Thinking about one for the Road King now that I have the Ultra Limited to ride.

They are a lot different than a cycle alone. Where the cycle steers left to turn right (contrary to popular belief leaning does not steer the cycle, steering the cycle makes it lean. Leaning left without steering right will actually make the cycle lean right, not turn) and the sidecar m/c steers right to turn right (it wants to lean but it can't). Not a problem if you're paying attention but you can't make turns near as fast. Easier to make it slide on curves on wet slippery roadways or even dry roads at high speed due to understeer. You better be prepared for a workout if you take it around the Coronado Trail.

Lucky for some that their arms are not long enough to lean over to the left without steering right or they would run off the road.

 

I have a 02 Ultra with a 06 Harley sidecar. In my opinion once you learn to drive one and what to watch out for with a hack it is no different then the dangures of driving a solo bike. Now that I am use to mine I will never go back to two wheels and all so do to my bad knees after riding for 44 years none stop will give me many more years I will be on one. Now sidecars are not for every buddy. One of the things I like about a hack over a trick is on a trike if there is a hole in the road more then likely one of the tires is going in it with a hack most of the times you can keep from hitting the hole.

There are some VERY good books on driving a rig (motorcycle with sidecar) and if I am not mistake I have a thread here somewhere with a very good book on sidecars for free. Now the book all most scared me out of putting one on mine but I think the author is just making sure new comers under stand. Yes taking a right turn too fast the chair will come off the ground. But know I am to the point I love flying the chair. If someone is too close behind me I fly the chair one time and the back WAY up. LOL If I can help let me know.

 

actually it the right hand turns that get tehm unstable when they are empty , turn to sharp and the whole sidecar raises up in the air , first time is a little scary. got quite a few mile on mine and still love it , at times) wouldnt want to exchange it for my 2 wheeler all the time but they are a blast.

 

Yes this is true but if you drive a rig you need to learn to deal with it or you will have a wreck. Not saying you have to fly the chair but you need to have practice on how to do if the occasion arises. Case in point a few months ago I was coming from one of our camp outs. I had the hack loaded with at least 200 pounds of gear. I was on a state highway and went around a cover at 65mph and the chair came up just a little and if I did not know how to ride it out I would not be typing this.

 

Yes you can put a hack on a any bike just more costly for those that do not have a sub frame but you will have no problem put one on a 03 Dyan. Yes I ride a rig (motorcycle with a hack on it) and I have road trikes not much on the trikes but enough to know I do not want one. So if you ask the hack people what do you they are are going to say? Yes even a trike can and will bring a wheel off the ground if you ride it long enough even the ones that are suppose not to do it. How do I know I work on a lot of bikes and trikes and the trike people tell me so! Remember when you where little ridding your tricycle?

A tike you have a big hole in the middle of the road one of your 3 tires is going to hit it. All so with a rig you can always take the hack off and use it as a two wheeler try that on a trike. Bottom line it all boils down to personal preference. I have only had my hack on for 7 months but being my ONLY transportation I have put OVER 5,000 or more miles on it and mine will always be a rig. I do not ride with any extra weight in the hack unless I have someone in it or something else. This is why no matter what you ride which on a trike and rig you do not ride you drive you need to learn to deal with with the situation in case it does happen.

I am to the point I love flying the chair and it sure gets people off your *** when falling too close. LOL I have had people back way up and it works every time.

 

I have alot of miles on a hack, got my first one when my son was one year old and rode it for two years, about 45,000 miles. I have set up thirteen rigs varying from old shovel FLH with California side car to Sportsters with Velorex's to newer Fls's with H-D sicecars. The last is by far the best setup in my opinion, easy to mount, easy to rig and stable to ride. If you can manage to remember that you have a hack out the right side you can do it. Most wrecked rigs I have seen are from right hand corners cut too sharp. Ride in the lane position you are in when you drive a car...the left groove. With practice you can fly the chair and do skidding turns...if thats your thing. Currently I have a '99 RoadGlide with a H-D hack and have had it going for five years. Not my only bike, thank God! They can be tiring on the twisties and since you can't lean (unless you are flying the chair), you can really miss the fun of cornering. But the novelty is great, and you WILL get alot of attention. I once had a sheriff follow me all the way to the top of Cumberland Gap, kind of annoying until I asked what he needed. He said he only wanted to check it out up close and ask how it was that the hack was in the air on right hand turns! I have given rides to all kinds of people with reactions varying from big, macho guys sreaming like little girls to one woman that said it was better than sex. I doubt that one! And if you camp, you CAN take the kitchen sink! All in all, anything can be dangerous if you don't approach it properly and are stupid...DON'T BE! One thing to remember, if you manage to flip a hack...a helmet won't help you much! A roll bar maybe, but no safety equipment will help. Common sense ( a rarity), caution and experience can make it a total joy to ride. Get it rigged correctly, learn all you can and prctice, practice, practice. In time, you can do stunts-for-beers. But be prepared for requests for rides and waves from kids!

 

My buddy rode an old FL with a hack when his sone was 1-1/2 year old and he was a single dad. Easy solution: he took out the hack seat and mounted a child car seat and put a weight in the nose. When we rode together and my wife and son were in my hack, we DID get some attention...but the only thing that left the hack was an unsecured baby bottle!

 

I have a 96 FLHT with a 94 ultra sidecar. Just got a tri glide, the wife said she likes to ride in the sidecar more than two up on the tri glide. she can move around more and has more leg room. On the down side she can't see anything on the left side of the bike. I think the trike is easier to ride than the sidecar rig.