Had to purchase

Redharley · Dec 24, 2017

this belonged to a friend for years. We rode together very often.. I couldn't resist buying it at his estate sale after a battle with cancer. I tried the side car thing years ago didn't like it then going to give it another shot now that I'm older.

David357 · Dec 24, 2017

That's a great looking set up, Bill.

Thanks so much for sharing.ThumbUp

1dn5up · Dec 24, 2017

I’m sure he apreachiates that it got purchased by a friend :clapping:

tfdeputydawg · Dec 24, 2017

Is that a hub cap on the side car and is it about to come off

Redharley · Dec 24, 2017

It is a hub cap, axle was changed years ago to larger size and a trailer wheel tire installed, cap has been on for years and many miles not the best fitting but works. Never came off to my recollection even on 2 trips to Sturgis. Thought about changing it but for now everything stayin the same , to many memories. Thanks for the comments.

peteg59 · Dec 24, 2017

Looks like a good ride you have there, Bill. Don't see many FXR's with "sidehacks"!

A steering stabilizer might help, if you feel any twitchiness or wandering while going down the road.

Also there is a certain spec that has the bike tilted slightly toward the hack. Hard to tell from the photo angle if it is already set. Once upon a time, back when Harley made sidecars, they recommend the "offset" in the installation instructions. Even though this is not a factory HD hack, the offset should still apply. I can't remember the exact # but I recall it being somewhere around 6 degrees. Easy to check for offset: on a level surface stand directly in front of the bike with front wheel pointed straight. It should have a slight cant/lean toward the hack, not perfectly vertical or straight.

That will definitely affect the handling/cornering if not setup right.

Good luck on getting it setup to suit you.

Redharley · Dec 24, 2017

Thanks for the info,will check, only rode it a little after getting it going again, He put over 50,000 on this set up and was and avid rider, I am pretty sure it is done right but things can move, will wait till warmer weather arrives to get use to it. I had an ultra classic with a Harley car for awhile just didn't give it along enough time to get use to it I think, I will try hard this time. I have no problem riding wife's trike but when I switched from motorcycle to sidecar had issues. Probably have put over 250,000 miles on cycles. , they say much easier to learn a sidecar if not to used to motorcycles. Like I said will give my best effort this time.

Ozarkryder · Dec 24, 2017

I had a Harley TLE sidecar when we first got my 1990 FLHs in '92. Didn't have an offset on the lean of the bike, but there was a 3° toe-in of the sidecar wheel in relation to the motorcycle. Different makes of sidecars and bike combinations may be different. The thing to do is try to get the manual for that hack and for the proper set up instructions.

Sidecar rigs are a completely different animal, takes some getting used to. Even 15 years after I got rid of the sidecar the muscle memory was so ingrained I still have a tendency to steer the bars slightly to the left to counteract the pull to the right from the sidecar wanting to stay still. (basic Newtonian physics) Weird thing is I only do it on the Harley, not on the trikes or Bonneville 2 wheeler.

Jack Klarich · Dec 24, 2017

Very cool Evo power

peteg59 · Dec 24, 2017

A good source of sidecar info including setup, can be found on USCA's website: www.sidecar.com

Some of the threads I've read in there suggest that the manufacturers setup specs are a base or starting point, and you might need to "tune", meaning adjust the bike frame to sidecar frame geometry, to suit your riding comfort.

ragsflh · Feb 11, 2018

had to purchase

looks great.will be adding a side car to my bike

stacebg · Mar 26, 2018

peteg59 said:
Looks like a good ride you have there, Bill. Don't see many FXR's with "sidehacks"!

A steering stabilizer might help, if you feel any twitchiness or wandering while going down the road.

Also there is a certain spec that has the bike tilted slightly toward the hack. Hard to tell from the photo angle if it is already set. Once upon a time, back when Harley made sidecars, they recommend the "offset" in the installation instructions. Even though this is not a factory HD hack, the offset should still apply. I can't remember the exact # but I recall it being somewhere around 6 degrees. Easy to check for offset: on a level surface stand directly in front of the bike with front wheel pointed straight. It should have a slight cant/lean toward the hack, not perfectly vertical or straight.

That will definitely affect the handling/cornering if not setup right.

Good luck on getting it setup to suit you.

red harley probably have this sorted by now

but bike should be leaning away from the chair

you probably

will find it steers hard.. if so look into a set of raked trees.. papa zook is the guy here

peteg59 · Mar 26, 2018

stacebg said:
red harley probably have this sorted by now

but bike should be leaning away from the chair/QUOTE]

I went to my TLE owners manual to see if this was covered, but it doesn't list any user friendly info on vehicle alignment other than to say :

"Every 5,000 miles have your Harley Davidson dealer check and, if necessary, adjust the motorcycle/sidecar wheel alignment (toe-in), and lean alignment, (angle which motorcycle leans toward/away from sidecar)"

It goes on to say:

WARNING

Vehicle alignment is important. Vehicle handling and stability will be adversely affected if wheels are out of alignment and/or if motorcycle leans at an improper angle in relation to the sidecar.

