Once you get used to a sidecar, it's totally utilitarian
by Rich Schlalos
my wife and her mom
You can fly them, race them through corners like a sports car with one wheel gone. Once you get used to them, they are great. I've had a 1976 Goldwing with a California Sidecar, a 1948 Indian Chief with the original sidecar, a 1997 Ultra Classic Harley with the HD sidecar and now, a 2006 Harley-Davidson Street Glide with a Liberty Sidecar which out handles all of the previous sidecars that I have owned. We take 800 mile a day trips in it, give kids and older Veterans rides in it for events and parades. Take handi-capped kids for rides. It's endless. Pick up groceries, welding tanks, cases of oil, and have allot of room for camping gear. I also dropped one tooth on the engine sprocket so I have a little lower gears and can now run all day long in 5th gear at 75-80mph at about 3-3200 rpm on cruise control and do not have to shift down on the majority of hills. It gets about 23mpg in town and up to 40mpg on the highway. My wife also has her endorsment for sidecars and trikes, but most of the time chooses to ride in the sidecar and take pictures of the trips we take, do puzzles and whatever else she wants to pass the time away. I used to take my daschund for rides in the Goldwing with the California Sidecar. A friend of mine also took his Mastif (really big dog) for rides in his early HD sidecar. He would wear sunglasses and a hankerchief around his neck. He (the dog) looked really cool going down the road. Just remember, a sidecar demands respect (especially around right hand corners) but once you get the feel for it, you'll have a blast. Have fun, ride safe. Click here to read or post comments. |
