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Seeking Sidecar Advice

Joined
Feb 21, 2005
Messages
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Location
SW Austin
I've been jonesing for a sidecar rig for sometime. Don't know why. I've never ridden one or even ridden IN one. All I know is I want one. I've found a cool rig in Chicago that I have inquired about.

Unfortunately, it would cost $2000 to rent a Uhaul one way to bring it home or over a grand (and 3+ weeks and a ton of trouble) to ship it home.

OTOH, I can fly one-way on SWA for $99 and it's only 1,000 mile from Chicago to Austin. :trust::trust::trust:

OTOOH, I have absolutely NO FREAKING IDEA how to ride a sidecar and would likely kill myself in a fiery, mangled mess somewhere in the upper midwest.
:rider::flip::eek2:




Am I crazy :loco: for considering this? Okay, never mind, let me re-phrase. Does anyone have any advice on how to make this - or a similar situation if this one falls through - work out???

-Fletch
 
Find out from the owner what the top reasonable highway speed is. A lot of sidecar rigs don't do well at true interstate speeds. But I don't think that, if you do some homework ahead of time, it's folly to fly up and ride it back. They just handle VERY differently than bikes.
 
I have never driven a sidecar rig, but have always thought about owning one. I'd say go get it. Talk to someone about the handling and start your trip on some roads that are not so heavily traveled till you have a feel for it.
If you are careful and allow enough time so that you are not pushed for time I think you'll be fine.
If you decide to do this we'll need a trip report and I'll tell you now that I am jealous.
 
First off, see if you can find someone local with a sidecar rig and talk to them about it, perhaps persuade them to let you drive the thing. Then, after talking to the seller in Chicago, fly up and try it out. If it doesn't work, you're only out $200.
 
Okay, I just read some sidecar columns from old issues of Motorcycle Consumer News. I think I'm ready.
 
It would be like riding a motorcycle that pulled to one side all the time , wont lean in the corner and is way down on power . and the varibles go either way from there . Some high end riggs compensate for thier short comeings and some import riggs dont . Somebody that is familier with the rigg you are looking at would be very helpful at this point . SEYA
 
Yeah, asking local sidecar dealers and riders are a good idea. Many will say the ride in one is rough, and that left turns may cause the rig to ride up. So there may be some concerns, but like others I too have often considered one. Typically for the bikes I consider around the Country, I want to ride it home instead of shipping it, but folks have different time contraints to do this.
 
Go for it Fred!

Looks to be a professionally-setup rig; I am sure you can handle it :rider:

Just take your time to get a feel for it.
 
Borrow a utility trailer and go get it. Need a truck? I've got one of those.
 
Had one for a year and a half.

(russian rig, full time 2 wheel drive)

If you are feeling frisky you can fly up and drive it back.

(That rig is definantly put together correctly)

I'd make a vacation of it and take the slowest route possible the first few days.

Put ALOT of balist in the hack till you get used to it. NOTHING is worst than the hack coming up when you ARN'T expecting it....
 
I'm sorry, but don't attempt to ride it home without some training and seat time. Yes, I have a hack. Forget everything you ever knew about riding. It is that different. If you do it, crawl thru those first right hand turns.
 
Put ALOT of balist in the hack till you get used to it. NOTHING is worst than the hack coming up when you ARN'T expecting it....

Ballast? seems to me you need a buddy to take with you to ride it back. :trust:
 
ADVRider has a whole section in "Bikes" just for the hacks. I've read a bunch of good stuff there.
 
Go back and reread post eleven. I have a hack too. You ride a motorcycle and you drive a hack.

Sent you a PM about your hack after searching for sidecar advice here on TWT.

I was eyeing this R12C as a possible tug.

I'd love to hear more about your experience building a rig. I was figuring I would have one built until i ran across this VStrom...
 
ADVRider has a whole section in "Bikes" just for the hacks. I've read a bunch of good stuff there.

I have spent unexplainably sick amounts of time in that section in the last few months.

What I've learned is that a) I am not going to build my own and b) having one built seems almost as troublesome so 3) finding an already well-built rig for sale makes driving a death-machine from Chicago to Austin with no skill seem semi-reasonable....
 
Don't forget about www.uship.com as well. It's like ebay for shipping. I had a friend who bought a bike up north and used uship to transport it to Tx. Found a couple that was buying a horse trailer up there and coming back to Tx. He got his bike shipped ultra cheap and they recoup'd some of their gas money by not hauling back a completely empty trailer.
 
