Hey Pete,
I looked at your pictures and really like the way Hannigan did the steering damper (under the cowling) and the bike side attachment for it. So I emailed Hannigan to see if I could get one from them for my bike. Their response:
Dan,
Due to insurance and liability concerns, we can not provide our products or pieces thereof to be mated with non-Hannigan equipment or for purposes other than their original intention and design.
John A. Lee
Hannigan Motorsports
Murray, KY
270-753-4256
hannigan@apex.net
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SO I responded that I wanted it for my Venture to be connected to a generic steering damper. Their response:
Dan,
Sorry for the inconvenience. Such policies are unfortunate necessities of the day and age we live in.
Have A Great Day!
John A. Lee
Hannigan Motorsports
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He either has a law degree, a philosophy degree or both. Either way they won't sell me the part. Bummer.
John,
once you are on 3 wheels you will ask yourself: "Why did I wait so long for this?"
But keep strongly in mind You will have to start learning as a youngster. IT IS DEFINITELY A WHOLE DIFFERENT STORY to ride a rig then a bike!!!!
On such a big bike it is an excellent investment to modify the steering.
Lurk through this forum and you will find many tips and advises.
Best wishes for the new life.
Sven
I've had a Escort on my 99 Venture for 7 years now & have found that 5th gear is lost unless you have a tail wind or are heading down hill. There is a common way to help out with both trailer pulling and sidecars by doing a final drive swap from a V-Max. It is a straight foward swap, pretty much one step farther than doing a rear tire change. See http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=13266 about the change. It's one I have been thinking about doing but just haven't gotten around to it.
Hi Dan
Wow, I'm really suprised that they would not help you out. They were great to work with when I had my side car installed. They shipped all the parts to a local Dealer/installer who carried out the work, however it was ordered as a complete system 🙁
Hi Themickeyd, PeterPan, LaBill, & PeteBooth,
Thank you all for your responses. I am getting more enthused about a sidecar for my Venture. Currently, I am leaning toward something like the Ranger from Texas Sidecars. I like the looks of it (there is a picture of one mated to a Venture on their web site) and I got some really complete answers to some questions that I emailed to the company. Pete, your rig is beautiful!
I know that adding a sidecar will affect my performance and milage. Two years ago, I towed my Aspen Classic Camper to L'Anse, Mi and back - a little over 500 miles each way. I went there in 4th gear and home in 5th. There was less than 1 mpg difference in my milage which averaged around 33 mpg. Both 4th and 5th gears on the Venture are "overdrive" and I believe that it is probably easier on the engine to use 4th rather than taking a chance of "lugging" in 5th.
Since my primary purpose in getting a sidecar is to make ME comfortable (bad leg, big bike, not good,) I am not real concerned about load carrying capacity or passenger comfort (my wife rides her own.) Of course I can hear her now: "Now I CAN bring the kitchen sink!" I have been reading this forum for the last week or so, but there is a lot to digest. Won't have the money for a couple of months yet anyway, so I will learn all I can - including the "yellow book."
Once again, I am very pleased with all of the thoughtful responses to my question.
Ride safe,
After having made 7 house movements with a tiny MZ-rig including once a bed over 30km where I was lucky not to have got stoped by a cop (I could see only 2" over the right edge ) I do not see any problem about the kitchen sink....
One reason more for the rig...
Chears, have a pint on it.
Sven
Hey jdgeda,
You won`t regret it if you go with a T.X. Ranger, good finish, frame and all mounting hardware is powdercoated, "Tub" is fiberglass and looks good, I wired mine for lights....that way you can match lights to your bike lights......my
1700cc roadstar is all about torque!! it don`t know there is a sidecar attached to it!! .... it hauls A.
Oldbritgit.........
I have had a Champion Escort on my 08 Venture since, well 08. I did have to have the triple tree modified to counter the front end woble. I glad I did cause now it feels like power steering.
I have had multiple knee surgeries in the past 5 years and the Venture with sidecar made it a lot easier to ride without having to worry about holding it up.
I also have a Tailwind trailer that I pull behind my bike and I live in San Antonio TX and I ride with my club into the Texas hill country almost every weekend. I have no problem keeping up with the Jones's. I am a road Lt and I either lead the group in front on I ride tail gunner.
My wife has health issues mostly physical so the Escort makes it easier for her to enter and exit the sidecar and for keeping herself warm in the winter. It opens like a clam shell.
Any question?? also check out this site www.venturerider.org
Rick A.
