Sidecars and riding them

[Magic]

We could use a sidecar section for info sharing

Yes Chuck I plan on being at Oley this year if I can take a day off of work... :-/ I do it to myself really. Last year was the first year I missed in 25yrs because of work and I was even on Vacation which doesn't make any sense I know. I'm not getting any younger LOL. The 3 wheeled meet was different the other year when we had that theme and some nice machines had turned out for it. I may ride that one in on Thurs thru Sat to use as a small parts carrier if need be. Say hello I'm a tall bald fit clean cut 51yo Biker with dirty fingernails...I had to admit I have faults...I almost put a sidehack on my 94RK this past year when a local one showed up on Ebay but they take up so much room in the nest. Hope for nice weather end of April. Merlin in Pa.

[Sargehere]

Hey Steve I am working on a 30 VL that I plan to put a sidecar on any chance you could post a photo or two for me?

Thanks Chuck

Here's a couple of photos of a 36VL and sidecar for you:





This is what it takes to connect a VL to a sidecar:


Notice the rear connector has only two round holes.


This 36-37 and-later set shows the slotted rear connector.

Hope this helps! I have a couple of other sidecar parts-pics, too. Even a 1930, around this 'pyooter somewhere, if I could only find it!

[Sargehere]

Here's the 30V. A little better shot of the sidecar connections:

Hope this helps.

[stevekleincustom]

1930 HD VC with sidecar

Hey Steve I am working on a 30 VL that I plan to put a sidecar on any chance you could post a photo or two for me?

Thanks Chuck

Chuck here's a pic of my 30VC. Interesting history. I am 4th owner. Bike and rig have never been separated since new. Bought it about 8 years ago out in West Virginia. Owner did the resto with his father who was a car collector from 71-73. Took it to Hershey and won Junior First...took it home and put it in his basement until I bought it. Said he was not a motorcycle guy, just retored it to get his father off his back. He then went back to his passion of deer hunting. It runs and rides like new and I guess I should ride it more.

Glad to share and will look for more pictures for you

[stevekleincustom]

1930 HD VC with sidecar

Here's the rest of what I have. Hope this inspires your 30 resto.

[Sargehere]

I've been driving sidecars since 1974. I also had a Package Truck (called model "M," in the Knucklehead/UL era) which is wider, with bigger springs, and what Harley dealers used to build their Dead Horse Wagon, their "customer bike recovery vehicle," in the old days. That's what they were commonly called. Most motorcycle dealers had one, to tow in non-running customers' bikes.
This is a run down of what I warn new sidecarristas: That an Assymetrical Tripod motor vehicle is a completely different animal from anything else on the road. No matter how confident you may feel, there are a whole new set of skills to learn in order to keep the rubber side on the bottom!
Everyone I know, when new to sidecars, has had at least one, "It won't turn!" experience, in no more than their first few days of driving one. The inputs your body are accustomed to from the bike make it feel (fool it, that) you're on two wheels, and one of the first right turns you try to make will fool your body, and panic instantly sets in when it doesn't lean like your autonomic nervous system expects it to.
You go straight, off the left side of the road, maybe into the ditch, if you're lucky. If you don't mesh with the grill of an 18-wheeler or something, you live to gain a whole new respect for something that has to be driven, not "ridden;" driven with the handlebar, the throttle (more to go right, less to go left) and brakes.
You can hook up the stock sidecar brake linked to the back wheel of the bike (the "pusher" the bike's rear tire/wheel is called), or, some people prefer to leave it unhooked and unbraked, freewheeling, and rely on the bike's throttle and brakes,
Or (and this part gets real in'tris'tin'), set it up with a second left bar hand brake lever (under your front one), so, going into a hard right turn, you can duck low, slide your butt off the rt. side of the seat, hooking your left thigh around it, reach under the front brake and pull a little sidecar brake with the left-hand fingers, and go around the right turn like you're on rails! I tol' ya, it's unlike anything else you'll ever drive.
There's also "U.S.A.," The United Sidecar Association. They're on the web. They have information, safety courses and blogs, all dedicated to the sport of sidecars.
I just don't want anyone to get in over their head before learning that sidecars are a completely different animal, and are a BALL to drive, BTW. Take it easy.
--Sarge

[junkyarddog]

I have a 1945 UL that I want to hook a tub to. I am missing the rear mount with the slotted holes. I anyone can help, let me know. Jim

[Chuck#1848]

Yes Chuck I plan on being at Oley this year if I can take a day off of work... :-/ I do it to myself really. Last year was the first year I missed in 25yrs because of work and I was even on Vacation which doesn't make any sense I know. I'm not getting any younger LOL. The 3 wheeled meet was different the other year when we had that theme and some nice machines had turned out for it. I may ride that one in on Thurs thru Sat to use as a small parts carrier if need be. Say hello I'm a tall bald fit clean cut 51yo Biker with dirty fingernails...I had to admit I have faults...I almost put a sidehack on my 94RK this past year when a local one showed up on Ebay but they take up so much room in the nest. Hope for nice weather end of April. Merlin in Pa.

