I have car wheel's/tyre's on all 3 of the rig (BMW R100/Squire sidecar) which is a left hander (G.B.).
I have the motorbike leaning slightly inward's, cause when I climb aboard due to the bike shocker's compressing, the bike wheel's become vertical as measured with a spirit level on the back brake hub.
Is this set right? I have set it to vertical without my weight on the bike, but when I climb aboard the bike seem's to lean out slightly, which I dont think it should with car tyre's on it.
Advice would be most welcolme.
Safe riding Karl
I'm no expert but be it a righty or a lefty the bike should lean out away from the bike to compensate for the drag of the rig, basically the car is, in your case, pulling to the left, by leaning it out it will neutralize the pull and with proper toe in will track stright on a flat surface, this has to be played with because of the different styles and weight of different cars and the speed you want it to be netural, I'm sure you'll get better advice from the people who know about these things.
You mentioned the rig was a R100/Squire. What size car tires are you running? Can we assume this is not a HPS type rig with very wide tires on it? Some of those have run zero lean out and a ton of toe in to try and compensate and said the heck with tire wear. I would not go that route at all unless you find you really have to do so which is doubtfull.
If it is pulling left lean the bike right. If it is pulling right lean the bike left. Simple.
I would no doubt try this first and expeiment with it a while.
Note that if the sidecar seems a little too light when you lean the bike away from it you may have to add some ballast.
Once you get it going down the road in an acceptable fashion be sure to monitor your tire wear and adjust toe in to try and improve that. Less toe in is better as far a tire wear goes.
Thank's guy's
Definatly not an HPS rig.
The tyre's are 15"/125 - http://www.longstonetyres.co.uk/productPage.php?productID=727&categoryFilename=radial.php
I've had the oufit for 15 yrs and have alway's had a slight pull to the right (centre of road G.B.). The toe-in=3/8", sidecar wheel lead=9", bike=vertical. Leading-link front end.
Tyre wear - rear = 4,000 mls, front and sidecar last at least 3 time's longer.
Handleing is good with no ballast other than the car battery, few tool's and spare's (500 mls a day, no problem),left-hander's (G.B.)at speed no problem.
I was messing around in the garage the other day and noticed that when I sat on the bike I had lean-out (put this down to compression of rear suspension), so I adjusted this to be vertical when I sat on the bike. However, when I get off, the bike lean's slightly inward's which to me goe's against all that I've read.
I just want to dial-out this slight pull to the centre of the road. Sorry for the lengthy write-up.I've had outfit's that pull to the left, but this has me beat.
Safe riding Karl
Basic truths:
Lean it away from sidecar to reduce pull towards sidecar and visa versa.
Check toe in after lean is adjusted.
If tire wear is excessive reduce toe in.
Forget how it looks when you are not on it. Adjust it to handle when you are on the road.
