Sportster / Sidecar

i've done one 883 and two 1200's.the 1200 is a much more proficient rig when finisished,more power is always a plus.the 883 was pretty much tapped out at 70 mph.

If you're building them to make money you'll lose your shorts. All set up, brand new 883 with hack, even a high end rig like Motorvation, will still have a hard time cracking 10 grand when you go to sell it. Build them to ride, especially since you need the experience right now anyway. If you are out to make money, sidecars are not the way.

Nothing against Sportsters, but if you're going to go with one model of bike, I'd be tempted to build them with ST 1300's. I think you'd get a lot more interest.

Thanks everyone for the honest replys, good information. Frankly, the reason I looked at sportsters (beyond doing just one ).. their inexpensive and everywhere.. I must be honest and say I'm not sure I will ever get into the sidecar experience, but thought if a market existed I could build a few. Will the HD Sportster be a negative for most of the sidecar community? The Sportster also seemed like a realatively easy build for my first time out, the ST would seem to be a harder build with the fairings and such.
What about a steerite tree conversion? They seem to be knowledgable folks?
Thanks again for all the response.

Originally written by FE 203 on 4/13/2008 5:29 PM

Thanks everyone for the honest replys, good information. Frankly, the reason I looked at sportsters (beyond doing just one ).. their inexpensive and everywhere.. I must be honest and say I'm not sure I will ever get into the sidecar experience, but thought if a market existed I could build a few. Will the HD Sportster be a negative for most of the sidecar community? The Sportster also seemed like a realatively easy build for my first time out, the ST would seem to be a harder build with the fairings and such.
What about a steerite tree conversion? They seem to be knowledgable folks?
Thanks again for all the response.

I don't think the Sporty is necessarily a bad choice. It's just that everyone has their own idea of what they want. One of the first questions I get is "Will I be able to keep up with traffic on the Interstate?" Next usually has to do with how much weight can be carried. In neither case would an 883 be ideal.

In most cases, people who want a back road cruiser will have a definite idea of what it should look like.
Some envision a vintage looking rig and will opt for a Ural, BMW, Guzzi Eldorado, or something similar. Others like the sportier look of an ST or Concours, while others prefer Sport bike or even scooters.
The Sportster would be a fine rig, I just don't think you'd find a huge market for the combination.

The Steerite conversion is a great fix, but many folks don't feel the cost of it is worth the benefit it provides, especially on a small rig.

Sidecars are like nothing else in the motorcycle world. Everybody has their own opinion of what a rig should be. No two sidecarists are alike. There is still not a whole lot of demand for rigs....I see the same ones repeat themselves on ebay for months.

I'm currently looking for a vintage dirt bike...almost anything pre-1979 will work...Japanese....German.....Spanish.....Swedish....doesn't matter....not so with sidecars. We tend to be VERY specific.

Building a rig on speculation will most likely result in owning it.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with using a Sportster. However, in the Harley world, they tend to be viewed as lower end, (they are a lot less expensive), etc. I don't want to come across as sportster bashing, I am not, but I think most people who would want a Harley/sidecar rig, and who didn't already have their own bike, would want a "big twin", likely a Road King, maybe a softail.

Study the market and I think you will find that what has been said here already is pretty accuarate. You can do this to a point by looking over the various discussion forums here on th enet and also by reading The Sidecarist and Hack'd Magazine.
We did one 883 last year and it performed much better than we expected. The person loves it but that does not mean that your idea woudl be profitable for you. We also did a coupel of 1200 sportsters which were okay too.
Sidecrists have varied ideas on what woudl be the best tug for them. Some base their decison on finances alone and some who have the money pick and choose what they feel is best for them. The first category I think woudl be hard pressed to fork out a lot of money for a sporter rig considering the options. The second group would more than likely go with a more powerful bike whether it be a big twin harley or something else. No sportster bashing here just some thoughts on reality from one person's viewpoint.

It's good to hear that some folks have been "surprised" with a sidecar mounted on an 883 Sportster, as I should have one attached to my little Sportster within the month. With almost no previous sidecar experience, a little research revealed that around the world (with exceptions to USA & Western Europe) many sidecars are mounted on midsize bikes, 500cc singled up to 750cc twins, but, obviously, expectations are different in areas with "super hiways." I expect my little rig to perform acceptably for a leisure rig, as I already tend to avoid the interstae hi-ways when solo, as vibrations take over at 62mph-80mph.

As for as market, Sportster are ofen viewed by HD riders as either "beginner bikes" or "girl's bikes," neither of which bothers me as I've always prefered midsize twins of all sorts. A good thing is that is a easy modificaiton to bump up an 883 to a 1200 for an extra 15+ ft lbs of tourque. Re-sale value of used 883 Sportsters seems to have slipped over the last couple of years, and I also surmise that their re-sale as a sidecar rig would not find a particulary large market.

After a few miles on my proposed rig (and after I've learned to drive it), I'll post comments and observations.

IMHO the best Sporty to use would be a late model 883 that has had the HD 1200 kit installed with the origional 883 final drive ratio. That gives you better power with lower gearing needed for a real nice mid size rig.

The 5 speed 883's with 1200 kits would also be a very good buy on the used market vs a OEM 1200.

Thanks to everyone for the great information. Everyone seemed to have well thought out responses and it would be hard to interpet them as "Bashing"..
I think we will throw a 1200 kit on the 883 in the shop and maybe not proceed with additional units.

If I can ever be of help with Honda CR information give me a shout.. One favor deserves another.

The 883 to 1200 conversions work very well as tugs. Retaining the 883 heads will give better low end torque. The cams are also more tractable.
The stock 1200's may outrun them on top end but so what? How much time does one spend there anyway?

Lonnie
Northwest Sidecars

Note that the new sportster frames are quite different than the older ones.

Right Claude,
The 2004 and later rubbermount lower frames lack an easy mounting position for the lower rear mount.
I've also found that the 2008 Dyna frame is also different from the 2003 frame for the lower rear strut mounting.

Lonnie
Northwest Sidecars