Hello I am Hal , owner of Metalcraft racing, a custom fabrication business located in NW Houston TX. I have had the opportunity
to do some repairs and installations of sidecars and the bikes that carry them, I find them very interesting and alot of potential for
upgrading and customization, A couple examples, a customer came to me with a sidecar and leading link fork set up installed on his
late model triumph, the geometry was so far off, it was unrideable, I fabricated a new leading link suspension to allow trail to be adjusted
with a small amount of work, very happy customer now. one more example , customer brought sidecar in to mount to his Harley road king,
sidecar was way off in weight and length, by modifying chassis, fabbing a chrommoly bracket that mounted to the bike and adding 100 pounds
to it, another happy customer.
I have been in the welding/ fabrication industry for over 20 years including being a professional top fuel harley drag racer
on a bike I hand built myself. and am happy to help anyone needing help with their projects. you can find my contact info at
www.metalcraftracing.com.
thank you for letting me join this site. ride safe out there. Houston Hal
Hal took on the task of rebuilding DMC’s half ass leading link which was originally built at Zero trail. I could ride it because I had hacks before but yeah, it was dangerous as it was. Keeping this short, there was no way I was going to ship the Links back to DMC in WA. So, I took it to a couple of shops around Houston and to the only sidecar manufacturer in Texas. None of them could help me.
Houston Hal took it on and built a unique adjustable leading link. It wasn’t cheap but it is solid as a rock. The guy is a slick welder and welds all metals. No globs, blobs, or buckshot. He’s also been a drag racing bike pilot for many years and currently holds the track record at Baytown on a drag bike he built himself. My thinking was, if you can build a drag bike, you can rebuild a crap-built leading link.
I don’t know of anyone within hundreds of miles that would have a clue on how to build/repair or even know what a leading link was. Hal at Metalcraft took it on and I finally have a rig that is solid and fun to ride. I didn’t mean to write this much, I guess the morning coffee is a little strong.
If you’re a sidecar hack pilot in the Houston area and need some work done: Better Call Hal.
Thanks for the props chef, it was a great project and hope to do more with ya, just fyi I hold the track record at xrp raceway just south of Dallas in the top fuel Harley class, 4.35 secs @ 175 mph,
Anyone needing help with their projects like ours, come on in! We'll fix ya up. Thanks
Houston Hal at metalcraft racing 832-518-7793
Quote from HoustonHal on January 31, 2023, 7:41 pmThanks for the props chef, it was a great project and hope to do more with ya, just fyi I hold the track record at xrp raceway just south of Dallas in the top fuel Harley class, 4.35 secs @ 175 mph,
Anyone needing help with their projects like ours, come on in! We'll fix ya up. Thanks
Houston Hal at metalcraft racing 832-518-7793
I am guessing you get pretty crappy gas mileage on that bike. Glad to see someone out there helping keep our rigs going.
