I have been motorcycling regularly and almost consistent since the mid 60's with several hundred thousand miles behind me, hopefully many more to come.
I have never ridden with a side car, but recently bought one.
I am to pick it up after the holidays, but will not likely get to practice much with it until the spring.
Any advice for a first time sidecar skinner?
Thanks,
Ted
Welcome to the World of Sidecaring. If you can find a school near you it is worth the money. Also down load the books on the following link http://www.sidecar.com/links.asp
Schools are probably the best but not often nearby. After studying sidecar books (especially Hough) I very carefully rode up and down my street several times then headed to a vacant car dealership lot. I went just to the lot quite a few times until I felt comfortable enough to do some short trips on relatively untravelled roads.
Just go slow and easy for the first 100 or so miles and try not to ride in much traffic. It's a little tough overcoming all of the two wheel instincts that you develop over the years. I resolved not to take anyone for a ride until I had 1,000 miles under my belt.
Now I usually take the sidecar rather than the two wheelers. Enjoy!
Down load the above mentioned driving a sidecar outfit book and peruse it.
Take about 100# of soft ballast with you as a passenger for the pickup. Keep the bike wheels in the left wagon track, you'll be driving a much wider rig than your solo bike.
Take the right turns real slow to keep all three wheels on the pavement, use both brakes and don't put your feet down when you stop.
Practice driving the rig till you overcome the muscle memory you have accumulated from years of solo bike riding. A hack pilot is not the same as a solo bike rider, your steering now.
Good luck,
Lonnie
Welcome aboard Ted. All I can say is practice, practice, practice. I am still doing that.
Tell us about your rig, bike/ hack ?
I am going to pick it up sometime in January. Harley Road King with a matching TLE. I have been a harley guy since my first one in about 1967, so am familiar with the bike. Have just never had a side hack before.
Thanks for the pointers.
Ted
This advice brings up a question I'd like feed back on. I ordered a Hannigan for my BMW K1600 with the quick disconnect system and am planning on using the sidecar maybe 5% of the time, with 40 years of riding always on 2 wheels. I really don't want to lose my 2 wheels skill, will this be a problem?
Hi Ted, information on classes can be found at www.esc.org David Hough's book "Driving a sidecar outfit" is also a good read. We sell it for $34.95 and you can also buy it from White horse press. What bike and sidecar did you buy? If you are not sure about its saftey at all have some one take a look at it. I have seen some pretty scarry sidecar bikes out there including one that was mounted using bed frame angle iron. We do free saftey checks and I would be glad to answer any questions you may have.
Jay G
DMC sidecars
www.dmcsidecars.com
866-638-1793
MJZ - 12/26/2011 7:38 PM
This advice brings up a question I'd like feed back on. I ordered a Hannigan for my BMW K1600 with the quick disconnect system and am planning on using the sidecar maybe 5% of the time, with 40 years of riding always on 2 wheels. I really don't want to lose my 2 wheels skill, will this be a problem?
Best scenario is to have two bikes, one dedicated sidecar rig and a solo bike. That way the bike with the sidecar can be set up to steer easily and all the kinks ironed out for keeps and you'll have the solo rig for what you foresee the other 95% of the time. But chances are it will sit more often than not once you find out how much fun the sidecar is...
I didnt think about reading up on driving/riding I jsut bolted it on did the factory recommended aligning and rode off aout 2 miles and back . That was good for me , but I guess I should check out some reading material and maybe check for classes around the eastern panhandle of WV or Northern VA.
I evidently have it made . I have a Sportster with a velorex on it that I can disconnect in about 15 minutes(4 bolts and a 4pin trailer plug), and my wife has an Ultra Classic that she rides and we ride to gether when the grandson isnt with us.
I bought a harley road king with a harley sidecar that is represented as a factory install with 16,000 miles on the clock, so I am hoping the bugs and kinks have been long worked out. I have a friend with a lot of side hack experience, so I will ask him to take a good look at it when I pick it up.
Thanks for the help and suggestions.
Ted
I think that would be a Dealer installation. Perhaps it was delivered to the initial owner installed.
L.
Hack'n - 12/27/2011 1:45 PM
I think that would be a Dealer installation. Perhaps it was delivered to the initial owner installed.
L.
I stand corrected, I am sure you are right on that.
I bought a RK/TLE set up with only 2000 miles on the clock. It was ordered from the factory and set up by the previous owner's dealer (probably according to the HD sidecar shop manual). I wasn't happy with the handling and tried several adjustments until it is now very easy to ride.
This set up effort would make me really avoid detaching and reattaching to ride solo sometimes. I have a Moto Guzzi for the solo stuff.
trying to post a picture
