The manuals I have say that lean is 0 to 1 degree towards the sidecar lean in. I have a very good friend who has been working in Harley dealerships for 20 plus years and has set up 10 or so Harley sidecars over they years. He worked here at Macon Harley Davidson before moving to Knoxville TN. The owner at the time taught him how to set up sidecars and told him to set them up 1 degree lean out. Has any one tired lean out and what are the guys running the TLE what is your set up. I understand you adjust right or left pull by the amount of lean you have.
Mine is leaned out. I set the toe-in as I understood it from the manual. Then I layed a level on the back of the bike and started out level. I rode it a few times, and it always pulled right. I loosened the clamps and leaned it out a few degrees and rode it again. It was close, but still needed a little handlebar to keep it from going right. One more slight adjustment, and I haven't moved it since. It takes a little work, but wasn't bad at all.
I can't understand how a rig could work correctly without being leaned out, weight and wind-drag effect and all. Bike tires wear slightly more onthe left side, but sidecar tire is perfect.
I have a magnetic base protractor I use to check vehicle aliment on the rubber mounted Harley s so I will start with one degree lean out. Any other input from other TLE owners?
Thanks
I like 1 degree positive leanout , rider up.
Lonnie
I didn't use anything to measure degrees. I just tried it til it worked. I don't think there is a perfect number that works for every bike. How it handles going down the road is all that matters in the end.
I figured 1 degree lean out would be a good place to start as it seems everyone is running lean out. Yes I understand it will have to be fined tuned.
Thanks
I set 'or Ultra with TLE according to the manual. That is; one degree in so that it is vertical with the rider on the motorcycle. Also 3/4" toe in. It steers very neutral. It worked for me.
If you have lots of crowned roads, the one degree out might be in order.
I want to be able to do long distance riding like I do now but with a sidecar. How many miles a day are you guys doing with a TLE on your Harley. I have all so read where handling is affected by the weight in the sidecar but I am guessing since the TLE is a ridge frame the affected is not as great is this correct?
46u - 5/1/2010 6:33 PM
I want to be able to do long distance riding like I do now but with a sidecar. How many miles a day are you guys doing with a TLE on your Harley. I have all so read where handling is affected by the weight in the sidecar but I am guessing since the TLE is a ridge frame the affected is not as great is this correct?
There is very little effect on handling with a TLE sidecar based on added weight. I've not noticed any effect with a passenger or other items. As you surmise, this is probably due to the solid frame. Any added weight will deflect the tub springs and possibly the sidecar tire but nothing else.
I've done 400 miles with my sidecar when I went to Death Valley about ten years ago. I got there the second day. That would be a good day. Probably if you were to dedicate the bike to a sidecar with modified triple trees, more than that would be easier to do.
The most I've done on a solo was over 600 miles from Laughlin, Nevada to Sacramento, CA and that was a very tiring 12 hour day. I wouldn't care to do that on a sidecar.
As a solo I have done MANY 800 to 900 mile days. When I rode to Alaska and back did a little over 10,000 in a little over 4 weeks. As a sidecar I will have to be able to do at least 800. My friend that has several sidecars does that often. He has a 1988 FLHS he bought new with over 200K on it now with a BIG Watsonian Cambridge on it with stock trees and he is head up to Alaska next month with his son in the sidecar. He said the only thing that cuts down on his miles per day is that he has to stop more often for gas.
I have been known to leave UPPER West Virginia to Macon Georgia about 750 miles in 10 1/2 hours. All I did was stop for gas and to use the rest room.
46u - 5/1/2010 8:04 PM
As a solo I have done MANY 800 to 900 mile days. When I rode to Alaska and back did a little over 10,000 in a little over 4 weeks. As a sidecar I will have to be able to do at least 800. My friend that has several sidecars does that often. He has a 1988 FLHS he bought new with over 200K on it now with a BIG Watsonian Cambridge on it with stock trees and he is head up to Alaska next month with his son in the sidecar. He said the only thing that cuts down on his miles per day is that he has to stop more often for gas.
I have been known to leave UPPER West Virginia to Macon Georgia about 750 miles in 10 1/2 hours. All I did was stop for gas and to use the rest room.
Assuming a 60 mph average, 900 miles would be a minimum of 16 hours in the saddle. That's not wise. No one HAS to do an 800 to 900 mile day. That takes all of the fun out of it.
Pullng a sidecar is not only a test of the rider, it's a test of the machine. Everything is more highly stressed. I simply can't imagine riding that far in a day in an automobile, let alone outside in the weather. To each his or her own. JMO.
Some of the places I go I have a time limit so I have to do days like that. This is the reason I have all the states I have in my signature. I set this goal when I was about 10 and now all most 56. I did not start working on fa-fulling this life long dream till about 8 years ago. I enjoy doing 800 to 900 mile days as I enjoy riding that much. I have gone to Virgina and back picking up a VL Harley leaving after work Saturday and back home Sunday late. When I was a child my family would take long trips and I guess it is in my blood. I love being on the road and if I had the money I would stay on the rode till I was bored but I think it would take a few years. LOL
