Sidecar

Anyone ever put a side car on a 81' maxim 550? I'm looking to possibly do this because I'm modifying it to be a military bike and I think it would add to it if it had a sidecar. Any ideas welcom.

 

I wouldn't do it, personally.

 

Me either. While that's a quick machine, it does not have enough grunt to handle a sidecar without turning it into a pig of a bike.

 

says right in the owners manual .

 

I've seen that in z lot of manuals, whether or not a bike can have a sidecar, and sort of think its a generic disclaimer to protect the company..... Even if the bike can easily handle a sidecar

 

Sidecars have been hooked up to all manner of bikes regardless of whether the manufacturer has said it's ok or not, but if they're not set up properly it will handle like a pig

 

I appreciate all of your input- the point of having the sidecar would not be to barrel down the road at high speeds and taking crazy corners. I'm just looking for functionality/ kits/ideas. I want to put the bike in 4th of July/Veterans Day/ and Memorial Day parades. I'll remove the sidecar 97% of the time.

 

this link is google for plans
https://www.google.com/webhp?source...=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=motorcycle+sidecar+plans

first link is what you want tells how to design
http://www.steves-workshop.co.uk/vehicles/bmw/sidecar/sidecarindex.html
also read this it talks of the pros and cons basicly states once you go side car you never go back due to the mods needed
http://www.steves-workshop.co.uk/vehicles/bmw/sidecar/sidecartypes/sidecartypes.html

this link is for kits cost 2 to 3 grand
https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&rlz=1C1TSNF_enUS533US533&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=motorcycle sidecar kits

thats a lot of money for 2 or 3 times a year

 

Like a dog.....as in you might be entering Ural territory. In terms of cost and efficiency your best bet would be to find a used sidecar and adapt it to fit.
Another thing to keep in mind is that the frame was not designed with a sidecar in mind, so it does not have any reinforced attachment points. I'm not saying that it can't be done, but rather that you will need to do some thorough research before starting the project.

Another good resource can be found at AdvRider.com. Their Hacks subforum is full of people who have adapted and built sidecars. There are a few inmates who build sidecars professionally. I think that you'd get some good advice over there.

 

a friend of mine found a ural with sidecar in her grandfathers barn, sidecar wheel is part of the drive train, never found anything like that in my grandpa's barn

 

Your friend found one with the 2WD option. There is no differential, so the hack wheel should not be engaged while on paved roads.

 

ive seen them in old documentry's running through snow a real work horse

 

I have an 81 XJ650 Maxim with a Velorex sidecar. It has been an excellent ride. It took about one season to get the alignment and bike side attachment points sorted out but now it rides and steers great. The Velorex was originally designed for 350cc Jawas so the Yamaha has more than sufficient power, though it is much happier on state routes than interstates.

Let me know if you would like to discuss.

Larry

 

Damn this internet. Your post got me thinking of sidecars and while I am firmly of the opinion that normal hacks are the Spawn of Satan, the leaner has always intrigued me - capacity without the evil handling, and here's a DIY version that works quite well. There's two in this thread linked here - the early one and a later improvement. Both easily built and able to dismount just peachy.
http://advrider.com/index.php?threads/homebuild-leaning-sidecar.836987/
Now I'm interested all over again.

Hah - seems you really need to like them.
Fwiw, when they were being produced by the Russkis before the Wall came down, they made a quirky sort of sense. The ones sold in the West were as cheap as chips to earn foreign currency for the Kremlin; were subjected to a bit of quality control by the importers and I knew a few people who'd bought them and were reasonably happy about them, too.
QC seems to have hit the wall in recent times though;
http://advrider.com/index.php?threads/why-you-should-not-buy-a-ural-motorcycle.794963/

 

Just reviving an old thread because I'm curious if anyone has had any success with sidecars on a 550.

I've been having an itch in my brain to build a sidecar for my dog out of an old steel drum, but I'm not sure the bike would handle it well.
I've been told the rule for sidecars is to make them ~1/3 the weight of the bike, on a 550 that comes out to about 140lbs, which I think I can do without any issue.
The main issue i'm rolling over (pun intended) is ... how much weight can my bike actually handle pulling around? I know that the recommended max load is mostly for the tires/suspension so it doesn't *entirely* apply to a sidecar, but I do notice that once its me (280lbs) and the special lady (lets just say ~150, because I don't need to start a fight by asking right now) plus 2 saddlebags and a sissy bar bag with some random gear/groceries/beer/whatever I can feel the bike get a tad sluggish.
Dog weighs 55 lbs, so I imagine that the 140lb sidecar + 55lb dog would feel about the same as a full 'sunday picnic' load.... at the very least I would expect it would turn out to be an issue of girlfriend/luggage OR dog/sidecar but never both... meaning I would either have to make the sidecar easily detatchable (booo.) or convince the girl to get herself a little bike of her own (yaaaay.)

Any ideas/input/information?

 

ill advised or just a mfg disclaimer?

use a 55 gal plastic drum save the weight.

there is a post about trailer hitches some place

start a conversation with
roadman48

he has info

 

You're adding a 3rd wheel so the maximum weight rating will be much higher than stated for the motorcycle. I have 25+ years of sidecar ownership. I have a Velorex 562 which is the most common sidecar seen. It is stamped as being 87 kgs. Setting the geometry comes with experience, something I can offer if you take the plunge. I don't see any issue bolting one to a 550 except what others have already stated, it will be lacking power. The 550 is chain driven so you can easily gear it down.