Old Guys V twin & sidecar

[indian22]

This photo is a sample of the double clevis links I'm putting together. Each link varies in length and once locked down the bike and car are locked solidly. The heims don't allow any pivot swivel as none will end up in the same exact plane. One thing which is missing in this photo is a rear support plate for both strength and to prevent my tube brackets from swiveling into the chain under high load.

The car attached to this 12" rear link positions the rear of the car frame (the widest distance from the bike) and keeps the total side car stickout to well under three feet. The front of the frame will ride just a bit closer to the bike when properly aligned (toe in) and bike leaning a degree or two towards the car.

Several builders have indicated that at slow speeds alignment isn't at all a critical element, but I still want to be able to set the alignment. If the rig pulls excessively to the right on U.S. roads, toe in can allow straighter running with less pilot fatigue.

Rick C.

 

[Mossy]

I have a non motorized Electra cruiser bicycle I use for daily transport and I've been remodeling the last 2 years it's also a work truck other than a couple of deliveries from Lowes... After I finished the kitchen I hauled $300 in groceries home on it... A junk pallet another time... For the price of auto registration one time and I'm keeping in shape so it's a win++

Thanks MT I'll keep them updated.

It's always good to hear sucessful repair details too. Riding and servicing bikes is a big part of this hobby. I ride my bikes 12 months a year and have used motor bicycles as my only means of transport for more than a decade now and enjoy riding now more than ever. Maintenence isn't that time consuming, but is mandatory to keep a bike, motorized or not, in service. Many don't and end up leaving the hobby.

Rick C.

 

[indian22]

Your a man after my own heart! I love a winner.

Rick C.

 

[indian22]

I refer to Ural sidecars frequently and I suppose it's because they are of "elemental" design. Very basic and vintage. There are more video examples and hookup "How to's" than all the rest combined.
Action videos abound as well.

I mentioned making a steel side plate which would bolt to the bikes triangle and this is the setup I will use. It has various advantages in, not just strength, but in better link geometry and safety. The use of a single plate also allows really fast mounting and removal of the car with more accurate repeatability of reinstallation once alignment has been established. I've seen this plate concept used on several hacks and I hope to expand on their concept. I also have no qualms about welding to a plate, or sidecar frame, but not to the bikes frame.

I don't see this change slowing my progress much at all. My health and coming Winter are the unknown elements that can really derail my work.

I will post more photos soon.

Rick C.

 

[indian22]

During work on the side hack yesterday I had reason to think I had a moment of dyslexia during an earlier post and wanted you guys to know I made an error when I spoke of the bikes "lean in" being a couple of degrees off vertical. The bikes lean out (away from the car) is the correct adjustment. Toe in is the cars correct adjustment. Senior moment....

Keep in mind my photos are just my current progress and subject to my progress along the way, it is not what will be necessarily. This is one reason for the scarcity of progress photos in my posts. I'm still discovering alternatives along the way.

For those with great memories of my first start on this sidecar frame; you might recall was intended to be mounted to my Simplex bike which is powered by a 125cc 5 speed drive train about 10hp and has a super strong frame (dual tube engine cradle) but no reverse gear. My solution was to mount an electric motor to be used as a reverse gear and a two wheel drive for emergency straight line traction. I allowed myself to get distracted from this build and it sat neglected for at several years.

I revived the idea using a small gas V twin, but still powering the car in reverse with a separate electric motor for reverse and two wheel drive when required. That project never got real traction because of my disenchantment with the 250 V twin as a power source. So the car frame was again abandoned until the electric V-twin proved to be a capable and dependable transport after two years of riding and it had a controller with reverse function. That's pretty much the complete history of my sidecar story to date, lots of time, starts, stops and failures along the way.

I've stated before this is still my first shot at constructing a sidecar, but now I have years of experience in my repeated attemps.

I certainly hope this time the story has a happy
conclusion.

Still having fun!

Rick C.

