do sidecars still exist?
igr...@awcnet.aw.latrobe.edu.au
side car. She reckons the car is costing too much money in maintenance
and running. It's been a while since I have seen a bike on the road
with a side car and I haven't seen one in a shop for years. I just
checked out the Honda and BMW web pages but found nothing. I have only
seen the trailers that you can get for goldwings.
Can anyone tell me brands and cost (new or second hand,with the bike).
Cheers
Ivor
Stuart Thyer
igr...@awcnet.aw.latrobe.edu.au wrote:
> My wife is trying to convince me to ditch our car and buy a bike with a
> side car. She reckons the car is costing too much money in maintenance
> and running. It's been a while since I have seen a bike on the road
> with a side car and I haven't seen one in a shop for years. I just
> checked out the Honda and BMW web pages but found nothing. I have only
> seen the trailers that you can get for goldwings.
>
They're not the kind of thing you see in shops usually. They're a bit of
a specialty thing and I imagine shops aren't interested in them. There
is a sidecar club in victoria I know of, but little about.
A quick look at the unclassifieds page
http://www.ozemail.com.au/~adamv/bikes/unclassifieds.html
revealed the following
Sidecar. 1993 GSX1100G Suzuki with fully refurbished HRD 1 1/2 sidecar
(new everthing). 29,000 k's (3000 as an
outfit). Goes, stops, handles, looks
great. 12 months rego. Forced sale. $9,800.00. You won't build a low k,
full-size
outfit for this price.
Contact: Mark, Lithgow, NSW,
Australia (Telephone: 02 63531473)
and
BMW R69 (not R69S - much rarer) fitted with Globe (Steib copy) sidecar.
Has leather panniers, American touring tank.
Registered, in excellent condition.
$13,500, negotiable (a little).
Contact: Peter "The Bear" Thoeming,
Sydney, NSW, Australia (Fax: 02 9223 5116)
the BM is certainly a bit different, 'the bear' is a journo type, has been
writing for magazines for years.
I know I saw a Suzi GS1100G '82 model with chair for app $4000 a while
ago, so they come in all shapes & sizes & prices. Best thing is to get
the trading post and moto trader and have a thorough read and get in touch
with a sidecar club in your neigborhood.
Don't forget that Premier sidecars is still in business and in the
phonebook (dunno which state). I think they have the moulds for the old
DJP sidecars, which were another local manufacturer. Or speak to Bob
Martin Engineering in Melb, he does leading link front ends for sidecars
and would probably be able to point you in the right direction.
Hope it helps.
Stuart
(who doesn't own a sidecar, just has friends who do)
(and when I'm drunk enough have been known to be the body in the chair
playing slaloms at rallys)
--
Stuart Thyer
Photographer-Department of Anatomy
University of Melbourne
One time winner of the 'Imaginary chocolate frog of discretion'
Alan Pennykid
>
> My wife is trying to convince me to ditch our car and buy a bike with a
> side car. She reckons the car is costing too much money in maintenance
> and running. It's been a while since I have seen a bike on the road
> with a side car and I haven't seen one in a shop for years. I just
> checked out the Honda and BMW web pages but found nothing. I have only
> seen the trailers that you can get for goldwings.
>
>
> Cheers
>
> Ivor
Sidecars are still around, there is also a club in Sydney, the Sydney
sidecar and enthusiasts club, I think you'd find them in the club
listings in JustBikes, Motorcycle Trader etc; as well as a few outfits
for sale. I have a BMW K-100(was an RT, no longer) with a HRD 1 and a
half chair, done over 200,000km now. I got it a few years back for
$5500. You'll find it is always cheaper to buy one already built than to
build your own, even if it needs some sorting, they are a money pit and
they do not ride anything like a motorcycle(forget countersteering ;),
but are a hell of a lot of fun if you are perverse enough to like them.
