First post here. I`ve always like sidecars, never rode one or in one though. I just happened to get me a Ural sidecar from a guy who has no use for it (he doesn`t like it & too heavy?) and has several other different sidecars he prefers.
I know the Ural sidecar won`t work on my current ride (KLR, I don`t want to go that route). I think I would rather get a bike that is shaft driven for a sidecar, maybe an older Goldwing?
From what I can tell, there`s alot of info I need to learn about hooking up a sidecar to a bike. Where does one learn all this? Toe-in, lead, brakes, etc, etc, whatever else I don`t know about??
Is there a "Sidecar for Dummies" book out there? Thanks.
Kyle
Welcome to the circus!
Yes, there is a good beginner book. Go to http://www.sidecar.com/links3.asp and start with The Sidecar Manual. That's about as good as you'll get. If you like it, come back and thank Hal for sharing is knowledge for free. Urals are great cars and people do put them on KLRs, but an early Goldwing would be an excellent first tug. And by all means ask lots of questions. My grandfather used to tell us the only dumb question is the one you don't ask until somebody gets hurt.
I have a 2 cyl 1100cc shaft drive and often wish I could change the ratio which isn't very easy to do if at all and that's where a chain drive comes into play also being a twin I sometimes wish I had a large displacement 4 cylinder which would brake up the firing impulses and make for a smoother more controllable ride, IMHO a Bandit 1200cc would make a real nice tug it's got the multi cyl's and the cc's plus it's a chain drive and they can be picked up reather reasonably.
Info is also available at the Sidecar Industry Council.com site.
Lonnie
Northwest Sidecars
Originally written by Shadow1100T on 12/18/2008 1:56 AM
a Bandit 1200cc would make a real nice tug it's got the multi cyl's and the cc's plus it's a chain drive and they can be picked up reather reasonably.
Oh great:( I sold my kick ass Bandit to buy a KLR. Grrr. I just fell in love with exploring gravel roads, and my Bandit wasn`t exactly the right tool for the job. So I got that KLR and been pretty happy with it, that is untill I took a couple of cross country rides. I`m planning on getting something more suited for the highway, especially something I could use with my Ural sidecar. I understand that with a sidecar I`ll have to keep my speed down a bit. That doesn`t bother me. I`m needing a bit of comfort for a change. I`ve always envisioned being able to go for ride with my dog sittin in the sidecar. Strange I should get a sidecar before I got a bike to attach it on.LoL
I could ask the guy who gave this sidecar for advise, but I seen his hack jobs and I would rather learn from another source for now.
Thanks for the links. I`m off to study now. G`nite
Originally written by stranded in iowa on 12/18/2008 8:04 PM
Originally written by Shadow1100T on 12/18/2008 1:56 AM
a Bandit 1200cc would make a real nice tug it's got the multi cyl's and the cc's plus it's a chain drive and they can be picked up reather reasonably.Strange I should get a sidecar before I got a bike to attach it on.LoL
I could ask the guy who gave this sidecar for advise, but I seen his hack jobs and I would rather learn from another source for now.
Thanks for the links. I`m off to study now. G`nite
Not that strange. I bought a Yamaha XS850 with a Dnepr about 5 years ago from SidecarLeo. I had no interest in the bike, I just wanted the sidecar. I moved it to an XS1100 and finally a Valkyrie before I was satisfied. Then I sold the Dnepr and replaced it with a Ural. Although I really like my Guzzi, I really miss my Valkyrie. They are available in the $5 to $8,000 range and make excellent tugs. Rummage around here, http://s2.photobucket.com/albums/y14/SidecarMike/Sidecar/ for some photos of the combination and the mounts.
http://www.sidecar.com/links3.asp
I`ve came to the right place, this is exactely what I was looking for. Thank you.
I`ve came to the right place, this is exactely what I was looking for. Thank you.
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Of course your at the right place cause there ain't no other place like this place any place 🙂
Check out the Red Menaces' KLR rig.
It's some what specialized, but it looks like a lot of fun.
Keep your speed down why? My rig travels as fast or faster than interstate traffic in Texas which can get pretty quick (between 65 and 80mph) at times. It depends upon the bike used and what your comfort range is. If the bike is capable then there's no reason not to keep up with prevailing traffic after you've learned a bit about driving a sidecar rig.
Forget about taking my dog for a ride, here`s a pic with someone giving his cow a ride in a sidecar!
"http://news.motorbiker.org/blogs.nsf/dx/CowSideCar.jpg/$file/CowSideCar.jpg"
Well, I`m half way thru with reading the sidecar manual. It`s very informative. There`s alot more too sidecars than I realized. I`m sure am anxious to hook up a motorcycle to my sidecar.
I`ve seen pic`s of "offroad/enduro" sidecars from Dauntless Motors. Out of curiousity, are those enduro sidecars actually hacked ural sidecars? Or it must be the frames?
I think the Dauntless ones are Ural frames with specially constructed bodies. Give them a call. Jay is very helpful and will tell you what you want to know about them.
The bodies are spin offs from the Ural but done in fiberglass. I am quite sure the Frames, although similar to a Ural are done in house.
