Solo to Sidecar by STD

[Bruin]

bak189, you have an excellent point about the engine placement and rig load. Your tip to place our wheel 12 to 15" before the rear is still on my list. If anyone sees me wandering into unsafe waters please let me know. I can do dumb stuff when it is just me but I won't risk the safety of my passenger.

[bak189]

It should be noted that street sidecar outfit, Moto X outfit, roadracing outfit, "Wheel on a stick" outfit, a outfit without a passenger, have NOTHING in common (except for the 3rd wheel) with a LRS outfit using a passenger that work properly and steers straight at speed.......for one thing you need as little sidecar tire contact on the ground as possible (using a kart wheel and tire is way to much tire to ground contact....Kart tires are made to go around corners with as much contact as possible)...We have used a 17x2 1/2 wheel and tire at 50lbs pressure with about maybe 1 inch tire contact to the ground. A properly set up LSR sidecar will not pull either way (left or right) A LSR outfit has to be adjusted to the weight of the passenger and where he/she rides on the platform....has to be adjusted to bike leanin/leanout according to the bikes suspension....has to be adjusted how much sidecar wheel toe/in (again to the location and weight of the passenger) If you got the sidecar wheel to far back in relation to the rear wheel (and using a passenger) at speed not enough weight on the front wheel of the bike to steer properly.....To far forward, and the whole outfit will pull on acceleration. These are just a few points how to build a proper LSR outfit. I have been building road racing sidecars for over 50 years....learning how to make a LSR sidecar work safely took a lot of time and testing.....Our outfits have seen 162mph on salt and 187mph on tarmac all using a passenger at all times. Which makes our sidecars the fastest in the World USING A PASSENGER.  "REAL RACING SIDECARS ALWAYS HAVE A PASSENGER IN THE CHAIR"

[Bruin]

We understand there will be a dial-in learning curve for handling and will design the hack to be fully adjustable, toe & lean. Correct me if I'm wrong but it seems like good sense to locate the platform's center of gravity near the bike's C of G. And after much reflection I have decided against a full plank position for the driver, the frame is not long enough and it shifts too much weight off the front and onto the rear, (Fully laid out my heels reach the back of the rear tire). I'm thinking I don't want the front end floating. Empty, the bike has a 50:50 weight distribution front and rear. I am looking at the more traditional kneeling jockey position, lower half shielded in the fairing. I can see the sense of a narrow rig footprint, we'll see if Santa wants to trade for what we already have.

[Bruin]

Shop dog Roxy says, "Trick or treat."

[Bruin]

The 500 xr had been hovering around 104 last year and this year. I was using a long air filter mount (to clear the frame) and oversized K&N filter. I pulled them and put on this homemade velocity stack. (The stainless steel liner of a drink cup) Speed increased to 106.8 with no other changes.

[Bruin]

Well, I decided to forgo fun and funky for responsible and practical. The ride like Rolly Free plank position is out, the kneel to conformity position is in. (Arrrrgh) Basically, that is how I've been running and the bike runs true and handles beautifully. The big change will be adding knee planks and moving the gas tank from behind my butt onto the bottom rail (with pump). That will allow me to hunker down a few more inches. Then wrap the whole kabob in a legs enclosed sidecar-ish fairing. Below is a crude concept image sans hack. Let me know if you see any BUB illegalities. (To date the bike has been Special Construction legal for a couple of meets)

[bak189]

Remember.........rule 10.D (part of the rule) The rider and passenger shall be able to exit motorcycle and sidecar without restrictions or assistance.......................................

So make certain your legs are not locked within the fairing..............................................

[Nortonist 592]

I always liked Tom Evans' definition of "unrestricted exit".  "If I turn your sidecar upside down and shake it you better fall out."

[Bruin]

It is a good point to build toward a reasonable exit, expecially since I'm older than I was yesterday and have had 3 knee surgeries. Hmmm, if I construct my butt pad out of an airbag unit...

[tauruck]

Bruin, I see you have a 3M decal on your front fender. Is 3M a sponsor?.

[Bruin]

Yes, a teammate got 3M to help with some adhesives in the build of the dustbin fairing. But it was a local, one time shot.

[tauruck]

I got a very good sponsorship from them on adhesives as well. Tapes, Spray adhesives and aerospace Epoxy products.  I also got an aerosol degreaser that removes masking tape like a charm and smells like an Orange grove, not an Orange. The workshop smells really nice for hours. The can says not for retail sale so I'm not sure if it's a test product but it works really well. Their duct tape is still the best one ever. I'm happy to have 3M on board.

[bak189]

Hey, remember you noted having to move your fuel tank......there is always room for the tank in the sidecar so it will give you more room on the bike....just a thought...................

[Bruin]

Tank on the sidecar is a good tip to keep in mind. I do have a pretty nice hollow between the upper and lower rails of the bike and can get a little 1 1/2 gal tank right next to the center of gravity. This picture mock-up is probably the most realistic for form and function (Within budget and capabilities). With my bad knee exiting a cookie cut out is safer than trying to wiggle out of a wrap around. The yellow sidecar is just representational at this time and not the final design. My understanding of the SC rules is that I can wrap the rear tire with the fairing.

[Bruin]

Managed to relocate the gas tank from behind my butt to under my gut. Did it with brackets out of the scrap bin. Cost, zippo. It should move the center of gravity lower and toward the middle of the wheel base. And might make it easier to cover the tail with a fairing.