I'm on a mission-
in a moment of clarity I've decided to use my skills for good and restore (like new) a 1977 BMW R 100/7 and join it to a similar Ural side car for a Vet with a special needs kid ( son 6 )
that said , I'm only confident on the bike part with no knowledge of , subframes , attachments, supports , setup , alignment, and the general engineering involved in adding a third wheel.
I've also acquired a leading link front end off a Ural but might scrap that idea as it's already getting too complicated
in short i am over my head
who can lead me from this darkness into the light closer to home than Middelburg PA which will be my next stop looking for help at Freedom Side cars ?
Doug, 'tis an admirable thing you are doing for your friend.
You don't say where YOU live, only that you are hoping for help closer to home, before having to go talk to Freedom sidecars in Middleburg, PA.
We have sidecarists all over, so tell us where you are, and hopefully someone near you will volunteer to help.
Two Million Mile Rider...All 7 Continents
Exploring the World in Comfort
Thanks
NC is in the tittle
David Woodburn from Barnsley Motor Werks is in Georgia. He wrote a book on riding an airhead around the world.
Here's an article on them https://gearjunkie.com/motors/motorcycle-sidecar-journey-david-emy-woodburn-barnsley-motor-werks
This is their facebook page https://www.facebook.com/BarnsleyMotorWerks
And deets
Also depending on how in shape your buddy is, particularly in regards to shoulder and upper body strength, you may want to look for a leading link front end. I found my RT/Ural tiring but not impossible with no steering mods.
I've read about others that tried putting the Ural front end on and found the conversion to be too difficult to be worth it. Not 100% sure but I think it had to do with width between the forks, length of the forks, and maybe something about the steering stem (length?). Definitely would need new bearings.
Some have tried to put a /2 Earles on but they are becoming harder to find and require modification.
Chuck Loftin who goes by 54Vintage on ADVrider.com https://advrider.com/f/members/54vintage.183597/
built my leading links for my former R100RT/Ural rig. Chuck doesn't like to ship his builds anymore though so you may have to do some convincing. He's in Eugene OR
They made a big difference in steering ability. Unfortunately, I sold those on after I wrecked that bike.
Unit Forks made some but not everybody agrees on quality and they can be hard to find.
Wasp still makes them but they were very slow to get back to me. Affordable though. waspmotorcycles@gmail.c
The pdf's I attached are a pic of their kit, the 2021 price list, and an order form
Doug, the bike you've chosen should make for a great classic-looking tug and that picture of the sidecar looks like a great match. If I didn't want to do a deep dive into fabricating and welding, I'd call the Texas Sidecar Company [ https://www.texassidecars.com ] and ask them if they have a ready-made kit for mating the R100 to a classic Ural sidecar. They might have a simple off-the-shelf solution for you.
Also, about the front end, I'd use the existing BMW forks for the build then take it out and drive it. Only if the steering is unmanageable would I start worry about modifying the forks. In other words, if it ain't broke don't put the cart before the horse.
My 2¢.
Have owned 5 rigs but Rig #2 is my current one!
Good advice
I did contact them and a kit will be around 1500 or more but still need finishing and proper setup adding another grand
just shopping alternative to throwing money at it prior to throwing more money at it lol
Quote from Doug Kadan on March 8, 2024, 12:51 pmGood advice
I did contact them and a kit will be around 1500 or more but still need finishing and proper setup adding another grand
just shopping alternative to throwing money at it prior to throwing more money at it lol
That would be fair compared to trying to make your own from scratch.IMO