Well I will be driving this year the hack will be sitting home hope to sell off some things to fund the VL project.

I will have my pickup will be looking for ya

[Chuck#1848]

Here's the rest of what I have. Hope this inspires your 30 resto.

Thanks Steve

It keeps me motivated the only part for a sidecar I have is the lower front mount and it's missing 3 of the bolts sharp looking set up you have there!

[Chuck#1848]

Sarge,
Was that your VL? I really wish that I had found something more complete and maybe even running...

Some of the people I know from the USCA club have two rear brake pedals one for the pusher and one for the sidecar to aid in turning corners kind of like a tractor.
I even considered buying a leading link front fork for the roadglide with the amount of miles it gets used it would be nice to have.

If anybody is in the area in July 8th to the 11th the United Sidecar Association is holding their 32nd National rally in Essex Junction Vermont would be nice to see more vintage sidecars there...servi-cars are welcome to!

I started riding sidecars in 1992 due to the family expanding from 2 to 3 my daughter has been in a sidecar since she was 2 years old had a 1972 flh with 1966 sidecar put 1,58000 miles on it in about 22 years....couple complete motor over hauls to quite a few family vacations with that old girl.

[Sargehere]

Sarge,
Was that your VL? I really wish that I had found something more complete and maybe even running...

Some of the people I know from the USCA club have two rear brake pedals one for the pusher and one for the sidecar to aid in turning corners kind of like a tractor.

This is a photo of my main bike: a 1937 UL, and a 37LEC sidecar (originally sold by the MoCo as a bare sidecar "chassis," so stamped, "LEC"). Has an L&W body on it, and the bike has a 3+reverse trans I swapped out of a '39U I found somewhere, with that '37 sidecar and the reverse trans attached to it:

I know what you mean about the two brake pedals. I don't even have the cable for a separate sidecar brake on this bike, just the complete, stock, linkage. I rigged up the super long sidecar brake cable on a Honda I had once. It was a small enuf and light something that you could throw around corners and drive like ninety while doing about forty-five. I was still immortal at that age, in my twenties, too. I'm sure that had something to do with it.

I've just come to love sidecars of just about every kind. The "assymetrical tripod" is definitely my favorite form of motor vehicle.

[jurassic]

a very generous dealer in modesto loaned us this old workhorse for the cannonball.

[Chuck#1848]

Generous indeed!!

Jurassic let's hope it is only for the ride on the cannon ball run and not needed to be put in action/recovery.

how long has he used it?

[motorpickle]

Mo sidehack BS.....

All the sidehack chatter once again reminds me why I belong to this AMCA org. Nowhere else can us "birds" ride them "graveyard ponies" and live to talk about it. I put a "tub" on my 46FL about 5 years ago and have never gone back. I would like to agree with all of the warnings from the old dogs. My ride is no longer a motorcycle! I went through a couple of the "bike won't turn" episodes while learning the ropes. I put a 3-speed/reverse in it for the Rhinebeck Road Run a few years back. The Ski Country of New York was one of the best rides I have ever done! I had my "Monkey" in the tub. Monkeys do the navigating and timing in Jack Pine style racing. My wife volunteered to read the Road Run directions whilst I kept us all on the right side of the road(most of the time). If I can bore you guys with some more BS I will. We were riding on a somewhat straight section of two lane when I grabbed a fistfull of right handlebar and jerked the third wheel off of the ground. After an appropriate expletive and a punch in the ribs, my wife requested that I stop this behavior. I can gumflap for hours about this Run, but I'll pull the plug for now. Do it in a Tub!!!!!!!!!

[20scout]

Getting the last few bugs worked out on my 1927 Indian Scout Police Special and then plan on hooking up my Goulding LS to it. This was my great-uncles rig and I am looking forward to getting it on the road again soon.