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I miss my sidecar and will have another, though it will be a couple of years yet.
In the meantime I surf the net and look at ideas, whatever I get/build will be capable of gravel roads and the tug will be <600cc to fit into the lower registration ACC levy range, have more than one cylinder, and preferably but not critically shaft driven.
I've looked at a few options
A Kawasaki Versys mounted unit, Kawasaki made a 400cc version...
or a KLE500
but I think I found my preference today. Back in 1996-97 I was a motorcycle courier in London using company issued Kawasaki GT550’s. I have fond memories of them, 4 cylinders, very agricultural and basic, but that works in their favour, and they have a shaft drive.
Me on my mighty steed, London 1996.
I’m not the first to think of using one, it’s been done before.
This one would have been perfect, It sold in the UK recently for 1000GBP and had only done 13,000km.
Still wondering if I should just put a sidecar on the DR650, seeing as GT550’s are not available here.
I found a few more DR650 sidecar pics today, all left side swingers.
I quite like the concept of this, it was advertised on a UK site.
Yamaha Xj900f fitted with Briggs swift sidecar.
The bike has been fitted with updated suspension including external fork springs to help with the additional weight of the sidecar. It is fitted with a steering damper. Brand new front tyre, all three tyres are good on the combo. The bike has also got braided brake lines to help bring it all to a stop, new pads all round.
It has covered about 25000 miles which is very low for these bikes.
Has krauser panniers and of course loads of luggage space in the sidecar. Which is the fun part.The sidecar is fitted with a sprung mattress complete with electric blanket! There is a fitted cushioned seat back for reclining in the evenings, for entertainment a 10″ tv/DVD player is fitted with freeview, aerial mast and aerial included. There are 3 12v power sockets and 4 USB power sockets. All the 12v accessories run off a 70ah leisure battery mounted between the bike and sidecar. The battery is kept topped up by a 30w solar panel mounted to the rear of the sidecar, this sits flat against the back when travelling but is angled up by a gas ram when camping. Oh and of course there is an internal light fitted.
A canopy fits to the sidecar with toggle style fittings and a lightweight sectional pole. This gives just enough room to sit under and cook under etc.Attachments:
More left side DR 650 sidecar goodness
After seeing these pics of this K75GS sidecar the idea of a brick powered unit appeals.
The shaftdrives in the BMW bricks are pretty reliable and the motors make smooth torque and power. While hunting around the net for pics I even found a pic of a BMW brick motor in a Ural frame.
I’ve pretty much decided my days on a DR or any single cylinder are at an end. Like all Adventure Bikes the DR is a compromise bike, with the DR being big enough and powerful(ish) enough to have some road manners, but still small enough and light(ish) enough to get into rougher places. unfortunately because of my health I can’t much of the rough stuff any more so I’d like something with more road manners so I can do more distance, but can still do rougher tracks like the Old Whangamomona Road for instance, but not necessarily the 42nd traverse.
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Gotta go where your heart takes you while you can.
In this case it’s more where my body will take me.
@Brainflex said:
Gotta go where your heart takes you while you can.So I bought a new sidecar.
It needed some assembly 😉
It was about $2 including shipping off Aliexpress.
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That’s quite a setup. A couple of questions: how much is the rego gonna be, and what farkles/modifications are you planning?
The pilot and passenger arrived.
@dcy said:
That’s quite a setup. A couple of questions: how much is the rego gonna be, and what farkles/modifications are you planning?Well the purchase cost was all of about $8 including postage and it came with chair mounted machine gun and flag pole that I decided not to fit.
@Brainflex said:
Where’s Indiana? N his Dad?I couldn’t find them so Darth and a Stormtrooper had to do.
They will be doing 10’s of thousands of miles over the next 2 years along with my DR650 my daughter gave me earlier.
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…and it came with chair mounted machine gun and flag pole that I decided not to fit.
Yup, I fully understand your decision not to fit the chair mounted machine gun. That will spare Darth Vader and the Stormtrooper a few awkward/worried looks from anyone driving past.
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