Just had some one contacting us for "up graded" mounts to put a "Red Wolf" sidecar on his FLH. Safety third! Price first. Of course we would not help him other then to recommend a stronger better built sidecar. Another person with limited means that is now worse off then they would have been had then done their home work.
Jay G
DMC sidecars
www.dmcsidecars.com/sidecars
Jay, Happy New Years to you and the whole crew at DMC. Thank you for trying to keep all sidecar owners safe.
Am not sure there is a way to warn the "jump first, look later" people. Though I have to admit to committing the same error on occasion on different matters. Your patience with them will pay off in the long run if they decide to stay with sidecars.
Only this to say. Years ago I bought a used sidecar and brought it home. After much work and cost I had it mounted to my tug and wife and I took off on a trip. About 120 miles later I pulled into a gas station and had only one wheel brake. I called DMC and Jay had me drive the 300 or so miles to his place for repairs. He even found out there were a few other minor issues which he corrected. We then left on an extended and great trip.
This year when I wanted a new rig and simply called DMC and went to Washington to review what was available. I ordered a rig from DMC and when I brought it home and mounted it to my Harley I can only say "Thanks Jay". Putting miles on it now.
I just had forwarded to me an email from Mathew at Saferwhole sale asking another importer of sidecars from India for PDF files as to how to install a Rocket sidecar. Really asking a competitor how to install the sidecar that they import and sell! At least it would appear that they area at least trying to help some one. BUT why would then not simply go to their supplier for this? And of course, why would they not already have it.
Jay G
DMC sidecars
I first bought an Inder from Safer wholesale and then found out what they were doing. Shortly after that I found thatyt one of my friends had a brand new Ural which was too heavy for his old Bmw 500 so he had gone to a fiberglass rig. and the ural had never been attached. I got it off him for a very very good price and that is what I have now. Any how one day a truck rolls up with the Ural looking Inder and surprise surprise it was all there when I inventoried the crate. So I looked at the construction of the frame and being a lifer welder as well as a Certified Welding Inspector I was surprised to find that the actual construction of the car frame was really not too shabby unless you were going to carry a heavy load. The mounting stuff is not well designed and I believe that each model of motorcycle has a unique requirement to be able to manage a sidecar, so apart from the wheel bearings I think that the car if correctly mounted should be OK. Its not a Ural by any means or in the same class as the reputable US made sidecars but on a lighter bike I do not see any reason not to use it, after a good inspection and correction of anything that is doubtful like the bearings. I have a friend who has a Safe Wholesale Rocketeer that he wants to put on an old shovel to haul stuff like groceries etc so I will be working with him to make it happen As to the Ural knock off I have its for sale at $2200 fob your shipper Greenville SC
I have no doubt that there are an awful lot of Inders running around that have been sold under a lot of names over the years by various importers and simply rebadged. Not everybody is as fortunate as we are, so they do the best they can with what they have been able to afford.
Chuck
Just had a call from some one Saferwhole sale sold a sidecar for a 2008 Road King. Of course this would not be safe and there was no chance that it would "fit" the Road King. The owner is stuck with it.
Jay G
DMC sidecars
Had another call today from a shop that ordered in for their customer a "Rocketeer" sidecar for use on a 2006 Ultra classic. Of course I passed despite having everything needed to do it in stock. Safety must come first.
Jay G
DMC sidecars
Live and learn. Sometimes costly but survival calls for it.
Today I got a call from someone looking for mounts for a sidecar from Safer Wholesale. They told him it would work great to haul his powered wheelchair on his Harley Road King. It took all the money he had to buy this. So now unless they will take the sidecar back (not likely) he will need to find a buyer for the sidecar before he can get something that will work and be safe.
Jay G
DMC sidecars
When we decided that arthritis made a chair necessary I started researching on the web. Safer had a record of complaints that eliminated it from consideration, as well as a generally disreputable ambience in their ads. I contacted a number of sources and finally decided on a TSC Ranger to be installed at my local indie HD shoppe as the best course of action regarding costs and likelihood of being what it claimed. DMC was 2nd based on price of the unit and inst'l costs. All things considered in hindsight, with the shipping cost from TX DMC wasn't that much more and I'm sure would have been entirely satisfactory. It took a while to find the source of trail compensated triple clamps for the narrow glide forks, which will be installed in the next couple of weeks. I am really looking forward to seeing what drives like when I can actually steer it.
All in all I figured it's worth paying for a good product and only crying once. The Safer ads gave me visions of the soup sandwiches documented previously, and in the end it was worth spending more and actually getting what I want with a minimum of heartburn.
It you want a good sidecar setup. And the driving force is cost. You may need to wait awhile save up a little more
