I have a 2000 Harley electra glide classic with side car. Bike has 40,000 mikes on it. I have been on 3 wheels now for 1 year. My biggest complaint is the ride I get. My wife is comfortable in the car but i feel a stiff ride like forks and shocks are not working as they should. With the car attatched does this affect the geometry for the motorcycle to the point the forks and shocks are useless? I have tried putting air in the shocks but this makes them stiffer. Also when removing air out of the rear shock line, the air line filler port is oozing an oilly substance out. Am I expecting more of a ride than is available or are my rear shocks bad and forks need clean and flush?
Mike
One thing to keep in mind. If this is a Harley brand sidecar the sidecar has no suspesion. If you want a better ride, most any other brand of sidecar will have a better ride.
Jay G
DMC sidecars
www.dmcsidecars.com
866-638-1793
Jay
Yes this is a harley car. It has a leaf spring suspension which my wife is quit comfortable in. I do not enjoy the same ride. Seems like my forks and shocks do not work the same way with the car attatched. I have not ridden this bike without and do not plan to do so. I have a Heritage springer softtail and get a better ride.
Mike
Yes, the body has leaf springs, The sidecar has no suspesion which means every bump you hit with the sidecar you know about on the bike.
Jay G
DMC sidecars
www.dmcsidecars.com
866-638-1793
I would imagine this would wear out the suspension on the motorcycle faster, therefore needing new shocks or possibly springs in the forks. Any Harley rigs out there experiencing this situation?
An asymetrical sidecar outfit is a whole different animal than your solo bike. Two track vehicles don't bank in turns, so no more light push on the bar to initiate a turn. Now it is steer and push/pull on the bars. Unlike a sidecar with a sprung chassis the Harley car transmits all of the road shock to the pilot The tire and some small flexion of the upper mount tube take up only a small part of the shock.
It's been that way for almost 100 years and many like that method regardless of the shortcomings.
I'm not one of them and have a full suspension Liberty car on my HD. Much nicer riding for me and my bride.
Lonnie
Northwest Sidecars
Would this Harley system have a tendency to wear out forks and shocks quicker that all the shock is being transported to the bike?
The lateral pressures on the forks no doubt affect the life of some of the front fork components and the extra weight shifts will work the shocks more. I don't know to what extent this affects the life of them. This hasn't been a complaint from Harley sidecar owners so it must not be appreciable wear.
Lonnie
