Thank you Bill. My post was just an attempt to set the record straight on a
statement made by "an experienced biker/designer" who doesn't know what he's
talking about when it comes to sidecars because he isn't an experienced
sidecar driver/sidecar designer. Building one [that doesn't work well]
doesn't make you an expert.
When I first got interested in sidecars I asked dozens of motorcycle dealers
about sidecars and only one of them knew enough to make sane statements.
All the others said that I wouldn't like a sidecar rig, I'd be back in a
week to have it taken off, they were unstable and dangerous and that they
made motorcycle virtually undriveable. Once I got a sidecar rig I found the
opposite to be true and since then whenever I see a post like yours, I have
to set the record straight.
Opinions offered by folks without adequate experience or knowledge often
influence interested newbies negatively and folks who want to know about any
subject deserve to get the best information possible.
Al Olme
Minneapolis, Minnesota
-----Original Message-----
From: Honda-C70@yahoogroups.com [mailto:Honda-C70@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf
Of Bill Sandifer
Sent: Saturday, July 09, 2011 1:35 PM
To: Honda-C70@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [Honda-C70] sidecar info CORRECTION
My post was not an attempt to dissuade anybody from using a sidecar, just a
note from an experienced biker/designer regarding approaching the use of one
casually. Bill S.
On Jul 9, 2011, at 2:31 PM, Al Olme wrote:
>
>
> From: Bill Sandifer
> Subject: Re: [Honda-C70] sidecar info
>
> For those still pondering sidecars and handling, this from my friend
> who built a sidecar for his Moto Guzzi. Bill S.
>
> "Squirrely" is probably being kind. Although my rig feels fairly safe
> at most speeds... keeping in mind that it can't make ANY sudden
> movements/direction changes/hard braking/etc. The dynamic moments are
> a physics nightmare. Would be better with brakes on the sidecar wheel.
> Ural makes theirs that way.
>
> [Al Olme] The foregoing statement, related to us through Bill, was
> doubtless made by a person who.
>
> a. Has a poorly set up sidecar
>
> b. Has little or no experience driving a sidecar
>
> c. Got really frightened the first time he tried to drive his sidecar
> rig.
>
> The facts are that sidecars are both predictable and stable if set up
> properly. Experienced drivers can accommodate emergency situations at
> least as well as solo bike riders. The dynamics of driving any
> asymmetric vehicle take a while to both understand and control,
> however, once a little [and I'm talking about less than an hour of
> driving a well set up rig] experience is gained the inertial and
> directional oddities are readily dealt with and indeed become a
> subconscious function. However, if you have a poorly set up rig you
> will constantly be fighting it to track straight and behave well,
> you'll experience front wheel shake and will veer off to the right
> when accelerating and to the left under braking [with a sidecar mounted on
the right] and you'll hate it and possibly make statements like you read
above.
>
> If you fail to take the time the time to learn to drive a sidecar
> outfit because you think that since you can ride a motorcycle you
> should be able to drive a sidecar rig, YOU WILL PROBABLY CRASH and at
> least be as unhappy as Bill's friend. Sidecars are a lot of fun, they
> are safer than solo bikes and they offer a COMPLETELY DIFFERENT
> DRIVING EXPERIENCE. If you want to drive a rig, get some education. At
> the very least get "Driving a Sidecar Outfit" by David Hough, read it
> and do the exercises. Better, go the Evergreen Safety Council
> Sidecar/Trike Education Program [STEP] at
> http://www.esc.org/step_training.php and check out classes that may be
available in your area.
>
> Regards brakes ion sidecars; I have two rigs, one has a sidecar brake
> and the other does not. There's not all that much difference. Did you
> believe your parents when they said that motorcycles were dangerous
> and you shouldn't even consider riding? Find an experienced sidecar
> driver to talk with, not the guy at the bike shop who doesn't own a
> sidecar. Consider going to the United Sidecar Association rally in
> Dayton, OH at the end of this month. You'll find out more about
> sidecars than you ever thought possible. Not everyone there will agree
> on every point but they all will agree that sidecars are a great addition
to a motorcycle.
>
> Al Olme
> Minneapolis, Minnesota
> BMW R90/2 Ural sidecar
> BMW K100rs EML Sport sidecar
> Honda C70 sidecar
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
------------------------------------
C70 Passport Not Running Right?
1970-73 C70 Honda Service Manual: http://tinyurl.com/6ebwtw
1970-73 C70 Troubleshooting Guide:
http://tinyurl.com/6ebwtw (scroll to sec.7.1 page 101.jpg)
1980-83 C70 Honda Service Manual: http://tinyurl.com/hu42c
1980-81 C70 Troubleshooting Guide:
http://tinyurl.com/hu42c (scroll to sec.18-1 page 170.jpg)
1982-83 C70 Troubleshooting Guide:
http://tinyurl.com/hu42c (scroll to sec. 20-28 page 205.jpg)
1980-81 C70 Maintenance Schedule: http://tinyurl.com/z4zn6
1982-83 C70 Maintenance Schedule: http://tinyurl.com/hw35c
More resources for C70 Passports and Cubs:
http://www.shlaes.com/Vehicles/Scooter.htm
http://www.velodrome.com/HondaC70/HondaC70.htmlYahoo! Groups Links
1970-73 C70 Honda Service Manual: http://tinyurl.com/6ebwtw
1970-73 C70 Troubleshooting Guide:
http://tinyurl.com/6ebwtw (scroll to sec.7.1 page 101.jpg)
1980-83 C70 Honda Service Manual: http://tinyurl.com/hu42c
1980-81 C70 Troubleshooting Guide:
http://tinyurl.com/hu42c (scroll to sec.18-1 page 170.jpg)
1982-83 C70 Troubleshooting Guide:
http://tinyurl.com/hu42c (scroll to sec. 20-28 page 205.jpg)
1980-81 C70 Maintenance Schedule: http://tinyurl.com/z4zn6
1982-83 C70 Maintenance Schedule: http://tinyurl.com/hw35c
More resources for C70 Passports and Cubs:
http://www.shlaes.com/Vehicles/Scooter.htm
http://www.velodrome.com/HondaC70/HondaC70.html
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