There used to be a statistic (have no idea now where I read it though) that claimed that sidecars made up about 2% of all motorcycles on the road. A true niche market for such, I suspect. I imagine that installers probably figure in there as well, so the market for sidecars to begin with is very, very small. Even for dedicated sidecar rigs such as the Urals, the dealership network is so very poor that seeing one or two privately owned ones in a state is probably more the norm than seeing several on the road. The biggest conglomeration of sidecars is always at a rally where there was a confirmed effort to bring them out. Small numbers produced to begin with, so it appears logical that there would be small numbers on the roads for the most part, as well.
Just like a motorcycle, they too require suiting up in special gear for the most part. Much easier to hop in a car than suit up for every ride, but what a difference though. The present youth generation is not inclined to sink a goodly sum of money into somehting that is more popular with Pop or Grandpa. Most rigs are a significant chunk of change to shell out for these days, as well. There are several options available that cost less or at least cost about the same. Many of those options have more go power, as well as other amenities.
I believe the sidecar will never see the popularity of the more common motorcycle, ATV or even rides such as the Spyder or crotch rockets. It is just too quaint and will remain a pure niche market for quite some time. Nothing wrong in that, as it adds a bit of uniqueness to them and makes them something to always be a great conversation starter. As the youth of today steadfastly age (everyone does, you know), the sidecar rig may well come back in as a viable motor vehicle, but I am a bit doubtful. Reason being, EPA and other government agencies know how to ruin more than they ever help, technology may well change the power plants of all vehicles, the image of hacks will always be something that Grandpa enjoyed and not youth oriented and probably a whole host of other reasons not even factored in.
Me, I enjoy it all while I can. It is a nice ride for me and something different than the typical ride everyone else is on. No need for speed, as I can't enjoy viewing the flowers along the highways when I do over 70mph. 🙂 There is a certain nostalgia that comes as a freeby with a sidecar rig, so I guess that is a selling point that most overlook. Not me though, as I enjoy the looks, the feel and the ride. My dogs enjoy it more than a car ride, so it works well in fulfiling my needs.
Knowing some other older Uralists and sidecarists in my area, I find that most of them do not travel more than a few miles around their own neighborhood. YOu may see them on the road near their homes, but you are not likely to see them on the super slabs or even headed across the country. Some just like their machines for nice little trips around the neighborhood. Nothing wrong with that, as each person has their own travel desires with a sidecar rig. My dogs and I travel around the neighborhood almost as much as we do traveling locally to other towns and such. You would likely see most of these folk at a car/motorcycle show well before you saw them traveling to a camp out or hitting the roads for a weekend of Iron Butt-type of travel.
The above is just my take on the oddities of owning a rig and the reason so few are seen, outside of rallys.
how do you get around this one? a guy i know who lives in the same village as me gave up riding a bike end of last summer, he said he was getting to old for it he's only a couple of years older than me, so i said why dont you get an outfit?. he just looked at me as if i were stupid & said what for iv'e already got a car.Hank
Originally written by Hank41 on 5/11/2009 6:26 AM
how do you get around this one? a guy i know who lives in the same village as me gave up riding a bike end of last summer, he said he was getting to old for it he's only a couple of years older than me, so i said why dont you get an outfit?. he just looked at me as if i were stupid & said what for iv'e already got a car.Hank
This is where you use the old Land Rover adage, (copied by the current generation of HD riders). "If I have to explain it, you probably wouldn't understand." How many times haven't you heard a sidecarist say,"if I had known it was going to be like this, I would have done it thirty years ago?" I repeat that line to anyone who questions my riding choice. Then I let them take the rig for a short ride with me in the sidecar. I have a 28 year old acquaintence who is now building a bike with intentions of mounting a sidecar.
..motorcycles and riding are a diverse freedom,..a custom bike, a classic vintage or totally unique ride is individual to us as the rider,..the sidecarist is the " distinct society" all on it's own,..just like there is motorcycle racers,...then there is speedway racers with no gears or brakes, all horsepower and slides..just gonads and skill to guide them through ... a distinct group unique unto themselves,..and I love it. crawf.
For those of you worried that a sidecar hack cannot keep up with the pack, I would highly recommend getting a supercharged Triumph Rocket!
I have no problems keeping up, despite my massive 250-lb Hannigan Double seater "Bandito." 🙂
My biggest issue is keeping the front wheel down under hard accel. Need to get some big weights on the front shocks or something along those lines.
