went with the thumper rig kickstart rrrrg -sidecar/airhead

[b4cruz]

ANY of you R... BMW boxer airhead fans know which is the best forum for that bike?

hi everyone I posted this question to some sidecar forums already but maybe you could let me know what you think too:

1. i can go up to ventura and buy a new URAL for 10k
http://www.markscustomcycles.zoomshare.com/
2. Yamaha SR500 with Sidecar may be too slow for freeway
http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/mcy/93754119.html
3. 1975 HONDA, 750 SUPERSPORT, & 1975 California side car
http://adcache.cycletrader.com/5/7/3/79882473.htm
4. Zhuzhou XJ750
http://adcache.cycletrader.com/5/9/7/79779597.htm
5. 1975 BMW R90 & ural side car
http://adcache.cycletrader.com/5/2/2/80612122.htm
6. 1962 BMW, R50/2
http://adcache.cycletrader.com/5/8/7/80316887.htm

its just for a running reliable rig so i can get used to the idea of having a sidecar before i actually start investing and building a real rig = suz1200b or shifty1100 with a sidecar.

[PeteSC]

To me, the R90 looks like the best deal, but i've always like the R90.
  The Ural won't do freeways, well, either.
 
   I saw a '99-ish B12 at Road Atlanta today with a sidecar, but didn't get to get a close look.

  I'd probably stick with the sidecar people on what they think, but the quality and nature of the sidecar conversion has a real bearing on it's value, and usefulness.

[Red01]

Have you riden in or driven a hack?
One ride in the chair was enough for me to decide I had no interest in one. Up until that point, they held a mystery/fascination for me. I think they look cool, but it's just not for me. To me, a hack takes what I enjoy about motorcycles away... I'd rather have a convertable cage than a hack.

But if you find them fun, then that's cool!  
If that's the case, then I'm just one of those who don't get it.  

[b4cruz]

Have you riden in or driven a hack?

thats why i'm going cheap to try it.  most people say it takes a long time before you can get used to the idea of DRIVING a rig lots of practice.  and steering and suspension really need to be changed.  you don't lean it anymore but you still have to use a lot of your body.  and i actually can't wait to learn how to put the 3rd wheel in the air at will.  but yeah if it all pans out it will be all at low cost and hopefully the learner rig bike will be fun enough to use solo or for a project.  

ANY of you R... BMW boxer airhead fans know which is the best forum for that bike?

I 'm not running away from bandits though!
my b4 is the greatest
and a B1200 would be the most practical rig to set up in the future

[Red01]

The rig I rode in was a 1960's BMW. It was a factory hack, with the Earles front end and reverse. It toque steered hard in one direction under acceleration and the opposite way under braking. Watching the rider, I could see the amount of effort it took to keep the thing going in the right direction. It made what was a slow bike even slower and cornering downright sucked. On top of that, taking the leaning out of a motorcyle. It was a gorgeous example though, and I loved looking at it.

Perhaps more modern examples don't have the torque steering issues, but between having to "drive" it instead of ride it and all those extra pounds to cart around, it's just not for me. It takes the things I love most about motorcyles away. If I want that open air feeling and smelling my surroundings, I'll take the top off my Jeep. (And I won't have to wear a helmet and can even fold the windshield down on the hood as long as I'm wearing eye protection.)

Before spending the money on a starter rig, try to find a sidecar meeting or some other way you can ride in one to be sure it's what you want.

[Red01]

Please don't take this as an effort to talk you out of buying a hack rig!

I just want you to check it out without laying out the $$ first to be sure it's something you want to pursue.

