Howdy from Texas. My name is Chris, and I have been a part of the motorcycle community for many years. As I approach my 66th birthday next month, I find myself more excited than ever about my riding adventures. I currently ride a 2005 Honda Goldwing that I bought new, but I've decided to add a sidecar to my collection. The Goldwing, as you can imagine, is not getting any lighter, and my wife thinks she might ride again with one. I'm open to any advice or recommendations, as this new addition is not just an inexpensive new toy, and I would like to budget around $ 10,000 for it. From what I've seen, it might be easier to buy a complete rig and sell mine. I attended a Ural demo day to ensure I liked riding with a sidecar and, indeed, I loved it.
You've done a very good thing in this process. Going out on a trial ride in a rig is a great way to determine if you have a brain storm or some other brain event.... 
You will get several recommendations to your question about build a new rig or buy one with a GL1800 tug. My recommendation is to buy an existing rig with Hannigan, Champion, DMC (Texas) or other heavy, reputable sidecar builders (assuming you want to stay with an 1800 Wing as a tug). If you're open to other bikes as the tug, there's a lot of options out there.
A build will be in the neighborhood of the $10k you describe, possibly a bit less, but transportation to and from the builder will be some additional cost. My suggestion is to call Texas Sidecar in Teague, Texas and have a conversation with them about options. They won't steer you wrong. Phone: (254) 218-3990
Glad to have you in the wacky family!
Illegitemi non carborundum est!
@thane-lewis Thanks, Thane. I will call TSC and have a chat. They are only a couple of hours from Dallas. If I do go the complete rig route, I do think I will stay with a Goldwing. I saw a rig with a 2018 GW somewhere, if I recall correctly. 🙂
Howdy from Texas. My name is Chris, and I have been a part of the motorcycle community for many years. As I approach my 66th birthday next month, I find myself more excited than ever about my riding adventures. I currently ride a 2005 Honda Goldwing that I bought new, but I've decided to add a sidecar to my collection. The Goldwing, as you can imagine, is not getting any lighter, and my wife thinks she might ride again with one. I'm open to any advice or recommendations, as this new addition is not just an inexpensive new toy, and I would like to budget around $ 10,000 for it. From what I've seen, it might be easier to buy a complete rig and sell mine. I attended a Ural demo day to ensure I liked riding with a sidecar and, indeed, I loved it.
Chris from Texas, WELCOME to the Rice Paddy, where we all drink Sake, and Guinness, and.....
Let me set a few things straight....to add a new sidecar to your current Goldwing 1800 will cost you in excess of $ 10k...if you have a brand new sidecar made for you, plus all the attaching mounts, plus the subframe for your Wing, plus the labor to properly and correctly install it to the bike....PLUS you will need to remove the triple trees on your bike, and install a new set of trail reducing triple trees, to make the steering so much easier.
Reality is, figure somewhere from a LOW of $ 12.5k to a HIGH of $ 20k...all depending on your tastes and selections.
Your 2005 Wing is a very good bike for adding a sidecar to...for many reasons...I KNOW 
YES, you can buy an already built, and Road Ready sidecar rig for less than $ 10k, and I will give you a perfect example:
1995 Honda Goldwing 1500 SE...with a California Friendship ll sidecar, located 390 to 396 miles North by Northeast of you, so draw a line North of Dallas/Fort Worth, that includes 380 to 400 miles along the line, and in a Northerly, by Northeasterly direction, and you will find this sidecar rig waiting for you, and it comes in just under the $ 10k price mark, at $ 9,500.00.
If a Goldwing 1500 SE is something you might be interested in....it is owned by a well known sidecarist here, has all the proper and correct tires on it, just had TSC/DMC install the trail reducing triple trees on it, has a NEW Alternator, etc, etc, etc.
Yes, your 2005 Goldwing is a step UP from a 1995 Goldwing 1500, but.....a 2006 Goldwing 1800 is also a step UP from your '05, as the bike changed in '06....and the 2018 Wings are even a bigger step up.
But it comes down to, your appetite, your budget, your enthusiasm, and do you want to only have a 3 wheeled sidecar rig, or also keep a 2 wheeled motorcycle in your stable, whilst at the same time owning a sidecar rig ?????????
It is quite possible to find a 2006 to 2017 Honda Goldwing 1800 with a good/decent sidecar, all properly installed, and road proven, for under $ 20k....but an example of one that is priced higher than that, is the 2015 Wing with Hannigan GTL sidecar at the dealer in Ohio, and they are asking $ 25,990.00. Reality, it is worth $ 23,500 to $ 25,000....or it is worth what a buyer is willing to pay.
