joe@zinfandel.UUCP (09/23/84)
sidecars... Hello. I want to discourage you from getting a sidecar. At the very least you should find a way to try driving one before paying for one. They were developed historically as ways to use an existing power source ( the bike ) to transport more cargo in an attempt to avoid the cost of a car. The result was and is a quirky, instable vehicle that takes a special totally un-bike-like riding technique to avoid tipping it over or even steering it. Misapplications of throttle or brakes can thwart your attempts to aim this creature owing to the offset of power delivery from the center of weight. The high center of gravity becomes crucial in its instability now that the bike can't lean. The frame was NOT DESIGNED to take the considerable side loads the side car gives it and usually warps the frame permanently. Have you ever tried riding a bicycle with training wheels since you learned to ride a bike? It's the same only worse. You'll get all the vulnerability of a bike with none of the manuverability. If you want the wind in your hair and capacity for grocery bags you would be better off with a small open topped sports car. A side car rig is a fun toy for a very few, but there are good reasons why you don't see any being used. They enjoy their most devoted following in England where the laws limit drivers of age sixteen to eighteen to motorcycles of small dis- placement and three-wheelers ( for some odd reason ). Sidecars were then so unsporty that they perhaps seemed no medium for teenage high jinks. After the war three wheeled "bikes" were quickly evolved to resemble cars as much as possible with full bodies, doors, windows etc. to capture the market of people to poor or young to own cars. Even today you can find these three wheeled cars in england ( mainly in motorcycle magazines ). Given man's competitive nature sidecar races began which are now the only reliable place to look to find side cars in use. You will note that racing side cars are as close to motorcycles as they are to cruise missiles, with car racing tires, formula 1 type bodies, and limited movement for the "monkey" or passenger. And don't forget that a sidecar handles radically differently when there is no passenger from when there is. You might try carrying sand bags. My sarcasm is only partly fun. I'm also trying to underline the inconvenience and danger in these cute historical anacronisms. Joe Weinstein
hutch@shark.UUCP (Stephen Hutchison) (09/26/84)
[Like my friends? I made them myself.] During the recent Disney Channel "open air time" my Wife was able to watch an episode of the Epcot magazine. They showed a Suzuki three wheeled vehicle which is being considered for sale in the US. In the meantime there are less than a hundred of them being hand-built. This reminds me of a kit I saw some years back in one of the Pop Mech magazines. This was a fiberglass shell which fit OVER the frame of a moderately large bike. It had two front wheels and a battery power system driven off the wheels which provided lights. In order to mount the thing you had to remove the front wheel from the bike. Does anyone know how these things affect the frame of the bike that you mount them around? I always thought they were kind of interesting, especially since it is intensely uncomfortable to ride a bike during large parts of the year here in Orygun. Hutch
faunt@saturn.UUCP (Doug Faunt) (09/27/84)
I don't know anything about the thing that replaces the front-wheel of a bike, but "Rider" mentioned that Harley had bought a company that makes the Tri-Hawk, a three wheeled automobile, and then I saw one on the road. It looks sort of interesting. Does anyone know more about it?
hutch@shark.UUCP (Stephen Hutchison) (09/28/84)
[ The more time you spend behind the wheel of an automobile, the less intelligent you become ] I, um, made a mistake when I said the 3-wheeler shown on the Epcot Magazine was a Suzuki. It was a Yamaha. I still would like to know about the kit, though. Hutch
brig@drutx.UUCP (BrighamD) (09/28/84)
The front fork was taken off the bike and a plate and two hooks were welded on.
The added parts would not interfere with making the bike portion streetable
as a bike again. I talked to the designer of this vehicle and was able to
see it perform and it was fairly impressive.
Yours in cycling,
Dan Brigham
ihnp4!drutx!brig