New to sidecars - Help!!

Congratulations; You are in for the time of your life. Check the classifids to see what is available. Ask 50 experts for opinion and get 49 different answers. Bob Davis is your state rep. contact him at boltsrightup@carolina.rr.com He is in Gastonia 704-691-0482 He should be able to advise you on he right way to get started.
J.R.
Sec.
Tex. Rep.

Hi Bob,
I'm in the same boat as you are, totally new to sidecars. I have two HD's so decided to put a car on one. I'm in the process of mating a 2000 HD TLE sidecar to my 2008 Road King. I noticed while shopping for a car, (I wanted to stay with HD) that the cars themselves have changed very little in the past 30 years. Of course the mounts and brake ssytems have, but the frame and bodies are pretty much the same. You should be able to find a comparable car pretty easily given the age of your bike. Cars were still pretty popular in that range. I found the prices for the HD cars is holding steady as they stopped making them in 2011. I found 4 in good shape sort of near me and they were all in the $4000. range. Keep a search going on craigslist and ebay and you will find one that you like. If your not afraid of shipping costs try onecraigslist. It is a nation-wide search engine and will find what you're looking in for in all 48 states.

Also, the folks on this site are super helpful and friendly. If you have a question just ask. Someone has solved the same issue before and is willing to help you out.

If you are looking used, make sure that it either comes with the proper mounts for your bike or that you can get the proper mounts. Any of the USA manufacture's can supply you with proper bike specific NOT universal mounting hardware for their sidecars and will sell you a sidecar that is strong and heavy enough for your bike. It can be tricky finding hardware for a Harley brand sidecar. Keep in mind if you do go with a Harley sidecar that its frame design was pretty much obsolete by the start of WW2. Up until the last Harley sidecar ever built they never got around to adding any suspension at all! Yes the body is on un-dampened leaf springs but the wheel has no suspension. Also make sure that your passenger will be able to get in and out of the sidecar. Some sidecars are very hard to get in and out of. Harley sidecars and some others (including some of our sidecars) are not easy to get in and out of as you must step over the side and then slide behind the windshield to get into them. One nice thing to have is a trunk that opens from the out side, not all companies build sidecars with external opening trunks. Some of our sidecars you remove the seat back (like Harley) others have the external opening trunk. If you want a brake (I always recommend a brake) make sure that the sidecar comes with a brake or a brake can be added where as you may never need a brake, if it keeps you out of the emergency room even once it was worth the cost and effort. While we are a long ways from you should you get out this way we have a 1978 FLT that we are installing a sidecar on that will be here all winter as there is to much snow where he lives to get it home before spring time.
We make 12 models of sidecars, One of the most popular for your bike is our M72CX which of course comes with proper bike specific mounts for your bike. I have attached a photo.
Jay G
DMC sidecars
www.dmcsidecars.com
866-638-1793

A stock Harley sidecar will bolt right up. There were a few changes in the rear mount over the years, but your bike should have a rectangular block with two holes on the rear downtube as a passenger peg mount. The Harley CLE mount connects to that block.

I believe that from the factory in 1978 the rear mount clamped to the swingarm, but those square swingarms are not know for their robustness, so I would avoid that. If you have a factory parts manual you can find the different mounts in there.

With a little searching you can also find OEM adjustable rake triple trees. Just make sure you get the later version with the padlock bar.

Welcome to the world of the lopsided. The decision to have a dedicated rig is wise. My approach to sidecars was to attend sidecar rallies and see what others have done. (Hint Hint Plug Plug) I was welcomed even riding 2 wheels. After I decided what I wanted it was a 2 year, nationwide internet search. It should not take you that long. There is more Harley stuff out there then BMW. Harold in Rapid City

Hi:
I did it backwards from Harold but I infected him. I bought a sidecar rig and have ridden with Harold and Doris for 10's of thousands of miles. Now - I am prejudiced toward Motorvation sidecars and the folks in Sibley, IA will set you up or sell you the sidecar and a video to show you how to attach it yourself. Mine is a Formula on a K1100 BMW but the Spider looks really neat next to a Harley. If you need more space the Formula works well on a Harley. I bought mine used from a guy who had it on a Harley. The Formula will carry 2 kids or an adult and a child (or two adults with skinny backsides)