 

[indian22]

End of another year guys. 2022 was eventful and we're still here! So my initial reward is I get to pay for all the stuff that decided not to go forward with me to 2023, plus property tax etc.

I feel blessed in spite of the cost evolved.

The side car lower frame and links are mostly sorted but will require a lot of welding to complete. I feel things are close to correct now and some adjustment will get her in line with the bike. Then on to work on disc caliper setup and foot actuated brake pedal. Possibly a fender support?

Enjoy the season guys!

Rick C.

 

[curtisfox]

End of another year guys. 2022 was eventful and we're still here! So my initial reward is I get to pay for all the stuff that decided not to go forward with me to 2023, plus property tax etc.

I feel blessed in spite of the cost evolved.

The side car lower frame and links are mostly sorted but will require a lot of welding to complete. I feel things are close to correct now and some adjustment will get her in line with the bike. Then on to work on disc caliper setup and foot actuated brake pedal. Possibly a fender support?

Enjoy the season guys!

Rick C.

Yes and the same to Rick!.........Curt

 

[PeteMcP]

Happy Holidays and best wishes for the New Year to you too Rick. Although I have a feeling your 'holiday' will be spent making useful progress on the side hack...

 

[indian22]

Tis' the plan, lol, but will take Christmas Eve and day off and celebrate Pete. In the midst of life's storms there is stilll much joy.....

Rick C.

 

[indian22]

Yes and the same to Rick!.........Curt

Merry Christmas Curtis and hope you have a joyous holiday!

Rick C.

 

[curtisfox]

Same to you and everyone else...........Curt

 

[indian22]

Been quiet for awhile so a quick update.

Been riding the Ol' Crow most days all Winter and no problems. I have gained some insights however and have some upgrades in mind. The 48v 20amp hour is getting an upgrade to 40 amp hours full time with auto switching between the fuel tank mounted battery and the saddle bag battery, just one at this time. This will really extend range without unplugging cables to access the extra battery. Little black box does it all!

I will need to add a sprag clutch to the pedal chain sprocket to utilize the reverse motor function with the sidecar. That pedal hitting ones shin bone is a bummer on a cold Winter day using reverse.

I need to finish running the copper fuel and oil lines on the engine, complete the case covers and add a chain guard too. Then there's the faux magneto which I have yet to fabricate and a headlamp bucket to mount and wire.

Then complete the install of the side car frame. So I got stuff to do on the Ol' Crow and it's hack.

I will finish my required parts list for the above and order today. Mainly just electrical components and a sprag clutch If I don't have or can't locate one I purchased a few years back and didn't use.

Best to all on projects and riding when Winter allows.

Rick C.

 

[curtisfox]

We just got another big dump of snow, about the time I think it is close to being over, we get hit. We are going to jump in the motorhome and take a ride south for a bit, to break up the monotony, then when I get home it will be over.
Sounds like a good plan Rick, always improvements to be made...........Curt

 

[indian22]

Curt I'm hoping you guys get a break from the weather, but trip South is good too. Enjoy!

 

[curtisfox]

Thanks! usually its gone by now, but March is unpredictable, with snow at Easter time. I can remember a bad storm on way down in our old motorhome. Was in the southern part of the state, in a Walmart parking lot. It was fine when we got there, but the wind come up and we started rocking, about 3am we got up and made coffee, and headed south, hit some drifting but not to bad. Our water tank kept spilling out the vent, and by the time we got to Texas there was a stalagtight on the side. ...........Curt

 

[indian22]

Curtis the weather here has been very mild most of the Winter, unusually so yesterdays high was 77 degrees at 5 pm, this morning at 5am we had a 65 degree drop in temp, real temp, but with wind chill it was 5 degrees! A real plunge and though that was unusual it happens now and then. Sunday we are in our first tornado threat warning as things warm back up in the 70's with wet Gulf air moving in. This areas weather can be deadly and travelers are often the victims.

