looking to get into sidecars.with the costs of some rigs being way out of reach,how do the Dnepr rigs and the chinese(cant even spell)rate?i'm sure that you get what you pay for.i'm really interested in knowing about the constant need for maintainance.
Are you talking about the entire rig or just buying the sidecar to put on another bike?
The sidecars by themselves are fine (though the workmanships is a little rough around the edges). I have a Dnepr sidecar on my BMW and I'm happy with it (I do wish it didn't look like the bounced it off a couple of trees before they painted it).
The entire rigs I have heard more bad than goodd about. *If* you get one all sorted out and running well (which takes a good bit of work/knowhow/equipment) you still run into titling issues and getting it legal in this country. Also they are not highway rigs. They are best used on roads where you will be going around 50 mph (and probably not too far from home as they can be finicky at times).
I don't know if this addresses your questions or not.
c.
thats exactly what i was asking.i'm used to jap bikes and dont want to have more maintainance than riding.thanks
Mount a Dnepr/Ural/Chinese sidecar on your Japanese bike. They go well together and are affordable
.
WHAT HE SAID! (Any of the "he's" that have responded so far.)
I fell victim to the lure of a budget sidecar rig. In my case, it was a Ural but one that had been smuggled out of Russia and didn't come even close to passing US DOT specs. Top that off with no vaild US title. After numerous hassles and multiple threats of arrest for attempting to title an illegal vehicle, I sold it off for parts. Lost my butt on the deal.
Avoid Dnepr and Chang Jiang RIGS and especially the "kit bikes" being sold on eBay and elsewhere. Nothing but expense and headaches will follow.
That being said, Dnepr and Chang Jiang SIDECARS can be a good bargain, even from the same people selling the bogus rigs. Construction can be a bit rough but it is also "cast iron". Wheels often need to be replaced as the only similarity between "rim" and "round" can be that both start with the letter "R"! Often bearings need to be replaced, too.
Combine rice and borstch... Jap bike with Ruski sidecar. If I were going to go that route, it would be a Kaw 1500 Drifter with a Ural or Dnepr sidecar. You'll pay more at the outset for a Ural car, but it will have round wheels, good bearings and acceptable fit and finish otherwise. The Dnepr will take some TLC but this can be made up for with a lower acquisition price. Same goes for the CJ sidecar.
Again, a Dnepr, Chang Jiang or non-DOT Ural may seem like a bargain at the outset but will require mass quantities of money to get them even marginally operational along with all the money you will spend on Tagimet for the ulcers they will give you!
Sarge
Point of clarification...
The Ural I bought in late 1999 was a 1992 non-DOT approved mess which was sold off for parts when it became clear I would never get it titled in Ohio. The Ural listed in my signature is a 2004 Ural Retro which is very much DOT approved and serves today as the flagship of the Ural line. NIGHT AND DAY! When I look at the photos of the two rigs, it is truly hard to imagine they came from the same factory!
Sarge
Sarge, I have to disagree with you on the CJ/Dnepr thing. There are legal Dneprs to be had in the states. Lloyd Loundsbury sells DOT and EPA approved Dneprs. ANY rig can be legally imported to the U.S. if it has documentation verifying that the rig is 25 years old, or older. No EPA or DOT requirements. I drive a Dnepr that was sold NEW by my local BMW dealer as a Neval, in 1984. Granted the motor was a p.o.s. I replaced the Dnepr motor with a BMW motor, and it has been a gas and go bike ever since. A friend has a CJ. He has had it for two years and has put over 17,000 km on it. He has had no problems that weren't self inflicted. A good budget commie rig can be had. It just requires some research. Anyone contemplating either a CJ or Dnepr purchase is welcome to contact me off line at arbalest @ prexar . com(remove the spaces)
Mike Lydon
Hey! I like the Urals myself. they've worked out the bugs the older units had, and continue to make improvements while retaining the retro look of their bikes. CJ and DNEPR seem permanently stuck in a time warp with respect to quality and tech. I have a 2002 Tourist which I love. I've had to make some repairs, but they have been things which the factory upgraded on later model years, so shouldn't be an issue with a new bike (like replacing the russian alt. with the Denso unit). I dream fo trading up to the Retro Classic someday. Best looking bike of the lot, I think. try out www.russianiron.com for more advise. Dedicated lovers of commie iron there!
Hi Jeep,
We had some problems in the past with Ural, Dnjepr and Cossack.
In the past the sidecars made for export were from a better quality than the sidecars which were ment for the russian market.
Especially the weldings on the frames from the bikes not for export were very worse.
With opening from the borders from Russia, those not for export bikes came cheaper to Europe ( second hand or new from the russian market).
Nowadays quality is better, but still not very dependable.
But its a very nice piece of machinery.
It is easy to build the engine from an older type BMW into a Dnjepr, Ural or Cossack, it,s often done here in Holland.
This gives much more speed and reliability.
Greetings,
Ingmar
Originally written by arbalest on 5/23/2006 1:25 PM
Sarge, I have to disagree with you on the CJ/Dnepr thing. There are legal Dneprs to be had in the states. Lloyd Loundsbury sells DOT and EPA approved Dneprs. ANY rig can be legally imported to the U.S. if it has documentation verifying that the rig is 25 years old, or older. No EPA or DOT requirements. I drive a Dnepr that was sold NEW by my local BMW dealer as a Neval, in 1984. Granted the motor was a p.o.s. I replaced the Dnepr motor with a BMW motor, and it has been a gas and go bike ever since. A friend has a CJ. He has had it for two years and has put over 17,000 km on it. He has had no problems that weren't self inflicted. A good budget commie rig can be had. It just requires some research. Anyone contemplating either a CJ or Dnepr purchase is welcome to contact me off line at arbalest @ prexar . com(remove the spaces)
Mike Lydon
Mike,
I perhaps painted with too wide a brush. You are right about the approved Dneprs. I, however, am warning against the un-approved and, in many cases, downright illegal "kit bikes" that are being foisted off on unsuspecting budget-minded individuals. I went through it and dammed near got arrested for my efforts! (Ohio is EXTREMELY nasty in this regard. Ohio is also the home of the main offender, Yuri in Cleveland. Go figure!)
Sarge
i had a weld on a cj car give way........and stuffed my ass into a building
keep an eye on it.....
mp in az
