Hi,...I have been a new rider to the highway with a sidecar and I am noticing a lot of wind really hitting me in the face and body coming up between my bike and sidecar....any suggestions?
Does the sidecar have a windscreen?
If so, can it be folded down or stowed away?
I noticed the same thing with my rig.
I usually ride solo, so I can fold down the windscreen and the problem goes away.
I did the same as Mark. I pulled mine off but it is just a few bolts to put it back. I also have a cover made for running that way, helps with gas mileage. My dog loves the wind and he does not have to hang over the side this way. Lol.
Originally written by Cara2 on 7/23/2006 7:35 PM
Hi,...I have been a new rider to the highway with a sidecar and I am noticing a lot of wind really hitting me in the face and body coming up between my bike and sidecar....any suggestions?
What kind of a sidecar combination do you have? My Goldwing/HitchHiker was horrible for it. My wife said the wind would take her breath away when she was on the back of the bike. When I got it, it had a plexglass panel about 4 inches high mounted upright in front of the windshield, but at an angle. On the far side it was up near the sidecar windscreen, but on the bike side it was out near the nose of the sidecar. I thought it was ugly and took it off, only to discover the same wind effect you describe. When I put it back on, the wind was reduced dramatically. Experiment with a piece of plywood or something and a roll of duct tape. Once you find a comfortable solution, go to a scrap yard and find one of those bug shields that everybody used to put on the hood of their pickup trucks. Grab it and it's mounts and make something more permanent.
My XS850/Dnepr combination had only negligible wind problems but the Valkyrie/Ural still gives me a bit. Dropping the windshield helps, but I ride year round in Northern Wisconsin and my passengers always whine if they don't have a windshield, especially out on the Interstate.
The effect of wind is a function of the bike and sidecar, and especially of what fairings or lack of, and shape and interaction, etc. This is more especially true as speed increases.
On my Laverda 3C I had a special 3-piece Avon full custom streamlined fairing on the bike which covered the full sides and handlebars and shoulders. I could see over the top. See the USCA logo. There was virtually no wind problems at any speeds up to 90 mph. Above - who cares? The sidecar is a Watsonian of the mid 1950s. There was some wind inside the cockpit (my wife tells me). She always rode with the top up.
I have a Ural Retro as well as a Suzuki V Strom/Ural. I have not experienced this on either bike?
I do have windshields on both bikes, perhaps that makes the difference?
I also wear a full face helmet (Schuberth S1). I noticed on my Harley (with no shield) that a full face (compared to an open face or half helmet) makes all the difference in the world.
I have A 1100 vstar and velorex 562 sc. Had a $35 wind deflector on the bike before I added the sc no change in wind with the sc.
Thanks, Mark. I do have a windshield on the sidecar and I may have to do what you suggest. Thanks for replying
Thanks, Richard...it's been too hot for my dogs to be in my sidecar, but if I remove the windshield, I know one of them will love it:)
Thanks, Mike. I actually thought of something similar, but with a mesh screen, but I guess we're on the same track. I have a Boulevard C50 with a Friendship II sidecar. Love it, except for the wind problem. Thanks, again.
Hi, Hal. I thought about a fairing, but I don't think one is made for the Boulevard C50. I'll check, though. Thought about a bigger windshield, though.
Greg, I do have a windshield on both bike and sidecar. I have a Suzuki Boulevard C50 and Friendship II sidecar.
Hi Kid,.....I have a friend with a Honda Aero 1100cc with a Velorex 565 and she hasn't noticed anything, but she wears a full face helmet and has never ridden on "2", so she doesn't have any base of comparison. Thanks.
Cara2
If you take your dogs in the sidecar PLEASE get them a pair of Doggles. It will take a bit of work to get the dog to keep them on at 1st but he know no ride without them. Lol
Richard
Ride Safe
Seriously, several reasons: re Doogles
1. Stops dirt, road debris from penetrating doggies eyes and blinding him/her
2. Stops his/her eyes from drying out from wind and preventing him/her from crippling eye disease
3. - most important - just looks cool!