HRD Sidecars in Sydney(Penrith) still build a variety of models, fitted
from around $6000(est), depending on what bike you are starting with and
which model chair you choose(single, 1.5 or double, classic(harley
style) or grand rally models), Premier Sidecars and Higgins Touring
sidecars are two manufacturers in Victoria, Leigh Hollamby in Adelaide
is still making to order as well apparently).
Al
Shawn Foo
>Sidecars are still around, there is also a club in Sydney, the Sydney
>sidecar and enthusiasts club, I think you'd find them in the club
>listings in JustBikes, Motorcycle Trader etc; as well as a few outfits
>for sale. I have a BMW K-100(was an RT, no longer) with a HRD 1 and a
>half chair, done over 200,000km now. I got it a few years back for
>$5500. You'll find it is always cheaper to buy one already built than to
>build your own, even if it needs some sorting, they are a money pit and
>they do not ride anything like a motorcycle(forget countersteering ;),
Do you _have_ to have a shaft drive to put on a sidecar?
:)
<running away - really fast>
Shawn
Alan Pennykid
You'ld better be fast!
I will deign to give this udderly stupid question a serious response.
NO!
Chain drive bikes can be fitted with sidecars, but as always there are
pros and cons.
Chain drives have one advantage, it is easy to lower the gearing if your
bike is struggling to pull the extra weight. BUT, chains will wear out
fairly quickly and need more maintenance than as a solo bike (My out fit
weighs in at 380kg, can you imagine how long a chain would last pulling
that all the time)
Shaft drives require less maintenance than chain-drives but often give
you little(or an expensive) option to change the gearing. K-series BMWs
have a wide range of rear end ratios which are interchangeable, but the
K-100 has more than enough power(in the right places, a revvy peaky
motor would be next to useless) so no change is really required (It has
seen 175kmh with the chair fitted, but it's scary, 140kmh cruising is
easy work).
Anybody seen the ZZR1100 sidecar about, still does 240kmh apparently,
its an absolute work of art.
Al
David
megabuck Goldwingthings .
I have an 1100 Virago with a Premier Sharknose chair,
plenty of mates have chairs on all sorts of bikes but
usually shaft drive models ,as the chains drives dont last
as long with the extra weight to pull.
Lots of fun but nothing like a motorcycle to ride or like a
car to drive,they are a vehicle that stands on there own (
no pun intended).
Set up properly with a leading link front fork system they
are a piece of cake to ride.And you can take lots of gear
,little kids ,grannies or all of them if you like in 'total'
safety and the whole family can enjoy motorcycling.
The reason that not many appear in bike shops is that resale
value is about 2/3 of what it costs to set up a good out fit
and bike shops dont want to take up two solo bike spaces for
one sale.
I think your SO's idea is a great one but maintenance is
higher on an outfit than a solo,especially on drive train
components.
Find some one that owns one and con a ride its fun like you
never had before.
David
igr...@awcnet.aw.latrobe.edu.au wrote
> My wife is trying to convince me to ditch our car and buy a bike with a
> side car.
David
cycle from countersteering............but then again once
you add a third wheel its an outfit so here endeth the
lesson and countersteering troll.
David Happily on 3 or 2 wheels depends wether its a
lefthander or a right hander.
Deevo
<36A26772...@awcnet.aw.latrobe.edu.au>...
>My wife is trying to convince me to ditch our car and buy a bike with a
>with a side car and I haven't seen one in a shop for years. I just
>checked out the Honda and BMW web pages but found nothing. I have only
>seen the trailers that you can get for goldwings.
>
experiences with the tripod (75 GL1000) were somewhat mixed. First and most
important is that you get the right bike. Early wings like mine were a bit
weak in the clutch department so try for a later 1100 model. GS1100s are
good haulers as are Z1300s and most of the bigger Bimmers and Guzzis. If
possible try to get one already set up, preferably with a leading link front
end as setting up from scratch is a difficult process as is finding those
who know how.
