Dakar Hacked

[stromsurfer]

Originally Posted by madeouttaglass

53 pages worth:
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=700385

And this makes it look like the OP's bike is right in there with the ones that failed. Again, I'd highly recommend that the added stresses of a hack NOT be put on those forks. Any failure and they'd say it was your fault and sadly, they'd be somewhat right.

http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/pr...h&summary=true

I knew about the forks before I bought the bike. I had read about 5,000 pages on the subject. What I found was about 4,995 pages of people hyperventilating about a handful of breaks. I just read through the first twenty pages of the link above and It seems to be all about the SAME few bikes. I would be curious to know the actual count for confirmed failures compared to the number of bike manufactured but......I don't really care enough to spend the time trying to find out. Kind of like the Doo on my old KLR. Lots more conversation about it than actual occurrences. Not saying it doesn't happen, just saying I'm probably not going to do anything about it.

I will keep an eye on the forks for stress fractures. I really do appreciate folks making sure that I know that there have been some issues and I duly acknowledge having been warned. If it starts to keep me awake at night.....no wait I"m already awake at night just trying to make sure I will still be here in the morning........if I need to make an upgrade I known where to get the links.

Thanks for all the input.
MC

[madeouttaglass]

I'm sure you'll have a blast with the rig. I fell into sidecars about 19 months ago and love it. I hope I didn't come off as too much of a Chicken Little. I guess I should have just said that I'd go for a leading link instead of spending any possible extra money on things like a set of easy steer triple clamps. After about 10,000 miles on a rig I can say that it certainly does put a lot more side stress on a front end compared to the few forces of leaning a bike into a curve.
Best of luck with the rig and everything else,
Tom

[claude]

Thanks for posting the info on the fork situation. I was not aware of it. We have not actually done a 650 gs sidecar outfit although we did begin one awhile back and in mid build the person decided to go with a 1150 GS instead. Would still like to do one at some point and now after seeing those pics we would go with one of our leading links for the front end.

[stromsurfer]

Originally Posted by madeouttaglass

I'm sure you'll have a blast with the rig. I fell into sidecars about 19 months ago and love it. I hope I didn't come off as too much of a Chicken Little. I guess I should have just said that I'd go for a leading link instead of spending any possible extra money on things like a set of easy steer triple clamps. After about 10,000 miles on a rig I can say that it certainly does put a lot more side stress on a front end compared to the few forces of leaning a bike into a curve.
Best of luck with the rig and everything else,
Tom

Giving a person the heads up on safety related stuff is not the same as predicting the sky is falling. I appreciate your input and thank you for taking the time to post the info.

MC

[stromsurfer]

Originally Posted by BankerGuy

Hey, don't feel bad about dropping your '06 'strom a couple times. Geez, Ive already dropped her twice in the driveway, which in theory should be way less challenging than the roads you went horizontal on. Given our obviously exceptional riding skills, it must be the bike. So far she's been down to Sanibel Island, up to Birmingham to the Barber Vintage Festival, and round tripped up to Greensboro again. Looking forward to seeing the finished rig....stay healthy, man.

Hello Guy. Ya I agree I think it was the Stroms fault, and I blame this summers falls on bad steering head bearings in the GS.. Glad to hear you are covering some ground on the V. Makes me happy to know its still being used as it was intended.
Thanks for checking in and say hi to your brother. I will be in NC towards the end of the month. Maybe I"ll look him up, gush over his Ducati.........and make him buy me lunch.

Take Care
MC

[BankerGuy]

Do that...he'd love to see you. He just picked up a BMW R1100S to keep the Duc company in the garage. Shoot, let me know when you're planning to be in town and Ill take the Strom for a ride..good excuse to get out of FL for a while.

[stromsurfer]

Update
So as we all know, timing is everything. For me, putting together the hack has been a balance between enjoying the process of putting it together, and getting it done in time to ride it before.....I can't. Working on it has given me a winter diversion. When I am working on motorcycles it's all about problem solving, seeng how things work, and learning something new.......you know, the zen of motorcycle maintenance.

