Some of the states on the east coast require bikes to be inspected in order to licence the bike. If there is a sidecar, they check the brake and the lights. If it has brakes they must work to pass the inspections.
Jay G
DMC sidecars
www.dmcsidecars.com
866-638-1793
Got names?
L.
No, I do not. I have had cusomers tell me this when they have taken thier bike in for inspection. I even had one customer we had to provide all of the DOT paper work for the lights on the sidecar.
I have also been told by people with Velorex sidecars that they remove the brakes completly from the sidecar inorder to pass inspection. This is I think a poor idea, why would you not want to have a brake on the sidecar?
Jay G
DMC sidecars
www.dmcsidecars.com
jay@dmcsidecars.com
866-638-1793
Jay,
Many thanks for your feedback on my steering problem.
I agree the sc coming off is worrisome. Good fortune in this case was it coming off in town on a slow turn. Had I been hacking down an IH off-ramp at 60 mph, and had it come loose...
I am going to look into the sundry ideas you and other enthusiasts have posted. The book you mention sounds like a good starting place.
My original intention of getting the sc was to have a place for my traveling buddy, a Rottweiler. Had looked into a trailer, but that was going to put him behind the exhaust all of the time.
This rig will likely undergo modification to better accommodate him, or I may chuck it for another if one exists, suiting my need better. If I keep it, there also will be some changes or modifications to its fit and handling. I am not going out on the road with it until I am convinced it and I are both ready. My original plans included it for this summer, but had to be scrapped for other reasons. So, there is no great rush to get it back on the bike. Besides, it need body work. Right now it looks like (censored). One could think the homo-sapien guidance system for the rig malfunctioned, perhaps as a results of over lubrication.
One thing positive from this is a local wrench found a brake system for this and it will be getting installed before the sc goes back on the road. I see that was mentioned in postings that came up after I started this reply.
I have ridden, off and on, for more than 50 years. Of that, I now have about 8 hours of side-car operation. It is obvious to me I need some lessons. I preach M.S.F. lessons to anyone even thinking about a bike. I need to listen to my own sermons.
Many thanks to all who chipped in on this. You are paying a major part in my future with a sc. I am an old retired Army sergeant with a passion for motorcycles, and plan to be an even older one. Looks like hanging out here is on tap also.
Oh, as an after thought...there was concern about the bricks in the hack. They are in a plastic milk case and stored in the tow of the sc.
R.E. Jennings
"Skysarge"
Go Army
The Velorex sidecar has a good top but a flimmsy botoum. I broke mine with a dismantled gearmotor when all the shafts moved arround. (in case needed I still have the mold for to redo it in fibreglass again)
The best idea mentioned for ballast is a sack with lead shot or sand behind the seat.
I had steel parts and lead plate. both made new holes with the edges.
Or a plate that fills out the square in the frame and put a wedge in front of the frame. so snow and branches will lift the sidcar and not give you the bad hit and lets you make circles in the forest or snow...
Sven
This might not qualify as an east coast state but in my province (Quebec), if you bring a sidecar to inspection and it has a brake, it must be functionnal or you will fail.
Inspection is only mandated if the bike (tug) has not been plated for a whole season. That is what happend to me when I brought this rig back to life after I bought it off of the widow of the previous owner.
If you do not bring the sidecar to inspection it will not be inspected and you can install it later but if you bring it along, make sure all the bells and whistles are functional.
lonnie, massachusetts has a law that came into effect last year, that says that that if a sidecar is equipped with a brake, then it must work, it does not require all sidecars to have a brake, so retrofitting is not required.
Sarge, My concern on the ballast is, DO NOT install it in the toe of the hack. It is best to have it behind the seat as close to the axle as you can. Loading the front ahead of the axle will cause an imbalance and instability.
Sounds like you are making progress and you are now hooked on side cars. Let the fun begin 🙂
Thanks Michael,
I've sold turnkey rigs in Mass. and other east coast states with no feedback concerning brakes.
I am not an affecionado of sidecar brakes on single sidecars since almost all aftermarket systems are somewhat erratic, with equal (straight ahead) braking depending upon variables such as loading, road surface, direction of travel, tire contact area, matching of components and systems and whether front linked, rear linked or unlinked.
As with an unbraked sidecar, some driver input is required for straight line stopping in most cases. I prefer using my gearbox and front brakes for stopping purposes.
BTW: I have a rear linked brake on my Street Glide/Liberty rig that I use only for hill holding at stop lights.
Lonnie
Thanks Bill,
That potential problem had not occurred to me.
Sarge
I drive like Lonnie when it comes to brakes
In the sidecar / trike education prograhm (s/tep) class as well as in the book "Driving a sidecar outfit" and most every motorcycle class around they (and I as a S/tep) instructor teach you to always use all of your brakes every time you stop. This is important as if you ever have a situation where you need maximum stopging power like say if a deer jumps out in front of you you can not out think your habits which is to say if normaly you only use your front brake to stop, this is what you will do in an emergency as well so it is a good idea to always use all 3 brakes every time you stop that way when you need them, you will use all 3 with out thinking about it.
Jay G
DMC sidecars
www.dmcsidecars.com
866-638-1793
jay@dmcsidecars.com
I've always used front and rear bike brakes with sidecars Unless the sidecar has a rear linked brake. Then I avoid using the rear brake due to erratic stopping. In hard stops the sidecar may lurch right if there is good traction conditions for that wheel, or it will just slide if there is poor traction on the sidecar wheel.
Downshifting and using the front brakes works for me with a rear linked sidcar brake. The brake works well as a hill holder.
I've never had, or wanted, a rig with front linked brake.
To each his own,
Lonnie
im sure some do have erratic braking from the hack brake - but i have never seen it - as long as i put even pressure on both it stops nice and straight - obviously the front does more work but its nice and even.
An update I guess this is from my 3-14 posting
I was going to take the unit to a collision center to see what body repairs would cost.
Took top of hack off, and realized that the bottom with some modifications, is darn near what I had in mind.
I am also going to look into some suggestions about strengthening it, and refurbishing the mounts to make them safer.
I also got a hold of a brake for it
Skysarge
Go Louisville, beat KY
