Hacked, Conversions and Trailering "Harley Sidecar, Conversion Trikes and Motorcycle Pull Behind Trailering Enthusiasts" A forum for the discussion of your sidecar, Conversion Trike or Pull Behind Motorcycle Trailer.

Sidecar

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Feb 27, 2020 | 06:50 AM
  #21  
Carl Childers's Avatar
Carl Childers
Tourer
Joined: Nov 2019
Posts: 294
Likes: 170
From: Northern New Mexico
Default

Beautiful looking rig, congrats!
 
Reply
Old Feb 27, 2020 | 06:59 AM
  #22  
smitty901's Avatar
smitty901
Seasoned HDF Member
Veteran: Army
15 Year Member
Liked
Community Favorite
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 23,000
Likes: 11,441
Default

Looks great. Should server you well. The EVO will pull it , Just down shift when it starts to pull hard. Take it to a big empty lot and play with it learn not to get excited when it fly's the car. get the fell of why it happens both planned and unplanned. You have a lot of new skills to learn.
Keep us posted on how your experience goes.
 
Reply
Old Feb 27, 2020 | 09:19 AM
  #23  
drjmba's Avatar
drjmba
Thread Starter
|
Cruiser
Joined: Sep 2018
Posts: 133
Likes: 71
From: X
Default

I greatly appreciate everyone’s input and advice. I don’t think I would’ve been able to purchase the sidecar motorcycle without getting some thoughts from the people on this forum. Thank you so much for taking the time to respond to my inquiry. I’ll keep y’all posted on how things are going !
 
Reply
Old Feb 27, 2020 | 10:36 AM
  #24  
im's Avatar
im
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 6,086
Likes: 1,128
From:
Default

Consider printing and saving.
Eventually you will want to refer to it.
Common items in my experience for your year and model.

1-COMMON...Two fuel hoses under tank leak after about 10 years. Harley $$$$$$$, Goodridge HDFL005 under $160 USA dollars or LESS total for BOTH if you check google .

The Goodridge lines are less than half the price of the Harley parts and are of good quality.

2-COMMON..speedometer LCD (odometer screen bleed). requires replacement when unable to read miles ridden. NOT PLUG AND PLAY LIKE NEWER ONES. You can get a sub-harness wire assembly from J & P cycle catalog to convert and then use a 1999 speedometer plug and play speedometer.Easy changeover with no splicing of wires required. Old speedometer is a different manufacturer from the newer ones. Note that mileage is stored in speedometer itself not in ECM. Some folks send old speedometer out to specialty shops in order to change-out the LCD.
3-COMMON..Cam position sensor...very difficult starting, lots of cranking but does not catch. A lot of cranking and no start then you wait a second and a quick tap to start button and it starts with very little cranking…look for visible goo (beige) leak under timer cone (right foot) at black wire exit from bottom of cone…You will have plenty of warning…dozens and dozens of difficult starts.
4-CRANK position sensor by oil filter (RARE) but if you use a power commander the signal must be 100%..This is very rare.
5-(MEDIUM COMMON)Tank liner releases at middle section near fuel pump..blocks flow of fuel..loss of power, slow down and piece moves from fuel inlet so bike is OK but then becomes trapped again so cycle repeats.. FREE REPAIR..open gas tank access lid, drain fuel and clean piece out..I would carry the little bit required to remove screw..The book says you need to replace the one time use screws but if you are careful and replace in the same location it will be re-usable at least one time..
6- VERY COMMON...ENGINE TEMPERATURE SENSOR...very common, general rough riding as bike bucks from cold to hot rapidly..$100 part…As an emergency by-pass just disconnect electrical plug behind air filter when bike is off/at rest..You will need to hold throttle from that point on.
7- Bikes that are pressure washed or in snow conditions with salt roads or people that added a power commander and destroyed the rubber boot at ECM..GROUNDING PIN ON ECM becomes corroded and requires cleaning.
8-The little chrome cover cap thing with the allen bolt on the starter end will get loose one time and you will chase the rattle a long time until you figure out that under the cover is two 0.15 cent nuts and one is lost.
***-The shift linkage ends SUCK and you need to change those yesterday to heim joints look on ebay if on a budget for: Heim Joint Rod End 5/16" with bolts should be about $20 delivered for both.
****VERY IMPORTANT...THE CRANK POSITION SENSOR USES AN INSERT TWIST AND LOCK CONNECTION. MAKE 100% sure it is tight, zip tied and secure and then tie it one more time.. Located at throttle side of frame behind the PAINTED plastic side cover by seat (remove cover) and hidden by the triangle portion of frame..connector is black and about 2 or 3 inches long and the thickness of a fat pencil.
That thing had me scratching my head for a long time trying to chase an intermittant cut-off over bumps. Side of the road frustration thing..Many shops are unable to identify the simple problem while others waste your money by replacing it when it was only loose.
THE PARTS ARE READILY AVAILABLE for this bike with the exception of the gas tank from either the dealer or aftermarket.

I would imagine you have the service book or will get the service book for this bike from Harley for 99483-98 . Finally get the book read chapter 9. You can review check engine codes with no tools by following a simple sequence.

I would review the fuel lines. If you do NOT have the goodridge lines HDFL005 then I would consider carrying some in your saddle bag. Rarely does a dealer stock the Harley ones.

Additional notes:

Consider using regular Dyno oil as the synthetics are too good at locating leaks.

Check the allen bolt at the transmission shift lever. The shift lever that attaches to the transmission spline/shaft. People forget to check that allen/hex bolt and then the splines on the lever get chewed.

Shaft is harder than lever so the lever will strip. Major labor to remove the outer primary, inner primary, and clutch hub just to replace the lever on that year of bike just because someone did not inspect that allen/hex bolt.

