That is a very familiar sidecar

[skids]

That is a very familiar sidecar. Rob, have you ever seen that sidecar that is on ebay? I saw one once in Montana, but it had a dog in it!

[Ken Talbot]

Here's how it looks with the dog....

[rockjok]

I kinda hate to sell it but, with the addition of another Springer Spaniel, I needed a bigger sidecar.

Both dogs love the new hack and will sit in it for hours while I work on the bike. I'm hoping to make it to Revelstoke this summer and am in the middle of a bunch of bike projects I put off last summer. New boots, clutch, brake lines, luggage, seat, fuel tank, wheels, modified forks, and electrical.

With any luck, the snow should stop soon (every Saturday) and I'll be able to start test riding.

Later,

Rob

[andnew]

i asked a question on Ebay for this. I will bid tomorrow if it's still in my range. :-)

I've been looking for a chair that fits an XJ1100J rather than building my own!

[rockjok]

Howdy,

Here's a reply that I put on the ebay ad:

"You will need to fabricate attachment points or a subframe and possibly obtain a strut if the included ones are the wrong length. Some new bolts will definitely be required. Even tho' the velorex universal frame clamps are still available I recommend against purchasing and using them. This sidecar is very lightweight and will need some fixup. Tho' it worked well on my XS1100, I had to carry ballast and I think it would be most appropriate on a mid-size bike. This was my first sidecar and there was a considerable amount of effort in getting it set up correctly so I guess "easy" would depend on your skill and ambition. Hope this helped, Rob."

If the XJ frame is similar to the XS some good attachement possibilities would be a steel plate mounted to the fairing bolts, an assembly on the engine mounts, an assembly attached to the centerstand mount, and a steel tab welded to the frame behind the sidecover. This hack won't directly bolt on to an XJ. I often wished I had lived closer to Dauntless Motors. It would have eliminated a lot of trial and error to have a professional mount it.

Rob

[andnew]

Thanks for the reply, sorry for my slow reply, I've been down with the flu for a few days.

Dauntless is only about 10 miles away from me. I wasn't impressed when I stopped by to look, (but I also didn't announce myself before coming over to their shop) and appearances aren't everything.

As a previous vocation I was a BMW, Kawasaki, Yamaha, Honda, Honda power equipment and Suzuki tech. I don't think making mounts would be a big problem. I also have a relatively comprehensive machine shop, welders and lifts in my garage. The biggest problem for me would be to get there with my 3/4 ton diesel without burning up the motor with the 70MPH limits on I90.

That's pretty much red-line for several hours on a 20 year old short geared diesel. :-)

I'm trying to come up with an alternate, and this hack would be just about right for what i need. If I can come up with an alternate tow rig or one of my buddies in MT to fetch it, I will!

Thanks again,
Andy Newell

[andnew]

BTW this would be a carrier for my boxer dog ;-)

[rockjok]

Hi Andy,

I've never been to Dauntless' shop but Jay has always taken time out of his day whenever I've called for help. My current sidecar came with a multi-piece subframe for a Nomad that was very impressive. Then again, I'm basically clueless when it comes to welding.

If it is a weekend I could probably meet you at Rocker (just west of Butte) for ~$35 gas money. This place is easy to find and has a motel and several gas stations. It would save you several hundred miles as well as climbing Homestake and Cardwell passes twice.

The rig is comparably light and two people can easily lift it into a pickup. Might be just right for a Boxer, just enough room to curl up in a blanket when cold or bored.

Later,

Rob

[andnew]

Thanks Rob, As you can see, I put down a bid. I'm nearly twitching with exitement.

If I'm lucky enough to win it, I'll be able to get out there without any problems. I've got an alternate transport scheme, I was able to find the dimensions for the stock sidecar, and will likely be able to do it with the father-in-law's Toyota.

Or with the old trusty Ford and do a run over the low speed Lolo pass.

I've got weeks of vacation stacked up, so it shouldn't be a problem for me & the trusty boxer to get out there.

Oh, and I should clarify, no slight intended WRT Dauntless, they are surrounded by messy tenants in the industrial park. It also appeared from their website that there would be some kind of showroom. That's not the case, but to their credit, they also don't say so on the web site. This was impulse by me, as sidecar vendors are rare, and I had a good chat with them at a rally a few years ago, I will certainly give them a proper shot at my business.