Couldn't figure out a good search term for this question. So, if it has been covered exhaustively, please feel free to let me know (and a tip on how to find the info 🙂 )
Who rides monkey with you, and what special things do you do to ensure their enjoyment, comfort and safety?
As a pretty new sidecarist, I've only had a couple of opportunities to have a human or animal "monkey". My good friend Kris is an old cowboy (actually worked cattle across Utah in his younger days) with plenty of time in the saddle of both horses and motorcycles. This is his first time in a sidecar, so we took some easy slow trips, before a 300 mile adventure round trip to see the bikes on the Vintage Cannonball Run. It was also my first time with a passenger. He is a great monkey because he lets me know if he's cold, hot, getting bugs in his teeth, etc. He also gives me great feedback on how things could improve (like never riding without the windshield, as we have some huge bugs). He is pretty excited for trips next year, and even looking forward to trying a camp out trip.
Then there is Super Muttress. She is up for anything that involves being with me. We've only done short rides with fun stops for her, so she associates the sidecar with a good time. Added a side panel, have her on a bottom mount harness with the leash coming up from below the cushion to help keep her "in the car" in case of accident.
Would really enjoy reading your input, stories and experiences. 🙂
Pictures are: *My buddy Kris & I headed through the backroads from Myton, UT to Helper. * Adele trying not to fall asleep on the way home from Pup-Cup Haven. * A bit of goggle training. * The "Royal Throne Test cushions". * Side panel v1.0 * Super Muttress doing her best impression of "Kilroy was here".
Hold my keyboard and watch this! 🙃
I can't help you much since I have never done a trip with a passenger and rarely even short rides with a passenger. All of my long adventures have been solo as in not even a companion rig or bike along. I just like that appendage hanging off of the side of the bike.
Dana
My granddaughter. She in now 15 started ride just as she was turning 7. She has CP and is rated 100% disabled. After her first ride she told Grandma
" this is the first day I have been alive". She is over 40,000 miles in sidecars and has two now. Her Dog rode with us until a month ago when Summer died.
Due to heath issues my wife started riding in the sidecar also.
2020 during cov 19 wife on the bike with me. Payton and her cousin in the sidecar. 11 days 2,800 miles. Smokey Mountains TN,And many of the bucket list rides in that region including the Dragon.
Quote from smitty901 on November 23, 2023, 7:57 pmMy granddaughter. She in now 15 started ride just as she was turning 7. She has CP and is rated 100% disabled. After her first ride she told Grandma
" this is the first day I have been alive". She is over 40,000 miles in sidecars and has two now. Her Dog rode with us until a month ago when Summer died.
Due to heath issues my wife started riding in the sidecar also.
2020 during cov 19 wife on the bike with me. Payton and her cousin in the sidecar. 11 days 2,800 miles. Smokey Mountains TN,And many of the bucket list rides in that region including the Dragon.
Very cool! Beautiful rig too. Did you need to do anything special to accommodate your Grand Daughter? I watched the video where volunteers took disabled and elderly folks for a ride. What an epic volunteer opportunity! Would be very cool to do something like that in our Great State of Outdoors. 🙂
Thanks for sharing! Motivates me to look further into that opportunity.
Hold my keyboard and watch this! 🙃
Getting a sidecar was my wife's idea. She & I have done many great multi week "Adventures" including 5 weeks in Chile & Argentina, The Heart Of the West roundabout, and The Continental Divide Ride. We use an intercom and I mounted the GPS in front of her in the sidecar so she can use her Geography Degree to navigate. When she isn't in the sidecar, my oldest son Matt (who has Downs Syndrome) is what he calls my "Sidecar buddy". I rarely use my rig without someone in the sidecar. A passenger in the sidecar who know how to be a monkey and properly shift their weight in turns is a huge asset!.
Quote from sheath on November 24, 2023, 10:08 amQuote from smitty901 on November 23, 2023, 7:57 pmMy granddaughter. She in now 15 started ride just as she was turning 7. She has CP and is rated 100% disabled. After her first ride she told Grandma
" this is the first day I have been alive". She is over 40,000 miles in sidecars and has two now. Her Dog rode with us until a month ago when Summer died.
Due to heath issues my wife started riding in the sidecar also.
2020 during cov 19 wife on the bike with me. Payton and her cousin in the sidecar. 11 days 2,800 miles. Smokey Mountains TN,And many of the bucket list rides in that region including the Dragon.
Very cool! Beautiful rig too. Did you need to do anything special to accommodate your Grand Daughter? I watched the video where volunteers took disabled and elderly folks for a ride. What an epic volunteer opportunity! Would be very cool to do something like that in our Great State of Outdoors. 🙂
Thanks for sharing! Motivates me to look further into that opportunity.
Yes Payton had a fair amount of riding in by that time. We were all use to caring for her. We modified a hospital wheel chair so we could put part folded behind the seat and wheel in Trunk. Her cousin in the car with her help her sit up easier.
A friend of mine and I among a few others have done visiting day events at retirement home for years. Every one that wants to ride gets a ride.
I have had a great Grandmother, Grandmother and great grandchild all ride at one . Oldest rider was 101. Biggest was 450 lbs. Took 3 EMT's to get her in.
