What to check for when purchasing a motorcycle with a sidecar?

And, Chris, when you say it is a Darkside rear tire on the bike, that is an ambiguous description, as a Darkside tire can be either a Car Tire on a motorcycle, or....a motorcycle tire that was designed for the rear wheel, but is now being used on the front wheel, such as....the infamous Bridgestone BT-46, 130/70-18....a REAR tire...that is Bias Belt....and we sidecarists and trikesters install it onto the front wheel, turned around backwards from the directional arrow, so it now serves as a braking tire on the front wheel, vs serving as a traction tire on the rear wheel.

To answer your ambiguous question, let's "presume" you meant it is a Car Tire mounted on the rear wheel. I suggest inflating it to 40 psi, because...we are trying to figure out the problem as to why your TPMS light is staying on. The tires on your bike need to start out with a MINIMUM of 38 psi in both tires, just to keep the TPMS light out.

A brand new....newly installed...Bridgestone BT-46 rear tire mounted onto the front wheel backwards, should be set at 40 psi...and NEVER be allowed to be less than 40 psi...and I do have ways of utilizing the NASA and NSA satellites to check your air pressures.

A brand new Car Tire...preferably a Bridgestone Driveguard 195/55-16 Run Flat on the rear wheel, should be set at 38 psi, just to trick the TPMS light, or.....set it at 35 or 36 psi, and drive the rig 5 to 10 miles, and the TPMS light should go out, as the tire warms up.

And yes, the Car Tire in these pictures is a Yokohama Avid Ascend, not a 'stone Driveguard

This is the oil I purchased, the HP4S.  https://powersports.honda.com/pro-honda-oils/4-stroke-engine-oil/hp4s-ultimate-full-synthetic

                                                        https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LAEEHZ4?ref_=ppx_hzod_title_dt_b_fed_asin_title_0_0

I do see they have another type of full synthetic, with the no slip clutch additive, I did NOT buy that one. Maybe I am at least 50% sharp? lol

https://powersports.honda.com/pro-honda-oils/4-stroke-engine-oil/hp4ru-full-synthetic-racing-ultra

Posted by: @Railbender

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@miles-ladue ahh appears I need the bottom plugs! Part #BKR5EIX-11

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  I did see

Yes, @Railbender, the NGK Iridium sparks are the cats meow for these engines, and will last 75k to 100k with NO problems at all.

I remove mine at 75k miles, or...every 6 months , and they look like brand new.

AND, Railbender, you did buy the correct oil.

But again, I want to say, I buy cases, and cases of the Mobil 1 5w-30 and 10w-30 oil from Costco, whenever it is on sale for $ 10 bucks off per case, and my shop shelves are full of the stuff. I have had ZERO problems of any kind using that Mobil 1 automotive oil in my "modern" motorcycles.

I say..."modern" motorcycles, because one of our bikes is my wife's 1986 Honda Rebel 450 twin. For that one I use regular oil...not fully synthetic.

Ultimately, the choice of oil, like the choice of which bike to ride, is all up to the owner, and as long as YOU are happy, then that's all that counts.

After reading the guy's "for sale" listing here, and watching those two videos, I don't have any concerns at all.  Once we came to an agreement on the selling price, I'd hop right on it and drive it away with a smile on my face.

For most other used rigs I would not be so cavalier.

Once I got it home, I'd measure lean out and toe-in just to be sure.  As a former Goldwing/Daytona owner, I think those rigs could have a setup less than optimal and you wouldn't necessarily notice it, especially as a novice, because the steering is pretty light and the pure pulling power of those 1800 cc's has a way of dulling the senses. 

I believe  it would be  prudent to  check  all tire pressures,  and set them correctly,  before  hopping  on this  capable  sidecar rig,  and driving  it 500+ miles , especially  given that  it will be  a completely  new sidecar  pilot on the  bike.

@miles-ladue  Tire pressure check is definitely on the to-do list, as soon as I leave AutoZone with my Seafoam and/or Chevron Techron!

@miles-ladue sending PM, good sir!

Edit: maybe not; the site doesn't do anything when I click on "private message." I will e-mail you.

Chris, down in the bottom right of the screen there is a box titled "Messages".  Click on that, then click on the little blue pencil in the left corner of that box,  address the message to whomever you wish to PM and "send".

Posted by: @cms062407

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@miles-ladue sending PM, good sir!

 

Edit: maybe not; the site doesn't do anything when I click on "private message." I will e-mail you.

Chris,  email  received,  and replied to. 

@cms062407 , uh, oh... he mentioned Africa Twins.  There is hope!

@ben-franklin I was contemplating adding a sidecar to my AT…but I’m just going to sell it instead. That setup does look great though.

Posted by: @cms062407

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@ben-franklin I was contemplating adding a sidecar to my AT…but I’m just going to sell it instead. That setup does look great though.

Chris  S, did you  receive the email  I sent you  last night  ?

@miles-ladue just replied! I am about to head to the airport now to go pick this bad boy up.

Posted by: @swampfox

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@miles-ladue just replied! I am about to head to the airport now to go pick this bad boy up.

Aha....gentlemen, watch your topnotch...because I believe that this is a reply from Chris S, but unintentionally signed in as @swampfox.

It's that olde switcheroo that we have seen happening recently.

Yep, I’ve seen my name showing up as someone else here recently. Hopefully the admins are working the issue, if it’s in their hands?

side note—-what do you all recommend I set the electronic preload to when driving home? I was thinking full hard at 25, given the weight of the sidecar and trailer….but I’m also not certain!