The project has gone well. Talking with Jay a few times helped clear up a few questions, but generally, the rig has gone together smoothly and as designed. I received invaluable assistance off and on from good friends, combined with lots of solo hours out in my shop looking, thinking, and moving slowly. I make slow progress

Three test rides so far. First two the thing was almost unrideble due to major tank slappers. I had installed new steering head bearings so checked and sure enough, they were loose. I guess I didn't quite tighten it after installing the new ones as much as I shoulda have. Went for a ride today and it is way better. Bit of a head shake around twenty five mph, but now it is at least manageable. Pulls to the right hard so checked it all over and found instead of toe-in at 5/8 I am actually out 2". How the frig did that happen. At least I know where to start to address the pull to the right.

The great things is my riding season started last week. i am having fun, learning something new, and enjoying my time.

Changed out chain and sprockets and went down one tooth on the front.

Subframe in

Upper frame mount.

Won't need this anymore.

Wife made me a happy meal.

Time for a test drive.


zps39307e19.jpg[/IMG]


So after about 10 adjustments (dam thing fell over once when I was oh so close to final adjustment) I think I may have it as good as its going to be. Getting more comfortable with it but in truth, my first thought after riding it was.....what a f#*ed up thing to do to a perfectly good moto.
I will add more at some point about how it steers and handles but for now.....I just have to figure out how to keep it going straight and between the lines....and yes I have read the Yellow Book but reading and doing are two really different things.
MC

[DRONE]

Hey, Surfer -- good to hear ya got it rolling!

May I make a suggestion? Take that pic of the happy face meal, this one--



upload it to Skinit or a similar site, turn it into a big laptop skin, then when it comes in, mount it right there on the front face of the sidecar.

[davebig]

"Getting more comfortable with it but in truth, my first thought after riding it was.....what a f#*ed up thing to do to a perfectly good moto."

I'm new also but a little further along, 2 years ago while leaning I met a Slovak gentlemen now from MA who was on a cross country MC ride,Seeing my then naked 83 wing /Ural and hearing my exasperation he replied with the eastern Euro accent "Sidecars, you have to hate them till you love them" and that's kinda the was its been going.DB

[acejones]

I am very impressed and awed .

[stromsurfer]

May I make a suggestion? Take that pic of the happy face meal, this one--


Sidecars, you have to hate them till you love them" and that's kinda the was its been going.DB

Yes that seems about how it goes. Wish I had a choice but its either a sidecar, or no riding at all. I choose to keep riding and WILL learn to like it.

Originally Posted by acejones

I am very impressed and awed .

Thank you. For a guy who can barely tie his shoes, open a box of cereal, walk or get up after falling, eat or breathe.....I think I did pretty well.
Thanks for the support and positive comments.
MC

[stromsurfer]

Nice ride today and actually got up to 55mph for a few miles. Steering is not too hard although taking off from stop and turning left takes lots of effort. Clutch hand doesn't work all that well so trying to perform a coordinated release of the lever but hold on to help with the push from the right hand/arm is quite difficult for me. In truth....it takes a lot of effort (braking, shifting, accelerating, holding on)mostly due to physical challenges and not because of the machine itself. However, these things take some finesse and skill to drive. And I thought you just bolt on the dam thing and drive off into ADV Land.. More adjustments to be made, more skills to be learned, more technique to discover. Anyway, a few more pictures and at some point ill get my questions in order and will be seeking advise......like what options beside leading links are there to help with steering and stability(going slow and removing one hand from handlebar or hitting a bump sends it into a headshake)

[cleatusj]

I would try a VW steering damper from the early 70's before spending big money on links or triple trees.

[Eddieb]

Sorry for the hijack OP

Originally Posted by Bucho

I just put a hack on a DR650.

Do you have pics or a build thread? I'm thinking of doing a hack for my DR and would be interested to see what you did.

[davebig]

Now that I see your cane strapped to the back let me ad the old saw "your a game rooster"''
When I was having allot of trouble learning to ride the unimproved steering 83 gl1100/Ural I thought about adding another hand position to the left side, as it was a bear to steer. I thought about a mountain bike add on one could switch too for a different hold. Bar ends http://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product...2_548793_-1___

The trouble with the dampner it will calm the headshake but add steering effort. one of the motorcycle versions may damp less but steer easier:http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com...abilizers.aspx