Ok, here how I came to Jolly Roger 1 back in 1986, when I didn't had a belly but was an always hungry student.
I started 82 with an 1974 Honda CB125K up to Sweden, I was very skinny so number 2 became a CB650 (=RC03 German version) in 83 (Still I do not like heavy bikes). Made 18.000km between the Russian border in Finland and Nessy in 3 month. Just for to get on time to National military service I made the trip from North Yorkshire back to Ratzeburg near Lübeck of 1.645km in 21 hours including 2 1/2 hours strike of the dock workers in Dover and 3/4 hours pushing the bike close to the Holland/German border because I ran out of gas (Couldn't change money on the ferry because of the strike.) I made it to the barracks gate at 16:10, 16:30 was my very first appell.
A few weeks later on the day I separated from my fioncey I fell asleep / scraped 8m along a wall, whacked off a brand new water hydrant, Had to throw my not any more fioncey off the bike, passed through a sand thorn bush wit 1 3/4" brittle thorns, and kept 3 days pulling out pieces of thorn rests out of my face.... The knick glass goggles (Climax?) I pulled down a few hundred meter earlier saved my eyes.
That bike went with me 5 years for 148.000km through whole Europe. (Except the east that was behind the iron fence 800m from my home. / I could visit my neighbour village the first time in my life until 1994)
In winter I always got typical student's cars for a couple of hundred marks. The third was an Austin Mini (Mini Cooper) that was a hell of a blast and a hell of a pain. So after 7 weeks I had been lucky to find a study colleague who was hooked on these bummers (mine ran way over 170km/h... never got to top speed).
Loaded all the surplus stuff, spares and tires into it and hit for the motorway to Hamburg. 3 km before the "Autobahn" suddenly the traction got lost... all gears , no traction... and WHACK the right front wheel got lost....A few minutes later and I couldn't tell it now.
This was THE INSPIRATION: No right front wheel. My father always was saying that I was good in driveing bikes but he hated my way to drive cars.
(Who would, if I used them usually for spinning in the snow and my earlier beadle needed a 120km drive for to heat from -13ºC to -3ºC inside temperature. Dad was with me that day... he passed by in December)
Already to that time I had met and participated on a few side-car meetings where I met much nicer people then on ordinary biker meetings. One Hermann (my age 23) I will not forget, he had worse luck then I with my hand/arm paralysis: his arm was completely thin as a mummy and he didn't have any muscles left from the shoulder to the finger tips. He passed the brake and gas of his fathers BMW R60 rig to the left and had buttons in his glove to fix his arm...
To that time East Germany was already bankrupt and made so called Compensation deals. They sold what ever they could way under cost price in the west for to get "Hard money" for urgently needed spares and tools.
And in that program Erich Honecker sold the MZ ETZ 250 without side car in 2600 DM (West German marks) and with sidecar for 4300 DM.
That was what I barely still had on my account.
2 weeks later Friday/Saturday 13.12.86 I could pick up the bike in Kiel.
First corner first fuse for flash light, second corner second fuse. What the heck continue in the old stile waving hand signs.
140km home 3 times I went straight into the field.
Next morning first snow, I visited Sherry one of my best friends who had hit a few days before a deer. Hey look you can even climb up the steep edge to the field on the left road side....no couldn't ...slipped down and the wooden road side post came up to me... Hit it with the front wheel or the brand new sidecar...no thanks...Took it with the middle, the mounting fist... What good are Anatomic motocross knee protectors!!! The hit right on the knee was hard at perhaps 50kmh, I didn't even feel much. What to do with the whacked off plock?. We mounted it back into the ground...just a "little" shorter, but the cats eye was still visible ... at ground level.
On 24. December I took off the sidecar and passed the hole bike and sidecar into the kitchen. painted all chrome with bitumen, sprayed wax on the paint and mounted the fuses into a waterproof distribution box, heated grips, handle covers that reached up to the forearm, a coachman's coverlet, and radio recorder...(always winded back to Enio Ricones, "Sing me the song of death "out of "Once upon in the west" ... My welcome greeting for hitch hikers.
25.December 86 I glued 2 coins together where to go to: England to a father like friend or Norway to a studies buddy in last stage of MS. Drove to my family in a beginning snowstorm > Aunt throw this. Well "Elisabeth" didn't like me, so I went to visit "Gustaf Adolph" and my buddy Johan Jansen in Bergen. On this trip until 5. of January I passed 2 heavy snow storms, 3 hours waiting in a tunnel for to open the road...first guy had to wait 15 hours... Later crossing Hoykely Fjiel (?) I couldn't even see the back lights of the front car in 10m distance, the snow was pilled on both sides some 5m.
