Little Chick
Active member
how would i convert my sidecar to a leaner? would it be alot of trouble? or really expensive?
sidecar
- Thread starter Little Chick
- Start date
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both i would say ....skirri is the one to talk to he has one of the best leaners ive seen and he built it all ...just a fantastic mod in everyway
In my case, I think it costed ~$1000 (parts and labor) to build a frame. I used Velorex sidecar body (I bought it used for $500 w/ conventional frames).
universal U-clamps (from Velorex)
1.25" square tubing (20 ft or so)
5/8" flat stock (tiny peices)
rod ends (heim joints) (6 of them)
pillow block bearings
8" trailer tire
spindle
hub
GL1100 air shock from eBay
professional welding fee
Mine was a DIY effort. I cut tubings (hack saw), drilled holes etc by myself as much as I could.
universal U-clamps (from Velorex)
1.25" square tubing (20 ft or so)
5/8" flat stock (tiny peices)
rod ends (heim joints) (6 of them)
pillow block bearings
8" trailer tire
spindle
hub
GL1100 air shock from eBay
professional welding fee
Mine was a DIY effort. I cut tubings (hack saw), drilled holes etc by myself as much as I could.
Little Chick
Active member
do you have pics of the stages of how you did it? is part of the $1000 include buying your sidecar? i paid 500 for my side car it came off a 79 wing. it has its own progressive shock already. it works fine how it is. its just hard to wrestle it around the curves and hills where i live now.
Well, it's been a while and I needed to dig a pile of receipts for all of my vintage motorcycle hobby..
Tubing & flat stock $100
trailer tire, hub, spindle $40
CrMo rod ends etc. $200
pillow blcok bearings $40?
used GL1100 air shock $40?
welding/machining (labor) $355
total $775'ish (not including the price of sidecar itself)
I think it's much easier to build a new leaner frame than modifying conventional non-leaner sidecar frame.
Typically rigid sidecar shocks got strong springs to reduce rolling. I guess you can use it for leaner but the ride will be harsher but then again it depends on the passenger. Mine is a skinny 9-year old so I picked up regular motorcycle shock.
If you carry adult passenger, then maybe you should lower the center of gravity. Mine is for child only and I mounted the sidecar body high so that he can look around (I think his eye height is about the same as or a bit higher than sitting in a passenger automobile.)
Rear mount: Uses two U-clamps on motorcycle frame
Front mount: Uses two U-clamps on motorcycle frame
Sidecar suspension (old version):
Note: Initially I put the sidecar wheel in the middle between motorcycle front/rear tires to support the load better. This turned out to be a bad idea. People say for the leaner, sidecar wheel should be on the same axis as motorcycle rear wheel. This is to eliminate sidecar wheel's influence on motorcycle steering.
Tubing & flat stock $100
trailer tire, hub, spindle $40
CrMo rod ends etc. $200
pillow blcok bearings $40?
used GL1100 air shock $40?
welding/machining (labor) $355
total $775'ish (not including the price of sidecar itself)
I think it's much easier to build a new leaner frame than modifying conventional non-leaner sidecar frame.
Typically rigid sidecar shocks got strong springs to reduce rolling. I guess you can use it for leaner but the ride will be harsher but then again it depends on the passenger. Mine is a skinny 9-year old so I picked up regular motorcycle shock.
If you carry adult passenger, then maybe you should lower the center of gravity. Mine is for child only and I mounted the sidecar body high so that he can look around (I think his eye height is about the same as or a bit higher than sitting in a passenger automobile.)
Rear mount: Uses two U-clamps on motorcycle frame
Front mount: Uses two U-clamps on motorcycle frame
Sidecar suspension (old version):
Note: Initially I put the sidecar wheel in the middle between motorcycle front/rear tires to support the load better. This turned out to be a bad idea. People say for the leaner, sidecar wheel should be on the same axis as motorcycle rear wheel. This is to eliminate sidecar wheel's influence on motorcycle steering.
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Nice looking welds!
Oh one more thing.
If you are going to use standard (naked) Oldwing for the tug, you can try semi-leaner where only the motorcycle leans.
Here's my previous semi-leaner rig (XS750) with modified conventional sidecar frame. With this config, you only need two heim joints as opposed to unison leaner's six.
With fully faired GL1100A, I needed to space the motorcycle and the sidecar more to gain right-turn lean angle. That would make the rig too wide.
If you are going to use standard (naked) Oldwing for the tug, you can try semi-leaner where only the motorcycle leans.
Here's my previous semi-leaner rig (XS750) with modified conventional sidecar frame. With this config, you only need two heim joints as opposed to unison leaner's six.
With fully faired GL1100A, I needed to space the motorcycle and the sidecar more to gain right-turn lean angle. That would make the rig too wide.
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dan filipi":3n1ybc1f said:
This is pro's work.
I wish I had a skill and equipment.
- Joined
- Dec 3, 2009
- Messages
- 22,405
- Reaction score
- 242
- Location
- Van Nuys Ca.
- My Bike Models
- 1983 Interstate
2018 KLR 650
2018 BMW S1000 RR
- My Bike Logs forum link
- https://classicgoldwings.com/forums/dan-filipi.122/
Great info skiri!
Pictures help a lot.
Pictures help a lot.
mike in idaho
Well-known member
Good info here: https://www.advrider.com/forums/showthre ... 279&page=2
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1998 GL1500c Val
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Plenty of great development and a fantastic finished product :salute: :salute:
Ansimp":4zaw60ls said:
You know, Australia is great place for vintage sidecar. You mount the sidecar on the left.
I once mounted the sidecar to my BSA rigidly. Kick start almost interfered with sidecar frame. One slip and you hit the shin badly. :head bang:
Little Chick
Active member
:thanks: :rocks: thanks for the info :music: i will probably have more questions.
Hi Little Chick
Skiri has done some neat things converting his sidecars to leaners. I see you are having trouble wrestling your rig around and combined with your user name I assume you are not a tall strong type. I have ridden a lot of "leaners". I still own an Equalean that I dig out and try something new with every once in a while but am not happy with it so far. The best one I ever rode was the Flexit that was designed in South Africa and made at California Sidecar for a couple years when I worked there. The only problem is once it was attached and loaded there were two things to hold up at stops and if dropped I needed help to pick it up. There are ways to solve the wrestling match with your sidecar without going leaner if you are interested.
Skiri has done some neat things converting his sidecars to leaners. I see you are having trouble wrestling your rig around and combined with your user name I assume you are not a tall strong type. I have ridden a lot of "leaners". I still own an Equalean that I dig out and try something new with every once in a while but am not happy with it so far. The best one I ever rode was the Flexit that was designed in South Africa and made at California Sidecar for a couple years when I worked there. The only problem is once it was attached and loaded there were two things to hold up at stops and if dropped I needed help to pick it up. There are ways to solve the wrestling match with your sidecar without going leaner if you are interested.
