Sidecar yes or no

If I had that first experience driving an outfit again it wouldn't be behind Willaby post office in a narrow lane but in a big open car park but what would you expect with the idiot who swapped seats with me that day they take time to learn there oddball ways
 
I am heavily addicted to sidecars of all types, although I have not had one for many years for many varying reasons, mainly the one that I also love my solos and have far too many toys anyway, I have had double adult saloon sidecars (Matchless/AJS 650cc) and built an ex racer kneeler into a road bike (650 BSA A10) using ex Chris Vincent engine parts including DCOE Webber, I was allowed to test ride the Laverda facrory portotype on the Breganze factory track in 1975 as was ILOC founder and know sidecar nut Hal Kendall, we were both kept apart ntill quizzed by hans Blomquist as to our thoughts, that bike had a seperate bolt on lower frame/subframe, kendall never did that and recently Gloucester dave did a very neat conversion to his 750 mongrel, featured in LVV . my sons have dabbled with them as well building an off roader based on an XT500 and Tom was commissioned to build a mini outfit on a childs Honda field bike for an eight year old, very successfull, I spent more than fifteen years mechaniching for sidacar road racers this was intially on British twins and then had a gap, restarted on TZ350's then fours and then back to twins (formula 11) anhd finally ten years or more wityh the only Norton rotary on the circuits, which realy proved too fragile for the loads that two men and the extra weight has to cope with, in short, I love them, but they should not be compared to solos, or three or four wheeld open top cars, there are crossover similarities, but they are not the same experience, no problem with those that dont get it, or dont like it ,I am in no way a fussy eater, but I cannot stand aubergines, they even make me reach on site of them,but plenty love them.
CLEM
 
My Kawasaki Z1300 outfit handles reasonably easily, and it’s a big heavy lump of a thing. I can steer it perfectly ok with one arm, although I’d probably get tired if I did it all day.

The only time you make large steering inputs is during low speed manoeuvring. If you’re doing 100kph on the highway it only requires light inputs to keep it on track.

If you set Wlodek’s outfit up properly it should be manageable for him. But you’ll need to fit a different front end.

Leading link front ends are fitted to sidecar outfits for two reasons. Firstly, they’re better able to handle the lateral loads that you get when turning a bike without it leaning over. Secondly, it allows you to change the steering geometry to something better suited to sidecar use.

Sidecars front ends behave differently to solo bikes. Sidecar wheels are always vertical, so bumps in the road surface don’t make the same lateral inputs to a sidecar front wheel as they do on a solo bike that leans into a corner. So sidecars can get away with less trail in the steering setup. The benefit of reduced trail is that it makes the thing a lot easier to steer. An old sidecar guy once said to me “Fitting Earls forks is like fitting power steering”.

You’ll also need heavier springs front and rear because of the extra weight of the sidecar.

I haven’t kept up to date on what suspension mods are available for sidecars in Australia, but I’m sure you can find local contacts who can give you advice on the choice of front end as well as general setup and adjustment. I’d google it for you, but my home internet connection isn’t working at present. I’m doing all this on my phone.

Good luck with getting Wlodek sorted.
 
I have a mate who makes front ends for sidecars that are engineered. Most of my sidecar mates are using his front end.
Mostly fitted to GSX1400 which are it seems the bike of choice.
At some gatherings there could be as many as 15 of them.
Even my mates 3c in the photo
Has been retired for a 1400.
 
Guys, thanx for the discussion that came up on my question.
but for the side-car lovers, the original question is still out there: buy a side-car or bold lne on to a GT750?
Another Italian I looked at yesterday was very interesting, V7 special from ‘69. Decison today….
 
There is no reason not to put a sidecar onto your GT, it is your bike and it can be done with a bit of ingenuity. A sidecar manufacturer in Australia fitted one to an SF2 without problems.
 
Perry said:
But don't you have to sit in a traffic jam and get wet ? Doesn't look good for filtering.
Click to expand...
At least on a sidecar you are three, on a trike two... Common malaise, half malaise...

Concernig the original question vintage sidecars are much more fascinating and with a machine gun on the best...
 
Hans said:
Guys, thanx for the discussion that came up on my question.
but for the side-car lovers, the original question is still out there: buy a side-car or bold lne on to a GT750?
Another Italian I looked at yesterday was very interesting, V7 special from ‘69. Decison today….
Click to expand...
There are quite a few more recent Guzzis about fitted with sidecars and leading link forks, many are owned by sidecar enthusiasts and should be well set up. They do come up for sale, usually at a price which is much lower than they would have cost to put together. - it may be a better way to go than adapting the GT.
 
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