It's been a few years but you had that rig with my first Ural and now I'm on my 2d (2014 Patrol) after selling the first one in 2010. I always wonder about hacking my 2005 Sportster 1200. I like your Ranger set up and have read the various pros-cons online about 1200 vs 883 gearing and don't wish to resurrect them....I have a 1200 so it rules out the 883 🙂 I did wonder though who did your setup and what mods you did to the front-end. I know you have booku miles on the rig as is....so I figure it's a keeper and perhaps worth repeating. Thanks in advance.
If I was hacking a 1200 sportster I would put in 883 primary gears. Of coarse, when the XB1200S came out, I but the 883 gearing in the primary. Maybe why I blew it up twice.
Kilometers - 6/12/2014 5:42 PM
... I always wonder about hacking my 2005 Sportster 1200. I like your Ranger set up and have read the various pros-cons online about 1200 vs 883 gearing and don't wish to resurrect them....I have a 1200 so it rules out the 883 🙂 I did wonder though who did your setup and what mods you did to the front-end....
Hi Kilo, the Sportster paired with the Ranger makes a nicely balanced rig. I would recommend:
1. Lower the gearing by replacing your front pulley with one from an 883 - yes, it will affect speedo/odo - I lowered by gearing 4% with a one-tooth smaller after market front pulley;
2. 5-degree "raked" triple trees - not only easier to steer, but also essentially eliminated the wobble, as well as bump steer effect from the sidecar (no need for a damper) - there are several sources for these;
3. 1-inch spacers in front forks to add pre-load and restore ride height - aftermarket fork springs would be nice, but I still have stock springs - I bumped up the fork oil viscosity one notch & added fork boots too; and
4. Carry 25 lbs minimum ballast in sidecar - the Ranger is just too light to run full empty.
The revised frame for your rubber-mount Sportster will likely require a lower rear bracket or subframe. You might consider replacing your shocks with taller 13"-13.5" shocks for more travel - takeoff's might be available; I run my stock shocks at 4/5 preload and have thought of buying good Ikon's for the bike, but the stock shocks work OK and I seem to keep spending the dollars on other rigs & stuff.
Let me know if you need any more info. And please post pics you your 2014 Ural.
And your new Sportster rig too. 
Here's mine wit the recommended changes:
Lee
MB5+TW200+CRF250L+GTV300+INT650
XL883R w/Texas Ranger Sidecar
Zuma 50F + Burgman w/Texas Sidecar<Mrs. SwampFox
Hi,
I recently added a Texas Ranger sidecar to my 2008 XL883. I still have stock steering but have added Heavy Duty Progressive fork springs and 13.5" shocks, a fork brace, and steering damper. I run 40 lbs of ballast in the sidecar. I am very happy with my rig, but will probably go with an Avon Triple Duty sidecar tire on the front wheel this winter. Hope this is useful info.
Larry
To all.....my sincere and very late apologies for not getting back to this site to follow up on your responses. I bought an old house shortly before posting the question and never dreamed of all the work I would be doing on it. I've not gotten to ride nearly enough as I'd like to be doing, and riding to work doesn't count. I did manage to make a trip to Ohio on the 2014 Patrol and posted about it in the Soviet Steeds ride reports. Need to follow up on here as well. Thank you all for the information. I'm still intrigued with the idea of putting a Texas Ranger on my Sporty but after having a detached garage built and paying for new concrete it's likely going to get pushed back another year still.
Happy Thanksgiving to all...and again, my sincere apologies. I appreciate the spirit with which information was shared and am so sorry it has taken some 5 months to reply.
Miles...aka Kilometers
