Hi all. I am wondering if there are some sidecars that are easier to remove and reinstall than others. I'd like to ride solo sometimes and have the sidecar taking the kids with us. Our first hack was a Motorvation Formula II on a 79 Kawasaki XS1100. It was easy to remove but quite a lot of work to realign when reinstalled. We now have a Motorvation Formula II on a 1990 Goldwing and we have never removed it. Please don't suggest another bike for solo riding, that's just not in the budget.
Thanks
Assuming you haven't changes the steering dimensions of the bike, you should be able to remove the sidecar in under 15 minutes. And as long as you care careful not to disturb the bosses, clamps and/or the struts, you should be able to remount 'er in 30-40 minutes. More time of you have hydrolic brakes linked to the bikes brakes.
As posted above if you don't loosen the sidecar mounting point adjustment bolts it should go right back where it was. I have an '03 softtail w/a Champion Legend sidecar. I have taken off both lower mounting brackets on the bike after taking off the sidecar for solo use. The mounting brackets each have 4- 3/8" bolts holding them to the mc frame, they only go back on in one position so there is no re-aligning necessary.I don't touch the upper mounting brackets on the mc, they don't get in the way for solo riding. I bought the smallest Harbor Freight (yea, I know!) pallet jack and built a support frame for the sidecar on it. It works perfectly, good steering capability for lining up horizontally, vertical motion for raising sidecar brackets into mounts, etc. Pallet jack is surprisingly well built, have had no problems with it!!
As long as you have good quality mounts not a bunch of "clamps" the sidecar should come on and off fairly easy. Sidecars that are easier then others to remove would include any that are shaped easier for you to get to the bolts. Lighter sidecars are easier to work with then heavy sidecars when a bike is not attached but do not work well on larger bikes. All of our sidecars are fairly easy to take on and off and we use very few "clamps" so alingment should not be needed.
Jay G
DMC sidecars
www.dmcsidecars.com
866-638-1793
locksmithjim - 5/20/2012 11:09 AM Hi all. I am wondering if there are some sidecars that are easier to remove and reinstall than others. I'd like to ride solo sometimes and have the sidecar taking the kids with us. Our first hack was a Motorvation Formula II on a 79 Kawasaki XS1100. It was easy to remove but quite a lot of work to realign when reinstalled. We now have a Motorvation Formula II on a 1990 Goldwing and we have never removed it. Please don't suggest another bike for solo riding, that's just not in the budget. Thanks
The Formula II should be fine. In addition to the information below, it is imperative that all four of your mounting points be attached in such a way that the bolt goes in on a horizontal plane. It works best if you can put something under the sidecar wheel to allow you to roll it straight out from the mounts. It can be as simple as an old mechanic's creeper, but I prefer one of these;
You can have someone sit on the bike and extend the kickstand while you loosen the bottom bolt on the upper struts and remove the top two bolts. The struts can now be leaned against the sidecar body and tightened there. Lean the bike onto it's sidestand.
Now put support under the sidecar frame and remove the bottom two bolts.
Once you do it a few times, you can get it down to maybe ten minutes or less.
I've never used a brake on the sidecar.
Well seems like you guys have much less trouble then I do. With just the gib in the eye bolts and some levering my Jawa/Velorex rig reassembles quite different each time I " marry " it again. So I leave the realligning to Fernando the Jawa Importer who does a way better job then I can.
Sven
