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February Messages (2007)
Date: Friday, February 23, 2007 8:28 AM
Message: Can the universal mount accommodate a standard Bonneville.
Date: Friday, February 23, 2007 9:35 AM
Message: The Bonneville should fit nicely.
Kevin Mahoney
Cyclesidecar.com
Date: Sunday, February 11, 2007 7:42 PM
Message: Greetings,
Sari Gordon told me about your site. I have had this Yamaha XS650C
with sidecar for some years now. I use it occasionally in winter as
a way to get in a few miles without falling down. In summer I use it
like a little truck. I rarely carry a passenger but often use it to
get the mail, groceries or other supplies. It's most comfortable at
about 50mph. I rarely go over 45 as I live in a rural area and can
take side roads to all the local towns.
The Yamaha XS650 is a good platform for a side car rig if one doesn't
plan to go over 60mph.
Last fall my electrical system began to act up so when it warms a bit
I plan to get it into the shop for a complete checkup and tune.
Happy Riding.
Walter Sorensen
Beldenville, Wisconsin
Date: Sunday, February 11, 2007 4:52 PM
Message: Hi-
Just encountered your site while browsing on Vintage Asian Motorcycle group. My sidecar story started with the purchase of a Yamaha 600 Maxim for $125. It was a mess but I got it patched up and running again. I started wondering what to DO with such a thing and decided to try building a side hack for it. I had a 17" wheel and tire in the junk bin and built a frame around that. Suspension was built around a discarded HD shock in the same junk bin. The side car's body was fashioned from wood, fiberglass and a "drag racer" seat found in the J.C. Whitney catalog. I wanted something low and wide and "racy" looking. The front end was enclosed but behind the seat was left open where I added a luggage rack. The bright yellow color was the idea from the start but I added the "Hawk" theme when the nose of the body took the shape of a hawks bill. I built the 4 into 2 into 1 exhaust plumbing and added a "Cherry Bomb" muffler from the local Pep Boys. I also went to Pep Boys again for the truck steering stabilizer that cured the weird steering wobble on deceleration.
Over-all it worked great and was a blast to ride as pilot or passenger. My wife said that when she rode in it she felt like she was in a circus.
Regards - Jack Swartz
Date: Sunday, February 11, 2007 7:42 PM
Message: Greetings,
Sari Gordon told me about your site. I have had this Yamaha XS650C
with sidecar for some years now. I use it occasionally in winter as
a way to get in a few miles without falling down. In summer I use it
like a little truck. I rarely carry a passenger but often use it to
get the mail, groceries or other supplies. It's most comfortable at
about 50mph. I rarely go over 45 as I live in a rural area and can
take side roads to all the local towns.
The Yamaha XS650 is a good platform for a side car rig if one doesn't
plan to go over 60mph.
Last fall my electrical system began to act up so when it warms a bit
I plan to get it into the shop for a complete checkup and tune.
Happy Riding.
Walter Sorensen
Beldenville, Wisconsin
Date: Wednesday, February 07, 2007 7:57 PM
Subject: Sidecar safety issue
Message: Wonder if you could answer a question for me. If you are riding in the sidecar is it best to be seatbelted in? My husband says no, it would be better to be thrown and escape than to be tied in and be crushed or decapitated. Neither sounds particularly appealing.
Look forward to your response or advice.
Theresa
Date: Thursday, February 08, 2007 8:11 AM
Subject: Sidecar safety issue
Message: Theresa,
To my knowledge there is no research on this subject. Personally I am of the seatbelts are good school although there are others like your husband who may disagree. You might try David Hough who is a recognized national expert in sidecar safety at pmdave@msn.com
Regards,
Kevin Mahoney
Cyclesidecar.com
Date: Thursday, February 08, 2007 10:35 AM
Subject: Sidecar safety issue
Message: Kevin, Theresa, I'm not aware of any statistics that show the advantage/disadvantage of a seat belt for an adult sidecar passenger. Unlike automobiles, a sidecar does not offer much in the way of protection. If the sidecar is enclosed up to head level, a shoulder/seat belt might help in preventing passenger injuries. And, if you just feel more comfortable wearing a seat belt, you should demand one, just as you should choose the type of helmet to wear. For child passengers, I suggest a seat belt, not so much for protection as to reinforce the concept of staying put in the seat.
However, the primary way to avoid injuries in motorcycle crashes is to avoid the crash. If I were a passenger in a sidecar, what would be most important to me is to have a driver who is trained, knowledgeable, and proficient. I am aware of crashes involving sidecars, and in my opinion most--if not all--of them could have been avoided by the driver having the necessary skills, especially cornering skills.
Both training courses and textbooks are available. The book Driving A Sidecar Outfit is available from Cyclesidecar.com at 1-800-201-7472. I suggest you study the book, to be better aware of what constitutes good sidecar driving tactics.
David L Hough
Date: Saturday, February 03, 2007 3:40 PM
Subject: My Submission
Message: Browsing your site and thought I'd drop a pic of a rig I built about 25 years ago. The car is a Steib S250 without the fender (it was in process at the time). The bike is a '54 Triumph with lots of later model bits and pieces. That's a gas can on the luggage rack; I was "junk jumping" the day I took the pic. Alas, the bike is gone but the sidecar is now attached to my '75 Moto Guzi t3... with its fender (photos pending).
Anybody know where I can find the half-round aluminum trim piece that runs down the nose of the sidecar? Subsequent to the pic this piece was damaged and I've been looking for a replacement for about 18 years!
Keep On Hackin'
Bob Hall
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