[b4cruz]

i can't stop so no matter what i have to see it in my garage
there is a rally in october that i am going to
and i can meet some people and test the waters a bit
can't garauntee i won't buy one before then though

i'm thinking the steering issues you spoke of could be aleviated by this:
http://sidestrider.com/leadingfork.html
and this
http://sidestrider.com/steering.htm

i'm thinking 350-500cc ride round the nieghborhood learn to flip it around
then modify the sprokets and engine to get it to freeway speeds and use it till i get really good then move to the bigger CCs.  Most of the 3 wheel classes/courses are far away and far off in the future; impatience

and as far as a car i might as well get a plane ticket instead
after insurance costs, oil changes, gas ect ect
i'm never going back to an automobile again
unless its on somebody elses bill = company car

it is a completely different experience though
and you are so right to hate it as a true motorcycle enthusiast
but the difference is so fun and watching motorcross sidecar and european sidecar track races and the acrobatics they pull on the machines its really inspiring. this guy i think is on a suzuki shafty
http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.katuvu.net%2Fsidinfo.htm&langpair=fr%7Cen&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&prev=%2Flanguage_tools

come on you can't not think this can't be fun:
http://hpsidecars.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=1657#1657

[Red01]

In my earlier post, I mentioned the BMW I rode in as being a factory hack setup with an Earles fork... I guess I assumed you'd know what that was, since you're looking into a hack.



This is EXACTLY what an Earles fork looks like.

[Red01]

I just checked out the links to the ones you found. I don't know what you're planning to spend, but if this is to be a stop-gap hack, what I'd consider is resale of the unit, either as a hack, or as just the bike and keep the car to put on your next machine.

Of those machines, the SR500 has a cult following (as does the guy's SRX600), so it might be a good buy. Either of the BMW's ought to be good too, though the old BMW seems a little high since it doesn't have a BMW car on it. I would be leary of the Zhuzhou "Chinese copy of the BMW R71." Sounds/looks to me to be more a Chinese copy of a Ural (which is a Russian copy of BMW), and they (Urals) haven't had the best reputation for reliabilty and their performace is LOW. If Chinese copies of Russian motorcycles are anything like Chinese copies of Russian firearms, the Russian stuff is better. The '05 Urals have made some improvements over earlier ones, but I'd still give 'em a year or more to see if they're enough.
(I do have a Chinese copy of a Honda 50, and it's not too bad, but came with a few faults - like a cross threaded spark plug and an ignition module that didn't last thru the first tank of gas.)

I know a guy with a '99 Ural hack. It looks like a 20-30 year old bike... not in styling, that's more like 60 years old, but condition. The thing is corroded, the rubber parts & paint look very aged and cracked. He says it'll do 55-60, but won't ride it over ~45, for fear of blowing it up since it only has splash lubrication. Recently, he took the car off it and put it on his Harley so he could "hack" the freeway.

[b4cruz]

yeah i'm still new to all the terms
i'm just scanning over everything getting all wrapped up in it
but yeah thanks for reminding me to look into resale of the 1st rig
or just the bike and all.  Always count on RED to be thurough and full of common sense!

[billster]

My son has become an R afficionado since acquiring my old R100S and he frequents this site often.  Has a message board that might help for ya.

http://www.boxerworks.com/

Good luck with the rig.  (Years ago a friend buys this Jawa sidecar rig and plops my ass in the thing and off we go on the Southern State Parkway....never again!    )

Billster

[b4cruz]

bought the yamaha sr500 thumper rig
SO light i can push it up my drive way
no reverse gear needed I just lift it up myself and put it where I want it
has huge dirtbike handle bars for easy steering.  Its really funny to drive a bike instead of ride it but easy once you have the concepts down; fun spin outs just like an old plastic bigwheel. Haven't put it in the air yet though because I still havent learned how to consistenty start it.

have the kick procedure down i think
1. choke cold
2. hand on brake reservoir
3. kick to comression
4. hold decomressor lever and kick to TDC
5. return kick lever up, give thurough clean complete kick through
6. repeat 2 more times until it starts
7. if it doesn't, clean mixture: hold decompressor & throttle wide open    
    kick through 5-10 times
8. repeat all steps till it starts

i got it running a few times and it actually runs really nice
i just feel so defeated when i can't get it started
PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE