My first side car is a Yamaha SR500 with a Spirit of America side car. Works great as the two previous owners were sidecar racers. The forty mph top speed is no problem. However... I am just recovering from a stroke. The kick starter is a little more "joy" than I want. I'm considering putting the car on a Suzuki 650 cruiser (or similar) for the electric start, bigger alternator, newer bike, and lower seat height. Am I OK with doing this?
Hi Tug, I'm running a kz650 with a california sidecar and it's ok. I'm not breaking any speed records but I can run just as good as any ural rig out there. If your going with a vtwin you might want to bump it up to the 800cc engine.
Tug, lots of great machines out there. I had 2 Urals then went to my current rig. For the bike, I wanted comfortable, reliable and suited to sidecar use. I went with a Yamaha V-Star 1100. It has shaft drive, 3 disc brakes and has been around for 25 years in 1 form or another. I've put 12K on mine with no issues. It had 9k when I bought it as a solo bike.
Japanese cruiser bikes are reliable and a dime a dozen.
I'm not breaking land speed records either but it will cruise all day at 65.
Al Bond
2005 V-Star with Texas/Ural hybrid
If you do move to a different bike, if possible go to one that a bike specific mount set is made for (We do have it for the Savage) also another thing to think about, The bigger the bike the bigger the brakes so if you go a bit large you also get a bit larger brakes.
Jay G
DMC sidecars
www.dmcsidecars.com
866-638-1793
abond35 - 2/7/2012 10:14 AM
Tug, lots of great machines out there. I had 2 Urals then went to my current rig. For the bike, I wanted comfortable, reliable and suited to sidecar use. I went with a Yamaha V-Star 1100. It has shaft drive, 3 disc brakes and has been around for 25 years in 1 form or another. I've put 12K on mine with no issues. It had 9k when I bought it as a solo bike.
Japanese cruiser bikes are reliable and a dime a dozen.
I'm not breaking land speed records either but it will cruise all day at 65.
Al Bond
2005 V-Star with Texas/Ural hybrid
I am contemplating putting a Hannigan Classic 200lbs. or Hannigan Sprint 180 lbs. on my 2000 V-star 1100 with Radiocaddy fairing and Cruiseliner hard bags. I have upgraded to cast wheels (hate spokes) individual KN pod intakes , carb rejet with 145 mains, 22.5 pilots and modified stock exhaust. Do you think this would be adequate to tour at interstae speeds with luggage and a passenger. I don't know how much your Texas /Ural weighs but I would think it be quite heavy. I'd be more comfortable at an all day 75mph. I'd appriciate any advice and insight.
Al, I went to a used Champion Escort on a 1995 Yamaha Virago 1100. The outfit was professionally done and a pleasure to drive... alone. There is power enough to cruise at 65 mph even with a passenger. The problem comes with the weight. The Virago doesn't have enough suspension for the driver, sidecar, and a heavy passenger. There are no springs or shocks available, either. I am considering a Goldwing 1800 as a tug. The 1800 Wing has a more sidecar friendly front end, too. I just began looking at other tugs, so that may change.
The big Wing has to much "body" for my tastes. The Virago does OK for now, but I'm looking.
Ray
A 1500 Valkyrie would fit the bill for a big strong naked bike. I just mounted one with a Kenna Doublewide and I'm very impressed with the raw power that's available.
Lonnie
Lonnie, I have had several Valks. Put 82,000 miles on one of them in a year. I'm in the Deep South and a Valkyrie gets mighty hot in the summertime. It also has a very large amount of trail. Used ones are beginning to be affordable, except for the gas mileage. Some sort of steering device with the sidecar is almost mandatory.
Ray
I didn't notice a steering difficulty with the wide bars, but I would definitely have reduced trail if I owned one with a hack. And they are gas hogs.
It gets hot here too in the high desert but we are blessed with low humidity which makes it much more liveable. 100 here is like 85 or 90 on the coast.
Lonnie
The limiting factor speedwise for my rig seems to be air resistance. The bike windshield is big but the real culprit is the Ural windshield. I can cruise 70-75 with it folded however Mrs Bond prefers it up so our speed is limited. Tugboat, the rear shock is garbage and I will eventually add a heavy duty Progressive rear shock when I have $500 to spare. They might make one for your Virago.
I'm Interstate limited but here in Prescott Valley the I-17 is 25 miles away and most riding is 2 lanes at 60-65 and mountains, which the bike handles well.
If I switch tugs I would put the hack on my 09 FLHTP and buy another Glide or Victory as a solo.
