Picked up a running 1984 Goldwing 1200 with a California sidecar.
Rode it home about 40 miles and it pulled a little to the right and at around 20 mph it gets a steering wobble. Other than that it ran pretty good.
It has been parked outside for a great part of her life so the physical condition is rough. Really need to go through the whole rig for general maintenance. She has 34k miles and she purrs like a kitten but the electrical system is a nightmare. Exposed (rigged up) wires everywhere.
A few questions...
If separated is this sidecar a good candidate for a Honda Shadow 1100 or Shadow 750? Or maybe a Vulcan 1500?
Maybe I should leave it attached to the Goldwing and ride into the sunset?
Lots of ideas and questions running wild through the noggin !! 
Any helpful tips and advise is appreciated.
Don't know what happened to the pics?
<img border="0" alt=" " src=" 
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Shadow 1100 or Vulcan 1500 would be good tug choices if rough isn't your style.
Lonnie
It looks good to me. But that is just me.
Nice Rig.
I have an 86 Goldwing SEI with the California Friendship III. GW's are great tugs. Just watch for the pesky alternator going out. Either have to pull the engine to replace or do the "Poorboy" conversion.
So why not the Virago?
Thanks for y'alls input and advise guys.
The rig looks a lot better in the pics than what it is, trick photography maybe? ( bg )
Reason I was asking about the other possible tugs is that i'm familiar with those models and not the Goldwing. But I can start doing some research and learn more about it like the "Poorboy" conversion.
85shadow - 8/4/2014 6:30 PM
So why not the Virago?
LOL Nice rig you have there.
The pic on the avatar is a Virago 750 that has long been gone. A friend took it while she was riding in the back of a bike.
Sal, if you do decide to change the tug, I suggest selecting a model for which sidecar-appropriate steering modifications are readily available - just to keep more options open going forward.
Lee
MB5+TW200+CRF250L+GTV300+INT650
XL883R w/Texas Ranger Sidecar
Zuma 50F + Burgman w/Texas Sidecar<Mrs. SwampFox
The GL1200 is one of the few bikes that we find always ends up needing a steering damper to get rid of a wobble, most other bikes we can adjust it out. This sidecar will work with many different bikes if you want to change it off of the GL1200 however before you chose a bike there are many more things to consider. First are mounts made for the bike. We make mounts for many of the shadow 1100's but not all, there are at least 14 different frames on the 1100 shadow depending on which year and model. We have mount for the other two bikes. Another thing to consider are triple tree's made for the bike you are going with? We have them for the Vulcan and the 750 shadow. Rear tire? I like to go with a bike that an automotive tire can be ran on the stock rim as in the long rug it will save you money. So while yes you can run a sidecar on any of these bikes and others they may not be the best option. Not seeing the bike it is hard to say if you should keep the bike, My gut feeling is that yes just make this bike better. If you do go this route the first thing I would do is change the timing belts, If they break valves are bent. BTW you can buy the belts at an auto parts store as they are the same as one of the Honda Civic cars. They are much less money at an auto parts store then at the motor cycle parts store.
Jay G
DMC sidecars
www.dmcsidecars.com
866-638-1793
