Maybe putting the sidecar before the motorcycle?

Hi Jennifer,

Thanks for asking those questions. We all had to start at some point. I had ridden solo for a l-o-o-o-ng time and when I bought my sidecar, I was scared to death! After I got the sidecar, though, I enjoyed it so much I sold my solo bike. Didn't ride it any more. (Much later, bought another solo bike.)

Now, to answer your questions;

On a solo bike, you countersteer to turn. On a sidecar rig, you steer like a tricycle. Without steering modifications, you will find it steers "hard". It takes muscle. The solution is to change your triple trees or to install a leading link front fork. These mods cost $$$$, but it is like adding power steering to a car that previously had none. I have friends that have had the stock steering for years and have no intentions of changing. I'm a wuss, so I changed my triple trees to Steerite (find it on the internet) and am VERY happy with the mods.

Performance: It takes horsepower to drag the extra weight and overcome wind resistance. You will effectively lose 25%-30% of your horsepower. Your rig will not be as fast as a solo bike and your gas mileage will drop. I have a Guzzi rig and get 32 mpg with it; I also have a Guzzi solo and get 40-45 mpg with it.

It is ideal to take a special course; most of us have not because they are few and far between. You have to live in the right place. I don't. I learned by reading the "Yellow Book" and going to an empty parking lot to practice. It's not that big a deal. You DO need to know, that if you don't have ballast in the sidecar, the car may "fly" in a right hand turn, i.e., the sidecar wheel may get off the ground. That is scary and potentially dangerous. So get the "Yellow Book" from Dauntless Motors, read it, practice before you go too far and be sure you carry ballast for a while until you get used to this phenomenon.

It is NOT bad for a newbie to buy a sidecar. It is good. If you don't
have years of solo experience to overcome, you may adapt to a rig a little quicker.

Good luck on the hubby! Take him as a passenger. He may learn to love it too, esp. if he does not have to ride (drive) one of those blasted things. Make the first trips short (around town) and let him learn that you are not going to kill him. Then go to breakfast in a nearby town with him as a passenger, slowly (and with stealth), take him for longer rides.

As far as the dog, have Hubby hold him (her?) in the sidecar. If Hubby hates it, forget him, do your own thing and take the dog. That sounds cold, but some spouses just do not adapt. My wife likes the rig for short trips (150 miles or less) When I go on longer trips (2-3000 miles, she stays home. It is OK if you have a good marriage and trust each other.If a spouse does not understand after a proper introduction to the sport, there is not much you can do. They MUST understand, though, that motorcycling is an obsession.

It is a good idea to secure the dog on a leash until the dog gets used to riding. (It may want to jump out at first).

Hope you join us. Sidecar folks are the freindliest bunch of people you wil ever meet. One thing: they don't care what kind of bike you have as long as you have a sidecar.

Where are you located? (State) If you are in NM, I would like to have you as a member of the USCA!

That you are new to motorcycles is a good thing. You will fewer habits to unlearn.The notion that there is any similarity with a motorcycle and the same motorcycle with a sidecar is remote. They are completely different machines. One leans to turn and the other steers to turn. The motorcycle is symmetrical. It turns the same left or right. The sidecar is asymmetical. A left turn is different than a right turn. To a neophite, this could be construed as dangerous. With training (classes?)and practice and caution, the sidecar can be much safer than a 2 wheeled motorcycle. Sidecars are wider and more easily seen by other vehicles. That extra width reduces the temptation to zip in and out of traffic. Any rain, snow, ice, loose gravel or oil on the pavement leads to tense moments on 2 wheels. Not so much with 3 wheels. You really have to screw up to tip a sidecar over. As for your husband, there is no predicting how that will turn out. Your dog however will love it. So if your husband wants to see you or your dog ever again, he'll just have to come along. Oh by the way, sidecars are addicting. You have been warned.

Hi Jennifer,
To answer your questions:
1- A sidecar rig must be steered like a car, Quad or trike to turn, turn left to go left, turn right to go right.the bike no longer countersteers. A sidecar rig is more stable on low traction surfaces (gravel, wet leaves, ice, mud, etc.)so it will not tip over and drop you. Locking up the front tire will not cause it to crash.
You can carry three persons safely (plus a whole bunch of stuff that would be too bulky for a solo bike).
You will get somewhat less gas mileage but will have room for spare fuel or even a spare fuel tank.

