I suppose I am a pooir salesman but we tell our customers to give themselves a chance with the stock front before purchasing a leading link or even doing some other steering mod. There are some exceptions but typically not.
Most, if not all, new sidecarists will be tense in the saddle for a while as driving a sidecar is new to them. They will also be using muscles they are not used to using. This added with a possible 'death grip' on the bars will add up to fatigue. In time once some seat time is gathered they will relax at the helm and may decide they can get by quite well with stock steering geometry.
Also, during the learning process they shpould be learning to let the weight of the sidecar help them in turns rather than being a wrestling match.
As far as dismounting and remounting the sidecar easily it can be done if the mounting system is decent. Some dollys of other means to sit the bike of th esidecar on are extemely handy. Note that sidecars make a terrible design for a wheelbarrow.
for me the sore wrists from a few years of chain saw work about 30 years ago makes having a raked tree mandatory.
for others they are fine without them.
i need to have my hands just lightly on the bars - i cant even hold the throttle for any length of time - i have to have cruise or a lock.
to each there own.
to
Originally written by claude #3563 on 2/18/2009 4:56 AM
As far as dismounting and remounting the sidecar easily it can be done if the mounting system is decent. Some dollys of other means to sit the bike or the sidecar on are extemely handy. Note that sidecars make a terrible design for a wheelbarrow.
I agree with Claude. Years ago I used to pull the sidecar off every Sunday evening and ride two wheels to work all week, then mount it on Friday so Barb abd Justin could ride with me.
I have demonstrated for others that I could remove the sidecar from my Valkyrie and reinstall it from first bolt loosened to last bolt tight, all in less than 30 minutes. The current car came with a set of clamp on wheels that should make it even faster on a good floor. Once I figured out to put a dolly under the sidecar tire, it goes fast. YMMV but don't reject a sidecar just because you can't afford a second bike.
That said, I very seldom have any desire to pull the car. I usually just do it if it makes it easier to service the bike. I did it today to get it on the lift to change my rear tire. I had knee surgery in December and still have trouble working on the floor, so it was easier to drop the car, change the tire, and remount the car.
Don't know where you are but I am NW of Warren.
I can answer a four-letter word, "Yuri" with another - "Don't"! Good source for sidecars (as long as you realize they will need repainted and a new wheel & bearings installed) but the Dnepr plant shut down somewhere in the very early 1990's. It is my understanding the Dnepr's being sold today are made up of leftover second-grade parts and need A LOT of TLC to keep them operating. Even ScooterBob, who used to be the premier Dnepr dealer in the country doesn't sell them any more. Nuff said.
Sarge
Originally written by Sarge on 2/20/2009 10:48 AM
Don't know where you are but I am NW of Warren.
I can answer a four-letter word, "Yuri" with another - "Don't"! Good source for sidecars (as long as you realize they will need repainted and a new wheel & bearings installed) but the Dnepr plant shut down somewhere in the very early 1990's. It is my understanding the Dnepr's being sold today are made up of leftover second-grade parts and need A LOT of TLC to keep them operating. Even ScooterBob, who used to be the premier Dnepr dealer in the country doesn't sell them any more. Nuff said.
Sarge
With that being said let it be known that ScooterBob's does have a good reputation with CJs and other brands today.
click here:
http://www.scooterbob.com/index.html
I gotta tell you, Sarge, I was at the Dnepr factory, in Kiev, in August, 2003 and toured it, they were still making motorcycles then. They had even come out with a new model, a goofy looking trike!
My Daughter was there in 2007 and talked to some people, they were just closing the factory down then. The KMZ factory site was worth more than the motorcycle factory. All the tooling was going to be moved off site, they hoped that someone would resurrect the factory, but that doesn't look like it's going to happen.
KMZ/Dnepr is gone, but it went away in 2007.
Dave
Originally written by Bilgekeeldave on 2/20/2009 3:09 PM
I gotta tell you, Sarge, I was at the Dnepr factory, in Kiev, in August, 2003 and toured it, they were still making motorcycles then. They had even come out with a new model, a goofy looking trike!
My Daughter was there in 2007 and talked to some people, they were just closing the factory down then. The KMZ factory site was worth more than the motorcycle factory. All the tooling was going to be moved off site, they hoped that someone would resurrect the factory, but that doesn't look like it's going to happen.
KMZ/Dnepr is gone, but it went away in 2007.
Dave
As I've said more than once, the log of my being wrong is 2" thick and I am on Volume #4!
I swear, though, the early 1990's date came from discussion on the Russian Iron site.
Ah well!
Sarge
P.S. I was not saying ANYTHING bad about ScooterBob. He has an excellent reputation.
I too found this timely as the wife and I are going over to Hannigans in a couple of weeks to pick out the sidecar we like best. When I talked to them on the phone they mentioned to me the steering assist as well and I was unsure of whether or not to get it. Also I have talked to Bob Wark a couple of times and he seems to be a stand up guy. I will probably buy my sidecar thru him just because of all the help he has been. I will let the guys at Hannigans install it tho as I am NOT handy with tools. lol
