sidecar crack up

[scottyintex]

Well, coming out of my subdivision...going over a speed bump...the main support frame for the sidecar cracked in two places. One is a big crack...big enough that the sidecar hit and scraped along the pavement. I was riding solo. I pulled the ballast out of the sidecar; managed to pull the frame back together....and creep a few blocks home. As far as I can tell the cycle came through without any problems but the sidecar frame is shot to hell. It could be welded back...but is too light a frame..design flaw. At least I wasn’t doing 60 mph down the highway...going to the ROT rally like I had planned. The steering geometry of the R65 was changed with a special triple tree for the sidecar and would be rather squirrely to ride without the sidecar. So, I am sitting here trying to decided my next step.

[Vegasrandall]

What make is your hack?

[montmil]

Glad you were not nicked up, Scotty. Bikes can be repaired.

I'd bet you've heard of Perry's Motorcycles and Side Cars in Ft Worth, Texas? Perry Bushong and his wife Merry -and that's the correct spelling- take excellent care of older BMWs, the people that ride them and anything side car related. Design, construction, repair and installations.

http://www.perrysmotorcycles.com/

Might be worth a call Bengt Phorqs Mike is a regular...

Monte

[scottyintex]

The tub/boat is a Steib. The cradle/frame it sits in was shop made by Perry’s motorcycles and sidecars in Fort Worth.

[trips]

The steering geometry of the R65 was changed with a special triple tree for the sidecar and would be rather squirrely to ride without the sidecar.(

More rake, less rake?

[scottyintex]

More rake.... my R65 is 3 inches longer...wheel base.... than a normal R65

[Bengt_Phorqs]

Perry is the one that fabricated that rig IIRC.  He does pretty good work.  The triple clamp is machined out of billet and has an offset so Scotty is right.  You could ride the bike solo but it wouldn't handle correctly.  

Scotty, just a suggestion, if you haul it back to Perry for repair and refit, make sure you get a written estimate before he starts fixing.   And, if you do get up this way, we'll meet you over at the shop and take you for some BBQ & frosties if you're of a mind to.  Occasionally I can convince the MONTster to come south a few miles.

[montmil]

... And, if you do get up this way, we'll meet you over at the shop and take you for some BBQ & frosties if you're of a mind to. Occasionally I can convince the MONTster to come south a few miles.

Mike's idea of "convincing" most often contains a hook. As in, "Oh, BTW, let's just knock out these tire changes before we kick back with a Shiner." Say what?

We are planning a dual horn install on SWWBO's Beemer. Mike promises a dip in the pool but there's that issue of the pool pump repair... "Hey there, pool boy. Get busy if ya wanna eat some of my brisket."

He's my buddy. Buys my wife road trip souvenirs. Big bucks. Inside joke.

Try and get up this way, Scotty. You won't believe the stuff Mike and I get involved with.

Monte

[scottyintex]

Hey that sounds really cool! Besides Monte promised me a piece of pie. Most likely I will be back at Perry’s getting it fixed. He does good work....sometimes stuff just happen.

[montmil]

Hey that sounds really cool! Besides Monte promised me a piece of pie. Most likely I will be back at Perry’s getting it fixed. He does good work....sometimes stuff just happen.

You don't call us, Scotty, and Phorqs an' me be coming after you! I've got an extra R65 if you're interested. May have to bum Bengt's trailer to get it to the mid-cities but it's a doable thang.

Plenty of bunks between us, too, if Mrs. Scotty wants to tag along.

Monte

[nhmaf]

Scotty!

VERY VERY GLAD that you are OK and didn't have a serious crash when your sidecar frame came apart!

It seems odd that such a reputable, experienced builder would have such an issue with something as basic as a frame, especially on an application as 'normal' as an R65 - after all, it isn't like it is bolted to a monster-bike like a modern Triumph Rocket3 !!!


This all seems very scary to me, especially now.    I*JUST* bought a used, good condition (I hope!) Sputnik sidecar from a guy in Montana.   It is being shipped on a truck as I write this.    I'm going to get a subframe next from Dauntless for my R100/7.    At the moment I've got wide/flat bars on the bike and will see how bad the steering is when I manage to get everything together before I decide on front end changes.

[Bengt_Phorqs]

Scotty, figure you'll have to leave it with Perry for a couple of weeks at least, so that means two trips.  More time for fun!  Mrs. Phorqs and I have lots of room and extra bikes if you're of a mind.  Monte, the pool pump was repaired before you even went on vacation, so all that time spending $500 a day was just wasted, you could have stayed at Playa del Phorqs.

And NHMAF Mike is right, good thing you weren't on the road somewhere.  I hate it when a perfectly good frame breaks in transit!  Send me or Monte a PM and we'll flange something up for you.