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Metro Detroit Michigan
Quote from Guest on August 24, 2012, 10:15 amAnyone within a 100 miles that wants to get together?
Larry
Anyone within a 100 miles that wants to get together?
Larry
Quote from Guest on August 24, 2012, 8:50 pmHey Larry, this is 54chevybelair from venturerider.org. we met last year at the cider run. When you get your rig done I may have to take a trip over to the east side and see it.
Ride safe Barry
Hey Larry, this is 54chevybelair from venturerider.org. we met last year at the cider run. When you get your rig done I may have to take a trip over to the east side and see it.
Ride safe Barry
Quote from Guest on August 24, 2012, 10:43 pmHi Barry
It'll be most likely next spring or over the winter months before I'll put the sidecar on. Once I buy one of course. LOL I'm still in the learning and reading stages. How do you like your sidecar rig so far? I might get over your way one more time this year. Going in for a Cohlear implant the first week of Oct so once I do that my ride season is done for the year.
Later, Larry
Hi Barry
It'll be most likely next spring or over the winter months before I'll put the sidecar on. Once I buy one of course. LOL I'm still in the learning and reading stages. How do you like your sidecar rig so far? I might get over your way one more time this year. Going in for a Cohlear implant the first week of Oct so once I do that my ride season is done for the year.
Later, Larry
Quote from Guest on August 25, 2012, 8:30 amI am happy with my rig, it is a blast to drive and even though we haven’t ventured out far, my son enjoys it. It’s funny because the first thing my 2-wheeled friends ask is “does it come off.” As if it was miserable driving with it on. Driving a rig is much different than riding a motorcycle but they both are enjoyable. I look forward to driving the rig just as much as riding the motorcycle. At this point my motorcycle is unmodified but I plan to modify the steering someday and that will make it a dedicated rig.
There are many options to obtaining a rig. Putting your own rig together is the hardest way to get one. I had considered buying someone else’s completed outfit, but my wife and I decided we liked our motorcycle and would just add a sidecar to it. I learned more about sidecars and setup taking this journey and don’t regret it a bit. I know you have fabrication skills and that will help you along the way. I was able to make my mounts for the bike and all the connecting rods came with the sidecar.
The only advice I can give you is make sure you factor the entire cost of buying a used sidecar, such as any repairs needed or if it needs to be painted to match your bike. Mounts can be very expensive. I choose my sidecar because it was enclosed for my son, already painted black, it included all the mounting pieces for a GL1800 and most importantly it is heavy enough for our overgrown Ventures.
Ride Safe, Barry
I am happy with my rig, it is a blast to drive and even though we haven’t ventured out far, my son enjoys it. It’s funny because the first thing my 2-wheeled friends ask is “does it come off.” As if it was miserable driving with it on. Driving a rig is much different than riding a motorcycle but they both are enjoyable. I look forward to driving the rig just as much as riding the motorcycle. At this point my motorcycle is unmodified but I plan to modify the steering someday and that will make it a dedicated rig.
There are many options to obtaining a rig. Putting your own rig together is the hardest way to get one. I had considered buying someone else’s completed outfit, but my wife and I decided we liked our motorcycle and would just add a sidecar to it. I learned more about sidecars and setup taking this journey and don’t regret it a bit. I know you have fabrication skills and that will help you along the way. I was able to make my mounts for the bike and all the connecting rods came with the sidecar.
The only advice I can give you is make sure you factor the entire cost of buying a used sidecar, such as any repairs needed or if it needs to be painted to match your bike. Mounts can be very expensive. I choose my sidecar because it was enclosed for my son, already painted black, it included all the mounting pieces for a GL1800 and most importantly it is heavy enough for our overgrown Ventures.
Ride Safe, Barry
Quote from OldSchool_IsCool on August 28, 2012, 8:51 amKalamazoo chiming in. Hope you don't mind me crashing the party!
I took the route of adding a car to my GL1100. Bought a fixer-upper sidecar, had it painted, rebuilt the suspension, bought bike-specific mounting hardware (after learning a painful lesson about universal mounts 😮 ) and replaced the steering head with a tree specific to hacks and trikes. She's now a dedicated rig and is my ride of choice!
Anyway, if y'all want to set someting up for a group ride or some moto-camping, please let me know!
FYI, here is my build thread. After this thread, I added a windshiled, replaced the mounts and swapped the triple tree. Need to finish the interior and add a cover yet.
http://www.sidecar.com/mbbs22/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=9017&start=1
Kalamazoo chiming in. Hope you don't mind me crashing the party!
I took the route of adding a car to my GL1100. Bought a fixer-upper sidecar, had it painted, rebuilt the suspension, bought bike-specific mounting hardware (after learning a painful lesson about universal mounts 😮 ) and replaced the steering head with a tree specific to hacks and trikes. She's now a dedicated rig and is my ride of choice!