I still stand by my earlier setup with motorcycle leaning slightly toward the sidecar.

I tried it leaning slightly away from the car when I assembled it in 1997, and the sidecar wheel spent more time in the air on right hand turns than it spent on pavement! The laws of physics cause the sidecar wheel to rise or get "light" on its tire to pavement contact in right hand corners. The faster and sharper the right hand corner one takes, will dictate how quickly the wheel gets "light"!

I wish I was in possession or had access to the official HD "Sidecar Service Manual" for the black & white version of how they used to set them up at the dealerships.

Anyhoo, the inward lean is what I'm sticking with because it hasn't let me down, and has provided me with real world riding experience for the last 21 years.

Edit:

Rumor has it Harley recommends starting at 1 degree "lean in" without rider. Mine is leaned in probably more than 1 degree. Never actually measured it. I set it up using "seat of the pants" settings to where it handles good and tire wear is acceptable. 5~7K between rear tires is about right where I'm at.

Rear tire wears the fastest out of the 3, on a typical sidecar setup.

It is also not uncommon to setup the lean in/out to suit the rider. This means there will be a learning curve until it gets handling where you would like, and not be "fighting" to keep it in a straight line or when taking corners.

stacebg · Mar 27, 2018

peteg59 said:
stacebg said:

red harley probably have this sorted by now

but bike should be leaning away from the chair/QUOTE]

I went to my TLE owners manual to see if this was covered, but it doesn't list any user friendly info on vehicle alignment other than to say :

"Every 5,000 miles have your Harley Davidson dealer check and, if necessary, adjust the motorcycle/sidecar wheel alignment (toe-in), and lean alignment, (angle which motorcycle leans toward/away from sidecar)"

It goes on to say:

WARNING

Vehicle alignment is important. Vehicle handling and stability will be adversely affected if wheels are out of alignment and/or if motorcycle leans at an improper angle in relation to the sidecar.

I still stand by my earlier setup with motorcycle leaning slightly toward the sidecar.

I tried it leaning slightly away from the car when I assembled it in 1997, and the sidecar wheel spent more time in the air on right hand turns than it spent on pavement! The laws of physics cause the sidecar wheel to rise or get "light" on its tire to pavement contact in right hand corners. The faster and sharper the right hand corner one takes, will dictate how quickly the wheel gets "light"!

I wish I was in possession or had access to the official HD "Sidecar Service Manual" for the black & white version of how they used to set them up at the dealerships.

Anyhoo, the inward lean is what I'm sticking with because it hasn't let me down, and has provided me with real world riding experience for the last 21 years.

Edit:

Rumor has it Harley recommends starting at 1 degree "lean in" without rider. Mine is leaned in probably more than 1 degree. Never actually measured it. I set it up using "seat of the pants" settings to where it handles good and tire wear is acceptable. 5~7K between rear tires is about right where I'm at.

Rear tire wears the fastest out of the 3, on a typical sidecar setup.

It is also not uncommon to setup the lean in/out to suit the rider. This means there will be a learning curve until it gets handling where you would like, and not be "fighting" to keep it in a straight line or when taking corners.

Click to expand...

if that works for you thats good... however... the weight of the chair wants to make the rig pull right,,, now lean the bike to the right makes it worse.. if you lean the bike away from the chair it now wants to pull a tad left which compensates the pull from the chair... that coupled with a little tow in on the hack tire helps the whole thing go straight

pretty good explanation here

http://www.steves-workshop.co.uk/vehicles/bmw/sidecar/sidecaradjustment/sidecaradjustment.html

with a stock front end you will more than likely fight the bars to go around corners ... if you use a raked tree or leading link front end it will seem like power steering... most who never tried anything but stock think theirs handles good... let em try a non stock an the wonder why they didnt do it yrs ago.. the next thing i like is an adjustable ride height on the hack wheel... this helps compensate for the crown in the road... with a well adjusted setup bike should go straight all by itself... photo is of a linear actuator on the link for the suspension... will lift the car about 6 inches which leans the bike which makes it go right or left

Redharley · May 31, 2018

Just an update. Thanks to everyone that responded. Got everything tighten,fluids changed, adjusted stuff. Been my work ride so far this year, put about 1000 miles on it so far. Been a learning experience for sure. Thinking I am getting the hang of it. Not ready to give up my other rides but it does bring a smile to face.

Smitty901 · Jun 2, 2018

Redharley said:
Just an update. Thanks to everyone that responded. Got everything tighten,fluids changed, adjusted stuff. Been my work ride so far this year, put about 1000 miles on it so far. Been a learning experience for sure. Thinking I am getting the hang of it. Not ready to give up my other rides but it does bring a smile to face.

Enjoy it will grow on you, the more you use it.