In Bergen I had a lot of fun with Johan. Good bless his soul.
There I got spikes for the bike. On the way back to Oslo I made a salto mortale in the left ditch in 1m snow at -28ºC. Yupp Spikes will not always keep you on track - I hit the snow with the left foot peg and swupp... The next thing I saw was the sky and some trees.
On the trip i met only one other riding bike, another MZ-Rig from Wolfsburg (VW-plant)
Late afternoon 5.1.87 back in Kiel harbour: costume's officer: "You will not enter into Germany with spikes! Period!" ...Try to get a motorcycle tire in early January, I got one of wrong size for the back and and was obligated to pull out all spikes from the front. .. very nice at -5ºC with a pure metal pliers in the dark...
10 days later Sherry and I went camping to Harz mountains to the KVT-meeting. (Kümmerling-destroying meeting) Its good style to have a shower in the river...You definitely get again a clear head!
I finished University driving year in, year out both 2 bikes, got more nick names then only Peter Pan, like Wind face, or Timbuktu "Where do you come from in the snow? You have again camel on the fender!"
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Well 88 I smashed my Norton Commander in Death valley, CA and shipped the engine to Germany for to mount a new rig. But life had other plans, I only went back to Germany for emigrating to Costa Rica and here I sit now for 21 years.
16 years without sidecar and 11 years without bike at all I felt like a fish without water.
(you can not call a Vespa a bike (2 years), but it earned my families lunch when I was forced bankrupt by a US-company and it earned my sincere respect)
On my Birthday 2004 I was as close as never to abonden my family, and because of well premeditated circumstances by the Lord I decided to buy me the last available sidecar in the shop of the Jawa importer whom I did help before to mount the first 4 sidecars he imported.
The next weeks I had an arrangement with my client: "If my wife would call in the afternoon He would respond that I were out trying to get spares" Meanwhile I was assembling the bike out of the box to my taste...
On 13.12.2004 I found a bottle of 18 year old rum "Flor de caña" and got that day exactly 18 years after first Jolly Roger my new bike handed over.
I passed through the mountains on a dangerous trip (out of 140km for 30km i needed 4 hours) to my parents in law to celebrate with my best friend and brother in law.“Did you buy Christmas lottery' - Don't buy it! - You won already the jackpot!”
Next day when I whipped onto the yard in our farm my wife came out with a smile from ear to ear: "So that were all the secrets about!"
....I nearly forgot: There was a single standing very old orange tree on the farm where I made a circle around with my sun that same day with the rig. During lunch the storm broke it right off at the root. I took it as a omen for that the bad luck spell would be taken off the farm.
These last 5 years I own now Jolly Roger 2 (Jawa 350) I had some very nice and vivid moments making tours that normally leave me in bad health condition and require mayor repairs for the bike.The akeing back I know for many years, I can live with it.
Not for nothing my wife becomes frequently jealous or upset about my foolishness. She cannot even understand that on these trips I feel alive again as in former times.
Do You?
Best regards from 10ºN, 84ºW
Sven Peter Pan
+ "Jolly Roger 2"
+ "Enrique Gonzales" the only aerodynamical costarican mouse
+ the 3 sidecar dogs: Camilla, Negra, Balu
I'm afraid I can't be as detailed and colorful and Peter Pan but I thought I would post anyhow. Back in 1968, after I got out of the Army, I started with a 150 cc Suzuki on 2 wheels. I graduated to a 650 Triumph and rode that until shortly after I got married in 1969. At that time, I traded the bike and my car in on a mobile home to start my family with. I had a few small bikes after that, but got rid of them in a few years to raise my family. Jump ahead a few years to the end of 2007 when I retired. I moved out of a large metro area to a small town in Central Kentucky and bought a full dress bike to fit my lifestyle in retirement. After all those years off of 2 wheels, I discovered that the heavy big bike was a bit much to restart my biking days. Since I was more mature, the macho image didn't mean that much anymore and I decided that, at my age, a sidecar would not only help me ride more stable, but make the wife more comfortable. I had a sidecar put on and here I am. For those of you in Kentucky, I am going to be your new state rep. I don't know how I am going to handle it but, I'll play it by ear. KY sidecarists can contact me at wa3ugw (at) gmail.com. I'm located almost in the center of the state and haven't seen any other sidecars in my area. Are there any of you out there?
