When did they send out the lay off notices. Champion does still sell sidecars. And still in the top suppliers left in the market.
Most often the dampener was installed as a preventive for low speed shake that can show up in some rigs. It happen between 25 and 40 MHP and not all the time. Hitting a bump, roll on power going over a rise in the road ect. Most often brought it on.
I will have an estimate for a triple tree on Monday from Texas Sidecars so that will give me the best ride possible. It remains to be seen if i can get it done before the rally next month
Walk with Joy
Steve Ives
@smitty901 I know they are still an existing company. They do reverse gears. But I had a champion s car rig and sold it back last year. I contacted them about some parts & pieces for my rig. It’s been over a year. I was told that they no longer do sidecars. So when did they re-start? My info came from them directly. It would be nice if I were wrong. They had great equipment.
Steve, those pictures don't really show what we want to see.
Try these
Here's a suggestion. Got to this website where there are a bunch of pictures of a GL1500 for sale -- LINK
That bike has standard triple trees. Look carefully at the angle of the forks, and the distance between the front wheel and the front fairing. Compare what you see to your bike. Is your front wheel tucked in there nice and tight like the bike for sale? Or is your front wheel farther away from the front of the engine? Is the top of your fender closer to the underside of the headlight than the one in the pictures? Do the forks look like they are the same angle?
Usually, if a sidecar rig does NOT have EZ-Steer or some other trail-reducing steering modification, the new owner will IMMEDIATELY come on the forum and complain about how heavy the steering is. You didn't do that back in January. That's why I think you already have the EZ-Steer triple trees.
OK. let's step back a bit.. The Damper you took off. Did you test it. A certain amount of resistance moving both ways. Takes a slow steady pull/push. If it moves easy then toast. But! If it is not leaking and it was controlling the low speed wobble and slowing down the steering at speed. You said it changed when you took it off, Right? Then why fix what isn't broken.. Just saying..
OK back to tires and Easy Steer they are important 🙂 Listen to Miles. He knows.
To me it looks tight bearing in mind i do not have the lower cowl on right now i have to cut the show chrome to fit, the old one is cracked and two mounts are broken
. The steering is heavy to me i figured it was normal. But with the tire issues that i am sure will improve. The damper is pretty stiff to move but it does move both ways. The picture of the white wing shows the distance is greater then what i have and that has ez steer
Varn how was the steering when you owned it?
I want the best i can get seeing the country is no fun if you arrive knackered (worn out ) right.
So get the estimate, try out the new tire first and see if i am satisfied
Walk with Joy
Steve Ives
I will bow to Miles at this point as he is a GL1500 expert, BUT, based on these new pics, I'd say you DO NOT have an EZ Steer. So you and Miles ARE barking up the right tree IMO.
Feel free to chastise me thoroughly. And freely. 😊
Something is not right with the information you got. Champion makes the new sidecar Harley offers. This is one on a new Harley. This is a different Champion than the one They install on the new Highway King
Champion is alive and well.
You may have talked with a shop that no longer deals with them .
California sidecars bailed out of sidecars along time ago but still uses the name. All they offer is Trikes.
Once again, I must concur with my colleague @smitty901, because Champion Sidecars is still in business, and still making sidecars, along with Reverse gears, etc. I just called and talked to their office last week, so I know they are open. They are currently making 3 models of sidecars for the general public, as well as that special sidecar for H-D's.
No more rumors.....Champion Sidecars is still open, and in business !
Two Million Mile Rider...All 7 Continents
Exploring the World in Comfort
Well thanks guys for getting me straighter out on that. I obviously had a big mistake and am glad to know better. Sorry for publishing false information.
I think we understand how that could happen CSC was often confused with Champion. CSC always claimed they would put Hannigan out of business.
If you want find out if it was raked measure wheel base. Center axle to center axle. If raked the wheel base will be longer than factory.
If you want find out if it was raked measure wheel base. Center axle to center axle. If raked the wheel base will be longer than factory.Well, of course! But there's no way to know if the bike you're measuring is the factory wheelbase or not. You'd have to know in advance what the factory wheelbase is.
If only there was a way to look up the factory wheelbase. Like on the internet or something. But then you'd need a website that would search the internet for you to find what you're looking for. Like "searchtheinternet.com".
Oh, wait. That's a brilliant idea. I should invent that. Searchtheinternet.com - I'm gonna be rich! 🤩
It's 169cm exactly. [LINK]
When I read the post about Champion. The first thing that came to mind was Victory. When Polaris shut them down they open in the morning.
Sold new bikes like it would never end. Midday word came out shut it down. Victory is no more.