People like my friend Thane @thane-lewis got into a 2006 Goldwing w/Champion Daytona 2+2 for a LOW price, because it was a buddy deal....when I sold it to him.
I am currently selling my 2015 Goldwing w/Hannigan GTL sidecar to someone else on these forums, but it is in excess of $ 20k, not because I don't like him as much, but because it is a 9 years newer bike, lower mileage on the bike, and a newer sidecar, with everything done to perfection, so there is a price for that.
My immediate advice would be:
# 1: think about this 1995 Honda Goldwing SE w/California Friendship ll sidecar, that many of us have seen, and know the seller....$ 9,500.00
# 2: contact Kent Silk at TSC/DMC in Donie, Texas, and ASK...do they happen to have a take-off sidecar...something like a Champion Daytona 2+2, or a California Friendship lll, or a Hannigan Astro 2+2, etc...that they would be willing to sell to you, with THEM making the subframe for you, them attaching it to you bike, and then installing the trail reducing triple trees on your bike, and "IF" they have a take-off sidecar like that, you "might" be able to come in at $ 10k.
TSC/DMC is a good company to deal with, so if they don't have a used sidecar sitting around, collecting dust, they can build you exactly what you want, from beginning to end, but expect to pay something in the neighborhood of $ 12.5k to 17.5k with them, and that is with you supplying a bike that you already own.
You don't say how many MILES are on your '05 Wing.....?????????
I see that you would "like" to stay within a budget of $ 10k....and that is a comfortable target.
Here are examples of spending a LOT more money, on Goldwing sidecar rigs:
In that first picture, the '06 Wing on the left w/Champion Daytona 2+2 sidecar...I spent close to $ 25k on the completed rig, and sold it for $ 10k..to my friend.
In that second picture, the '19 Goldwing w/DCT trans, and Hannigan Dream sidecar, I spent right at $ 50k all-in, and will keep it for life.
In that third picture, the 2015 Goldwing w/Hannigan GTL sidecar, that I currently have in Germany, I will have spent in excess of $ 42,500. by the time I ship it back to the US, and it is being sold to another friend for $ 23,500.00
WE....know where some very good sidecar rigs are, that are for sale. Be mindful, and thoughtful, when it comes to buying a used sidecar rig, and allow US to help you, as we may see some things that you may overlook, and pictures can tell us a lot.
Two Million Mile Rider
Exploring the World in Comfort
Chris, welcome to the wonderful world of sidecars. Everything Flying Monkeys says above is spot on. He knows Goldwings and sidecars like no other.
There is an active sidecar community in the Texas-Oklahoma-Louisiana-Arkansas area. They are having a Fall gathering on October 10-12, you are welcome to come, check out the various rigs and meet their owners.
Here is a link to it.
There will be a Goldwing or two with sidecars at this rally.
Go visit Kent, the owner of Texas Sidecars in Teague. He is a straight shooter. Be upfront and tell him your ideas, budget etc. He is very safety conscious and not try to sell you something just to get your money. Kent will most likely be at that rally in October.
Take your wife there so she can hear what other partners have to say about the sidecar experience. Someone might offer her a sidecar ride as well.
The 2018 Goldwing DCT with a Hannigan sidecar that I rode to Alaska and back this summer is now at Texas Sidecars in Teague for a safety check after the beating it took in Alaska. I plan to ride it to the October rally.
Jan
Cypress, Texas
Past USCA President
Umm, don't look now, but there's a snake about to take a bite out of the front tire. Or, is that your pet snake checking out the new bike? Will it be riding in the tub when you get it attached?
@chrisntx This is a very different thing from the Wing you're considering, but it is a great looking, highly competent, very sexy beast. Victory Vision was one of the best touring/cruiser style bikes built. Good Hannigan Astro attached to round the package. A bit more $$ than you're discussing but then there's the philosophy of go big or go home at play.
https://www.facebook.com/marketplac..._signatur e":"6596293826246041222"}&__tn__=!:D
Illegitemi non carborundum est!
Umm, don't look now, but there's a snake about to take a bite out of the front tire. Or, is that your pet snake checking out the new bike? Will it be riding in the tub when you get it attached?