I personally think the biggest reasons we don't see more sidecars is the cost of getting a new hack. Many of you can cobble an old unit together and make it look and work great, but for use "average folk," a turn key solution is best. I got a full solution from Hannigan, but it cost me a bloody mint and still took a good bit of wrenching and engineering to get everything working just right. I'm into my sidecar far more than a new fun motorcycle. It was tough to justify, but its been worth it to be able to haul the kiddies around.
Just my two cents.
I agree with all of the above. I have two other hackers in the neighborhood, one is down with clutch problems and the other doesn't get ridden much. We have 62K on our 4 year old hack, and still try to take it to NC, VA or TN twice a year. Ridding down in South Florida in the summer is not much fun, but if you keep moving, it is ok. I ride year round, when possible, but we really pile up the miles in the winter and spring. The hacks are out there, you just need to know where to look.
Uber
i will say no more on this thread we all drive sidecar for whatever reasons. some because of choice some cos there aint no choice but what i will say is this driving a sidecar is the most unusual experience a person can have & i have been at this for a lot of years & it has given me more pleasure than anything else i hope i can continiue to enjoy it for many more years. Hank
I agree!
Originally written by Hank41 on 5/11/2009 5:31 PM
i will say no more on this thread we all drive sidecar for whatever reasons. some because of choice some cos there aint no choice but what i will say is this driving a sidecar is the most unusual experience a person can have & i have been at this for a lot of years & it has given me more pleasure than anything else i hope i can continiue to enjoy it for many more years. Hank
I had to replace my clutch this season also...$75.00 and 45 minutes,...cheap maintenance in my books after 3 hack seasons of abuse,..crawf
Originally written by Jim Van der Veen on 5/11/2009 2:03 PM
The hacks are out there, you just need to know where to look.
Uber
This is true. Yesterday I rode to Minneapolis to pick up a part for my trailer. When I got there, a young man helped carry things out to the sidecar, then started telling me his parents were wanting to put one on a Goldwing but didn't know where to start. I gave him a list of websites and installers and invited them to the upcoming Skunks in the Woods Rally.
Next stop was a gas station. While filling the bike, a 30 something couple came up to tell me they had purchased a sidecar for her Sportster and were having it mounted by a local shop.
Third stop of the day was to see an old friend at the Sheriff's Dept. In the course of our conversation, he told me he bought a new Velorex in the middle 70's with intentions of mounting it to an old Moto Guzzi he was going to restore. The restoration never happened and the thirty year old sidecar is still in it's shipping crate. He has asked me to sell the sidecar for him. I'll post it here when I get photos and details.
Long story short; I made 4 stops yesterday. Three of them turned in to sidecar related stops.
The moral of the story is that the more you ride yours, the more you will encourage others to ride.
Originally written by david lloyd on 5/10/2009 1:04 AM
I still can't figure out why I bought a rig several years ago. To me its like, "why did I chose those lottery numbers?" It's the best choice I ever made! Love riding my rig. love working on my rig. Were I rich, I would have 3! 1 really hot [amazing bike and 30 000 hack], 1 Ural Gear-up with winter tires just for the winter months, and a rig that was a set-up intended to make people laugh. Like maybe the sidecar would be a hot-dog or a bath tub. I would sell my car and bike before I would sell my rig.
David,
I do agree with every single word in your posting. Since I was 18 years of age I`m riding all kind of motorcycles. When I retired in 2001 I bought an Goldwing 1800 riding it for 75k miles, thereof about 25k miles just in the Alps in Austria.
In July 2007 I`ve got my sidecar-dream Goldwing 1800, stream-silver, with Dutch hack EML GT 2001. Since then I have made 35k miles of endless joy and fun.I never will stop riding my rig and would also sell my car and bike before I would sell my rig.
Bikers who never were riding a rig do not know what the miss in there life.
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Regards from Germany
Sidehack-Sigi
Hi papasmurf,
what aerea of Germany have you visited last year ? In March/April usually we do not have the best weathercondition for tours with motorcycles.We have here about 45.000 registered sidecars. In total there are 5.4 millions motorcycles, thereof nearly 500.000 driven by women.
End of August every year, we celebrete
the great Euro Sidecar Rally. Three days, three wheels: That's the motto on the camp ground at Weiswampach. This year we expect appr. 1.800 sidecars from all over Europe.
Look at this site for many interesting pics from the 2008 - rally.
http://3rad.smugmug.com/gallery/6960046_ZTKag/1/469011717_XWU3c
SidehackSigi
