck,
The Harley is one of the few (if any) contemporary sidecars that lack a sprung suspension. With an unsprung axle chassis flexion and the tire pressure control the road handling and cantilever springs under the tub keep the passenger from being ejected over a large bump. Some passengers find the rocking of the cradle quite pleasant, some others need Dramamine to cope with it.
The only time I notice the effect the rocking has on the steering is when the boat is empty and I'm travelling a twisty bumpy road like Hiway 1 in California. Like all the idiosyncracies of sidecars, one soon gets used to it. It's a "Harley" thing.
With the raked trees no damper is needed and that alone makes the handling light, quick and a lot more enjoyable.
Most any shop that works on Harleys can do the conversion of trading off the triple trees (and that miserable damper).
Lonnie
Lonnie
Originally written by Hack'n on 12/24/2005 2:44 PM
Now comes the tough part, Tom. All that cleaning and detailing.
Well, at least you don't have 120 spokes to polish up like some of us.
Naw, I don't do that. Just a truck brush and some Tide works for me. I'd much rather ride than wax and polish.How do you like the steering? Pretty nice, Huh?
Lonnie
Hey Lonnie, it took a while but I got to come clean on this one (pun intended). Cleaning? I've spent way less time than I should have cleaning and detailing in the nearly 90,000 miles I put on this bike as a solo. You think I should change my ways now? Yeah, I'll wash the mud off. Detailing with a tooth brush? Prolly not. ;>) Like you, I'd rather ride. It ain't no Goldwing. Oh wait! I didn't do that back in the 'wing' days either. Or any bike before the Wings... Oh man, old habits are hard to break.