Payton's riding is limited now due back and leg issues. We are working on new changes to make it work for her.
We will do what it takes to provide a ride for anyone that wants a ride.
Who may like these pictures
That is so cool! I've done a lot of "pet therapy" visits to Assisted Living/Memory Care facilities. Seems a common thread is; while the body is limited the mind is willing. Think I'll look into seeing if there are any "ride along" programs here in Utah. Would make for an epic day.
Hold my keyboard and watch this! 🙃
Quote from sheath on November 25, 2023, 12:23 pmThat is so cool! I've done a lot of "pet therapy" visits to Assisted Living/Memory Care facilities. Seems a common thread is; while the body is limited the mind is willing. Think I'll look into seeing if there are any "ride along" programs here in Utah. Would make for an epic day.
The retirement home in those pictures was taken over by a different owner. they did not want to deal with the family day thing and shut it down.
We still do our best to provide people a chance to ride.
As mentioned in my race build thread, my co-pilot is my wife Chloe.
The only other person to ride with me was my riding buddy after his bike died. He swore never again - too much like sitting in a beer can at speed.
In fairness after I wrecked I had to ride on the back of his Triumph with it's mini pad and I too swore never again.
Back on topic. Before I wrecked it, Chloe and I were on a mission to visit all 14 covered bridges in Perry County, PA. We'll pick that back up after the new build is complete.
This is the Dellville Bridge. It was burned down by some yahoos recently but the county rebuilt it.
Drew,
I don't believe we have any beautifully covered bridges in Calif. It least I do not recall riding over one in this sick state. CRS! However, I do appreciate such structures and the history behind each and every one I do ride over in many other states. Naturally, I can't seam to find a photo of any bridges throughout the west.
As for my riding partner? My granddaughter is my monkey. She loves it! She has several BMW rallies in multiple states and one national rally under her belt. Next year she has her site as my monkey to the national rally in Redmond OR. Some day we will make it to the USCA national.
The way I see it is we are all temporary caretakers of our rigs. Likely some day I will end up as her monkey in her rig, hopefully such rig is one I own.
Like DirtyDR I am mostly a Solo guy, same reasons. Ha! Yes my dear wife will ride pillion behind me when we use the rig for short jaunts when camping and Lucy the dog rides Monkey. These are more rare occasions than I would like but you take what you can get. I try to pick good weather when we do these rides, as a wet Kathy is not something you want to encounter Ha!!!
My one favourite memory of taking a passenger was taking my 92 year old Neighbour out for a ride. We didn't go far but we did meander all the back roads close to home.. Vi, Joe's wife of 75 years, was a real stick in the mud, we all loved her dearly, but she was a stanch a to b type.. " Why on earth would you waste time just wandering like that" I can still hear her after we got back LOL. Anyway the expressions of pure joy on Joe's face as we poked around, stopped at my favourite out of the way bridge, took a short hike into a little waterfall just off the road, explored several new developments close to home. It Will be one of my best memories of Sidecaring and of course Joe. Both Joe and Vi are gone now but we still laugh at how Vi tried to whack me with her cane when I told her she was next.. LOL
Taking wives and grannies is perfectly well and fine, but young folks make great monkees too.
These two were fun --
https://youtu.be/Vy6LVvy8LyA?si=kcRl5BaPQ4ysUS9o
Have owned 5 rigs but Rig #2 is my current one!
Drone, good thing that was rather a low speed ride. I can imagine what one of your monkeys would have done had a grasshopper hit some uncovered skin!! Also what did Kirby think of someone riding in his preferred place?
When Kris and I got back from the 300 mile trip to check out the Vintage Cannonball bikes and teams I asked Kris about comfort, and what could be done to make it more comfortable. He mentioned the bottom seat cushion got a bit uncomfortable at about 200 miles in. That's when I realized he was sitting on top of 50 lbs of lead shot that was placed under the seat for ballast.
Note to self: When riding with a monkey, remove lead ballast, and put a high density memory foam in seat cavity for better support. Also since the lead ballast is wrapped with black plastic sheet in two 25 lbs "brick shaped" packages, it might be a good idea not to try crossing the border from Mexico to the U.S. with them in place. I doubt border agents would find that amusing. 😉
Picture: * "Captain, we've got a joker trying to cross back into the U.S.. Can I just shoot him?"
Hold my keyboard and watch this! 🙃
I started off riding solo , so my passenger was my swag and a fridge. How did I take special care of them ,well my swag I rolled tight and made sure it wasn't wet and my fridge I made sure the auxiliary battery had plenty of charge.
Now I mix it up as I have slowly introduced my wife to the sidecar. Our first rides were short slow ones and then built up to offroad overnight camping one. So I built another tub, she probably wouldn't of been to keen on the first tub the swag was kept in, and keep improving the setup. Now it looks like we need a windscreen , I have changed the sidecar shock and different things about the setup are evolving. We noticed on the longer rides her helmet is getting a high pitch noise at certain speeds so we will upgrade that and she got a nice 4 season jacket that i didnt remind her to take the winter liner even if its spring ,they make great pillows too something else i forgot. I just have to remember even though I am a she'll be right, rough it kind of guy not everyone monkey is 😁
