stickhandle2

I hear that a sidecar rig takes a lot of arm strength to steer, is that true? My right shoulder gives me trouble after an accident a number of years ago. Which is why I like the RSV/RSTD and cruise control so much for anything other than short rides. I have not ridden one yet, but have heard differing stories, but it does make sense that it would take more strength to turn as your won't have the advantage of push steering on a bike with a side car. I just did the Cannonball Ride a couple weekends ago, did the 1000 mile one in 36 hours (ya ok Iron Butt Riders I know you did yours in 24 hours or less), but didn't use the cruise very much and I was paying for it later in the week if I moved my right wrist in a certain way. With the sidecars I have also heard that if they are not set up correctly they can wander in their lane, again adding to the shoulder workout. A fella I spoke to a the bike show in Toronto in January that makes and installs sidecars put it quite simply to me by saying if my bike didn't have a shake in the front and didn't wander before the side car, it wouldn't do that after he installed his on my bike. That is still an option I am looking at as well. Mike

Great topic, I figure my next one will have a side car on it, been looking for a while now, just haven't found the right one. Over the winter worked on a 84 Yammy xj750rl, that is now purring like kitten with a full belly. I have to decide what to do with it, I think my daughter is trying to work a swap with the old guy for her Virago. So back to the side car, Ural would be cool, also seen a couple other cool bikes with side cars. Even after selling the RSV ( that will be tough), but we already have 3 bikes in the garage. Ya I know side car hmmmmm, but I think they would be kinda cool. Mike

I am always looking for used ones but like you some are too old and some are just silly the amount of money that people want for them. There are 2 that I have found both within a 5 hour drive from our house, one is a Road Star with a motorvation side car, this is a cool looking rig and the other is a RSV with a Hannigan sidecar, not sure if I like the look of the Hannigan or not as it is kinda square looking from the back, but I love the idea of the RSV as the bike. Both bikes are low mileage which is good and I seem to be a Yamaha guy as my 3 bikes are all Yammy. Figure if I took the plunge I would sell my RSV to make the purchase a bit more affordable, and then ride one of the other two when I get the 2 wheel itch, actually it would be a good time to sell off one of the other 2 bikes as well. Thanks again for the info. Mike

I have been to the Ural dealer located not too far from us and have liked what I have seen. I don't have a problem with the maintenance and I only do about 65 mph on the RSV anyways. Great picture of you and your dog in the sidecar, that is the one thing I would look forward to when we get ours. Enjoy and thanks for the info. Mike

Good point.... thanks again.

thanks for the reply, looked in the headlight, nothing there except the connections, I didn't look behind the headlight, no airbox, nothing behind the battery box, I am also thinking a bad wire , funny enough the bike has 2 negative grounds going to the battery, maybe disconnect the older of the 2. Thank you again for the ideas, I will begin tracing some wires back, I have done some initial traces and they seem to lead back to the the headlight and lots of connectors. Maybe start pulling them and cleaning them, then see what happens. Mike

Hi folks, Question for any that have any experience with any café builds. A buddy of mine dropped off his sons Suzuki GS450 for me to taker a look at for him. His bought the bike last summer and it has not been on the road since then. At first I am told it did run (not well ) and then it stopped, but this time with no power. I started giving it a look over yesterday, turned on the key and the only thing that had any power was the neutral light, no starter , no horn, no lights. My first guess was blown fuse or fuses.........hmm where could the fuse block be, it is not where it should be as per some info I found on the interwebs (under the left side cover).....ok then some one has moved it.... not under the seat...not under the tank,..... not in the tail section.....not anywhere that I can see. Has anyone ever seen or heard of something like this or am I just not seeing it. Any help or tips would be greatly appreciated. Mike

Hi Red, I just found this thread, I also have been looking at going to a side car for a while myself.....like yourself lots of decisions, buy a rig already done up, add a rig to the venture or look at a Ural. For me each has its own advantage. How are you liking the Ural, I think they are a very cool looking machine and even with some of the negative stuff I have read, I really like the idea of having one. I don't mind the maintenance that is required, in fact I like how simple they are. There is a fellow a couple hours from us that builds side cars and I have spoken to him at a couple bike shows about building one for the RSV, also searching the classifieds for any interesting rigs that are for sale. Mike

That is a great picture Dave. Gotta love those simple things that become great memories.