I had my sidecar rig shipped from LA to Houston for $500.00 I just called around a few car shipping companies. It came on a 3 car trailer pulled by a pickup.

My side car is for sale separate from the bike if you want to weld it on to something. Has 500 kms on it and I have all needed brackets to hook it to an old BMW.

Sidecar003.jpg


Sidecar002.jpg


Sidecar004.jpg
 
. . . makes driving a death-machine from Chicago to Austin with no skill seem semi-reasonable....

I know the feeling - it would be an adventure - but might scare you enough to take the fun out of owning an outfit.

There are several things about driving a rig which are non-intuitive - especially for a bike riders - and since the rig is asymmetrical - it acts differently depending on braking, acceleration, right/left hand turns, road camber - and what you had for breakfast. They are a blast - but IMHO - it takes a bit of time to get fully comfortable on an outfit.

When I bought my rig I planned to fly up and ride it back. I'm glad I rented a trailer and toted it home.
 
Looks like the rig is sold. :( Probably saved my life. Oh, well....

At least, while I've got y'all here maybe we could turn this thread into advice on building a rig. I was previously contemplating buying an R100GS or R1150GS as a platform just for the aesthetics but the more I think about it the VStrom seems like a solid, cost-effective choice (chain drive, wet clutch, solid motor, inexpensive, tons of accessories). I also think the R12C could look pretty cool with a sidecar and they sell pretty reasonably nowadays.

Has anyone bought a bike and sidecar separately then hired a third-party to fabricate a complete rig? I'd love to hear your experiences. I will definitely do this someday. The question is really whether it's too much trouble to work into my current schedule...

-Fletch
 
Too bad someone beat you to it, it seemed like a really nice rig.

My idea of a perfect rig is a modern Ural with a BMW airhead/oilhead engine transplant. :zen:
 
Too bad someone beat you to it, it seemed like a really nice rig.

My idea of a perfect rig is a modern Ural with a BMW airhead/oilhead engine transplant. :zen:

Yeah. It seemed like a perfect set up. I'd love an airhead with a Ural or Ural Clone (been eyeing the Dauntless M72D). I just don't have time to do the fabrication and/or shopping and shipping to have one made right now.

On a completely unrelated note....You remember posting on Advrider telling a guy from Pittsburgh looking to trade an R1150GSA for an R1100GS bout the R11GS for sale here?

Well, that was my good friend with the 1100 and he is en route back from making the deal in Tennessee. He left Austin at 9pm last night and is just crossing back into Texas right now...
671274079_rEUaN-L.jpg
 
Hey there Fletch,
I have a R1200c/Watsonian that Perry in Ft. Worth (an ex BMW dealer) built, earlier this year. I can't recommend him enough. Craftsmanship at its finest. (817 428 9922) Don't, I repeat, don't go up to his shop and look at his rigs because the sidecar bug will bite you for sure. If you want to see pictures of my rig, go to ride reports and search "Fairfield or Sams restruant" and you should see the pictures.
The fun factor with a hack is FIVE times that of a solo bike. I talk better than I type so, if I can answer any specific questions, give me a call anytime, 903 529 1000.
For anyone that is considering a hack, I highly recommmend training. The Evergreen program is a two day class and it's about a hundred dollars. I used the instructors rig for the class, taught by Marcus Renfroe in Lufkin @ 936 637 7555. Money well spent. Hardy
 
Hey there Fletch,
I have a R1200c/Watsonian that Perry in Ft. Worth (an ex BMW dealer) built, earlier this year. I can't recommend him enough. Craftsmanship at its finest. (817 428 9922) Don't, I repeat, don't go up to his shop and look at his rigs because the sidecar bug will bite you for sure. If you want to see pictures of my rig, go to ride reports and search "Fairfield or Sams restruant" and you should see the pictures.
The fun factor with a hack is FIVE times that of a solo bike. I talk better than I type so, if I can answer any specific questions, give me a call anytime, 903 529 1000.
For anyone that is considering a hack, I highly recommmend training. The Evergreen program is a two day class and it's about a hundred dollars. I used the instructors rig for the class, taught by Marcus Renfroe in Lufkin @ 936 637 7555. Money well spent. Hardy

Wow, that is one beautiful rig. I keep hearing great things about Perry's and Texas Sidecar. I think I am going to spend the winter doing some research and maybe getting some rides and training then work on having one built as a summer project next year.

PIC-0107.jpg
 
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