All: I’m mounting a Texas Standard sidecar (I got this from an ad on this site!) to a 2000 Moto Guzzi Jackal. This is the first rigging job I’ve done and I want to make sure I do it right. I’ve posted some pictures on a website (URL http://www.cemrc.org/~arimoto Click on Jackal_Hack) of the mounting points I plan on using. I would welcome any advice you might care to offer. (BTW, I hate to mix metric and SAE sizes, but I don’t have much of a choice).
The images may be a little slow to load, so please be patient.
(BTW2, You can also see some pics of other projects, fishing pics, and other stuff on this URL. My wife is encouraging me to sell one of my other bikes--I'm not real inclined to do this, but in truth I could use the space.)
Upper rear mount: I’ve attached a 3/16 metal plate to the frame. This plate is held on by M8 bolts to two plates (both about 5 mm thick) welded to the frame. The larger upper plate is connected to another plate welded to the back of the frame--the shock mount and a provision for a rack or saddlebags connects the two plates. This should be very solid. The smaller lower plate is for the emissions control canister that seems to have fallen off ;o). The back weld on this plate is strong, the front weld not as good. A 3/8” eyebolt is attached thru a hole I drilled in the plate I fabricated—it also goes thru the upper plate welded to the frame.
Lower rear mount. There was a 12 mm bolt connecting two sections of the frame near the swingarm. I simply Dremelled out that opening to accept a clevis with a ½” bolt welded to it. This took about 2 minutes. A big nut and washer on the back should make this strong.
Upper front. Still working on this. I modified a clamp-spacer-ginkus to spread the load on the frame. I'll use the powder-coated frame mounts that came with the sidecar for this. More pics to follow.
Jaguzzi
If you run into problems on this we make bike specific mounts for most Guzzi's
The mounts are 100% bolt on and come powder coated black.
We can sell you the entire kit or any one of the 4 mounts.
Thank you.
Jay Giese
Dauntless Motors Corporation
www.dauntlessmotors.com
Rich,
I think you will have a great resource for info on your mounting concerns right from Bob Darden at Texas Sidecars and Trikes. Bob is the owner of the buisness and manufacturer of your sidecar. He is also a great guy and, get this, a Moto Guzzi nut. I have posted info from his website below. It sure won't hurt to give him a call.He probably has more experience with this specific setup than most of us here put together 🙂
Telephone
903-640-2149
Open 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM Tuesday - Friday and 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM on Saturday.
Postal address
11672 N. Hwy 78, Leonard, TX 75452
Electronic mail
Sales and General Information: info@TexasSidecars.com
Webmaster: info@TexasSidecars.com
I installed the upper front mount last night--pic posted at http://www.cemrc.org/~arimoto (then click on Jackal_Hack)
Now to the lower front. I'm going to make a brace that goes across the front of the engine. Saw a pic of this at a website showing Sheldon Aubut's sidecar mounting party.
RA
Update: I posted some new .pdf images of the Guzzi/TX sidecar rig I'm working on at http://www.cemrc.org/~arimoto Click on Jackal_Hack
I'd be happy to email pics to anyone who wants them.
These new pics show the 2-piece lower front mount that I fabricated and three sets of (double) images of the hack frame attached to the tug.
I think the geometry looks pretty reasonable, but I don't have a good feeling for this, so I'm looking for a critique before I get everything tightened up. Better to have my feelings hurt than drive something unsafe.
One thing that seemed to work for me was that instead of trying to get the bike really vertical (I'm working solo), I blocked up the sidecar wheel to put the entire rig at roughly the same angle as the scoot. Once I get the pieces/parts tightened a little, I'll remove the block and do the final adjustments with all wheels on the ground.
Rich
I posted a couple of pics of the finished outfit (well, almost finished--the pics don't show the lights I put on) in an album on this site.
Thanks all for your input.
Rich,
Hey, looks good to me. I did not look at all the pictures due to my slow connection speed but from what I saw it looked good.
I would keep a close eye on the bolt welded to the clevis though. Not saying it cannot be done sucessfully but I would still take a peek at it from time to time.
For what it's worth , and this is just me I suppose, but to make up a clevis I usually run a bolt through it with a jam nut on the back side of the 'U' part. If the width of the clevis is made to secure the head of the bolt then it cannot turn. The other end of the bolt is then threaded into whatever is being worked with and another jam nut installed there. No welding required. Again, I am not finding fault at all just relaying some food for thought.
Good Job Rich ..Please keep us posted on how things are going .
