[Sticky] Introduce Yourself!

Welcome Sam! 

Welcome aboard Sam. Nice looking rig. 

Hi, I'm a new member from Schenectady, NY.  I have an Indian Springfield with a DMC Tomahawk SE sidecar. 

Welcome Gene

tell us a little about your rig, I always liked the Tomahawk on an Indian, just seems like the right combo 

     My Springfield is a 2017 that I purchased used and had it shipped to DMC in Washington state where they built and attached the sidecar.  Even though it has a door, some people have a hard time getting in and out of it.  I can get in and out no problem.  The Tomahawk was styled after the old Indian Princess sidecar.  Here is another picture showing the sidecar better.

Dave Schiller in Fredericksburg VA.

Brand new to sidecars been riding bikes for about 30 years.

What things should I be thinking about or doing.

Only have had a ten minute ride so far.

Have to get the bike legal for the state,

I just bought a 2009 police bike standard with a 1998 side car and just wanted to know where to start learning what to do next besides ride? Really pulls to the right, is that a set up issue?

Hi Dave,

    I also am pretty new to sidecars.  I suggest you at least read a book about sidecars and how to drive them.  If you can find a sidecar training course take it but I think they are rare.  The book I got is THE SIDECAR GUIDE 3WB by Rod Young.  He used to have a sidecar company and made many outfits.  The book has training exersises in it, tells you how to set up a sidecar and much more.  Enjoy your sidecar unit and be safe.     

Welcome Dave,

Post up a request for alignment help in Virginia in the Tech section. We have quite a few USCA members in Virginia.

It might be a simple tweaking, or more serious, either way an experienced sidecarist can help you figure it out.  There is a science and an art to finding the proper set up for every rig / driver. A well set up rig is a joy to ride.

Jan

I agree with CCjon. A well set up rig is a joy to ride. When I got into sidecars in 2002, it was after many years on two wheels but my wife had decided to give up riding with me. I thought she might enjoy the view and seating in a sidecar. I didn't expect to be particularly thrilled but if it meant she'd still go with me, it seemed a good thing to try. I bought a used Ural from Hal Thompson. My wife's mind was set, she no longer wanted to accept the risk. But the boxer I had at the time, Archie, loved the sidecar and I found a whole new thrill. That Ural was so much fun to ride and the fact Archie could go was a joy. After a few years of riding the Ural while the Harley mostly sat at home, I knew there was no going back. I sold the Ural, my Kwik Kamp trailer (which I didn't tow with the Ural) and an old tractor in order to purchase the Liberty sidecar from Pete at Liberty. I also had him put the 5 degree triple tree on so the steering would be right. I rode that outfit until health issues became too large an issue and through three sidecar copilots. Petey is still with me and has enjoyed riding as much as Archie did. I sure hope you have many years of enjoyment ahead and submit a few articles to the Sidecarist about the best. Here's my favorite issue. My photo on the cover and more throughout. Just showing what's possible when you submit your stories.

Quote from dave schiller on September 30, 2023, 6:30 pm

.... Really pulls to the right, is that a set up issue?

Most likely some setup issues to tune.  Toe in of the sidecar wheel and lean out of the bike in relation to the sidecar come to mind.

From borrowing others' rigs, I determined that pulling to the right was not something that has to be lived with.

I then went on a mission to fix my newly delivered rig, and found the manufacturing process of the new leading link suspension to have been completely botched.  Ultimately commissioned Chuck Loftin to build a new, straight leading link and almost all pulling to the right went away.  The rest was removed by tweaking toe-in a bit and setting it at 1/2 deg of lean out, away from the car.

Up to 65mph, I have neutral steering.  Over 65, or with a strong head wind, there is a mild pull to the right.  I think this is relatively normal with a large car (DMC Expedition.)  Others may think differently, though, and I am not an expert.

I may add a little more toe-in, and see if I can get to neutral steering at 75mph, but really have not been in a hurry to chase if farther.