I started riding motorcycles in 1969 when I purchased a used Honda 450 which had a windshield & saddlebags. Next came a Norton, then Suzuki 750 water buffalo, followed by the first of my Moto Guzzi’s. My first Guzzi was a 1974 850. By now I had children and wanted to take them on rides, so I attached an Ural sidecar to the Guzzi. I hauled those kids all over the Pacific Northwest, and a trip to Kansas for a Moto Guzzi owners rally. The 850 Guzzi was great with the sidecar, which I could take off & remount within about 15 minutes. What really impressed me were the miles per gallon. The Guzzi got 50 MPG solo, and 45 MPG with the sidecar attached.
In 1976 I sold the 850 and replaced it with a 1976 Guzzi 1000 Convert, thinking this would be a good hauler for the sidecar. Attachment was easy, but the automatic transmission lost too much power. It only got about 25 to30 MPG. I kept the rig until I sold it and replaced the rig with a 1980 Kaw 1300 Tourer with a Vetter Terraplane sidecar. The gas mileage wasn’t so good either, but boy it had the power. During the time of this riding with the Terraplane my kids grew up and I eventually sold the rig, got divorce and went back to solo riding.
Fast forward a few years. Got married again, both my wife and I rode Honda Goldwings. Because of two broken ankles my wife could no longer ride her bike and finally we sold it. A trike wouldn’t work for her because of the riding position. I suggested a sidecar but she wasn’t too excited about it. Finally last spring I was able to talk her into attending a sidecar rally in Lake Chelan here in Washington State. She rode in a couple of different sidecar rigs and discovered she really loved it. And the decision was made to acquire a sidecar. One of the rig she a ride in was a Champion Escort and that’s what she wanted. The front of the Escort opens up which allowed easy entry with her bad ankles.
First we went to Dauntless Motors, but decided we just couldn’t afford a new sidecar to attach to my 2002 Honda GL1800. So then we started looking for a used Escort, but didn’t have much luck. So we started looking for a complete rig with the ideal of selling my Goldwing. Almost purchased a Honda 1500/Escort rig in Oregon but there were some communication problems. I started looking further away and found a 2003 Honda GL1800/Escort rig in Illinois with only 15,000 miles on it. We sold my bike as we made arrangements to purchase the 2003 rig.
I got my sidecar instruction driver’s permit and flew out to Illinois to ride it back to Washington. Meanwhile my wife’s sister came for a visit, and rode with her to Montana where I picked her up on the way home.
I was already signed up with Adventure Sidecar ( http://adventuresidecar.com/ ) in Oregon for their S/TEP class and the following week after I got back from Illinois I rode down to Oregon to take the S/TEP couirse and got my sidecar endorsement.
And we are a happy sidecar family; take our little dog with us as we travel around our state.
That’s our story.
Started riding MC's at 14 in Colorado year 'round. Went through a long series of bikes over the years and ended up in Wyoming with a Suzi Water Buffalo. In those years the kids were small and we thought about getting a Sidecar to take them along so I ordered a Spirit Eagle through the local Dealer in '73. It came in just as we were moving back to Colorado so I put it in the back of the Moving Van still in the box and took it along.
Later I mounted it and used it for several years on the Water Buffalo but when I got a first shipment '75 GL1000 the Eagle was just too small for that bike.
So I built a custom sidecar for that Wing in '76 and took first place in Street Japanise at the Denver Tri-State Auto Show with it.
Over the years I had the Eagle on several medium bikes then sold it to a friend who put it on an old Knuckle Head.
Many years later after being without a sidecar and the kids long gone with their own kids I got the yearning for another Hack that would let us take our Australian Sheppard along & or let the SO sit on the side. Thus I ended up with my current rig a '02 Champion Escort on my '01 Wing. Well the Sheppard didn't like it much but would tolerate it for short rides, mostly to & from the Vet & around town.
After the Austrailan Sheppard died at 15 years we started collecting rescued Cattle Dogs so after the 2'd one came along the sidecar became theirs and the people seat came out, good thing too because it wasn't too long before we had three cattle dogs crammed in there.
I have never kept a Sidecar Only rig and always left the bike mostly stock so that the bike could be used without the hack. That is one reason I never considered putting a Sidecar on big bikes like my old 1500 Wing with 6" or more of trail. When the GL1800 came out with it's fairly short 4" of trail I bought one in '01 with the thought of being able to add and remove a Hack as needed. It's worked out well.