Long trips on bikes here can be risky. I've proved that to myself several times in the last few years alone. Unlike on cycles which can often run in front of a storm, motorbikes really can't for very long. Eye on the sky and the ear on the forecast...

Rick C.

 

[curtisfox]

we got about 6" with wind about 15mph, now sun is out and suppose to get down to -15 and like -25 wind chill. But that is ok as my heated shop is calling me. It is suppose to warm up into the 30's after. Mpls. had about 10" already yesterday ahead of what we got, don't break my heart that the storm goes up and east before we get it. ......Curt

 

[Tom from Rubicon]

Our Wednesday pretty much as Curt has discribed. But ours was on off between snow and fine rain. Very heavy!
It is nice to know Rick, that your winter ain't like ours. But you can keep your Tornados.
Sandhill Cranes came up this last Monday. Not a peep out of them today.
Your side hack project has been a point of interest. Now you have a mill you can make robust mounting points to the frame. Those 2mm strap clamps are nothing but trouble.

Tom

 

[indian22]

Thanks Tom I feel for you guys have been hit pretty hard, to this point we've only had a few days at a time and they weren't really bad. Our rotating storms are a clear and present danger to all natives and new comers alike. Some can't adjust and I appreciate that and understand moving elsewhere as a result. This is a focal point for severe weather just a fact. I resigned myself to storms realities here and am good with it...still don't much like Spring because of them, but every month spawns some on occassion.

I've completed a lot of my house maintence, repair and replacement. Now I'm at the point of tidying up with paint etc. Short of remodeling but kinda need some of that as well 80 year old house just periodically needs help.

The side hack and bikes have taken a back seat since Fall, but I have the parts mentioned in the previous post on order now. Looks like three workday delivery schedule. Having an extra 48 v 20 amp battery set up with auto switching will be a big plus on the Ol' Crow electric and I can charge both at the same time, with no risk to either battery in doing so. I have the tank battery on a key switch and I will add another toggle switch to isolate the saddlebag battery as well. This protects the controllers from getting a surge when working with or changing out multiple battery connections or controller. 60 amps can knock your dobber in the dirt permanantly, but it also arc burns connector pins. I use anti arc XT90 connectors on several of my bikes, but this is just loopadded insurance.

With 40 amp hrs I won't have too many range issues on longer rides. Range is really difficult to estimate because of so many variables involved, but 25 to 30 miles on one battery is not too overly optimistic, with no pedaling at a 15 to 20 mph pace. I've done better and worse than this on range just depends.

Used Harley Davidson tube clamps for more than 50 years and never had one slip let alone fail on big cycles so I fully trust them for this little task.

You guys take care of yourselves during the remainder of Winter. I'm hoping you've seen the worst of it already!

Rick C.

 

[indian22]

I have the wiring complete on the dual battery balance blender and the reverse switch to back the bike and sidecar has been added as well. I've put 40 miles total on the battery setup and not at half discharge voltage yet. No pedaling allowed and both town and country miles at a 25% on city the rest on county roads. Lots of hills and to this point average speed of 16 mph. Just riding like normal for me. On long rides I'll add another 48v 20 amp hr battery to this setup, but I will have to unplug one battery when it goes low and manually connect the other bag battery. I'm hoping 60 amps will give me a road range of over a 100 miles at 20 mph average speed, bike running solo and no hack.

These 48v 20 amp hr batteries weigh 12 lbs each, so I will leave the third battery charged and on the shelf most of the time or I can use it on one of my other 48v bikes.

I placed the balancer box in the saddle bag with a battery, lots of room for it. The reverse switch I placed in the "tool box" with the motor controller. No room left over, that box is full.

I will add a freewheel to the pedal sprocket to prevent the pedals from spinning with the motor reversed. I want the pedals to function even if I don't actually use them. Of course the pedals aren't necessary for braking either, since the rear hub isn't a coaster, but a drum brake actuated by a hand lever.

Weather here is good and the Bradford pear trees are in full bloom. Hoping to continue making progress.

Rick C.