How do the above sidecars work with Guzzis? Any suggestions, mounting recommendations, etc?
Do these have brakes and do they have a separate trunk, or do you fold the seat?
Thanks,
Marcus
The Ural has a latched trunk lid and can be purchased with a drum or disk brake. The brake can have a separate pedal or be tied into the bikes rear brake. The first sidecar rig I drove was an old 500cc Guzzi. It sold me on the sidecar experience. As long as the car is mounted and setup well, and you've got the horsepower desired, the tug is pretty much a personal choice. I'd suggest something near 1000cc to ensure you can easily hold desired highway speeds. I've a Ural on an R1100GS and it will go about anywhere as fast as I want to...Danny
I would suggest the URAL. Although the cost is higher so is the quality control of their units. The current distributor also has upgraded brakes and mountings available.
The Dnepr, though seemingly alike in appearance is lacking in fit and finish, wheels are not as nice (or concentric), no opening trunk lid is offered and the chassis welds and body are usually quite rough (Typical old school Russian workmanship).
Lonnie
Northwest Sidecar
I don't know what the Tonti is, but I periodically run into an older gent in St. Paul who has a Ural on an 850T. It seems like every time I see him he is either just home from a cross country trip or just getting ready to leave on one. He seems real happy with the combo. He once said he started with an older Velorex when the bike was new, then went to a HitchHiker when they first came out, and then to the Ural, all on the same bike.
The Tonti's work fine and we make a mounting kit for them. My General manager runs a Convert with a lowered Ural on it. The Ural is a nicer sidecar then the Dnepr as it is a bit better built and the trunk opens from the out side.
We have Ural's as well as Sputnik sidecars in stock and depending on which Tonti you have we may have the mounts in stock. All Tonti's use the same front lower mount. Some use different lower rear and upper rear mounts.
Jay Giese
Dauntless Motors Corporation
www.dauntlessmotors.com
866-638-1793
Originally written by SidecarMike on 1/8/2007 5:40 PM
I don't know what the Tonti is, but I periodically run into an older gent in St. Paul who has a Ural on an 850T.
Tonti's are named after the designer, who came up with it for the V7 Sport through the T series and it still continues today in the California series. It may qualify as one of the longest running frame designs as it has been in continuous production over 30 years, though Ural and Enfield have it beat by a large margin.;)
After an annoying correspondence (in all fairness he may well be a nice guy) with a cut rate Dnepr/ural seller, I've decided on a used Sputnik as I like the streamlined/more enclosed design better. I plan to mount it to my Cal II, but it would look equally at home on my SP.
My Tonti ('79 1000SP) does just fine, albeit with a Hannigan car. In fact, Guzzi used to offer factory sidecar mounting kits for the Tonti frames, and even released a factory assembled rig based on the 850 T5.
Hi Marcus,
Coming over to the dark side aye...? Good deal and good choice in the Cal II for the rig...
Get it rigged up for Heath...
Ciao,
Rob
Hey Rob! The goal is Heath. There are some important steps I have to take. Picking up the sidecar (What do these actually fit in anyway?), mounting and adjusting it; learning how to drive it; REALLY learning how do drive it;Seeing how my four year old takes to it. The biggest battle will be connvincing Mrs. Marcus to let mini-marcus ride around in it. The best approach will be to sneak him out in it and beg forgiveness, as prior permission will never happen. I'm hoping it'll be like a candy situation for him, once he tastes it, he'll manage to wrangle it out of her! We have a new child on the way, so the only way I 'll get on two wheels is to make it three wheels and take the boy with me for balast.
