Mounting a sidecar ?? Updated 3/16

Try this one:

http://www.sidecar.com/megabbs/thread-view.asp?threadid=5237

There is a lot info on what fits what in the search too just be sure to let it search with unlimited date. Welcome to the Forum!

Originally written by elmo on 3/15/2008 3:32 PM

Afternoon!!

I have a lead on a Harley sidecar off of a 1994 Heritage Softail and I want to put it onto my 2001 Electra Glide.

The questions are....

Is this possible??
How much needs to be done if anything??
Approximate cost??
And what else am I forgetting??

Thanks in advance!!

I tried a search with no luck, but forgive me if this subject has been brought up before!!

Elmer

I'm pretty sure that the 1994 sidecar will fit on a 2001 Electra Glide. I believe that the 1994 TLE sidecar has Heim joints to hold the lower two mounts to the front and rear of the machine. Those have a 3/4" bolt to hold the joints into the bike monts. Earlier sidecars used a large threaded coupling that was difficult to connect. The only issue may be the rear mount that goes onto the motorcycle. My 2004 Ultra uses two bolts and the earlier ones had three bolts but I don't know which year they changed. It's entirely possible that the mount will bolt right on but you'd have to have the actual parts to check.

The upper front mount and the steering damper will bolt right on.

You didn't say which sidecar you have, Standard TLE or Ultra. My parts book shows that the Ultra model came out in 1993. It wouldn't matter as far as the mounts go. The problem would be with the connecting cables. Also, if your bike is an Ultra, I'm pretty sure that the cable connectors would be different as Harley has made several connector changes since 1993. It might be difficlut to get the radio cables to match up to the sidecar.

In general, though, it would be possible to connect a 1994 sidecar to a 2001 bike. The main difference in the sidecar design was the brake. Up to 1997, HD used a drum brake and after that a disc.

The only problem is that you say that the bike the sidecar is coming from is a Softail. Given that fact, it's not clear how the mounts are set up. Harley doesn't make mounts for sidecar use on the Softail. This is not to say that no Softails have sidecars, just that the mounts have to be modified to use the sidecar. Liberty makes nice sidecars for the Softail and they use modified Harley mounts.

So, it all depends upon whether the mounts have been modified or not. If you need new mounts, that could be rather costly as the connection kit is over $1,000 now.

You really need somone who knows the mounts to go with you when you look at the sidecar so that you can tell what is there.

Good luck.

Thanks for all the help and replies! It looks like a 1994 sidecar would work for me, but he finally sent me some pictures and it is actually a California sidecar, so back to the drawing board!!

Is the California one pretty good? He said it had universal mounting...how universal is it.

Originally written by elmo on 3/16/2008 1:20 PM

Thanks for all the help and replies! It looks like a 1994 sidecar would work for me, but he finally sent me some pictures and it is actually a California sidecar, so back to the drawing board!!

Is the California one pretty good? He said it had universal mounting...how universal is it.

Someone will come on and tell you. I don't know anything about the California sidecar.

You will need a sub-frame mount set to install it on the 2001 Electra Glide.
It would be available from CSC.

Lonnie

Well that sounds easy enough!!

I found 2 California dealers here in Wisconsin and I figure I will give them a call in the morning and see how much to install it and see what parts are needed.

It has a spoked rim and my bike has aluminum rim...is that just a standard front rim in most cases??

If it is a 16" spoked wheel it must be a Companion model. If so it will probably use a rear wheel (7" hub).
The mount set is the same as for the Friendship models.
Here's a Companion GT mounted to an Ultra.

Lonnie