So, Ive been lurking here for a bit. I've decided I'm going to get a hack rig to haul me and my son around in. I do have a bit to find the perfect rig as he's only 2 months old, so I got some time to do some homework first. I do like the idea of a ready to go now Ural, but I'm seriously leaning towards a BMW GS and adding a sidecar to it. I currently have a Harley, but don't want to add a car to it. I'm really after some pointers/ guidance to start this quest. Thanks all!
The first thing you need to do is decide how it will be used. A Ural would be out of the question for freeway travel (for rational people). A GS rig would be awesome, but do you need for it to be that rugged? Sportsters and Bonnevilles are pretty nimble and freeway capable. And for most people, buying a used rig in good shape is the best way to get started. Then, after a few thousand miles, decide exactly what you want.
check out nomad the Harley sportster adventure rig it is a total blast and very inexpensive. see my ride report Nomad goes to Death valley. diverdown
Check your state laws about minimum age for riding on a motorcycle and ask a cop what he would say about a toddler in a sidecar, then also be sure to have a seat and belt that will accept a (rear-facing?) child seat until he reaches minimum height for not needing one in a motor vehicle.
This works for us; Kenna Double. We had considered a 'fore-and-aft' seating type car, but Momma wanted more control over son. No, it's not a Harley, or a BMW, it's a Japanese anvil (Vstar 1100)! :) Of the states who's laws I investigated, the mandated seating is exempted on M/Cs, but minimum riding ages may apply. BMWdoc (I think that's his posting name, a pediatrician in Clearwater, FL) who posts here, recommends either 4 or 5 years old for sufficient neck strength to wear a helmet (yes, that's a purple mohawk on his helmet-his head, his decision). I had our son in judo for a year before we put a helmet on his head at six to ensure his muscles were adequately developed.
I'll start him on his own bike soon enough. But he can't ride it to the mountains for the weekend at that age.
Pulls to the right when accelerating; to the left when deaccelerating, this I know, but they all do that, no? It seems intuitive that it should be worse than a single wide. I'm a noob, have never driven another rig, and thus have no subjective basis of comparison. We do have modified triple trees. Sans ballast, it's all but impossible to get the hack wheel up at all with my weight, and the peg hits before the tipover point is reached (static). So, in that regard, I'm going to say it's easier to drive.
Same here on the acceleration and deceleration, and I think the only big difference with my own wide rig as compared to a regular one is the extra wind resistance that makes the wider chair pull harder the faster I go. I have thought about adding a trim tab of some kind on my left handlebar, but I have yet to figure out a clean way to do that. Same again. The only thing I have to be cautious about there is losing rear traction in a turn away from the chair since I only have 3" of wheel lead. I built my rig wide and heavy to be certain the chair never flies, but at the time I did not know about wheel lead making a difference the other way.
It would be best to have an adult riding in the sidecar at the same time. There are issues when the kids our this small, one of the posters here is a pedeatrition and has covered this in his threads on the subject if you hunt around. I would go with one of our M72DX or Expedition sidecars as they are wide enough for an adult and a smaller child to sit side by side. We can provide every thing as a 100% bolt on kit or build build you rig fro scratch. We have one rig ready to go now on a 2014 R1200GSA. Let me know if we can be of help. Jay G DMC sidecars www.dmcsidecars.com 866-638-1793
Thanks Jay. I was actually hoping you'd chime in. The idea all along was my wife to ride with him in the sidecar for awhile. Yesterday I rode a buddy of mines R1200GS adventure and enjoyed it. But I don't think new is in the cards right now as I just bought a new bike in February.
The person to speak with about carrying very young people in the sidecar goes by clearwaterbmw. He will have some good input. I have been on vacation for the last couple of weeks and am just now able to check posts. Jay G DMC sidecars 866-638-1793
where does one look for a used? by "rig" do you mena the sidecar or both the sidecar and a motorcycle?
A motorcycle "rig" or "hack" (with "hack" being somewhat similar to "taxi" in its passenger-carrying ability) is the product or outcome of rigging a motorcycle to carry one or more additional passengers by adding a chair at the side. So, the idea of buying a used rig is to hopefully begin safely without having to deal with the fabrication, experimentation and adjustments that typically accompany joining a motorcycle and sidecar together on one's own.
A "rig" would be the bike and sidecar combination. There isa for sale section here in the Hacks forum at the top of the page. You can also search Craigslist or Ebay.