Frank Strenk's Opinion on Sidecaring written in 1997

The following is my experienced opinion on sidecaring. I have been getting lots of hits on my web page with people emailing me for info on sidecars so I made this up:

Sidecars are a lot of fun when the whole family is piled on. They are dangerous too, particularly when empty. They do not handle at all like a two wheeler, nor are they as stable as a 4 wheeler. There is a Sidecar Safety Course which is taught by Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) instructors. Don't despair if there isn't a course near you. They are given also at sidecar rallies, and if you can get a group together you can probably get an instructor to come out to your locality.

I have owned a few sidecar rigs and ridden a few others. I prefer H-D rigs.

My advice to anyone who enjoys and is able to ride a solo motorcycle is to keep your solo motorcycle. If you want to sidecar, have a separate sidecar motorcycle in addition to your solo motorcycle. That is the arrangement I have. I presently have a 1998 H-D FLHTCUI Ultra Classic for solo riding and my sidecar motorcycle is an ’85 H-D FLHT w/’95 H-D Hack. This gives the flexibility to switch machines for any occasion. Do not believe anyone who says they have a quick disconnect system. I am not aware of any that really works. H-D sidecars are meant to be permanently mounted.

As I mentioned, sidecaring is lots of “family fun”. There is little enjoyment riding a sidecar motorcycle with the tub empty and it is dangerous. For occasions when you want to ride alone I think you will be glad you have a solo motorcycle to ride. (Or, for most riders, those occasions that involve only two people).

Due to a very serious car accident in 1990, my wife is unable to ride two up with me. She now rides in the sidecar when she wants to ride. She does not want to ride as often as I do, so my solo motorcycle comes in real handy for me. When we do a “family ride” on the sidecar motorcycle, my small ten year old son rides behind me, my wife rides in the sidecar. When my son starts nodding off (I think it’s the Harley vibes!), we stop and he then lays down on my wife’s lap and goes to sleep while riding there. When you pile onto the sidecar motorcycle, you must assign spaces so that a large amount of weight is in the sidecar. When my step-daughter is home from college, we ride with her and me on the motorcycle and son and Mom in the sidecar. It’s great!!!

If you are interested in Harley sidecars, contact all the local Harley dealers. Many have stuck themselves with a sidecar or two and they haven’t the interest or knowhow to sell it. The Motor Company puts forth only a feeble effort to promote sidecaring. I have run across Harley sidecars that the dealers are willing to unload at their cost.

Also made for Harley are the beautiful Liberty Sidecars,  at http://www.libertysidecars.com/ . There are many other "aftermarket" sidecars available for Harleys and really any other make and model of motorcycle.

Hack’d Magazine and the United Side Car Association are two very good sources for information about sidecaring. There are links to those on The Sidecar Web.

Check out The Sidecar Web at http://www.sidecar.com/.

Happy Hacking (a "hack" is a nickname for a sidecar or sidecar rig),

RETURN to Home Page of Frank Strenk at http://www.strenk.com

Keywords: Sidecar, Sidecars, Sidecaring, Motorcycle, Motorcycles, Motorcycling, Motorcyclist, Harley, Harley-Davidson