Sidecars anyone?

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crankcall said:
There are no restrictions, you just need to tell your insurance its been fitted and they seem interested but don't care. They drive very different from what you'll expect and its a learning curve (short curve) . You can import from the US no issue, They need to be set up correctly so they don't push/pull your steering and track properly. The shop in Acton Ont, vintage cranks, are the provincial gurus on how they work/set up and some really good driving advice. All sidecars are not equal, personally I'd talk to them before buying anything, they are very approachable and helpful.
There is a guy in Newmarket making a beautiful car, but its about 12K all in, he builds for Indian.
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I put a sidecar on a bicycle and found the steering confusing. What was happening was based on the two wheel principle that if you steer slightly in the direction you start to lean, the forces put you back to vertical.

With a sidecar even the crown of the road makes you want to turn to the right automatically as the vehicle is tilted. A half an hour in a empty parking lot was needed to unlearn two wheel habits.
 
That sounds about right, you don't want your first drive at high speed on a highway. The better car designs have a damper shock from the forks to the car frame, seems to make things more civilized. Having the correct 'toein' on the chair wheel and the proper offset , chair wheel not in line with the rear axel of the bike.
 
The guy who owns the car I've been interested in strongly recommended I do not try to ride it home. There's a definite learning curve I hear. I'm not so sure about hopping on two wheels after being on three, or vice-versa. I'd imagine you'd really need to get your head in the game, so to speak.
 
Since I've been looking into getting a dog, I've investigated sidecars to bring the pooch along. One thing I've been curious about is if you tow a sidecar rig on a 4x8 trailer, how much of an issue would the weight imbalance be?
 
I doubt a bike with sidecar would fit on a 4x8 trailer, I'd think you'd need at minimum a 5'width. I wouldn't worry about weight balance, I've towed with a klr650 on one side and a pw50 on the other, talk about weight imbalance but no issues.

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Doggles? I saw a guy in Gatineau with a top box made to accomodate his dog. There were holes in the top and sides for the dog to stick its head out and it was wearing doggles. No sidecar required.
 
crankcall said:
That sounds about right, you don't want your first drive at high speed on a highway. The better car designs have a damper shock from the forks to the car frame, seems to make things more civilized. Having the correct 'toein' on the chair wheel and the proper offset , chair wheel not in line with the rear axel of the bike.
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This is why I find the leaning rigs so appealing, not having to relearn every time I go back to my other bike.
 
crankcall said:
That sounds about right, you don't want your first drive at high speed on a highway. The better car designs have a damper shock from the forks to the car frame, seems to make things more civilized. Having the correct 'toein' on the chair wheel and the proper offset , chair wheel not in line with the rear axel of the bike.
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Even with pedal power I can feel the car drag/push. I wouldn't want to learn panic stops on a wet 100 kph highway.
 
Sidecars are kind of an oddball configuration as far as I can tell. Further analysis indicates hardly any of the benefits of automobiles or motorcycles. I think they were invented as the poor mans' solution to instability post WW1 when wheel rationing was at global zenith. When MV or Hyosung put a sidecar into production I will revisit my thoughts on the matter including planned parenthood.
 
I was a third generation sidecarist, Grandparents had a Rudge (british for you kids) with a wicker/cane chair that was brought by train to Stratford from Halifax , no idea where it ended up. Dad had a WD Harley left over from the war dept with a horrible steel car. I bought an AMF HD ( yeah I'm an idiot) and had a car fitted in Texas, rode it home over 4 months. Mostly waiting for parts in Missouri, Iowa, Ohio and Illinois.
I have no issues going back and forth between a sidecar rig and regular bike. I'm also old and slow.
 
I have never fantasized about sidecars because there's never been a solid connection between Hollyweed pop culture cool and the offending moto/chair combo. Imagine my surprise upon spying, of all things, a Ural racing hack at the Mosport vintage motorcycle races. It was like being hit with a glass baseball bat full of smelling salts. It was clad in a deep red Tremclad. It made me reconsider birth control in all it's forms.
 
I'd like a Ural for my dog...with a machine gun mount....and a machine gun.

Only one issue....my dog loses all control with squirrels and most other dogs....can you get a seatbelt (restraining device) for the dog?
 
jc100 said:
I'd like a Ural for my dog...with a machine gun mount....and a machine gun.

Only one issue....my dog loses all control with squirrels and most other dogs....can you get a seatbelt (restraining device) for the dog?
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Yup, it looks like a chest harness.
 
inreb said:
I have never fantasized about sidecars because there's never been a solid connection between Hollyweed pop culture cool and the offending moto/chair combo. Imagine my surprise upon spying, of all things, a Ural racing hack at the Mosport vintage motorcycle races. It was like being hit with a glass baseball bat full of smelling salts. It was clad in a deep red Tremclad. It made me reconsider birth control in all it's forms.
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they are just left of center enough I thought you of all folks would embrace the silliness of it all. A perfectly fine motorbike with a 200lb anchor bolted on. There is a sidecar'd motorbike in the Harry Potter films, you wont get much more Hollyweird than that. The Aussies were quite gaga for sidecar racing, but it makes sense , MacDoc seems very happy there.
Practically should never outweigh fashion sense.
 
jc100 said:
I'd like a Ural for my dog...with a machine gun mount....and a machine gun.

Only one issue....my dog loses all control with squirrels and most other dogs....can you get a seatbelt (restraining device) for the dog?
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The seatbelt (restraining device) won't stop your dog from machine gunning squirrels and most other dogs.
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