WL Buddy Seat

[Mr. Big]

Have you considered a sidecar? Guy in Poland makes a very nice reproduction for the 45.

http://www.web4.us/sidecar/index.php?q=LS29

May not be what you want, just a suggestion.

[RvP]

Sidecar

Yes, I have thought about a sidecar and familiar with the fellow in Poland. It’s about $6,000 including shipping and includes everything except the wheel. There are a few compromises I have thought of with the 45 that are workable. I would have to go with a small sprocket on the engine to gear it down enough to pull the sidecar. I am not a speed demon so that’s not a problem. The 45 sidecar doesn’t have a brake on it and the brakes are not that great to begin with but I think that can be worked out. Last correspondence I had with him he does offer a brake kit but I am not sure how it links to the 45 rear brake. I have a small 1 car garage and I would need to let go of a few items to make room but that’s livable also.

I have never driven a side car rig but she has ridden in a sidecar and enjoyed it. One of our Chapter members has a modern Harley with sidecar and he took her to a show in it one time. When I wasn’t looking out of need I passed on a sidecar frame one of our members found. The footstep is to buy us some time and see how the rest of the year goes. If things don’t improve a sidecar is an option we have discussed. If I could find one for a great price now I would spring for one. That’s certainly an option I have done some homework on. Thanks.

[Mr. Big]

Actually, the price you stated is a bit off. About 3500 USD bucks plus shipping. Just paint and a tire to finish. Of course, your number could include some accessories I did not figure. Just the basic rig to get ya down the road.

[BNSONS]

I know this is not the norm and “Rube Goldberg” does aptly apply. In order to reduce the strain on her hips, a temporary condition due to the chemo, I need to get the step farther back than the foot peg is located currently or with extensions. We have tried different placements using a small stool on the ground to find the optimal placement to reduce the strain. I am hoping to extend her ability to ride with me for the warm months and we are optimistic this is just a temporary setback. Thanks for the suggestion and I will keep this in mind if we have to drop back to explore more traditional solutions.

Ronald V. Papasso

Get a Buick & when she feels better then you can start riding again. Unless you insist on trying to do her in.

Dave

[RvP]

2,600 Euros

You are correct, the sidecar price is around 2,600 Euros which would be close to the price you mentioned in US dollars. Better than I last throught. If plan 1 fails then onto plan 2 before the dollar drops any more overseas.

I appreciate all the positive feedback I have received.

[Chris Haynes]

Here is a set of the foot peg brackets on eBay. With a little engineering I am sure they could be made to work.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/NICE-...item335c360043

[RvP]

Got a right side one

Last night I was digging around in my box of parts that came with a basket case and there is one of that type of bracket for the right side with a folding foot peg on it. Even though it’s for the right side it does give me something to play around with as an alternative. I don’t know how much stress the footboard strap can take with full weight on the peg or if it’s going to be far enough back but it’s easy enough to give it a try. At least it will have the same support as the footboard with spreading the stress to both support rods instead of just the one.

[RvP]

Change in plans

The best laid plans of mice and men and so on. Attached are pictures of the final configuration that does not even resemble the cardboard prototype. Turns out I had a left side passenger peg extension and as someone posted “it should be enough to work with a little engineering” was correct. I needed to add extensions to it so it could mount on the existing buddy peg pivot and get high enough to clear the primary cover. A piece of channel stock to hang from the frame (attached with u-bolts) to take the weight. It doesn’t flex or move with my weight on it and the foot peg folds up and out of the way after use as a step.

The downside is that it isn’t as easy to remove as the previous design but it only takes 10 minutes to remove if I feel the need to do so. The other downside is the left passenger peg no longer folds up when not in use with the step attached. This isn’t a problem other than it looks odd when the solo seat is on.

The pictures are before I cleaned up the metal, rounded square edges, painted black, etc. I figured its easier to see all the pieces before cleaning up and painting. This is my first attempt at building something from metal and it was a learning experience. I will have to wait a awhile to see how well it works as soon as she gets some strength back in her legs.

Special thanks to Mike for fabricating the original concept on Thursday. Mike fabricated it on his 45 and I forgot to tell him I have a rear crash bar on mine which he does not have. This changed the whole geometry that Mike had worked out. Mike was willing to give it another try Saturday but I went back to the drawing board and went over the new design with Mike. Then I went home and spent most of the day trying to build it, something you experienced metal fabricators would have only taken an hour to do. Afterwards Mike gave it a quick inspection and looked at a few welds to make sure they were decent enough to work.

I know this is not a modification that can even be considered period correct and I also acknowledge it may be sort of a Rube-Goldberg solution. However, it gets us back on the road doing what we enjoy. I appreciate everyone that contributed ideas and kept pushing me towards a better solution. Thanks

Ronald V. Papasso
#3129