The Definitive Sidecar Thread....

[CopterDr]

Thanks for the pics Blood.......sweet

Folks......for some reason my internet, email, blog notices, etc aren't coming in like they should. Not sure what the problem is, so waiting to hear back from some people on it. Sorry if I miss something. I'll try to get back to normal soon.


Barry

 

[elizilla]

I've seen pictures of scooters with sidecars. Like Vespas or something. I have a friend here in town who is manufacturing electric scooters. I am wondering how they'd do with a sidecar like that, for short trip duty around town? Including winter, but no long rides or high speeds - just back and forth to the grocery store or the chinese takeout. Maybe that could be my car replacement.

 

[CopterDr]

Yeah Wayne......google scooter with sidecar......there is some really cool hacks for scooters. The "VW Bus" rig looks like it might be a taxi...lol

 

[RedLdr1]

Okay, question for you folks with sidecar experience... Do you think that you can make a decent, safe, capable rig that will allow you to detach the sidecar and still ride the motorcycle separately? Or do you need to fully commit the motorcycle to the project,(car tires, leading link suspension, etc) and effectively bond the two permanently? Part of the draw of a sidecar for me is the concept of being able to unbolt it and just ride my motorcycle. If I have to be in a committed relationship forever a trike has some advantages over a sidecar and you could always add a sidecar to a trike if you want one...

 

[Bloodthune]

you could always add a sidecar to a trike if you want one...

Has that ever been done?

 

[RedLdr1]

Has that ever been done?

Numerous times.... I have seen several Wing trike conversions with a sidecar pulling a trailer. That setup is for those who do take everything with them I reckon....

 

[CopterDr]

Man....I'd say they really need a car then...lol

 

[RedLdr1]

Man....I'd say they really need a car then...lol

Car? More like a Class A with slide outs....

 

[CopterDr]

LOL........ya got that right Wayne......LOL.

 

[CopterDr]

Hahahaha...........now that I'd like to see Rick.

Ya'll have a large evenin'.....gotta get up at 3:30.

 

[Phil Tarman]

I can't even begin to imagine what a trike with a sidecar would look like. Anybody got pictures of one?

 

[Phil Tarman]

And here's the Hannigan company's link: http://www.hannigantrikes.com/content/tricars.html

 

[elizilla]

I don't have any pictures of the contraptions he can sleep inside, but here's a sample of what the guy I am talking about, does to his bikes.

 

[Phil Tarman]

Katherine, do you know if that guy ever had a Concours? When Joanne and I were on our honeymoon, the day after the wedding we spent about 5 hours by the side of the road at the west entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park (we were waiting for my folks to bring us something from the house as they headed home to Grand Junction). At that point I had only seen about four or five other Connies, but six stopped and visited with us that day. One of them was a guy on an old red Connie (probably an 89 or so) who had almost the same kind of bar extensions. This guy was on his way to Alaska and hoped to continue on west across Siberia. He took my email address, but I never heard from him again. I've always wondered if he made it.

 

[Phil Tarman]

I was just reading yesterday's Sunday Supplement to the local paper and learned that Heloise, the household tips guru (gurette?) rides a Ural sidecar rig. She's even ridden it on book-signing / promotional tours.

 

[CopterDr]

Wow.......a real "Honda-bego".

 

[elizilla]

Phil, that must have been someone different. I've known this guy about ten years and he's never done anything like that. And nowadays he's no longer riding at all, since the incident when a trailer he built caused him to wreck and injured him pretty badly.

 

[CopterDr]

That's cool Phil.....I'm guessing she doesn't have a lot of mechanical problems either.

I sure hate the hear about anyone getting hurt Katherine........I was following a pair of Goldwings pulling trailers a few months back, and was watching how the bikes reacted to wind, cornering , etc. I noticed one was just rock steady and the other was wandering a bit....not sure if he was loaded heavy in the rear of the trailer...but coming out of one pretty sharp curve he was fighting it hard and almost crossed the center line. We were running about 65.

 

[CopterDr]

Jim....I don't think so here in MO.....but I see more and more ads for Safety Training Courses including trikes and hacks like in Kansas, St Louis, etc....and I think that's a good thing. They are a different driving experience.

 

[RedLdr1]

We have an MSF class for 3 wheeler's and you have your choice of sidecar or trike.

I chased getting that MSF class in my area and was told it wasn't going to happen...

In Georgia the sidecar / trike classification appears to be a real gray area. One person at DMV said you would not need a Class M endorsement as it is no longer defined as a motorcycle when you have three, or four, wheels. A friend, who is a LEO, said he would cite anyone riding / driving one who did not have a Class M endorsement...as pointed out there is no legal classification for Trike / Sidecar on your vehicle registration...it will say motorcycle.