Quote from smitty901 on March 24, 2023, 10:24 amShould you decide down the road the Steer light is something you want. I recommend Hannigan.
Reasons. Many make raked tress and some sell them at lower cost. In most case they are the same tree others will use for different mods to a bike.
The Hannigan one is stronger. Machined and designed for the stress of the added weight of a sidecar.
Most likely I will contact Hannigan next week with the Vin to see what the cost will be. Rig didn't feel bad on a short ride. The ride home is about 45 Miles so that will be a test.
I agree, a bit pricey but worth every penny
Quote from Big Tom on March 24, 2023, 11:46 amQuote from smitty901 on March 24, 2023, 10:24 amShould you decide down the road the Steer light is something you want. I recommend Hannigan.
Reasons. Many make raked tress and some sell them at lower cost. In most case they are the same tree others will use for different mods to a bike.
The Hannigan one is stronger. Machined and designed for the stress of the added weight of a sidecar.
Most likely I will contact Hannigan next week with the Vin to see what the cost will be. Rig didn't feel bad on a short ride. The ride home is about 45 Miles so that will be a test.
you won't really notice it until you have to make a hard turn at speeds, that is when it is going to fight you the most.
we had a trike kit on our 99 Venture, it was the bike my wife learned to ride on, I had to install the easy steer because the turns were just too much for her
after that she loved it
you shouldn't need the VIN just give them the year of the bike and model
the kit from Hannigan is right at 1K delivered and is not too bad to install if you know your way around a wrench
The one complaint I had was you can't put your upper covers back on the forks after you add the kit.
I will add.....as I wake up in the early morning in Malahide, Ireland....that I e-mailed back and forth with Stephanie at Hannigan about this 2009 Yamaha Venture w/sidecar, and she confirmed it does not have the EZ Steer triple trees on it. I also know that their current machinist is Corey hart, and I have personally dealt with him a lot last year, as he was in the Sales Office when I placed the order for my sidecar, and when I was there for a week in September for them to do the install. Since then he has been moved to the machinist room.
As AceinSav said, if you know your way around a wrench, the EZ Steer triple trees are easy to install on a bike like the Yamaha Venture. I have done a couple sets of them myself, on Honda Goldwing 1800's, but I have a full shop back in the US, and trust my own work much more than I do most mechanics.
New Bearings and Seals, Timken Red waterproof bearing grease, and $ 1k for the newly milled triple trees from Hannigan, so if you do it yourself, all in you will be at less than $ 1,250.00........and having had 4 sidecar rigs that had trail reduction, versus 2 rigs that did not have trail reduction...I would absolutely go with the EZ Steer triple trees...and "I" would order them from Hannigan.
Oh, and Big Tom, none of us believe you that you bought that sidecar rig, until you post pictures HERE showing your smiling face whilst sitting on the rig.
Two Million Mile Rider...All 7 Continents
Exploring the World in Comfort
Crap, now I have to buy a selfie stick? OK pictures later. Once I dialed in the lean the ride was not bad at all. This Yamaha will take some getting used to after 24 years of nothing but 6 Cyl. Hondas.
Big Tom, one thing I found with those Yamaha V-4 engines.....if you balance the 4 carbs...the engine will run quite smoothly. I bought a vacuum gauge to work on 4 cylinder engines, and did the carb balancing myself. Was relatively easy to do, and once done the first time, there is no hesitation to do it again, like maybe once a year. I have probably the same number of years on Honda 6 cyl engines as you do, having owned 10 Goldwings, of which Mother Honda GAVE me 2 of my Goldwing 1800's in exchange for bikes I had ridden to over 100K miles in less than a year, so they were constantly taking in my used Wings and giving me new ones, so they could tear the engines and gearboxes apart, to see how they had worn with 100K on them in less than a year. But my point to all this is, that Yamaha V-4 in the Venture can run almost as smooth as the Honda opposed 6, if those 4 carbs are balanced.
A 4 cyl carb vacuum gauge doesn't cost much, and I prefer to get the one with the plastic balls that float in the vacuum tube, rather than the mercury in the tubes, or oil in the tubes, so you can be mesmerized watching the 4 floating balls. Get those carbs balanced, and that engine is quite nice.
And, you need to change your signature line....as you NOW have a sidecar rig !
Two Million Mile Rider...All 7 Continents
Exploring the World in Comfort
Proof of ownership.....
I hope that trailer hitch is not structural. We don't pull a trailer.
Pulled the seat off to remove some unused wires and look at this terminal. I'm surprised the bike ran.
Low quality clamp rusting away. I'll be making a list of things to replace.
Oh here is the obligatory picture of the smiling owner. I hope she lets me ride it.....
Bike is 14 years old. Never saw anything in the post about when sidecar was attached. Expect to find a few issues here and there.
As you get use to it check it over good . Wheel bearings, Date stamp on tires. Seals on front forks.
Tires that are older than 5-6 years not only can cause safety concerns. Should they fail they can do a lot of damage when they do.
Looking at a tire tells you little some times check the date code.
Bikes with a few years on them can still serve you well. I still ride one that is 27 years old. But you do need to check them over.
That bike has a long wheel base to start with. Some bikes come from the factory with a little ore rake than others. It may not need it.
