Sidecar valk

[ssober]

I am considering a sidecar for my valk.  I have 2 children that I will haul in it or my wife and 1 child on the back of the bike.  I have seen some with a fuel tank add which for a valk's already poor fuel economy it isn't a bad idea.  I know I probably want the jack to compensate for the weight.  I most likely would like it removable but for the most part they will be riding with me.  these kids have been raised in seat belts so if it has seat belts that would be a bonus.

[MP]

" I know I probably want the jack to compensate for the weight."

Please explain what you mean by "jack".

I am getting a Hannigan sidecar put on my 01 Valk IS the first week of Feb.  Seatbelts can be put in, I am.  They are mainly for keeping a kid in, not protection, as there is none. LOL

I have considered aux. fuel, but am going to wait and see what happens.  I am thinking that on average, I will be going slower with the hack than without, so may make up some of the difference in mpgs.

Any other questions? comments?

MP 

[Dag]

I have "collected" some information about different types of sidecars which are mounted on Valkyries here:

http://www.valkyrienorway.com/sidecar.html

[solo1]

We installed a sidecar on my Valk awhile back.  We did it ourselves and learned a lot.  I did a lot of research into it and found out about a lot of things peculiar to sidecaring and exclusive of triking.

The rig we installed was a Motorvation Spyder, nice looking but too light for the Valk.  Rule of thumb; the sidecar should be 30 to 33% of the weight of the motorcycle.  If I could've done it over I would've gotten a wide car which sounds like what you have in mind.

Another very important thing that I found out is; Yes, you can take the sidecar off easily BUT it is NOT a good idea if you install a reduced trail triple tree for easy steering, a MUST in my mind.  Sidecarists will tell you, consider the rig to stay a rig, once you install a sidecar and make it work, it won't be worth it to go back to two wheels.

I had an aux fuel tank with electric fuel pump in the sidecar, a MUST with the Valk, especially with a standard. Without it, your fuel stops will be every 80 to 90 miles.  Expect about 24-26 mpg with a 'car.

Last but not least. Learn all you can about sidecaring.  Sidecaring can be dangerous, especially if you inadvertantly"fly the chair" without experience. The same thought applies to co riders.  Due to the off balance triangle position of the three wheels, always put the least weight in the co-riders seat and the most weight in the 'car. That's not what people like to hear with a young family.

I have sold the Valk and sidecar due to my age.  Would I do it again, maybe but with a wider and heavier car.

Final word.  Sidecaring, IMHO, is harder to learn than triking due to the assemetrical forces acting on the rig.  Learn everything you can about sidecaring.  Join the USA (United Sidecar Association.)

Wayne

[R J]

Pay attention to what Wayne has to say.....

He is not speaking with a forked tongue.

I tried without success to talk him out of a chair..

I rode chairs, I raced chairs and I flew several chairs, I was also the Monkey in a few chairs..   I'll let you research that one if you are curious, Monkey that is.

Give me a good old Trike now....

I will express it again, ONCE you put the chair on the bike, leave the damn thing on there, don't be taking it off and on, adjustments can and are a pain in the arse.

[JimL]

Wayne I have to admit that I hadn't a clue that there was so much to learn about adding a sidecar to a motorcycle.  Sounds almost like having to relearn how to ride!

[R J]

  Sounds almost like having to relearn how to ride!

IT IS.................

[Dag]

Once you add a sidecar to a motorcycle, the rig that was once a motorcycle is transferred into something else...
You can almost forget the experience you have from the motorcycle riding.
But it is like everything else, you will soon be used to it.
I do not have much experience with sidecars, but it was a very strange feeling and I did not feel completely comfortable through the first curves.

[solo1]

Wayne I have to admit that I hadn't a clue that there was so much to learn about adding a sidecar to a motorcycle.  Sounds almost like having to relearn how to ride!

It's a completely different experience!  First of all you drive it, not ride it.  Mark and I both learned a lot because we installed it ourselves.  Terms like trail, lead, tread width, lean in,  and toe.  These all affect how the rig handles.  "Flying the car" , finding that the rig wants to turn left when stopping and that it wants to turn right when accelerating, the danger of highsiding with the impossibility of regaining control when turning left too quickly at higher speed.  Almost everything must be relearned especially if you've been riding a long time.  Most sidecar manufacturers probably won't tell you since they are in the business of selling.  The editor of Road Runner magazine, Christian Neuhauser, lost his life driving a Ural rig a few years ago. It sounded like he was doing a right sweeping turn on an interstate cloverleaf, flew the chair, turned left instinctively to bring the chair down and was run over by a truck.  Scary!

