How Do You Know?

There will always be lag on the sidecar upon acceleration making the rig pull a bit to the right and it will have a tendency to push a bit to the left when you decellerate or brake. These tendencies are easily controlled by keeping both hands on the bars.
If you are aligned correctly the rig will track in a straight line at a constant speed. This is called neutral steering and is the effect you want on the roads you travel most. This is actually a compromise since different roads have a different degree of crown. The higher the crown the more tendency for the rig to pull to the right. Wind resistance at speed will also cause a pull to the right.
If you have a reasonable toe-in setting (3/8" to 3/4") you should be OK for tire scrubbing. Any adjustment for a left or right pull will be made by adjusting the upper sidecar struts length to increase or decrease lean-out. The more lean-out the more the pull to the left. When the lean-out seems right to you, recheck the to-in and adjust if necessary.
Right turns going too fast are the main cause of the "Pucker Factor". Obey posted speeds on hiighway turn signs. Slow before the turns, not in the turns.
Read all the sidecar driving info available here in book form (free) and practice what you read.

Good Luck,

Lonnie

Lonnie, thanks for the info. I've learned a lot from this site already and I'm just beginning. I will be taking it slow for a long time while I work on my skills. I definitely don't bounce like I used to and it takes a long time to heal anymore. I took the S/TEP class in December but I've got a lot of learning how thing work with My Rig. I had a buddy that was great for installing and setting up sidecars, he'd been using one for a very long time, but he died in October. Hopefully I'll find some other sidecar folks around here after I get out and about. I have a friend I can ride with that's been using a side car for 4 or 5 years, but he had his installed somewhere else but I can get some riding tips from him. Your input basically confirmed my thoughts on the subject. Get it going straight down the road w/o a lot of steering effort. Thanks again.

As a new pilot to hacking, keep in mind the old adage when in doubt power out may be fine for two wheelers but can be fatal for a sidecar rig. For one thing, sudden acceleration will unweight your front wheel making steering control much reduced or non existent.
For another, your acceleration is not as snappy.
So when in doubt, wait it out, is a better maxim for hackers.

Phelonius - Learned these things from hacking since 68.

Phelonius, thanks for your input. I'll remember that adage "So when in doubt, wait it out!" as a precautionary warning. After riding motorcycles since I was 15 I've got a lot of 2 wheel reflexes that I'm working on retraining. Got over 100 miles on it now - looking forward to a LOT more.

Phelonius - 2/11/2011 5:01 PM

... when in doubt, wait it out, is a better maxim for hackers.

Thanks, Phel -- I haven't heard it put that way before.