Anyway, if y'all want to set someting up for a group ride or some moto-camping, please let me know!
FYI, here is my build thread. After this thread, I added a windshiled, replaced the mounts and swapped the triple tree. Need to finish the interior and add a cover yet.
http://www.sidecar.com/mbbs22/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=9017&start=1
Quote from Guest on August 28, 2012, 9:56 amHi Old School. I just read your write up on you sidecar renovations. Nice job and thanks for doing such a great job on both the write up as well as the finished car.
Kalamazoo is just a short ride from my place near Detroi Metro Airport. My brother is moving back to the Portage / Kalamazoo area in a couple weeks so I'll be in and out of the area once he settles in. We deffineately need to meet up sometime.
Larry
Hi Old School. I just read your write up on you sidecar renovations. Nice job and thanks for doing such a great job on both the write up as well as the finished car.
Kalamazoo is just a short ride from my place near Detroi Metro Airport. My brother is moving back to the Portage / Kalamazoo area in a couple weeks so I'll be in and out of the area once he settles in. We deffineately need to meet up sometime.
Larry
Quote from OldSchool_IsCool on August 28, 2012, 10:49 amSounds good Larry. Just give me a shout here, or send a PM or even an email (wesk8 @ att.net) when you plan to be in town and have a little time. You can see the rig in 3D and I can show you what I learned as I built (build) the thing. Perhaps a little parking lot practice with it too so you can feel what modified steering feels like.
Same for you too Berry, maybe a meetup in Kazoo for all three of us when Larry is over this way.
Bruce
Sounds good Larry. Just give me a shout here, or send a PM or even an email (wesk8 @ att.net) when you plan to be in town and have a little time. You can see the rig in 3D and I can show you what I learned as I built (build) the thing. Perhaps a little parking lot practice with it too so you can feel what modified steering feels like.
Same for you too Berry, maybe a meetup in Kazoo for all three of us when Larry is over this way.
Bruce
Quote from Guest on August 28, 2012, 11:29 amKeep me in mind if you guys do get together. A little drive to Kalamazoo would be fun.
Keep me in mind if you guys do get together. A little drive to Kalamazoo would be fun.
Quote from Guest on September 10, 2012, 11:16 amHi guys. Just wanted to chime in as another Metro Detroiter with a sidecar rig. 2006 KLR650 with a Sputnik sidecar. Intended for paved and mild to medium-difficulty offroad stuff with the wife. Exploring backroads out west on vacations, Michigan (and elsewhere) 2 tracks, forest roads, etc. That kind of thing. Like to ride paved or dirt roads, max speed about 60mph. If you're into higher speeds and highways, as opposed to more unpopulated backroad type riding, I'm probably not a good fit for you. I prefer to get away from most of the traffic for rides.
In the Rochester MI area. Email contact andywaddell@comcast.net. Maybe we can get together for a ride!
Hi guys. Just wanted to chime in as another Metro Detroiter with a sidecar rig. 2006 KLR650 with a Sputnik sidecar. Intended for paved and mild to medium-difficulty offroad stuff with the wife. Exploring backroads out west on vacations, Michigan (and elsewhere) 2 tracks, forest roads, etc. That kind of thing. Like to ride paved or dirt roads, max speed about 60mph. If you're into higher speeds and highways, as opposed to more unpopulated backroad type riding, I'm probably not a good fit for you. I prefer to get away from most of the traffic for rides.
In the Rochester MI area. Email contact andywaddell@comcast.net. Maybe we can get together for a ride!
Quote from OldSchool_IsCool on September 17, 2012, 9:16 amWelcome ADW!
Welcome ADW!
Quote from Guest on July 6, 2013, 8:10 amLooking forward to seeing the pics as well as you sometime since you mentioned being back in Michigan. I'm down in the southeast part of the stae.
Larry
BTW: I've been to Hannigan's and all of their stuff is top quality. You won't be sorry having them set up your rig.Edited by Carbon_One 9/1/2012 2:46 PM
Looking forward to seeing the pics as well as you sometime since you mentioned being back in Michigan. I'm down in the southeast part of the stae.
Larry
BTW: I've been to Hannigan's and all of their stuff is top quality. You won't be sorry having them set up your rig.
Edited by Carbon_One 9/1/2012 2:46 PM
Quote from Guest on July 6, 2013, 8:12 amNice surprise about this shorter form. Can you tell us what it is you are talking/writing about?Has any info. about this shorter form been posted before (and i just missed
Nice surprise about this shorter form. Can you tell us what it is you are talking/writing about?Has any info. about this shorter form been posted before (and i just missed
Quote from 85shadow on January 26, 2014, 10:03 amJust wanted to add my name to the list for this get together. Inbetween G.R. and Kzoo. short ride each way.
Just wanted to add my name to the list for this get together. Inbetween G.R. and Kzoo. short ride each way.