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Riding without the sidecar

Hi, can anyone here tell me what kind of handling problem (if any) to expect if I remove my sidecar? I had the dealer install a 5 degree rake on my 06 ultra classic when I bought it new...(reduce the trail for better handling). This will only be temporary, just thinking about riding solo again, and will hook the car back after a couple weeks.

Anyone here ever do it?

Tried it with 07 Eglide quite scary was a fight to go 500 feet would advise 2nd HD
Dawg

Duck, welcome to the world of off-center riders.

On the advice of experienced others, I have not tried to remove the sidecar on a bike that has had the trail altered. Your 5 degree rake change was to lighten the steering effort in sidecar mode. In two wheel mode, the lightened steering will result in twitchy, erratic steering requiring your head to be 100% into the game, 100% of the time. No one handed relaxed cruising, daydreaming.

HD factory engineered the ideal trail for your bike for two wheeling. Now it is changed, it is no longer ideal for two wheeling.

Many have suggested keeping a second bike for two wheeling and leave the sidecar set up as it is.

Enjoy your rig,

CCjon

Okay, thanks, kinda figured.
... I sold my 03 solo a few years ago. I just never rode it, but get to missing the thing from time to time.

Hey duck, I agree with CCjon. A good used second bike is a blast depending on what feel like and it can be really reasonable if it’s just for riding. Ride Safe

On the Ural it was possible, but strange for 28km.
On the MZ only the square tires were nasty
Using a modified steering head possibly the bike will be extremely tipsy.
Don't kiss the ground.
Sven

You will b in trouble with a 5 degree rake. The front end will shake the handle bars out of your hands. I have a 3 1/2 degree rake and I can ride it solo with no problem. That is 61 years of experience with hacks and solo bikes'

When I first consider adding a sidecar to the 2107 RGU I wanted to make sure I could remove it and still ride. I was told not going to happen by many. Then I was shown a 2014 Ultra that had been done and it work well both ways.Owner had some miles racked up on it.

To ease my mind about it I had the front end done ahead of time.   A Harley Trike front end was installed. Along with the Trike Steering dampener. The tree has a different rake the tubes two inches long and stronger springs. In the end bike sat prefect and I rode the heck out of it . The only real difference was the wheel base was 4 inches longer and it felt a bit different but nothing of any real concern.  Once convinced it worked with out the sidecar , went ahead with the project.  It works well. I have put 2,000 miles on the completed project so far  happy with it. So much that I may never remove the sidecar. In that 2,000 miles I have ridden it in town, country , highway cold and rain a lot of rain.  Cruising at highway speeds is great. And just because I had to know ran it a 90 MPH for some distance on less than prefect highway.  This is the bike with the trike front end on it before the sidecar was on. If you know what you are looking at you'll see a minor difference. All of the Stock front end parts are protected and boxed if ever needed.

 

 

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My previous rig was a 2011 Ural and I hated the way it handled and the lack of power. I took the side car off and rode it that way until I sold it at which time I put it back on. I never had any problems riding it with the sidecar removed.

Am I to understand that if there is no steering mod to the motorcycle then riding without the sidecar would not be a problem?

I guess the squared off tires may be a bit of an issue.

I am sure Jay will straighten me out on this but here it goes.  If you do nothing to the front end the rig will be hard to steer and may have some low speed wobble. For years they have said once you do the front end work the bike not be safely ridden without the sidecar. I did not leave it at that response and went looking of answers. Man that grew up on the shop floor and became the dealer when his dad passed on. And his son grew up in a sidecar.  Put is another way . He said there is always more to it.

My plan was a Hannigan Twin classic on a 2017 RGU.  He showed me a 2014 Ultra they did with a Trike front end. The owner was cool and allowed me to try it. We put a trike front end on my RGU with the trike steering dampener . I rode the bike for some time waiting for the sidecar to be built and shipped . The Trike tree is raked 6 degrees and the tubes 1 3/4 to 2 inches longer and a bit heavier springs. The work increased wheel base 4 inches.  But the rake and the longer tubes worked to put the bike right back level where it was. Of course with a longer wheel base it took more room to turn around without the sidecar . But it handled just fine slow or fast straight or on the curves. Once the car was mounted it worked just fine. Now the steering is not like power steering but it is not a problem. I have put just over 2,500 miles on it now and very happy with it.  Results may very. If we never tried anything because someone said it can't be done , we would not do much. Always something new to try.

I am running Motorcycle tires. I may put a car tire on the bike rear down the road.  I personally would not ride a motorcycle with out a sidecar with a Car tire. Saving a few buck would not be worth it to me.

 

 

 

 

 

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The issue is that with reduced trail, steering is quicker [easier].  It requires less effort and if a reduced trail front end is installed many people feel that their bike is excessively "twitchy" when ridden solo.  Remember, this is not binary, a little reduction in wheel lead will yield both a little less steering effort and a little more "twitchiness".  A lot of reduction in wheel lead will greatly reduce steering effort and yield a really unstable, disquieting solo experience.  The ultimate in trail reduction is exemplified by a grocery store shopping cart.  Ever get a cart with a front wheel that really wobbled?  That's an example of just a little flaw in alignment or tire wear and the ultimate trail reduction.

Early BMW bikes came with Earles forks [Earles is a trade name from the designer, Ernie Earles, not a type of fork.  Think "Kleenex" not tissues.]  As a type, they are leading link forks. Earles' fork design had  two adjustments that would allow the front end to have more or less trail making it comfortable and safe to ride as either solo or with a sidecar.  That may be possible with some of the newer adjustable forks from companies like Unit, if they're still in business.

But, that's just my opinion, you'll hear others.