Sidecar 101

Anyone else willing to help?? Any input appreciated

I am far from an expert on sidecar design but I think a four point mount would be far more stable. Is the suspension leaning towards the bike? I dont know what that would do for handling but it may cause issues. I have seen a few cars that use the rear swingarm/monoshock of a dirtbike that looks cool.


You might post this question over in the hacks section on the ADVrider forum. Lots of folk over there have designed their own cars.
 
Hi,
I have read this whole post and learned a great deal. I plan to put together a sidecar rig. I ordered David Hough's book "Driving a Sidecar Outfit" and have just finished my 81 XS--pictures in Let's see the XS650's.

I plan to fit the bike with a Velorex and have it painted by the same artist who did my XS. The plan is to ride the bike and show it as well. Not much sense in owning one and not riding.

I can still ride my Honda touring bike, but am afraid that the years on that are numbered with injuries from Southeast Asia war games in the sixties are beginning to have an effect--bad hip and knee. I don't like Trikes and am not crazy about the Can-Am.
Alex

There is a guy in Howland, ME who specializes in sidecars. I believe he has a Velorex for sale but the XS goes with it. I think that the Velorex or JAWA sidecar would fit the bill. I'll read David Hough's book before I ask too many stupid questions.
 
hi guys ,,,,a few years ago in orbost ,,,,australia ,,i met an old guy that had a gs1000g ,,with a matching dustings side car ,,,, and the bike also had a tow bar and ball for his aussie fibreglass trailer ,,,, he used to go bush up along the murray river for weeks with a cattle dog and a small jack russell dog which were chained up for travelling each side if the side car in the boot he carried all his food etc and then his trailer was fully loaded as well .. and he,d be gone for 5-6 weeks ,,, he had a ball ,,, i absolutely loved that bike ands set up .. regards oldbiker
 
I have the bike (XS650SH) and am looking for a Velorex Sidecar. We have a Velorex dealer not far from where I live.

Does anyone know if there is a magazine devoted to sidecars? I would like to learn as much as I can by this coming summer.
 
hi guys ,,,,,in australia our ex.... aussie president had a nice side car set up on his xs650 which was also modified the whole package look great regards oldbiker
 
I have the bike (XS650SH) and am looking for a Velorex Sidecar. We have a Velorex dealer not far from where I live.

Does anyone know if there is a magazine devoted to sidecars? I would like to learn as much as I can by this coming summer.

There used to be a magazine called Sidecar Rider but I have not seen it at the bookstore in a long time. I believe the United sidecar association (USCA) also puts out a magazine with membership.

Check out the hacks section over at the Advrider forum for a lot of good info:

http://www.advrider.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=56
 
Magazine called called "Hacked" used to be around.
 
Hi Guys, I've been getting some emails about sidecars and how to set them up and why the use of leading link frontends etc... If ya all don't mind I will make this the sidecar thread of answers and how too's. Like everyone, I learn from others and the info I will put out here is info that I've acquired from looking and asking those who knew a lot more then I did. Believe it or not sidecars are complicated beasts and there is a lot to them, it's a big topic that can't be covered in 5 minutes. So to help those who have asked and to save me time in responding to the emails I receive on the same subject I will start this thread. Sidecars are a lot of fun but if not done right they can suck to drive (you will lose interest fast) and get you in a heap of trouble! My first year with my xs650 sidecar was horrible and I had to learn a lot before I finally got it all sorted out and started having fun with it. To save some grief to anyone wanting to get into sidecars I will post all I know and have learned over the past 3yrs playing with these things. First a few pictures to spark some interest, these are off the web and I do not own any of them but do know a few of the owners. P.S. If you think sidecars are just for the old people who can't hold up a bike anymore better think again!
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, hi guys i simply luv the gsxr with the side car,,, i would look great riding that ,,,,,ot just washing and polishing it ,,,, oh well regards oldbiker
 
Hi,
I have read this whole post and learned a great deal. I plan to put together a sidecar rig. I ordered David Hough's book "Driving a Sidecar Outfit" and have just finished my 81 XS--pictures in Let's see the XS650's.

I plan to fit the bike with a Velorex and have it painted by the same artist who did my XS. The plan is to ride the bike and show it as well. Not much sense in owning one and not riding.

I can still ride my Honda touring bike, but am afraid that the years on that are numbered with injuries from Southeast Asia war games in the sixties are beginning to have an effect--bad hip and knee. I don't like Trikes and am not crazy about the Can-Am.
Alex

There is a guy in Howland, ME who specializes in sidecars. I believe he has a Velorex for sale but the XS goes with it. I think that the Velorex or JAWA sidecar would fit the bill. I'll read David Hough's book before I ask too many stupid questions.


Alex,

I campaigned an '83 XS650SK with a velorex sidecar from '91-'07, enjoying many thousands of happy motoring miles with my any of my kids, grandson or wife in chair. I had a combination of universal mounts and home made subframe.


168x168 by yama_hammer, on Flickr


I've attached several internet links. The first two are forums where you can learn anything you need to know, three very experienced sidecar fitters are regular members. The next three are links to these fitters' sites. All three could supply you with an appropriate subframe. The last Sidestrider probably in business the longest is also an excellent source to purchase mounting hardware, leading links, as well as complete sidecars.

http://www.sidecar.com

http://www.advrider.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=56

http://freedomsidecars.com

http://www.dmcsidecars.com

http://www.sidecar-industry.com/nwest/default.htm

http://sidestrider.com/leadingfork.html

Good luck and happy motoring,

Ed
 
hi i like your thought on building a side car,,, ,,,i was looking at the black square tube frame all welded up ,,,, are the welds mig ,,stick .. or what please,,,,could you point me in the direction of maybe working drawings for the sidecar frame i,d be very interested regards oldbiker
 
Newagerocker,
Thank you for those references. Right now I'll be holding off on the sidecar till the dust settles with my divorce. In the meantime, I'll probably research the topic to death. A chap with a sidecar rig (Gold Wing) has recently joined our Association (Combat Vets Motorcycle Association) and he does not mind if I pick his brain.

What I envision is a Velorex sidecar in high gloss black airbrushed by the same shop that did the bike. I plan to have the subframe and struts chrome plated along with the leading link suspension. I do plan to put the bike in shows and also plan to ride it to the shows--this will not be a trailer queen.

I had originally planned to put a sidecar on my Honda NT 700v but have not heard of anyone who has done such a setup here in the states. It has been done in the UK but information is sketchy. In the UK, my bike is the NT 700V Deauville. That model has been in Europe for years. It has only been available in the US from 2010 to 2013.

The XS 650 would be easier to fit and would look quite nice since the bike is semi-cafed out. There are some pictures of it in the Let's See the XS's part of this forum.
 
Hi guys, looks like the links in the first section are crossed out and dead.
Would reall ylike to get a look at the drawings for building the frame including
track and toe and tire lead etc.
Can anyone repost these.
thks jack
 
Yeah, it's a real shame all the pics are gone. When I was first researching my XS / Spirit of America rig, they were really helpful. Sadly, I never took copies of them. I got sidetracked by a two year stint in England, but the build is finally underway. We'll see if this just ends up as another pile of motorcycle parts or I actually finish it.

Here is the bike:
vQ7YwZ8wX8BJTRYAqS493w88UnaYajJ6mj8-Ch_QJk4=w604-h453-no


and here is the car:
Z2x62I3Ju3AlrkbKT5ivL4qCSUY347b-jNpB-BmPUaw=w500-h375-no


....and the current status:
2oeTyPbI-SXkn5mqbMApED0cTEYI9scfsiqfUWLlcFM=w799-h599-no
 
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