The throttle PULL cable might eventually give-up the throttle cable end ball. My cable had a few strands broken off at the little ball inside throttle clamp. It eventually snapped while on a road trip. Required switching return for pull cable in a parking lot. I would review and consider changing Throttle, Brake and Clutch cable if they are original.

There is a bracket 65619-98 called something like exhaust bracket tab located right at top of starter. Supports rear cylinder exhaust pipe right at starter. It sometimes breaks after 20 years right at the “L”..right at the clamp . Most people fail to look at it until further more costly problems develop instead of addressing the under $10 USA dollar part and saving future headaches and cost..

That bike era does not due well with rear swingarm lowering blocks in my opinion. Check for and consider removal of rear lowering blocks if someone used them instead of using lowering shocks. Blocks increase probability of rear swing arm crack since they alter shock angle. Blocks seem to change shock position at bottom and that appears to stress swingarm in my opinion.

Nice looking ride.
 
Reply
Old Feb 27, 2020 | 11:03 AM
  #25  
im's Avatar
im
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 6,086
Likes: 1,128
From:
Default

link for parts finder:
http://partsfinder.onlinemicrofiche.....asp?make=hdmc
 
Reply
Old Feb 29, 2020 | 05:21 AM
  #26  
L8Braker's Avatar
L8Braker
Intermediate
10 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 44
Likes: 45
From: Indiana
Default

Gorgeous example of a pristine HD w/sidecar!
 
Reply
Old Feb 29, 2020 | 04:03 PM
  #27  
Eddy G's Avatar
Eddy G
Road Master
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 832
Likes: 29
From: New England
Default

Originally Posted by deadhawg
My wife and I both have sidecars on our bikes, love them. As Smitty said, there is a learning curve to driving a sidecar rig, it is a different animal than riding on two wheels, but once you get it, you will have a blast. We use our's for everything from cross country trips to runs to the grocery store for a month's worth of groceries. We took our two 30# dogs cross country in the wife's hack, and we have picked up the grandkids from school with them. Set up right, a sidecar rig handles just fine, mine is rock solid at 90, as fast as I have had it so far. Besides, sidecars are way cooler than trikes!

Hannigan Supersport sidecar on my '16 Road Glide

2000 FLTRSEI with Hannigan SP2 sidecar
The wife's '05 FLHT with Hannigan Classic sidecar

Beth's '05 FLHT with Hannigan Classic sidecar.
Did you change the tree’s on any of your bikes?
I have very little time on my rig thus far, I haven’t changed the trees on my Electra Glide Classic but I haven’t anything to compare it to
 
Reply
Old Feb 29, 2020 | 05:11 PM
  #28  
smitty901's Avatar
smitty901
Seasoned HDF Member
Veteran: Army
15 Year Member
Liked
Community Favorite
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 23,000
Likes: 11,441
Default

Originally Posted by Eddy G
Did you change the tree’s on any of your bikes?
I have very little time on my rig thus far, I haven’t changed the trees on my Electra Glide Classic but I haven’t anything to compare it to
I went with a Full HD trike front end . Handles great with or with out the sidecar. The longer tubes bring it back level with the rake and it was not to expensive.
 
Reply
HD Forum Stories

The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders

story-0

7 Times Harley-Davidson Chucked Tradition Out the Window

 Verdad Gallardo
story-1

7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles

 Verdad Gallardo
story-2

8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-3

10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-4

Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In

 Verdad Gallardo
story-5

Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?

 Verdad Gallardo
story-6

Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept

 Verdad Gallardo
story-7

Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II

 Verdad Gallardo
story-8

10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy

 Joe Kucinski
story-9

10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026

 Verdad Gallardo
Old Feb 29, 2020 | 09:14 PM
  #29  
GreenMonster's Avatar
GreenMonster
Road Master
5 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Top Answer: 1
Joined: Feb 2019
Posts: 1,100
Likes: 672
From: Orange County
Default

One of the wives in our group drives this .



 
Reply
Old Mar 1, 2020 | 06:09 AM
  #30  
drjmba's Avatar
drjmba
Thread Starter
|
Cruiser
Joined: Sep 2018
Posts: 133
Likes: 71
From: X
Default

Excellent information.... Thank You for taking the time to share your knowledge and experience! I’m going to save your post in my HD Motorcycle folder....this is the info you do not find in the Service Manuals! Have a great day and ride safe!
 
Reply



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 05:04 AM.

story-0
7 Times Harley-Davidson Chucked Tradition Out the Window

Slideshow: Harley-Davidson built its reputation on nostalgia, but every so often, the company took a hard left turn into the future.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-20 11:18:19


VIEW MORE
story-1
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles

Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-29 16:50:35


VIEW MORE
story-2
8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

Slideshow: Not every Harley gets it right, but these are the ones that genuinely earned their reputation.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-15 14:23:21


VIEW MORE
story-3
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-01 20:01:09


VIEW MORE
story-4
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In

Slideshow: Killer Custom's "Jail Breaker" build focuses more on stance and visual aggression than mechanical overhaul.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-18 19:20:32


VIEW MORE
story-5
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?

Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-07 16:15:30


VIEW MORE
story-6
Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept

Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's new RMCR concept revives the café racer formula with modern hardware-and it may be exactly the reset the company needs.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-04 12:23:37


VIEW MORE
story-7
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II

Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-02-24 18:19:44


VIEW MORE
story-8
10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy

Slideshow: There is no shortage of great motorcycles to buy, but we would avoid these ten.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-02-19 14:50:51


VIEW MORE
story-9
10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026

Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-01-13 18:33:17


VIEW MORE