Totally new to the whole sidecar experience, but I was wondering if there are any sidecar dealer close to Virginia, I am looking for a sidecar to attach to my 07 Harley softail, I have seen a few that I like on the internet but they are all on the west coast. The issue is the sidecar is for my wife and she has physical limitations, so I have to make sure she can get in and out of the sidecar before I buy one.
Few dealer stock sidecars. The ones that do usually have low quality imported sidecars that in general have "universal" type mounts that do not tend to work well if at all. These sidecars are small and hard to get in and out of. Most made in the USA sidecars will come with proper bike specific mounts and are built to order only which is why no dealer would have one in stock as it would more then likely have the wrong mounts, be painted the wrong colors or have the wrong options. Many people think that if they buy a sidecar that the front tips forward that it will be easy to get in and out of. In some cases this is true but in general most of these type of sidecars the seat is so low to the floor that it can be very difficult to get in and out of. We have even been know to have to add electric seat lifts. We find that the sidecars that are the easiest to get in and out of have cut down sides, a step built into the frame and the windshield can tip forward. In our model line for your bike this would be the M72C, M72CX, Expedition and a new model we are calling the Adventure which should be on our site in the next week or so. It is nothing more then our Expedition made narrower by 4 inches. Our Tomahawk SE sidecar is fairly easy to get in and out due to the door. For your bike we would build it on the M72CX chassis which would allow for a Harley type fender and it would have a built in step however as the windshield is fixed it can be a bit hard to get in and out of. My first choice for ease of entry would be the Expedition or the narrower Adventure. These sidecars not only have the cut down side and step as well as the windshield that tips forward they also have the most up right seating position once in the sidecar as the floor is lower then the main frame of the sidecar. In general if a person can get in and out of a car they can get in and out of these sidecars. We have also been known to add grab handles and bars that look like roll bars for people to grab onto for getting in and out. They can also reach across to the bikes handle bar for some thing to pull on. If you can let us know more about the physical limitations my self and others on this forum may be able to give you better input. I have attached a photo of our Expedition sidecar on a softtail. I also attached two photo's of Tomahawk sidecars, the first is not the SE but it was the only photo I had on the M72CX chassis with the Harley type fender. The last photo is of the Tomahawk SE where you can see the door.
Jay G
DMC sidecars
866-638-1793
www.dmcsidecars.com
I know of one option in Pennsylvania. Claude Stanley at Freedom Sidecars. You can also go back to the home page of sidecar.com and there is an option that covers all the known sidecar businesses in the US.
Some dealers distribute sidecars from other manufacturers. Motor city Indian, near Detroit, for example sells dmc sidecars, but Jay (above) makes them on the west coast. Also shipping is an option, but expensive. I think finding a good rig and good manufacturer is more important than finding a close one. See what someone like Jay can do before you count him out.
There are several small shops close in Virginia and around the neighbour states, but my first choice continues to be Claude Stanley...the walking enciclopedia.
And that statement is just from half a dozend calls over the years. Each time his advice was right spot on.
2 Cent.
Sven
Where in Virginia? Maybe you can find several people with the types of sidecars that you are interested in to let her get in and out. Maybe even a ride or two. Im in Roanoke with a Champion Escort if that is any help.
