On my new to me 71 CL350 I need to adjust the lean of the bike but on the front "lean adjustment" bar I'm all the way out on the threads. Now the way that bar attaches to the front frame is with a clamp and of course I can loosen and slide it up and down. My problem is that this is the "scrambler" model and the exhaust is in the way of what looks like the ideal spot. My question is how low can I go on that front attachment before it becomes dangerous? If I drop it below the exhaust that will put it about 4 inches lower than the rear attachment.
Not sure if you can tell from the pics but if I go below the exhaust the attachment point will be significantly below where the rear attaches.
Thoughts?
Never mind. My son, who is an automotive/monster truck metal fabricator, came by and said "Lets cut that front tube and weld a heavy tube sleeve over that one extending the whole assembly about 2 inches" after measuring it. He also noted that someone had already cut that tube and welded it back together. I can only guess to fit on a previous motorcycle. No way would I attempt this myself but he does stuff like this for a living so I trust him.
Great son to have, problem solved. Good luck with the the new rig.
A question to post to the group is the wisdom and safety of mounting a steering stabilizer to the front axle.........???
Click on attachment below if Photo is not displayed.
It's not really mounted to the front axle. It's mounted to the front fork just above the axle. After servicing the steering stem bearings the wobble, or head shake, was eliminated. That damper is worn out, I am considering just removing it.
Removal is a good plan. Not every rig needs a stabilizer and a nonfunctional stabilizer is of no value.
Al Olme - 1/23/2017 10:38 AM
Removal is a good plan. Not every rig needs a stabilizer and a nonfunctional stabilizer is of no value.
I did order and receive a new damper and will install it to see if it helps with the "twitchy" feeling when riding on these rough/y secondary roads.
As far as sidecar rigs go, this is a pretty light weight setup. Just riding it around the neighborhood is a workout. But I still haven't added any ballast and have not ridden an adult in the car. I am looking forward to tweaking the alignment to get it to run straight down the road without it putting up a fight. 😉
It's back in the shop for now awaiting the modified attachment arm and I developed a nasty oil leak from the stator cover. Awaiting a new gasket to fix that.
Thank you all again for your support and suggestions.
On rough roads many sidecars feel "twitchy". Remember that since you are now a two track vehicle you get input from more than one direction on rough road. After a while you'll get to the point where the "twitchiness" won't bother you because you'll trust the rig to recover on it's own. It's probably the second scariest thing for a solo rider to get used to. The first is that the rig doesn't turn when you lean, MANY rigs have been driven into things with the solo rider turned sidecar pilot swearing that "Something is wrong with this thing".
Thank you for the re-assurance. Maybe this thing doesn't handle as bad as I initially thought. For some reason the fact that I have to steer this has never entered my mind while riding. Possibly because I always, and instinctively, counter steer. Now I do still put my feet down at a stop until my right foot gets tangled in the attaching parts and I remember what I'm riding. 🙂