2- Taking a sidecar course is always recommended if one is available in your area. The Evergreen Safety Council or your Motor Vehicle Dep't. should have that information available to you. However most people probably have learned by themselves, many by reading sidecar operational manuals or books (some are available for downloading at this site) and finding a vacant lot or field and practicing what they have read.

3- A lot of solo motorcycle experience is not at all needed to operate a sidecar outfit well. In some cases it is counterproductive to have long 2 wheel experience since sidecars react differently than solo bikes in many cases. Reflexes will cause old solo bikers to revert back to their muscle memory in emergency situitions which can be downright dangerous at times.

4- You may never get one of the "Old dogs" to ride in the hack but the other will take to the sidecar almost immediately. Be sure to secure that one well inside of the car to keep from jumping out while under way and carry extra water.

5- Go for it!

Lonnie
Northwest Sidecars

What bike do you have now? It can be big enoght to attach sidecar. Big bike w/ sidecar is not a best idea for biginer.

Hi there! I'm a new rider too, and we're doing the sidecar thing for my daughter who is disabled AND for our dogs! LOL My husband thought the sidecar thing was a temporary obsession, but he's now realized once he gives me an inch, I'm going 100 miles. LOL

We haven't gotten our sidecar yet, (it's in the works) but we'll have a 5 pt harness in it for my daughter. We'll use that to attach a harness for the dog(s) as well. The same one you'd use for your dog in the car. And don't forget doggles!!!! Eye protection for your dogs is really important.

I breed dogs, and one of my puppy families sent me this picture the day after they picked up their puppy. The little one is a yorkie rescue, and the bigger one is the 8 week old pup they bought from me.

Thank you for all your replies! The picture is awesome and what I have been dreaming about doing with my dog, motorcycle riding. I live in Minnesota by the way.

I think I found a bigger bike this weekend!!! I am so excited, Honda, Shadow 1100. Can anyone tell me if this is a good bike for a sidecar?

I did sit on a couple of the Russian made motorcycles with sidecars, Ural. I was suprised how springy the seat was, they look so dang uncomfortable. I can't afford the price tag even though they are very reasonable.

Hi Jennifer,
There are quite a few of us using Shadow 1100's as tugs. Mine has been trouble free for 11 years. It would be a very good choice.

Hi Jennifer,

I too have a Shadow 1100 and living in Fla I ride dally with no big problems. I lost a leg a long time ago so for me to ride safe it was either a sidecar or a Trike. My dog picked the sidecar. "-)

Jennifer!! Where in MN are you? Email me at deanleah @ comcast dot net I'm in the metro area, maybe we can learn together!

It's fun reading things like the last post. Once you get into sidecaring, you will find that while we don't have huge numbers, these folks will appear out of nowhere. You will make steadfast and lifelong friends and I'd bet that you will have more fun with a rig than you have ever had on any kind of a motorcycle.

Don't forget to join the USCA if you have not already done so. One benfit of membership is the bi-monthly publication "The Sidecarist" and another is the Friendship and Help Directory that is updated and re-published annually. The latter contains contact information with sidecarists in each state so you can travel knowing that a symathetic friend is always nearby.

Tom

Hi Jennifer,

I will only just chime in with two things, since most of what I would say has already been said.

One is, nope, you don't need years of experience on 2 wheels. I have never ridden anything with less that 3 wheels. This was my first 'street' bike, and you can TOTALLY do this!!!

Next, take the sidecar class. Take a trip and do it. I had been riding something or another for 17 years before I got my rig, and I drove the rig around town and some off road for about 6 weeks before I took Vernon Wade's class in Oregon. I learned a lot, and most importantly boosted my confidence greatly. Probably the most valuable things I learned were what I should stop doing, or correct- habits from years of only riding off road, that needed changing/addressing for street riding.

I have a hard time imagining your husband not catching the bug with you. Mine still rides 2 wheels, but every time he rides mine, he gets this look in his eye. And I take the keys away from him imediately ; )

Have fun!

Instructor led sidecar training options:

http://www.esc.org/content/05%20Motorcycle%20and%20Sidecar%20Trike/STEP%20National%20Schedule.htm

Self paced options: http://www.sidecar.com/links3.asp

or

"Driving a Sidecar Outfit" http://www.whitehorsepress.com/product_info.php?products_id=1105

Jennifer, there is a class in MN on the 21st. I'll have to dig up the details again, but it's at Holman Field (the small st. paul airport, not to be confused with the Msp/St Paul airport) It's just a one day class, and as of last week there were only 3 people registered for it. I'm still trying to scrape together the cash as it's only offered once a year.