I have a 1972 BMW R75/5 that I'd like to put a sidecar on. Is there a particular make or model that matches up better than the rest to my bike? Are there any that I should definitely stay away from?
Urals, dnpers and sputnicks are all popular on bmw airheads. A couple folks on this site with /5 rigs will probably sound in. You do need a subframe on the bike to correctly mount any sidecar to a /5.
would a subframe be something i need to fabricate or can it be purchased? are any of those brands more compatible or better quality than the others?
Check with the vendors listed here linked from the home page.
Lonnie
Quality is similar, all russian. the US versions of the Ural are probably finished a little better. Several vendors have subframes for that bike ready to go. You could make your own if you have some basic welding/metal working skills and save some money. If you need to pay someone to do the work for you, an off the shelf subframe will end up less expensive.
There are a lot of other sidecars that also work well with BMW airheads so I'm not suggesting you limit your search to the three I mentioned as popular.
i think the steib look the best. inevitably, being able to hook it up properly without all kinds of headaches and being able to operate it safely will be the primary goal.
