Trolley for off-bike use?

Posted by: @sailarmy

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I am looking to gather ideas for building some sort of trolley/cart for use when the sidecar is not connected to my bike?  I am using a Tractor Supply dolly with the sidecar wheel removed but its not ideal.  Any suggestions?  Hannigan Astro GT. 

Darren, I believe you will find that if you are removing, then reinstalling...then removing, then reinstalling...your Hannigan Astro GT sidecar to your motorcycle, you will have a less than desirable drivability of the entire rig, as generally (not 100% of the time, but generally) a proper mounted sidecar to a motorcycle requires reducing the "trail" on the front end of the motorcycle, to allow the finished product of the "sidecar rig" to steer and handle better/easier.....therefore if the front end of the motorcycle does in fact have the "trail" reduced, it is not a motorcycle that you would want to ride as a solo motorcycle.

In other words (or it too late for that)....either keep the bike a 2 wheeled motorcycle, or make it a permanent 3 wheeled sidecar rig, well mounted, trail reduced on the front of the motorcycle, but...don't try to have the best of both worlds with the same bike.

Having said all that...I sincerely do wish you the very best in this endeavor, and hope it fulfills whatever plans you intended for it.

@miles-ladue that might indeed be the best case and I appreciate the input.

I had to read this a second time to see what you were saying.

Just realised what it was.

I have a support trolley/dolly i made mainly to aid in setting up the sidecar.

I can adjust height and roll it around as needed.

As Miles was saying though it generally is less than ideal trying to fit/remove a sidecar unless needed for servicing purposes. 

My dolly is just 4 pieces of timber in a rectangle with castors under the corners and threaded rods with welded half circle brackets on top to pick up the chair frame.

Simple and cheap to make.

Will see if I can remember to find it and take pictures. 

Speaking of which.

Any pictures of your rig ?

Please!

Here a couple set ups I have. One for short term and one for storage. And I drive my bike either 2 or 3 wheels, also ones with 4 wheels. I have no problem driving them either way. I also have matching solo bikes for all the rigs except one. Over the years I drove many different style bikes from stretch-out choppers to sportbikes.  

@2FLTC is that a Hannigan?

Yes, I have 2 Astro 2+2

I've got to take the sidecar off my old GS/Dnepr rig to swap engines.  Went to Harbor freight and picked up two 8" air tire casters.  The plan is welding up some brackets out of scrap angle iron, some plate and muffler clamps to bolt on the lower struts.  The sidecar will sit outside while the bike gets repaired so the large pneumatic casters will accommodate moving the sidecar around on the uneven ground. 

These are the casters I bought.  https://www.harborfreight.com/8-inch-pneumatic-swivel-caster-42485.html?_br_psugg_q=pneumatic+caster

Bits of timber and ply scrap.

4 castors.

1/2 inch witworth threaded rod with pipe halves welded.

Nuts and washers and there you go.

And a sunset.

Strange how pictures get re shuffled between  me picking them out of my gallery and when they appear on the post.

I clicked on the sunset last.