Thanks Lonnie, I figured you probably had experience with the raked trees on a standard Harley rig. I am on the fence about needing them for mine, it does take some effort to steer but its not really that bad for me.
IM GOING TO READJUST EVERYTHING AGIN TODAY WILL LEY YOU KNOW THANK YOU FOR ALL THE INFO
Good luck
Are you running lean in towards the hack or lean out away from the hack? You want lean out no matter what the manual says. I ride a 02 Ultra with a 06 HD sidecar and mine is 1 degree out and 3/4 toe. Could vary a little from one set up to another. Yes it will be harder to steer even when set properly the a solo bike.
I run the standard trees but from what I have been told by those that run raked tress it is much easier but have to get use to them as at speed takes very little input to make a big change.
I have a Nomad 1700 with a Hannigan Astro GT sidecar and no steering modifications. It is a big bike with a big sidecar and the steering is very heavy -- like manual steering on an automobile. Especially noticeable on slow turns.
Can't speak for a Harley but my Goldwing/Oxford outfit, sidecar fitted by Watsonian themselves, was as heavy as lead to steer and had a vicious handlebar shake.In the end I fitted an EZ-Steer kit from Jay at DMC, not cheap when you add on British customs duty but it has transformed the steering and the shake is scarcely felt and only below 15mph.
The outfit is now a joy to ride.
Sid
I HAVENT HAD A CHANCE TO READJUST WILL GET TO IT THIS WEEKEND NO PROBLEM STEERING GOING SLOW AND WHEN I PULL THE CLUTCH IN IT STEERS LIKE POWER STEERING WILL SEE WHAT HAPPENS WHEN I READJUST
Hi, WOODNY, I see you're new here, welcome. Not sure if you're also new to the internet? Just a tip that on the various internet forums posting ALL IN CAPS is considered the same as yelling. It's better in general to just write in the normal mode because everybody will still see it.
Hope you get your ride sorted out, shouldn't take much! Please let us know how it goes for you on the adjustments etc.
You can change the adjustments all you want, unless you reduce the trail on the front of the bike, It is going to steer hard. Ditching the steering damper will lower the steering effor as woud reducing the amount of wheel lead however reducing wheel lead is not practical with Harley mounts and would result in poor handling, If every thing is set up right you should be able to go with out a damper which would help only slightly but as Harley never got around to figuring out how to add suspension to their sidecars they are far more prone to head shake induced by sidecar wheel input so I would leave the damper on. Tire pressure can also make a difference BUT the only real fix, the only thing that is really going to do what you want is to reduce trail on the front of the bike. This can be done many different ways but by far the most popular for your bike and the most cost effective is to go with new triple tree's that change the angle of the forks moving the front wheel forward. Some people wrongly call this "raking" the front end as it does look like raking. We offer tree's that allow every thing on the front end of the bike to go back on and look stock. $995. Other places offer tree's as well some do not allow the original fairings and fork leg covers to go back on.
As you are new to this I recomend if you can take a sidecar class http://evergreenmotorcycletraining.org/sidecar-training/step-national-schedule-training-locations/ And or buy a copy of the book by David Hough "Driving a sidecar outfit" we sell the book for $34.95 you can also get it from white horse press. Read the book and follow the advice given in it.
Jay G
DMC sidecars
www.dmcsidecars.com
866-638-1793
I do not make anything on trying to help you but if you go with raked trees there is a good set that can be bought for under $700 shipped. These trees made for you bike and accept all the factory parts like fairing and so on. If I ever have the money these are the ones I will be getting. You can all so find them on eBay.
This link is of the people that make them. You can get them off eBay for under $700. I have talked to these folks and are very help full.
http://hawghalters.com/Triple-Trees/Trike-Triple-Trees/FL-Trike-Triple-Trees/prod_451.html
I have talked to many that do not like raked tress as at speed it takes very little input to the handle bars to make a big difference. Since I have never been able to afford a set of raked trees I can only go by what others have told me. There are many that like them very much as well.
I asked Jay about these but he never got back to me. There is all so a very good book on sidecars by Hal Kendal you can down load for free.
http://www.cyclesidecar.com/Guides/document_downloads.html
I drive my rig daily rain shine hot or cold as it is my only transportation at all most 59 years old. I cannot afford a car and a my rid and in 44 years of riding motorcycles lived with out a car but never with out a bike or now a rig. As I said before I drive a 02 Harley Ultra with a 06 Harley standard sidecar.
I am just giving you other options and I make nothing on doing so just trying to help a fellow rid driver. I wish you the best of luck and keep us posted.
Jeff
Thank you for the input i have been riding 49 years and have always had a bike i will look into the books as they can be very helpful in learning how to handle the sidecar Im always willing to learn thank you agin
riding a rig is a whole different story. Too much confidents can kill You. Read train and GO SLOW with ballast. the most dangerous moment comes when You start to feel confortable.
Just as when You cross over to the continent. the 3rd day You find yourself on the wrong side of the road. So it happened to me each occasion I went to visit my God father in North Yorkshire...
The rig reflects are opposite to the solo reflects.
Sven
I am still preaching the triple trees off a Triglide. cheaper, already know it will fit, and not much hassle to install.
I too have a 2003 Classic with TriGlide triple trees and 2" fork spacers. Its the only way to go for a HD. Sell the take off parts on Ebay.
The triGlide tree's do reduce trail some and are cheap. The tree's we offer as well as many other compaines reduce trail even more for even lighter steering.
Jay G
DMC sidecars
866-638-1793
