I bought a California sidecar about a month ago and wanted to attache it to my R75/6. Well I finally got it attached as a flex sidecar and took it out for a ride. Boy, I don't even know I have it attached. The bike handles just like it wasn't there. The design also steers the S/C wheel in the direction of the bank. Now I have a real handling bike with with a sidecar. Here are some pictures before I put the cab on it. Garry
Was there much trial and error on getting the sidecar wheel to steer into the turns? I've been thinking about building a leaner. Maybe next summer You did a great job!!!
No got it first try. Just drew it on ACad and built it. Helps when I can use my works shop and machines anytime I want. Garry
Not quite the Coast, but have a lady , house, truck, motorcycle, camper other "toys" & a job; what's not to like
Here is a rear view of my homemade leaner sidecar. With the bags on I can lean 22.5 degrees to the right. I have since removed the bags and now have great lean angle both left & right. I had it up to 70mph and had no problem with it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tx66skXRxx8 Garry
How does it drive/turn around town? Parking lots? You wouldn't happen to have a CAD of an R 1100 GS sub-frame in a file on your computer would ya?!?!?!?
Looks good in the Video!!! Might need to be a little wider? Do you hit the car when you turn too hard?
I made the tubing long so that I could adjust the track. Right now it is 48" I didn't want to go much wider. I removed the sidebags and have lots of clearance now. Garry
Hi Garry, interesting work you have done there. Hope you enjoy it. Leaners are such a fun to drive as you might have experienced by yourself. The track width you have choosen is close to what is usual from the manufacturers (around 1,30m, so approx. 51 inches). You will find soon that lean angle is all you want Just allow me two questions which spring to my mind there: Is there a reason why you welded the front attachment square with the two pieces of pipe instead of bending it as one piece upwards in slow curve? Such would appear to be easier (and possibly stronger). And why did you put the sidecar frame higher than the sidecar attachment? It appears that it does not give you an advantage in road clearance (which can be a bit of an issue with a leaner optimised for max. lean angle). What it does though is limiting your lean angle. Best regards Jens
1. I had no facility to bend the DOM tubing, it is 1-1/2"x.250 wall. I machined in the diameter into the horizontal tube and welded all around. 2. The sidecar frame is higher because it was a stock frame and to be level I had to lower the front tube. The front tube is lowered to help out with clearance when I lean to the right. In the configuration when you lean right it lowers the front of the car up by about 3 degrees and when you lean left it raises the front of the car by 3 degrees. Garry
I must be missing something, which geometry causes the difference between the car behavior right vs. left? Its pretty clear in the pictures and the video that there is both a change in pitch and a change in roll/camber that is different in each direction. The rod-ends are mounted on the centerline, correct? As you turn right, the front mount prescribes an arc that moves closer to the rig and down, which gives the rig some steering to the right (seen in plan view) and a bit of dip in the nose (seen in side view). As you turn left, the front mount prescribes an arc that moves away from the rig and down, giving it left steering and a dip in the nose. For each maneuver the rear mount goes through a similar arc but at a lower height, so it has less height change and steering effect than the front. Did a quick 2D sketch (fwd/aft view) to try to understand it myself. I neglected the roll of the tire as it is just a translation of the whole sketch.
One Part of Garry brilliant design is this K.I.S.S. feature, a small height difference in between the two pivot points acts a as "Leverage arm" no need for hydrolics, cams or even contact patch studies Does not get more beautyful than than in my opinion you can see it here in action, bloody brilliant