🙂 Jay at DMC hooked my sidecar brake into the rear on my 1500 with a no-spill quick-connect (same treatment with the electrics) and it works beautifully; I hardly notice any pulling when braking ( with the foot pedal.) Recommend the same for your rig. Mike
Since I'm a double amputee, I will have to tap into the brake lever. That will require a bigger master cylinder to move enough fluid to make it all work. But sourcing one from another bike shouldn't be a problem.
If you are using just the hand control you are not using both front brakes on the GL1500 this should not be a problem as long as you can still lock up the brakes. On some Harley's for double amputee owners we have plubmed the front brake to only work one front brake and left the other inoporational. This has worked fine. On the GL1500 we have used the Pingle shifter. It works fine. I have also made some wiring changes that allow the cruise control switch to work as the up down shift when cruise main power is off and when cruise main power is on they cruise works fine you just can not shift. Once you pull the clutch in the crisue control is shut off any ways so this should not be an issue. To do the shifter this way requires making an internal wiring change to the switch and adding 4 relays.
We are building a BMW R1200GS with our M72D sidecar on it right now for a double amputee that we are running the Pingle shifter, droping one front brake so that that master can work the 3 remaining brakes and are adding an electric reverse. We have done a fair amount of this kind of work if any one has any specific questions email me dirrect jay@dmcsidecars.com
Jay G
DMC sidecars
www.dmcsidecars.com
866-638-1793
Thanks for your help Jay.
Mike
Since I'm a amputee, pushing the pedal isn't an option so I will have to tie into the lever. I'll have to source a MC with a larger bore so that it moves enough fluid to make it all work.
Mike:
Thanks for starting this post on California Sidecar Parts a while back... I just brought home, (on 11-14-2011), a California Sidecar Friendship III
and am now enjoying this task of finding parts and cross references and stuff. My brake rotor is warped so I hope I can find a comparable rotor.
I plan on stocking up on brake parts since I keep my bikes, (and attachments), a long time.
Have you found anything yet on a brake rotor cross reference and other parts?
Thanks!!!
My winter project will be to get the sidecar frame and attachment parts back to almost like new, (a bit of rust on chrome parts).
I will also scuff, seal, prime, paint and pinstripe my sidecar to match my Pearl HotRod Yellow 1985 GL1200 LTD that I painted myself back in 2006. (14,000 original miles).
Can't wait to see the whole rig!!!
Best Wishes to all!!! What a great site for our sidecar addiction!!! 🙂
Don Wittbrodt, Winchester, KY
Don aka dwitgoldwing -do you have mounts to fit your GL1200? I have a set for an 1100 that'll likely work fine on your 1200.
Wow, what a colour Don. Can't wait to see the completed, painted rig.
Best wishes,
Yeah, I have mounts of some kind... I was told that my sidecar came off a Goldwing so I hope I can make some of it work on my 1200.
I will take pics tonight when I get home after work. I got back to my house at 3AM Monday after a 1240 mile trip to get the sidecar in Missouri, so I didn't get pics that day...
I did get the body off the frame last night and will start getting the frame/mechanics in good shape this week.
Thanks for the comment on the paint job... I spent 7 months sanding, stripping original graphics, designing new graphics, painting, building a matching trailer, and $2000 in PPG paint.
But I think the finished bike was worth it. Just imagine the full rig painted in that Pearl HotRod Yellow... It will be EYE-CATCHING!!!
I used House of Kolor Ice Gold Pearl instead of PPG pearl. The slightly larger flakes really accent the yellow!!!
I really appreciate your encouragement on this project... I'm not worried about the paint and fixing the rig.
My only concern is if I can find a rotor....
I hope I don't have to convert to a different brake system... I may change the whole hub/Caliper/brake system if need be,
just to have a readily available brake part setup.
Don W.
Don't mean to sidetrack this post... I do want to find parts for my rig....
but, here's a pic of my bike with the trailer/graphics I did.
Don W.
GL 1000 and GL1100 mounts are usualy the same however some times the front lower has to be made a bit different if the bike has had floor boards added. GL1200 can use the same lower front and upper front but take a different upper rear and lower rear, California sidecar simply clamped to the crash bar for the upper rear, I feel this is not a good idea at all. The GL1500 takes a different mount and some companies have two different lower rear mounts for the GL1500 depending on if it has adjustable passenger floor boards. GL1800's take a different mount as well, this mount needs to be designed in such a way to not stress the alluminium frame which already has issues.
We have mounts for all GL Bikes except for the Valkyrie rune (we do have them for the GL1500 valkyrie)
Jay G
DMC sidecars
www.dmcsidecars.com
866-638-1793
Welcome Don and thank you. I started it because the company is less than helpful, even with simple things.
It's been a long time, but Winchester used to be in my riding zone. I lived in Lexington for about ten years. I spent a lot of time around Mount Sterling and Winchester.
I'll bet you miss this area, especially for riding... We have many great curvy roads to ride on.
The ride up to Natural Bridge, Slade, McKee and many others are nice rides.
I love Winchester, 'cuz of its proximity to Lexington, but I don't have to live in the big city.
I cut a decal on my vinyl cutter that says, "WINGchester, KY on it and put in on the back of my Goldwing trunk.
To stay a little on topic, I called CSC Parts and they do have tires and brake pads in stock, (not cheap, though).
They keep referring me to Jay at DMC so I am going to do business with him as much as possible.
Don W.
dwitgoldwing - 11/15/2011 8:31 AM
My brake rotor is warped so I hope I can find a comparable rotor.
Jay didn't mention it but DMC can supply a brake rotor to fit the SCS Friendship series. I got mine from them. I'm not impressed with the finish of the rotor surface but it's a serviceable piece.
DMC is making the mounts for me for my 1500. Side Effects (Kamloops, BC) made my GL1100 mounts for me - they're very nicely done. I should post some pics of 'em. Not sure what I'm going to do with my GL1100 yet - our motorcycle insurance costs here are very high (maybe the highest in north america?) so I really can't afford to insure 2 bikes. I'm a little tempted to buy a 2nd sidecar (if I find the right deal), or maybe even trike it out. On the other hand, if someone needs a set of mounts for an 1000/1100/1200, for a very reasonable price I may sell 'em.
