Welcome... INTRODUCE YOURSELF HERE!!!

[Adventure Sidecar]

Hi! My name is Vernon Wade and I am starting a Sidecar and Trike training and tour business, located in the Columbia Gorge area of the Pacific North West(USA).

We used Urals last year, but have decided to try and find a cheaper, more reliable bike to base our business around. To that end, I recently purchased a KLR 650 and a Bandit 600.

 Almost all my riding has been on European bikes and most of that for the last 5 years has been on sidecars exclusively. I haven't put sidecars on the KLR or the Bandit yet. Been riding back and forth(between snow storms) to my real job(x ray tech), just getting a feel for the bikes and sorting things out. Kinda odd riding without my training wheel, but I am remembering what leaning is all about :-)  The Bandit is a lot of fun to ride, but way too loud with the Yosh exhaust. I may put the original back on if rejetting it doesn't prove to be too much hassle.

I will probably be looking for the largest rear sprocket I can find and the smallest countershaft sprocket (what is a reasonable tooth count for the front sprocket?) once I get the sidecar installed.

If things go as planned I will end up with two Bandits and two KLR 650 all with sidecars and a couple of metric shaft drive cruisers converted to trikes. Spent all my ready cash on the two bikes I just got, but I am hopeful I will be able to purchase the rest soon.

Anywho, I will be pestering y'all with lots of questions as I get to know the bike. You can visit my website to get a better idea what I am about, if you are curious:


http://adventuresidecar.com/

[Red01]

Vernon!
So, those Urals weren't the perfect model of reliability?  

You shouldn't drop more than 1 tooth (14t) up front on the B6. I don't know how geared down you want it, but there's some BIG sprockets out there that'll fit the B6, so you shouldn't have any trouble finding something suitable for your purposes.

[Adventure Sidecar]

Vernon!
.

Thanks for the welcome and the info!

I really can't complain too much about the URALs. The importer, IMWA up in Renton, Washington, supplied them free of charge. We did have some minor problems with them.

 Since I will be buying rather than borrowing rigs this year, I had to look at the cost and reliability a little more closely. If I charge people to come ride with me, the bikes have to work every time you push the button. And they have to be cheap. Which means they will probably be used. I have come to the conclusion that while a Ural is very much a fun bike to play on, for my purposes I can do better and for less money with a used mid sized Japanese bike.

The KLR and the Bandit600 both are in my price range and seem to have a great rep for reliability, so I thought I would give them a try. They also both have frames which allow for easy installation of a sidecar, something of a rarity for a modern streetbike, especially a midsized bike. Cruisers would work but the foot forward controls and pegs really are not the best set up for a sidecar.

So far I have been very favorably impressed with the Bandit. I am looking forward to seeing how it behaves with a hack attached to it.
VW

[Red01]

Haven't seen a hack on a B6 yet.
There's a few B12's running around on 3 wheels... click here for a couple.

[Adventure Sidecar]

Thanks for pointing out the Bandit Hack thread, Paul. Some nice looking rigs! Dauntless Motors( http://www.dauntlessmotors.com/ ) in Covington, WA has done at least one Bandit, but I don't think it is a 600

[Red01]

Some outfit in Seattle has done a couple 12's (Liberty, I think?). Dave Hough did a test of one of them for Sound Rider back in '01 or '02.

[fossil]

Just ordered an '06 b12 with abs.   Looked at several bikes including the FZ6, Kawi Z750 and V-Strom.  All good bikes but didn't offer the combination of features, performance and value of the Bandit.  Unfortunately will have to wait until April for delivery.

[Red01]

fossil
Unless someone takes delivery before yours gets here, looks like you're the first 3G B12 owner here.  

[Marshall]

hi all, just to say im new and have just joined

i passed my bike test today aswell

took my B6 for a ride this afternoon, my god its ace.

hopfully ill see you about!!

Marshall

[Desolation Angel]

  I'll watch for you.  What color is your bike?  

[Marshall]

Urm its a kind of Dark Pearl Orangey, almost red, not sure what its called

damn nice color though  

[marshj3]

Hi all! First time Bandit owner, and member of this BB. I've just put a down payment on an '02 GFS600s. All silver and in great condition. I'm up in Toronto and am looking forward to some warmer weather so the gentleman I  bought it from can deliver it, and I can get my riding legs back.

PS.. Like the SQUIDS section. I'll go back to it from time to time when I'm in the mood to do something REALLY stupid.

Jj

[PitterB4]

JJ

You should be able to find some Bandits to ride with up there in Toronto.  We've got quite a contigent of 4s, 6s and 12s in the area.  

BTW - The Squids section is supposed to tell you what not to do.  

[marshj3]

LOL. That's what I meant. I'll take a look at that section to set my head straight. Mind you....that can take a lot sometimes. Guess that's what you get for being a cubicle ornament.

 

[silvershadow]

Just wanted to say hey there to everyone.

Just bought my 03 b12 about two weeks ago and have had some great rides already.  It looks like it maybe a few weeks before I get a chance to get back out due to the cold weather that has blown back into Indy.  I have been looking at the B12 and FZ1 for about a year now and found a good deal on my 03 at my local Honda shop.  I traded my 99 VT750 that I had for the last tree years for it.  I look forward to chatting with you.