Good luck with you adventures.  There are a lot of people here with many years of setup experience that can provide valuable guidance.

Hi! Dan Shaffer here in my 3rd year of dabbling in the arts of sidecaring. It all started with cash earned for a work task that I didn't want to do and didn't enjoy and of course the stark boredom of covid isolation. All solved with a 2005 Ural that has since been sold. All the fun of riding slowly. All the worry of will it make it home. And the suction of time doing repairs and adjustments to keep old technology running reasonably well. The video NOT allowed attached shows what happens in winter when there's not enough snow for the snowmobiles around here. Get bored and go ride!

Then a replacement rig for the itch was located 10 hours away near Chicago. Borrowed neigbor's snowmobile trailer and had some fun driving the rig up a tilted trailer and proudly returning north with the prize. After the Ural's limited snow adventures it was important to see how an STll00 (with road tires) compared. Actually surprisingly it stuck to ice adequately to get up and down modest hills. And it was quite responsive to my steering input whilst fishtailing when it broke traction. Pretty fun! 

Now I'm waiting for the time to do the engine valves and carb tuning that I sense it requires. Piloting the 100+ horsepower rig is quite lovely. Handles reliably and well, the grunt of this beast makes it inviting to twist the throttle to it's limit too often. Not sure the seating position is going to be the ride I take on for 8+ hours/day, multiple day rides but it sure provides a pleasant way to do a grocery run and rack up 100 miles pretty quickly. And I'm feeling quite happy rocking back/forth on the two wheelers so maybe that's all good enough for now. Hoping to avoid for many years the need to have 3 wheels or rot inside the cage of the automobile. 

Pleasure reading your stories as well  - Dan

Howdy Y'all, 

Short time lurker, first time poster.

My name is Scott Heath (lack of imagination explains the "sheath" user name. lol).  Picked up Screaming Yellow Zonker (SYZ) as a first "learner sidecar" back in August of this year.  Current monkey is Super-Muttress Adele.  She does a great job of holding down the seat cushion, and adding ballast. 

The idea of getting a sidecar came when out on a beautiful ride through the Rockies here in Utah on an Adventure bike.  I was by myself, and didn't have anyone to share the joy of the great "State of Outdoors".   Smarter Half decided she had enough riding motorcycles, and wanted a Jeep.  I've "been there - done that", and wanted something different.  She agreed to at least "try" riding in a sidecar.   Time moved forward, and Smarter Half got real smart and moved on.  So currently it is just Super-Muttress and I (come to think of it Adele is smarter than me too LOL), for the near future.  Next season the plan is to do more exploring and camping with SYZ.

SYZ is a '95 R1100 GS that was pretty thoroughly rebuilt a couple of years ago, and updated with a '98 transmission, 1200 injectors, and all the other little issues repaired, like the wiring harness, etc..  This winter's projects include correcting the trail with a shortened Telelever/extended fork bridge, changing the Final drive gears to 37/11, grooving the drive tire for better off-road traction, installing a new front tire, and possibly connecting the sidecar drum brake up as a parking brake.   The sidecar is a mid '90s Dnepr.  It has some great dings in the metal from a life well used.  The person who built this project cleaned the tub, and then put a nice quality paint over top without doing any body work. 

Got to attend the Hotchkiss Rally in Hotchkiss CO this year (thanks to an invite from Dirty DR ), and had a great time.  Hoping next year there are even more sidecars in attendance.

Pictures are: Super-Muttress Approved.   First mod of a new MRA Vario windscreen.  First steps of goggle training on a very willing partner.

YEAH !!!!

Scott, you are now on a sidecar forum that I have never been banned from.

And welcome to Super-Muttress too.

Welcome Scott!

Instead of wasting time fixing up the rig over winter, come ride in AZ!

Cheers,

Dane

A Welcome from Canoe  too. :-). and to Monkeys,, What did you do???