Please don't laugh, Very new to the whole sidecar thing and I would like my neighbor (a skilled metal fabricator, who builds racing go carts, 100mph+) to make me a little sidecar for hauling my dog with me around the city. I would also use it when we go to the lake around the site and small touring johnts.
Here's the don't laugh part. I have a Yamaha BWS or Zuma scooter. Yes I said scooter. 2 stroke bundle of fun. I run to work and back 12miles each way in the city and gas fill once a week, $3.31USD, pretty good I'd say. My wife and I (we both have one) just cruise around with a top speed of 42mph. I will be tuning it soon to do a topspeed of 60mph. It will haul two people now with a max weight of 350lbs, pickup and ride is great. Since it will only be one person, sidecar, and my dog it should move just fine. They are our getting to work / entertainment. I want my Dog to come with us as he love car rides anyway. He weighs about 60lbs.
I thought I would ask about mounting, geometry of the sidecar and wheel, shock setup and anything that you experts may be able to point me in the right direction. Thanks for any help.
Check out Hal Kendall's books: Especially "Riding With a Sidecar" info is available on this site.
HI CHARGER:
Texas Sidecar Co. makes scooter hacks and an old-timer in our NE3Wheelers Club in MA, has one on his scooter and loves it! Possibly other sidecar manufacturers also make scooter models. GOOD LUCK.....Old Tom in NH
You see Vespas with sidecars on ebay all the time. Seems like someone in India is putting these together. When one comes up, send the seller a question asking about them.
The Cozy sidecar is from India. They have several models available for small motorcycles and scooters. Check out Cozy Scooter sidecars.
I just installed one on a Honda Helix that went out yesterday. Pix here at albums/Hack'ns Hacks/S'more. The owner ordered it himself from India and it took a few months to arrive, but was well packaged (heavy wooden crate with plastic reinforced tarp liner) and came color matched at no extra cost. There are no instructions on mounting however, so you are on your own there. (Got Fabricator?) The factory mount is a single laminated plate that could bolt directly to a platform floor or some tubular frames. In our case a sub-frame had to be fabricated. The unit is well sized and wouldn't overwhelm an even a smaller scooter.
Lonnie Cook
Northwest Sidecar