With the current rig I built a custom brake pedal / master cylinder setup that's bolted to the Sidecar Frame which not only keeps all the Sidecar Hydraulics seperate to allow easy R&R it lets me aid steering by simply rolling my foot between the two brake pedals. Not a new concept but one I prefer.
For me the Sidecars have always extended the bike they were attached to making what consider a Utility Vehicle kinda like the old Jeeps and Pops Model T we had on the ranch when I was a kid. But with the Hack Rig's I could also have fun in 2-Wheel mode after 15 minutes of wrench time.
Jerry
First got on 3 wheels age 11 pedaling ice cream cart, a reverse trike, iconic white ice box with wheels.
Did stunts with it on 2 wheels for the gals and extra ice cream sales.
It's been 49 yrs inbetween 3 wheel rides, next one on order, a Gear-Up.
Jim, you will need a new ice box, if not for the chicks, then for the bait and fish.
Sadly this coming weekend will not be a fish riding trip to the coast with a couple of fellow mechanics from a client.
Its study time with our daughter who made a nice wheely last weekend with me in the sidecar.
Its her time to learn first with the rig and I guess she will have it later easier to learn to ride bike and car.
On On its lunch time here we go into the heat with the new pup. About 30ºC
Sven
I've been on two wheels for most of my life. I began on a 50cc minimike at age five and haven't been off the road since!
Recently, my boyfriend and I have begun taking longer rides, he on his sportster and me on my 535 yamaha virago. As much as I love these rides, we've always had to leave our baby (a 2 year-old golden retriever, Jasmine) at home for the day or with a friend. Unconscionable! It was at this point that I decided that we needed a sidecar. (and it was several months later that I was able to convince my boyfriend 🙂 )
Soon after, I a beautifufound l 2007 sportster-velorex combo and I was sold. This was a mere two weeks ago and I absolutely love it. Jaz hasn't been in it yet, but I can't wait! (I've bought the doggles and installed a harness system for her)
So, I haven't been on three wheels long, but I'm loving the transition and the freedom it will give our trio to take longer trips! Hopefully soon I'll have some sidecar stories of my own!
been riding on two wheels since i was nine years old,went to work at Hannigans and put one on my old v-star within a year,that was six years ago.between the old rig and the new Warrior/GT I have put on about 70,000 miles. thats not including the miles test riding customer rigs and playing with the shop toys.
Hi haley381: See this is your first post, so welcome to the 3 wheel world. Search the archives for lot's of good info re: training Jasmine. Our Maddie readily took to riding in the sidecar, except that I have to put her in the car. She still wants to chase squirrels and cats, and she's learned to push the doggles up on her head. Also, my wife, Jena, recommends searching out a sidecar training class. We both benefited greatly from the class. Again, welcome.
Lee
MB5+TW200+CRF250L+GTV300+INT650
XL883R w/Texas Ranger Sidecar
Zuma 50F + Burgman w/Texas Sidecar<Mrs. SwampFox
Three wheels is what happens when your wife (now of 40 years) decides to quit riding with you after many years and many thousands of miles on the back seat. I bought a used URal (Hal Thompson's) to see if she'd like the ride in a sidecar. Also to see if Archie would take to it and to see what I thought of riding on three wheels. I really didn't expect it to be much fun. Well... two out of three ain't bad. Barb tried it one week end but her mind was made up- she wanted to quit the bike. But Archie loved it and I discovered what a thrill it was. So after a couple years spending more time on the Ural than the Harley, I sold it and my Kwik Kamp and ordered the Liberty from Pete and Patty. The rest is history. Working on the second 100 K now on the Harley. I've wished a few times though that I'd have hung onto the Ural but oh well....
We purchased a complete rig - 2000 V Star 650 with 2004 Velorex - March 2009. The bosses arthritis has gotten so bad she cannot get on the back of the K11 anymore. I enjoy driving the sdiecar enough that the K did not get ridden a lot last year. It is quite handy for shopping, driving to work, great for stop and go city traffic, sitting at traffic lights not having to hold the bike up. It's also nice to have a bike without a fairing on it for those Sunday afternoon rides in the country when it is blistering hot
Welcome aboard Haley! After 60 plus years riding solo I attached a third wheel when the knees went south.
Question for Garry: riding without fairing:
"How do you recognize a happy biker?"
"When The flies in between the teeth are smilling!"
Enjoy
Sven