That's my watch snake. It doesn't eat much and is very quiet, but it's been very effective at eliciting screeches, screams, or new curse words from everyone who has tried to sneak in.
I have a dog who I plan to bring along. She does eat a lot and barks even more.
Umm, don't look now, but there's a snake about to take a bite out of the front tire. Or, is that your pet snake checking out the new bike? Will it be riding in the tub when you get it attached?
That's my watch snake. It doesn't eat much and is very quiet, but it's been very effective at eliciting screeches, screams, or new curse words from everyone who has tried to sneak in.
I have a dog who I plan to bring along. She does eat a lot and barks even more.
Des, we have a shirt for just that situation: These are offered by Drew Baker, a sidecarist from Pennsylvania.
AND, if other situations arise, he has shirts for that too:
Two Million Mile Rider
Exploring the World in Comfort
Hi there, thanks for having me on board. I'm in the process of planning / building acombination consisting of a BSA Starfire rolling chassis fitted with a Suzuki DRZ400 engine hooked up to a Steib S500 chair. I'm currently using the B'Zuki solo but fancy a return to my sidecarring days of 50+ years ago (on a Norton 16H with Watsonian Avon sidecar). It's early days and I have other projects on the go but I think this will make a lively outfit. This is the bike and the sidecar which is currently dismantled. At least I was hoping to add pics but can't see how....
<img src=" removed link " />
Wow, thanks for the information. First, my Wing has 32K miles. Yes, not that much for a 2005 model, but it got minimal usage for 10 years while I dealt with a bad back, and after the three surgeries, I finally found the doc that fixed it. Anyway, I try to ride with the Dallas Honda Riders Club every other week. My wife rode a lot in the early years of it, but not since my back was fixed, and I am hoping the sidecar will change that (She says it will 😉).
I spoke with Flo at TSC, and she quoted $8,700.00 in black or $10,550.00 with one color. I do not recall her mentioning a triple tree that you mentioned. Plus, it will probably not be ready till March or later. I can live with the price, but not for a five to six-month wait.
Based on everything you have said here, I will attend the 2025 Fall Sidecar Muster for the Ark-La-Okie-Tex area that CCjon suggested and speak with Kent as you suggested (I am already planning a ride with the club). However, I am now thinking the best approach is to go with the complete rig. So, I think I will raise my budget to around $ 30,000 to replace my 2005. I like the idea of having both, but I don’t have the space. My wife gets the garage for her daily driver and Corvette, while I am relegated to the covered carport driveway. I’m sure you're familiar with the phrase “happy wife, happy life” 😊. Plus, that’s why I added the carport in the first place.
I found the 2015 Wing with Hannigan GTL sidecar at the dealer in Ohio you mentioned. (<a href=" removed link "> removed link ) That is a BIG sidecar. 😊But, do you think it has everything it should have for safety?
As for #1, I will take a look, but I usually don't like to go back older than what I have. I also found <a href=" removed link "> removed link , which is a little more (okay, a lot more) than my new complete rig budget, but it does look nice, and I'm not sure if it includes the safety items you mentioned or if it's a good deal. Additionally, TSC also has a BMW on consignment that looks appealing, although I might struggle to live with that kind of bike.
Thane also mentioned this Victory removed link e":"6596293826246041222"}&__tn__=!:D which is impressive and I like it but my last three bikes have been Honda, and I have a good relationship with Dallas Honda and know I am taken care of there.
@iansoady you need another post, then you can post pics and links. Meantime, tell us a bit more about yourself, monkey, plans, etc.
Illegitemi non carborundum est!
@chrisntx Hannigan is one of the premier sidecar builders in the US. The sidecar builder's community is not large to begin with and those who remain are very good. Odds are very that the 15 Wing/Hannigan GTL rig is all that and two bags of chips to boot. That said, there is a pretty good sized community in Ohio that could go take a look at it on your behalf before committing to purchase.
Illegitemi non carborundum est!
Hello all. I am Ronnie, 50 yrs old, male living in South Florida for 3 yrs now. I recently rode an RE Himalayan and missed my dogs on the ride, so I ended up buying an RE INT650 + COZY Euro sidecar. I have about 5 days of riding experience and now my boy has 10 mins of sidecar experience as well. Waiting for my girl to like it as much as her brother does. Fingers crossed. If they both like it, dad and kids will start traveling west. If the girl doesn't like it, we will think of something so we are together all the time.
Great Start Ronnie! 😎
Hold my keyboard and watch this! 🙃
