It should have a rocker linkage and you should be able to lengthen or shorten an arm to increase preload pressure, they all use Performance shocks (inexpensive) Any head shake on your rig ? DB
got the rig up to 65mph and ran pretty straigh. I can make u - turns really ez thanks to the new front end mods. Just going over bumps I can feel the car dip. Like to stiffen the shock. Think sway bar also.. since most of roads here have holes in them.
I was sitting in a cafe in Frontenac MN when a older gentlemen came in after looking my sidecar and dog over.He was retired and lived in multiple states.His son in Seatle may have made him a slide show and or video of Drones trip complete with almost tragic ending.I found Drones youtube postings and it wasn't there so I suspect another inmate assembled and posted it.He was really enthused thought everyone who owned a BMW sidecar rig and a dog must be related, Drone your at least a national personality.DB
We're not..? When I met Burt in WI and Duncan in WA I immediately noticed a strong family resemblance
Ohoh :eek1 when the NSA finds out you've met Bert , you go on a list someplace and the Gov of WI shares your info with the Koch bros
Now Now,I'm not a threat to the Public anymore.I'm just an old hippie trying to keep my sidecar from breaking...And breaking...And breaking...and breaking.....
Normal is only a setting on a washing machine...I am what I am,A reallly nice guy.. Don't worry Peter I'm safe..Honest would I lie to you...
Damn Drone, I go away for a bit and missed this. I'm glad you and Kirby are ok. Hope the leg's feeling better. Except for the part failure the hack looks WAY better than I thought it would. I hope it's rebuildable, it's such a beautiful machine,you're the reason I want to hack my cb750. Good luck with the rebuild, stay safe.
Thanks, Poke! Leg works OK but it's got a new shape now and I've lost some sensation. Torso/ribs 80%. Only damage to the car was one broken weld, and the paint got scratched. The bike is another story. The rear subframe is bent about 2"--you can see that in the pics at the wreck site. Panniers are screwed. Fuel dripping from the tank fogged up the RID (that's the instrument panel). Handlebar and left side grip controls need to be replaced. Forks got scratched up. Front fender and windscreen gone. A few other little things. Not too bad really but . . . . Insurance companies are required to pay for repairs that will make the bike "like new". Even if I could simply paint the forks, the insurance company has to put down on their estimate $2000 for new forks. This is great if you want a bunch of new parts on your bike. The problem is that these "like new" repairs quickly mount up to more than the Blue Book value of the bike. When that happens the insurance company simply calls it a total loss. That's what I'm looking at right now. I've got the opportunity to buy the salvage rights and do the repairs myself, but still waiting for the insurance company to show me some numbers. We'll see.
That's what happened when my ST3 got smacked while sitting at a gas station. The repair total quickly outpaced the bikes value. So, in exchage for a smaller check , I kept the bike and am now transforming it to a gravel road exploring sidecar rig. You'll come out O.K.
If you are new to this thread, you can read about "The Wreck" starting about half way down page 33. I have WUMPA back in my garage temporarily to remove the remaining undamaged farkles before the carcass goes off to the breakers. I had wanted to buy the salvage rights from the insurance company but they came back to me with a number that was too high ($2000) and they wouldn't budge. I just don't see the breakers paying that much for a GSA with 73,000 miles unless they are planning to misrepresent the mileage when they go to sell the engine/transmission. That, plus the fuel tank, are about the only big things worth any money. I'm removing the car wheel and adapter, Ohlins shocks, Fuzeblock, LED lights, sidecar brake pedal assembly, EVO footpegs, the 34/11 final drive, etc. I really don't think whoever bought the salvage rights from the insurance company has actually seen the bike. The front wheel is not worth much because it has really noticeable corrosion on the rim. The forks are bent. The instrument panel is damaged. The front and rear subframes are bent. The saddle got totaled. The bars are bent. The left side switchgear is cracked and the right side is old and twitchy. Maybe they're planning on selling the kickstand for $1000? Anyway, I'm gonna remove my farkles then let the tow truck take it. But I have one other trick up my sleeve. I'm gonna get the tow truck driver to tell me the salvage yard where it's going. Then I'm gonna go there and get the straight story. Who knows? I might still be able to buy the salvage rights for $500!
I'd like to hear from all you other hackistas about what you think I should do. Here's where I stand-- I have a fistful of money from the insurance settlement I have my undamaged farkles I have the sidecar. All it needs is a small welding repair and some paint. Here are my options-- sell the sidecar as is, sell all the farkles, then buy a used rig fix up the sidecar then sell it and the farkles and buy a used rig fix up the sidecar, buy a high-mileage used 1150GSA, and re-create WUMPA (no added cash needed) fix up the sidecar, buy a low-mileage used 1150GSA, and recreate WUMPA (will need added cash out of my pocket) fix up the sidecar, buy a used 1200GSA, and create WUMPA Junior (this, too, will need extra cash) fix up the sidecar, sell all the farkles, and hack some other bike, not a BMW (need for cash will depend on what I buy) Then there is, of course, the option Queen Bee wants--sell everything and get into a different hobby. Like how about flower gardening?
DRONE: Glad you chose not to try to keep and repair bike. I have no idea what kind of $$ you are willing to spend, but if it were me I'd try to move up to a 2010 or later R1200GS - lots more horsepower and torque than the 1150 and a 2.92 rear end so no real need to change the final drive. I'd also stick with the stock clutch and suspension. Duncan
Since you don't like my lectures I'll chime right in, are you sure your not defrauding the insurance company ? they usually photograph what they pay for and want it that way. http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=903774 There's a nice start for the 1150 wrong trans but you got the 34/11 and good shocks. The R1150s are still a better hackster in spite of Duncans opinion, parts are easier, FD's cheaper, less computer gizmos to deal with and your mechanical aptitude is almost comfortable now that you've almost really hurt yourself. The original charm of motorcycles was simplicity moving thru nature and self reliance. Now its butt jewelery, have it your way but simple is better.The 1150's last of their generation Duncan's is the first of the 1200 generation which has changed completely again.DB
