My homemade rig

Hello from Germany,

being involved to sidecars for about 30 years now, it was time to make my own. I will try to expalin the reasons why it´s an oldstyle rig and why I did it why a HD-engine.

My motorcycle adventure riding is like riding in the past. Since my new old adventure bike is finished, I did the first ride in my home area. I didn´t want to get far away in case of some seríous problems. Yesterdays I made the first longer ride to a business meeting. Oh god, the discussions at the meeting where mostly about this combo.
However, I did the trip without serious problems and this keeps my plans, riding to marocco in autumn.
May be, this thread will start a discussion about adventure riding, the way to do it and the philosophie of sidecar journeys.
But before you´ll post an answer, let me explain my intension for doing this this way.

This combo is a long time dream. I admire the old motorcycle adventures riding in the 20s and 30s, like B.H. Cathrick with his BSA-Twin round the world, or the guys, who crossed afrika in the 30s. I have a great collection of old motorcycle adventure books. Looking at those pics, reading of muddy roads and unbelievable adventures kept my mind for years, building one bike for my own, riding to afrika and living the past.

Four years ago, I decided to realize this dream. First, I ordered the hardtail frame in Holland for my specification. Vtwin-Servive is building frames of different styles. The trial was reduced for sidecar use. Second step was buying a used Sportster 883. It was completely disassembled. Most of the parts I used for building up the combo. The rolling chassis I sold for some bucks. To keep the costs low. I bought mostly used parts, like the floorborads, the wheels and the tank. The springer fork is a new one, built for original specifications.
The rear wheels is for 185 x 15 tyres, it was made for my specification. Step by step the bike was mounted. The sidecar was made by a manufacturer, who can do the metal work for a reasonable price. That´s only one in Germany. Unfortunately I had to wait one and a half year, until it was finished.
The style is Harley-like, as it was in the 20s. The earlier sidecar had no trunk, but I need one for my camera equipment. So, we designed the small trunk in the rear of the sidecar. More luggage can be transportetd on the luggage carrier, as it was in the early years of motorcycling.

The fenders were made by a friend, who had a small custom shop (that is closed now) He also did the engine conversion from 883 to 1200 ccm. The seat has a dampener from Bilstein. I had to do something for my comfort. I don´t want to get problems with my back when riding long distances.
Last year, the combo was completely assembled and first rides were done. Some small problems didn´t stop me.
Now, I´m preparing the ride to Afrika, to Morocco. It should start in the end of september and if everything runs well I´m back in die mid of November. Therefore I´m still looking for some 13-spoke-cast-wheels, because they are allowed for sidecar use and I don´t want to change spokes every mile. The spare wheel is interchangable with the front and sidecar wheel. With some spacers it could also be fitted in the rear.
My equipment is as in the 20´s. I bought an old 6 x 6-camera (the digital camera I hide in the trunk.) Clothes are equivalent to that ones, you could see in the old pics.
Many people tell me, I´m crazy to go with this combo into the desert. Yes, I´m a little bit crazy. But I want to feeel what our fathers and grandfathers felt, when they were on the road, when the explored the world behind the horizont.
So, when I´m on the road, you won´t hear anything from me. In the 20s, there were no Internet, no mobil phones, no GPS. All the modern equipment, I leave at home (if I have). For orientation I´ll use a normal map – or ask the people. The only thing I do, I´ll post a limited edition of postcards of the most southern point I´ll reach. My plans say, this should be Dahkla, a small town on the west coast.

Greetings to all sidecari