Thanks, I think it was sucking in too much air, I went over everything I did and reinstalled the boots with new gaskets, then heated up the boots when I put the carbs on this just made it way easier. I heard the carbs slip into place and then made sure everything was nice and tight. Started right up at a good speed on the choke, turned down the choke and bike stalled .......ooops forgot when it was idling fast I had backed off the idle screw, (that was where I thought it must be sucking air), restarted the bike and turned up the idle screw, the bike now idles nice at around 1050rpm. Couple more things to do and then it will be ready for the road. Thanks for all the suggestions and hints. Mike

Thank you, yes they are moving smoothly, thanks for the hint. Mike

Thank you I will check for that, when I had it running, even with the very high idle the throttle still worked, but I will check that again when I put the carbs back on the bike. Mike

Yes to all, which is why I am thinking vacuum leak somewhere. Walked away from it so I could clear my head......what better way to clear my head...go for a ride on the RSV. Thanks for your ideas. Mike

Hi Folks, I am reaching out to you in hopes someone can give me a hint. I am working on an 84 XJ750RL, sweet bike I bought off a friend of my daughters last summer, when I got the bike it was tough to start, hadn't been ridden in a few years so I pulled the carbs and gave them a cleaning. I put the carbs back on, gave it a boost from car as bike battery is toast......the xj started right up, but it is idling between 4500 and 5000rpm.....turned idle screw all the way back.....still the same.....figure it has to be sucking air...put filter pods on carbs, still the same....ok figure boots may be leaking but when the carbs were off they looked solid no cracks....pulled carbs off and then pulled boots off to look closer at them....boots look ok, even the caps on the vacuum tubes on the boots look ok........this has me confused as the bike idled ok when I got it going a few times when I brought it home. Any hints!!!! Thanks Mike

They are a great machine, my 02 Midnight is just at 149,000km barely broken in. Mike

One of the things we tell our students at times during the weekends that they are with us learning to ride a motorcycle, we have all seen the bear in the circus riding the motorcycle fast. Anybody can ride a bike at speed. We teach you how to ride slow, that's where the skill kicks in. Find the friction zone on the clutch (the point at which the bike is starting to move on its own power) hold the throttle steady drag or ride the back brake Most importantly look where you want to go, motorcycles go where we look Practice, practice, practice we all should be doing that from time to time, not just the slow speed stuff, also consider practicing a quick stop, if you ever have to do one it is sure good to know how your bike is going to react in one. Mike

Add me to the list of getting old and being told by your kids, Dad your getting old you just don't get it. I keep asking what is this it that they talk about.

I like it, but I do like the spot tourer type bikes and really like the naked bikes. Looks like I would be riding solo with this one though. Still a cool ride. Mike

Russell I hope you feel better and things turn right side up for ya. Never met ya, but like many on this site hope to someday expand the number of folks we have met face to face and get to share a coffee, ice cream or whatever works. All the best, Mike

Visited mine in the garage, snow on the ground slick roads, lots of crap, so just it just sits for now. Mike

Great news Carl. Mike

Reiny, Glad to hear all went well, keep on the changes in diet and exercise, trying to make some small changes for myself as well, it sure is tough. Stick to it and get ready to wear the treads off the tires on your bike. Keep working hard and stay strong. Mike

Carl.......Ben talks too much?????????? oh boy.

Thoughts and prayers to you Scott, stay strong and positive. Mike

We will be there, thanks for the reminder Carl Mike