I know the pre 70 BMW's are made for sidecar set up but they are also used as solo bikes. This would tell me that there is a compromise in the trail that is in the middle of solo vs sidecar steering. My ? is does anyone know the trail? Does one of these rigs drive as easy as one with EZSTEER?
I'm getting older & I was leaning toward an old BEEMER Rig for the style & easier steering. What do you think?
Hello Carl,
I`m thekid1963 that never wanted to grow up.... regards from Wendy and Jolly Roger 2.
The "Rubber Cow's" forks have 2 holes for to take the front axle.
The front hole for sidecar use should give you something like 50-85mm trail ("Nachlauf") and the back one for solo use should give you something like 100 to 150mm.
The nick name "rubber cow" comes from the coming up at acceleration and sinking in at decelleration. An aspect that became history when 1986 (or so) the double pivot cardan came up (some people say the caracter was lost then, but the longlivety is much better now) . At breaking the beemer earles fork sinks in like a telescope fork. (Opposite of my former NSU Supermax that would kick you up into the sky when you breaked)
Modern european rigs have the pivot at about half or 2/3 of the lever so that the break forces are equalized and the head will stay at the same height when breaking.
A R60 or 69 does have only 34hp and eventually a lot of rust inside the frame...
The day I bought my 1960 Willies the owner gave me the advice:
"Don't forget an old car is the same as an old house. You put a lot of money into it and it stays the same old house..."
After a one year restauration and 10.000$ in spares and outsource jobs, my Willies Willies ran only 29.000km in 4 years with me and now he waits again 10 years for a heart transplantation... not at these gas prices.
Sorry buddy, that I let you rest in the barn again.
Just think about it. New bikes have their attractive too, they suppose to let you stay sitting in the saddle until the tank get low.
Best regards
Sven Peter Pan