Thanks everyone for the responses. J.R thanks for the info. about Bob Davis, I am going to send him an email tonight. RoadGlider thanks for your suggestion, I am getting ready to try that nationwide search. I have never heard of that before. I am afraid of the shipping idea because of all the scams out there but I would drive 3 or 4 hundred miles for the right one, I don't mind a road trip!! Jaydmc. I appreciate your input and I understand what you are saying about the Harley sidecars and I agree, however I have spent a lot of time (and money) putting this bike back to original and would really like to stick with a Harley sidecar. Besides I plan on using it for my dog to ride in!! I will definitely check out your products if I cant find what I'm looking for. HHshort and JWshort thanks for the welcome!! I have really just began my search but I cant find any Harley ones for sale locally!! How do I find a sidecar rally near me?? I have been riding for years and I don't think I have ever come across one!!

http://www.sidecar.com/mbbs22/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=11832&posts=9&start=1 Click this link and you will find a listing of the 2014 rallies by a guy named Bruce. If you go the the Internet Sidecar Klub site I think there is a like to the same file .

A place to do some reading is http://www.sidecar.com/links3.asp

I'm a newbie too and am looking to either buy or build my first rig. I've been looking for a sidecar for a little over a month how and there are many late model Harley sidecars out there for sale. Look on Craig's List. Just put sidecar in the search box and all will pop up in your area. Then just toggle thru the areas near to you and they will keep popping up. I've seen the fiberglass bodies on ebay for a cheap as $200. I've seen complete rigs (no bike) as high as $8000. Based on what I've seen during my searches, probably something in the $3K to $4K range is reasonable for a rig in nice shape.

Also check ebay. That is where the $200 bodies are listed. You have to wade thru more junk than CL (like models, postcards, toys, etc.,) when you search "sidecar". But it all helps calibrate the value numbers for you.

There are other aftermarket sidecars that look right on a Harley. Legend and Motorvation both make vintage looking sidecars that look good. You could also go with the previous model HD sidecar, which was made into the mid-60's for a vintage look. I think it is a better looking rig than the plastic egg they make now. But I do like the egg. It's got its own charm.

Don't be in a rush.

Does HD offer raked trees for their modern sidecar bikes? I know the adjustable trees are no longer made. I realize that it is not required, but probably makes for reduced steering effort.

Guess we'll see who gets their rig done first. Not that either of us need to rush. But we'll see.

I have considered putting a Spyder on my Fatboy. But I really want a vintage BMW rig with a Steib chair. A second choice is putting a vintage chair on my '47 Knucklehead. A '47 HD chair just sold on ebay. I wanted to bid, but it was on the left coast and I don't like to buy stuff like that unless I can touch it first.

regards,
Rob

Hi Bob, welcome to the offset world of sidecars.

PM sent

Thanks HHShort, looks like Sidecars in the Smokies is my best bet in April!! RichardMc4, that was the first site I found when I started looking into sidecars!! Thanks, lots of great information on there!! Snakeoil, I hope you are as excited as I am about getting into sidecars, I am really looking forward to getting started. I don't know if HD makes the triple trees but shouldn't be hard to find aftermarket. I am curious about transmissions also. Do you really need a reverse gear or lower gearing? I want to replace my transmission on my shovelhead anyway because it leaks like a sieve!! I just found a '75 sidecar frame, wheel and fender at a local used parts dealer but I haven't seen it yet and don't know what kind of shape its in or how much he wants for it!! I like the idea of restoring it myself but am concerned about how hard parts will be to get!! Thanks Bob Hunt I am really happy to be here!! Donmystic1, I haven't received a PM!!??

You could come down to the Y'll Come Rally Mar 13 - 15 2015 at Silver Springs State Park just outside Ocalo, FL.