However, if you master sidecaring, it's a blast. The best thing is the attention that you draw and the persons or luggage that you can carry.

The main reason that I got out of it can be better said by an illustration.  Hooking a sidecar up to a Valkyrie is IMHO like hooking a beer wagon to a race horse. The power, braking, and freedom in banking, will be gone. In addition, the engine in my Valk standard like all Valk standards, was not mounted in rubber.  The increased (read that headwind) drag made the engine work much harder creating vibration in the handlebars and I'm vibration sensitive. An Interstate would've been a better choice for two reasons.  A bigger fuel tank and the engine is partially mounted in rubber.

Looking back, if I did it over, i would've bought another motorcycle for the sidecar and kept the Valk two wheels only. Hindsight is 20/20.

[SideCar]

On the positive side, I've got almost what you describe and for the same reason.  In 2005, I put a "double wide" sidecar onto my Valk standard so that I could take my wife and 2 kids with me as motorcycling is a family sport for us.  We've been in several states, over places like Independence Pass in Colorado and on tiny back roads (paved and unpaved) here in Texas.  We've had a great time with it.

A lot of good advice was given above. 

Expect to spend some time learning to "drive" the rig safely.  I suggest getting the classic book about how to drive a sidecar and you can find references to it on sidecar.com and other sidecar pages.  You'll want to get used to it before adding passengers you wouldn't want to lose. 

Fuel mileage stinks.  Tourtank.com sells an inexpensive, removable aux tank which I normally don't keep on the bike, but is nice on long trips.

I have a very simple setup with a very basic car.  I don't have the electric lean option and with the weight and width of the rig, I don't feel like it's a big deal.  Mine tracks very true with or without passengers.

I have had the triple trees reworked and it makes steering easier and reduces the low speed wobbles .  I have also added a steering dampner, which eliminates the low speed wobbles/shakes of the steering.

I can remove mine inabout 10 minutes and reinstall in about 15-20, but I don't do it often.  As mentioned by someone earlier, the bike doesn't ride as well as a 2 wheeler with the steering alteration, but I have made several rides with it that way.  You just have to be very careful. 

All in all, it's been a great family adventure  Like with many things, the kids still enjoy it, but they are over the huge excitement and are more selective about when they want to go in the sidecar.  I think the same would be true if we owned a Ferrari. Big excitement that goes away after a while.  They still enjoy the sidecar a lot, but they don't want to ride it every day.

Mine has seat belts as well. 

That's probably more than you wanted to read, but if you do want more info, I'm happy to answer questions and you can reach me at gtouchstonenospam@yahoo.com by removing the obvious words from the email address.

If you decide to do it, I think you'll have a great time with it. We sure have.

[jammer]

http://www.sidecar.com/links3.asp

I have a 97 standard with California side car.  Lots of fun & challangeing.  Good advise from Wane & RJ.

G

[T-Bird]

http://www.sidecar.com/links3.asp

I have a 97 standard with California side car.  Lots of fun & challangeing.  Good advise from Wane & RJ.

G

Jammer,  What model of California sidecar is yours? I have a California Friendship 1 that I have in storage. I hope to put it on something someday...I would like to do a project valk maybe.  Do you have pictures you can post of yours?

Terry

[Werner]

This is my favorit.

    

[solo1]

I think that you posted a pic of that here last year Werner.  I agree, that is really a great looking sidecar!

wayne

[ssober]

thanks for the info.  I found a 1500 wing with 59000 and a 2 seat cali. sidecar for 11000 and it looks like it is a decent price. I don't think I want a side hack for every ride I take on the bike.  It may just justify buying a bike with a sidecar or just buy momma a convertible and let her chase me. 

[IAMTHEISLE]

I must agree with everything that has been posted. Been hacking for ten years. Cal. Friendship II. I live in Pennsylvania. From Nov. to March I run the car. Because Pa loves to use alot of cinders during snow season stability is a must. Over the summer it depends on the occasion what I do. Very simple to put on and take off. Unless you have the 6.9 tank you will be looking for gas around 100 miles. Seat belts is an interesting subject. I would say that most hacks are nothing but a fiberglass shell which doesn't allow too much protection. If there were a tubular cage inside the shell seat belts a must. Any questions give me a shout.
Rick