Sidecar rig information request

G,
welcome to SC world!
one word of caution...a 650 or smaller bike with a SC big enough to haul 2 kids will be very slow, unless your just planning on tooling around the neighborhood//but that wont last long once you get bitten! then you will be heading for the countryside, back roads, hills, curves.
SC's drop the power of a bike quite a bit.
A larger displacement rig would be a better buy, and they are available very reasonable.
An older Gold Wing with SC can be had for around $3000-3500 , if you look around. they are great rigs.
I know some with 500 CC or so, bikes, and they are doing OK, but would like a bigger displacement bike. better to have too much than not enough.
A heavier bike and SC will be safer on the road, also. less likely to lift on turns.

The more info you give the more intelligent responses you'll get....
I would not go to the lower 500cc engine.

What type of bike? dualsport/cruiser/sport/sport naked?????
How many passengers will ride with you at the same time????
What kind of rides/ what kind of distances??????????

There are alot of variables that would lead those with more expertise to give their opinions(advice) based on what your needs are.
My opinion for what its worth -- be more specific on what you want your hack to do for you and the info will come......
good luck

I want to thank everyone who responded to this request. To be more specific about my intentions for the sidecar rig, I will be riding very short ditances, 25/50 miles, carrying a three year old grandaughter. I'll still be using my R1150Rt for touring.

Since frugal is one of your parameters, I would suggest a middle '80s Yamaha XJ650 or 700 Maxim or a Honda CB650 or 700 . Both make excellant tugs, very low maintenance, parts availability is real good, they have plenty of go and stop power and are inexpensive to buy. Both will take a Velorex 562 or 700 (Your choice of high back or low). Sidecar installation is minimal with no need for a damper or steering modifications for your intended use (if setup correctly). Heavier fork oil and rear shocks should suffice.
The older Velorex's are quite plentiful on the used market as sidecars go and are very affordable. There again replacement parts are easily available if needed.
All models will accept a seat belt or harness for passenger restraint if desired.

Happy Hack'n,

Lonnie Cook
Northwest Sidecar
Lonnie

I recommend a XS650 Yamaha and a Velorex 562 for a nice first sidecar rig. Low cost, well balanced and CHEAP. Where are you located Maybe there is someone from the board who can help you get the rig sorted out.

Thanks for the help. I am located near Evart (central) Michigan.

I have a friend in Superior, WI who has an older Goldwing with a Velorex 700 mounted. If you're willing to drive that far, I can get you details.

This is bigger than you mentioned, but look at Stacy's KZ1300 in the Rigs for Sale section. At $3500, I can't believe it's still available. And Grandchildren would love the paint job.

For something on the smallish side and loads of fun and not very expensive, look for a used Ural. Check them out at www.imz-ural.com. Read the web board under the community tab there. They're a great bike especially if you enjoy doing your own wrenching...

I expect there will be a lot of them in the area. Between Terry Crawford in South Lyon and Flicka when she was in Northern Indiana. They both sold a lot of rigs.

Remember the bigger the bike the bigger the brakes, My recomendation is that you first find a bike you like, If you do not like the bike in the first place you will not like it as a sidecar bike.
We build sidecars starting at only $2495 for our Kenna and going up from there. For me the best bang for the buck in a sidecar bike is a GL1100 Goldwing. But as you have seen every one has a bike they like the best.
Jay Giese
Dauntless Motors Corporation
886-638-1793
www.mysidecar.com

You might give some thought to one of the new 600cc scooters and the Texas sidecar made just for them. A friend down the street just put one together and we spent all day, in the cold, riding it. The car is smallish but what a hoot. Me thinks it be faster than any 650cc motorcycle and car I've come across. Just a though, for what it is worth...Danny

Allow me to suggest you look at the Ural Tourist. It has a 745 cc engine. It's a purpose built sidecar rig you don't have to assemble and it won't break the bank. To quote the local Girl Scout troop's reaction to mine, "Like, Totally Rad!" I think they liked it.
Urals are not for everybody but they might be worth a look. If I read the map properly the closest dealer to you is Terry Crawford near Ann Arbor. The Ural website is imz-ural.com.
J. Macdonald

Listen to what Lonnie and Jay are telling you. Jay has set up several BMW F650s-I have seen the rigs, know the owners and gone riding with those guys-they worked beautifully! Older bikes you might find on a budget probably won't have great brakes and smaller bikes brakes will be designed for smaller loads- a sidecar brake would help.

I had a freind with a Yamaha 650/Velorex combo, which I thought was one of the nicest rigs I have ridden. Simple, light and nimble. Mike thought it was too small for extended freeway speeds, but it certainly was capable of getting to those speeds and handled them fine. He did have a bad wobble for a bit, probably related to the top front mount. It was a universal clamp(the other mounts were bolted to the bike, if I recall correctly) the clamp would slip and rotate-he eventually changed it to something more substantial. He added a steering damper as well. I am not sure what the cure was but the wobble disappeared and it was a good handling rig after that. It hauled me and a friend down the road at 70 mph, with no problems(compined meat weight of over 400#) and turned and stopped just fine with us aboard.

Check out hack'd, The Sidecarist and Craigs List for used rigs-you might be able to find something used that is better and less expensive than what you can put together yourself.