Buying a Sidecar

Sidecars

Driving a
Sidecar Outfit -The "Must Have" Manual

Not all sidecars are created equal.  There are so many sidecars & manufacturers to choose from fiberglass, steel, composite or wood.  Many varieties ranging from cargo sidecars, tent, platform and passenger, some with soft tops and tonneau covers.  Matching the right sized sidecar to motorcycle weight is critical for safety.  When carrying precious cargo, take the time to do your homework on matching the right sidecar to bike.   We will go over the basics.

First off take a class if available in your state/province.  Contact your local motorcycle rider course or go to www.esc.org for the Sidecar Trike Education Program (S.T.E.P.).  Benefits from the class are priceless:  Rigs are provided and life long skills for staying alive are learned for the novice and experience rider.  Many insurance providers will give a discount on our rates too.  Purchasing the "Yellow Book" is a reference manual for a lifetime.

What kind of driving?  Will you use your rig on road, off road or both?  This will determine the kind of motorcycle you should base your rig on.

What is you price range?  An entry level cargo sidecar works great for camping, tools for work or pets, pricing: $2,500.00 - $3,500.00.   For a passenger sidecar in the mid-range with a top and sidecar brake, pricing: $5,500-$8,000.00.  The sky is the limit for high-end sidecars $10,000.00 and up.

Do you have upper body strength limitations?  If so, steering modifications may be necessary. Leading Legs, Triple Tree Modifications, Leading Links or Wheel Tire modifications.  This will ease heavy steering & be less fatiguing at the end of your ride.

*Good experience about sidecars is hard to come by.*
Try to find someone near who sells and installs sidecar’s, you're lucky if you can. One of the best ways I know to get general information on sidecars is to dig deep in the Internet, and not just the top few search results.

*Talk to some sidecar owners/local clubs.*
If the sidecar company has a website, see if they have customer referrals, a testimonial page, or customer appreciation page you may be able to make contact with them.  www.sidecar.com has a good deal of information.

*Dauntless has a safety 1st policy!*
The right sidecar and motorcycle combination is paramount.  When you carry precious cargo ~ don't cut corners on your mounts, sidecar and installer.  Arranging a Consultation with a Dauntless Motors Sidecar Professional will help you make the best choices for your riding style and needs.  (Contact Jay )

*Take the time to do your homework!*
Don’t forget to contact the Better Business Bureau!

The two factors that occur to people when they begin think about sidecars are, PRICE and LOOKS. As far as price is concerned, historically sidecars have run about 30% to 50% the cost of a new motorcycle.  If you have a $15,000.00 touring bike, expect to pay anywhere from $5,500 to $8,000.00 for a good matched sidecar for it.  When you start looking at some small imported sidecars, that are priced at about $2,200.00 and they imply it will work for the Honda GL 1500 or a Harley FLHTC, you're kidding yourself.  In fact Harley's factory sidecar for the Ultra Classic is about $7,200.00.  Don't buy a cheap, used sidecar and try to mount it on your bike with home made hardware, just to see if you'll like sidecars.  Many end up with a mismatched, ill handling rig, forever stating “Sidecar, you don’t want a sidecar ... there not safe and awful to drive!”.  Many used sidecars are in need of an overhaul.  From Safety standpoint you should always be first when concerning motorcycling, and motorcycle sidecars should be no different.

You wouldn't try to put on the front forks from a Honda 350 on a big Goldwing or Roadglide would you?  Of course not, and you should never bolt a sidecar onto your bike using clamps attached to the crash bar or swing arm.  That may sound silly to you, but believe it or not, some manufactures have actually done it this way.  I've seen sidecars installed in just those ways, and it makes me shudder every time I hear about that kind of thing.  After all you're going to put your wife and kids into the sidecar and it definitely has to be safe for them, doesn't it?  Don't mount up a sidecar that seems the least bit foolish or marginal.  WHEN IN DOUBT, MAKE IT STOUT!

Another good way to get information about sidecars is to get out to sidecar rallies and events and talk to sidecar owners.  They will generally be more than happy to share their experiences with you, and you'll find they're a pretty nice bunch of people.  Again, the USCA(United Sidecar Association) can help here because The SIDECARIST lists sidecar events all over the nation & on www.sidecar.com

A list of questions to ask sidecar owners:

1. Does it continually pull to the right when you add a passenger, ride into a headwind or the road is crowned to the right?

2. Does it lift easily in right hand turns, or do you have to carry extra weight to hold it down.

3. Does the sidecar push the motorcycle to the left under braking?

4. Did you find the mounting instructions you received with the sidecar complete and easy to understand.

5. Can you rest your arms naturally on the sides and is there shoulder space in the sidecar to be comfortable on long rides?

6. Does the sidecar have seatbelts?

7. Can two kids or Mom and one child fit in the sidecar?

8. Did the company you bought it from return your calls promptly when you tried to get more information or to receive after purchase service from them? (Post sale service is very important)

Of course you want the paint on your sidecar to match, but it is more important to have the mounting hardware specifically designed for your sidecar to match your motorcycle.  A four point mounting system is the industry standard attaching in multiple locations to spread the load out, as not to stress any given point on the motorcycle frame (safety 1st).  Some three point mounts are used, when an actuator is incorporated into the top/middle mount location.

A sidecar rig should have good stability when making right hand turns.

To test a rig, just step onto the left peg of the motorcycle, grab the bars and see if you can pull the sidecar up in the air by throwing your weight to the left. If it comes up easily, it's not a good match. The mounting hardware should be designed to take not only normal stresses, but the exceptional pressures developed in hard turning avoidance maneuvers. "Universal mounts" for sidecars can't do the best job. Always make sure the sidecar has mounts designed for your motorcycle.

Remember:

"The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price disappears"... .. .

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