Sidecar - Good Thing or What?

I've seen a lot about Ural outfits. They seem like good things but I'm
a bit perturbed about the top speed - 120 down-wind and down-hill. Not
that the speed itself worries me, I just wonder about overtaking and
being annoyingly slow up-hill on the freeway.
Anyone got any first hand experience with these beasties. They
certainly look the goods - but what are they like in practice? Any
info gratefully received.
Experience with outfits of any type? Anecdotes appreciated.

 

They certainly *DO* look "the goods"*

*Assuming "the goods" are the same "goods" you have to mail off to
participate in the National Bowel-Cancer-Screening program!

 

In aus.motorcycles on Sat, 27 Nov 2010 22:27:27 +1100

I toured over much Eastern Oz from Adelaide to Melbourne, Sydney,
Brisbane, and many places inbetween on an MZ250. Top speed on the
flat 110 with a following wind, up a hill forget it.

You have to change how you think.

You get off the freeways if you can, take the side roads.

Slipstream trucks in the dry, in the wet pull over and sgnal them past.

Don't think "Must overtake" think "I wonder what the next town is
like" or "what's down that road, let's have a look."

The outfit won't be suitable for long distance commuting where the
idea is to get where you are going as quickly as possible.

It is for touring, where the journey is the point. Where you take
side roads and stop every time something interesting appears. You eat
in country towns not roadhouses, chat in pubs, stop at lookouts, watch
the scenery go by rather than curse the trucks.

If "slow" is coupled with "annoyingly" in your mind, then you don't
want one.

It will be slow up hills. Not as slow as trucks, so you have to know
your bike and learn how to work with trucks to get past them before
the slow part of the hill.

I had a lot of fun MZedding about, but when my trips were more long
distance commuting than proper touring I got a bigger bike.

Zebee

 

Sidecars take all the disadvantages of cars and motorcycles and combine
them into one unit.

 

I test rode one, maybe it wasn't set up right but it didn't handle as
well as my 20 year old GSX1100/HRD combo. It felt tall and sort of tippy.

The lack of power wasn't noticible off the mark but it ran out of breath
pretty quick.

Me? I'd go and find a BMW R100GS in good nick, pick up a
chinese/russian sidecar and make an outfit out of them if that was the
sort of thing you wanted.

You'd have 70ps instead of 30ps, arguably better reliability and it'd
probably end up costing you less.


G-S

 

Thanks Zeb. That reminds me of the old Ford 10 Anglia soft top - my
first car. It was more fun then any other vehicle I've ever owned. As
you so lyrically suggest, I learned to make the most of the advantages
of cheap open topped touring and to overcome the disadvantages of no
horse power to speak of.
I'm checking garage space as we speak. GS and you have both given me
something to think about.
What about pensioning off the 1200RT by making it into an outfit. Do
you think that would ruin a very good tourer?

 

Thanks for the first hand experience. I agree that 70 is better than
30 any day. You have given me ideas, so thanks again.

 

Thanks for the opinion. Could you be a bit more specific? Steering?
Power/Weight? Real estate occupied? etc?

 

Fascinating! Good comments
A Ural outfit is about 18000 new, so the heart/lung transplant you
suggest might fail economically. However a clapped out second hand
cheapie might be worth a second look.

 

In aus.motorcycles on Sun, 28 Nov 2010 09:13:55 +1100

Yup!

There were times I hated the MZ, mainly wet rides up the Hay Plain
where I couldn't slipstream trucks because I just got a faceful of
crap off the tyres and there was nothing but flat highway.

Working out what to do about livestock trucks in the hills around Glen
Innes was a problem too..

You should go find a sidecar club and ask.

I expect it will cost a lot, as far as I know if you want to use BMW
as a hack you really want to get a suitable sidecar front end for it.
I thnk that's true of paralevers too.

It will definitely have more go than the Ural, but have less
"pulling" power in that no one will give a shit about it whereas
you'll get a lot of people asking about the Ural. This may or may not
be a good thing!

Zebee

 

Totally agree.

I had to ride the bike that the ABC used for the Aunty Jack series
down from Sydney to Wollongong in the late 80s. Hated the bloody
thing. Especially Bulli Pass. **** that. Rode another one based on an
XJ900 and hated that too. I want bikes to lean. In the right
direction.

 

Certainly. You end up with a motorcycle that doesn't lean or lanesplit,
or alternatively, a car that has no weather protection.

 

It has 40hp! Luxury! My first car had 27.5 hp and wouldn't do 110 on the
flat either. OTOH, my second car had 40 hp.

Theo

 

You get a tripod that leans one way , has fair brakes and carries more
than a loaf of bread combined with a tonne of fun , there are some
advantages especially with the right front end and flat back tyre

 

I had a 75 Wing with a Goanna chair which was a unique experience. Don't
expect to go anywhere particularly quickly as the worst mistake you can make
is to dive too fast into a left hander. Learn to respect the limits of the
design and you'll find it to be fun. The only recurring trouble I had was
with the clutch but that was a weak spot on that model anyway.

 

Your first car had 27.5? You must have been rich.
My 51 Anglia soft top would have made 30 hp when new, but not in '61
when I bought it.

 

Ran a bit rich did it?

 

1949 Morris 8 van with the 918cc side-valve. I bought it after an overhaul
in 1963.

Theo

 

Ah, now I see.
Mine cost me 250 quid in 1961. I sometimes see these soft top versions
for sale in vintage magazines for around $30,000. Factoring in the
usual accountancy things that sit on top of running costs, repairs
(those bloody Ford 10 side valves, and leaky soft tops!) and other
costs, that $30k would be a steal. I just wonder though if current
owners have the joy and pleasure I got out of my old cheapie way back
then.

 

Thanks for the only realistic point of view here.

I get sick of the statement above "Sidecars take all the disadvantages
of cars and motorcycles and combine them into one unit."

This is typical of people who simpley dont like them, so what some
people do. Sidecars do have a point and thats why some people still
want to ride one. No they arent a solo, thank christ they arent a
trike thats even worse. "They dont lean so they are dangerous" sorry,
they handle differently and you cant be bothered to learn how to ride
one properly, safely and quickly (it is possible).

I do have a sidecar, I've had one most of the time since 1994, I love
the thing, I also have a 2 wheeled bike. I dont need it (the sidecar)
for mobility purposes, I dont have it because I have a tribe of kids,
i have it cause its different, its fun and I enjoy riding it.

But seeing as we seem to be in hate mode:

I'd never ride a Harley/Royal Star/Shadow cause I don't like cruisers
and can't see the point of a bike for posing

I wouldn't be seen dead on a 250 Sherpa, can't see the point of 'em,
total WOFTAM

etc etc

All these statements are as valid as the seeming sidecar haters here.

My sidecar will cruise happily at 140kmh all day, carry three people
and a mountain of gear and bloody few solos can overtake me on a
slippery dirt road.

Al