Maintenance may be higher than you expect especially on a smaller capacity
(750 or less) machine. Definately plump for a shaftie and save yourself the
aggrivation of chewing out chains but remember that the diff needs more
frequent oil changes to account for the extra load. When I had the Wing I
used to change the engine oil every 2500k and the diff oil every 7500.
That's the negatives, on the other side they are heaps of fun giving you all
the benefits of a bike and a unique riding experience. Spend as much time
as you can learning the tripod away from serious traffic (I rode mine
through the middle of rush hour city traffic the day I got it and that was
scary) and once you are feeling comfortable then enjoy.
Good luck and good hunting.
----
Deevo
1982 GT750 Kwak
http://www.midwest.com.au/~mckenzie/p165.htm
RussellM
>Anybody seen the ZZR1100 sidecar about, still does 240kmh apparently,
>its an absolute work of art.
>
>Al
mag, a fuggin' disgrace.....
--
RussellM
98 Suzuki RGV (Not even pillions.....)
96 Ducati Monster 600
znark
>My wife is trying to convince me to ditch our car and buy a bike with a
>side car. She reckons the car is costing too much money in maintenance
>and running. It's been a while since I have seen a bike on the road
>with a side car and I haven't seen one in a shop for years. I just
>checked out the Honda and BMW web pages but found nothing. I have only
>seen the trailers that you can get for goldwings.
>
>Can anyone tell me brands and cost (new or second hand,with the bike
Yup! They still exist. Can't tell ya about prices tho.
There are some really cool ones about. One day while driving thru town
in the cage, I noticed this contraption in the rear view mirror,
looked like something out of Star Wars (specifically the Cloud Cars on
Bespin, the gas giant planet that Lando Calrissian had his mining
operation on and the floating city - Empire Strikes back). I did the
double take thing and had another look. It turned out to be a ST1100
with a leaning side car! It looked cool. I slowed down and let it
pass, it tuned left down a road in front of me and low and behold, the
bike, side car, and the wheel on the side car leaned into the corner.
It was in that yummy plum colour to match the ST1100. I'd get a chair
like that, but I bet they cost a bit.
--
Bradley J. Kranz B.Sc.(Hons) IRC Nick: znark
Mildura, Vic, Au, UTC+1000 (142º04'08"E 34º11'32"S)
1982 GSX1100EZ (Xena) PP#137
It's as easy as 3.14159265358979323846264338327950...
Clem Doherty
znark wrote in message .
(snip)
It turned out to be a ST1100
>with a leaning side car! It looked cool.
A LEANING sidecar??
wow! I need to see a picture and some diagrams.
Has anyone got any more info?
Thanx .... clem
Geoff Hansford
Clem Doherty wrote in message ...
There was one of these at the Melbourne toy run hooked to an ST1100, perhaps
it was the same one. It had a single wheel and linkages that could pivot,
the owner of the gold wing chair that was travelling with him said it was
linited to about 30 degrees lean. Still pretty impressive though :)
Geoff Hansford
Suzuki Bandit 1200 ABS (Doolan)
IRC Nick Geoff_San
Rob Mader
There are a few designs for this around, mostly in Europe though. Check
out the links page from Sidecar World for some pages if you want.
http://www.sidecarworld.com.au
Regards
Rob - Sidecar World Webmaster
Clem Doherty wrote:
>
> znark wrote in message .
> (snip)
> It turned out to be a ST1100
> >with a leaning side car! It looked cool.
> .
> A LEANING sidecar??
> wow! I need to see a picture and some diagrams.
> Has anyone got any more info?
> Thanx .... clem
--
Rob Mader M.Eng (IT&T)
Manager - NAR Design
-- r...@nar.com.au --
http://www.nar.com.au
Suite 5, 24 Stirling Street
Thebarton, 5031
Phone: 8354 5105
Fax: 8354 1647
Mobile: 0414 492 883