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Fully understand your sentiments, however for those that wish to remain in the motorcycling fraternity and can no longer handle two wheels either due to age, infirmity or disability, a trike or sidecar is the only option.I would never, ever, consider riding a motorcycle with a sidecar. Nor a three-wheeler such as a Can-Am. As a very old riding instructor once told me, " I would buy a convertible sports car long before I rode one of those fu#%$&@ things. At least you can put the top up if it rains".
The former Guzzi dealer had a URAL / Sidecar in the showroom, the guy I talked to said he took it out for a ride and was Zig-Zag-ing down the road - he said it would NOT just go straight !
You would imagine they would be aligned to be *nearly* parallel - or Slightly converging WAY down the road ?
As a person with several CARC Guzzi’s and a Ural sidecar rig, I can tell you my opinion.
The CARC is more than adequate in THE REAR of a sidecar rig. However, just like the photo Robert posted, it is the FRONT END that is insufficient and gets changed out.
Telescopic forks simply are not well suited to the incredible stresses and special handling forces of a sidecar rig. Earles-style leading link front ends are much better suited to handling that type of load. You also really need an appropriate triple tree configuration.
Running a sidecar is not just bolting on a sidecar to any motorcycle and riding off into the sunset. In order to perform correctly in terms of handling and tracking in a straight line, and remaining steering neutral, the car must be aligned side by side with the motorcycle and be toe-in a few degrees as well as also cambered out away from the motorcycle a few degrees. Getting this setup correctly is no small task! It’s not easy to get a car setup properly. It takes knowledge, experience and some sensitive “butt sense” to fine tune the handling of the completed rig.
Most importantly is the understanding that sidecars are a $$$$ proposition. A properly configured sidecar rig is an EXPENSIVE setup. Period. There is no such thing as a cheap sidecar rig.
Also, be aware. Sidecar rigs handle COMPLETELY DIFFERENT than stand alone motorcycles.
I’m not kidding! COMPLETELY DIFFERENT!
For example, when...not if, but when, you “fly the chair”, steering instantly switches from normal sidecar handling, back to counter-steering like on a standard motorcycle, and the second that car comes back down on the ground, the steering again immediately switches back to sidecar style handling. I’ve seen people lose control of their rigs and run right off the road across the opposing traffic lane in a second flat because they did not understand this phenomenon nor had they practiced the techniques necessary to handle this situation. It’s even worse for a left-hand mounted sidecar rig like in the UK.
When you learn to operate a sidecar, there are hours upon hours of parking lot practice maneuvers to do. You also NEED to acquire, read, and practice EVERYTHING in this book.
https://www.amazon.com/Driving-Sidecar-Outfit-David-Hough/dp/B001PQFI9G/ref=nodl_
People who think they can learn sidecar operation on the open road, CRASH badly.
I’m not sure where Edson is, but here in the USA, the guys at DMC Sidecars, are simply the definitive go-to people for anything sidecar related.
http://www.dmcsidecars.com/
Sorry for the long reply.
Hope this helps.
I think I can safely guess that you've never driven (ridden?) a Sidecar Outfit Raven?I would never, ever, consider riding a motorcycle with a sidecar. Nor a three-wheeler such as a Can-Am. As a very old riding instructor once told me, " I would buy a convertible sports car long before I rode one of those fu#%$&@ things. At least you can put the top up if it rains".
Hi Scott.As a person with several CARC Guzzi’s and a Ural sidecar rig, I can tell you my opinion.
The CARC is more than adequate in THE REAR of a sidecar rig. However, just like the photo Robert posted, it is the FRONT END that is insufficient and gets changed out.