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]
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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