well it looks like i will be tackling this myself so i am prolly gonna be askin some stewpid questions.. lets assume i have or at least i will eventually end up with all the proper parts and pieces.. and lets assume the subframe is mounted and i am about to begin connecting the hack.. first question is, how far away from the bike do i want or need the hack frame to be?? is there some specal formula?? tia
i found a LOT about everything but what i asked about.. hopefully when i get started it will be evident..
Keep in mind if you have bags on the bike you want to be able to open them, or at least remove them easily. Top loaders solve that problem.
General concensus is track minimum should be 75% of wheelbase ... some prefer more. It's easy to go too wide - suggest not a good idea for an adventure bike. The info is there, and there are links out to other similar threads or articles. That entire thread is well worth reading IMO.
My 2c though I think you have a V as against my Wee and You gonna put your chair on the wrong side. I made mine 1650mm wide overall, and I reckon that to be a bit narrow for stability when turning towards the chair while its empty. Had a few scarey moments already and thats on well known local roads. Even cars move over when they see you pick up the chair and head towards them. :eek1 1850mm or six feet wide would be nearer to my next build width I think. Oh and a steering mod to reduce trail will take a heap of work out of the equation. I have yet to do that but its on the gunna list. Cheers Bruce
We make "leading legs" for both the V strom and the Wee strom. They work out very well. Jay G DMC sidecars www.dmcsidecars.com 866-638-1793
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Wider will steer harder. Narrow will steer easier but will be less stable in turns toward sidecar. More wheel lead will steer harder but be more stable in turns away from the sidecar. V Stroms have very soft supensions from the factory. Anti swaybars make a lot of difference in stability in both left and right turns even with stock shocks. Stock gearing oin stroms is quite high. . Stock steering is not too bad although a front end mod does help a lot. Moving the front wheel forward using different trees will lower ground clearance unless fork extensions are utilized. . Leading legs can retain ground clearance if built right. With a leading link you can set ground clearance to whatever you wish up front and still reduce trail. Stock ground clearance is minimal on stroms anyhow. A good subframe is a necessity. We typically do not like to go less than 48" on track width nor less than 9" of wheel lead depending on other faqctors.
I think a steering mod of some sort will really help you to enjoy the rig. I could slap myself for running my rig for a year before I built the leading link. You'll see this stated a thousand times over on this site, but a steering mod changes an outfit from just usable to fantastic. As Claude pointed out the Vee gearing is very tall. I used the rear sprocket off a Wee on my Vee and that helped drop the gearing. I run a car rear tire which is lower profile than the moto tire and that dropped it a bit further still. You can mount the auto tire on the stock rear wheel.
thanks for the info fellars.. as far as gearing goes i think i am set.. went down 1 tooth on cs and up 2 on rear wheel.. also runnin a car tire..will switch it out to a general arctic altimax snow tire prolly..
Claude - Stop being so damn modest and post some of the pics you have of the blue Vee you built with LL front end. Never mind, I found some from the USCA Rally in 2011 in Dayton. To the owner of this rig, my apologies for not remembering your name but I'm sure someone will chime in who does remember. <table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/PUy3j3gC4TH2-CaNkrdMjF3v03rIe0ehIx_8KoTqyvw?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Q9hVotGyoqI/UPpghhpseSI/AAAAAAAAAmc/zpyr3Q391R8/s800/DSC01979.JPG" height="600" width="800" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/101775235076020229665/VeeRigByClaude?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Vee Rig by Claude</a></td></tr></table> <table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/37lnTuK8j6GuT6m-7WV1sV3v03rIe0ehIx_8KoTqyvw?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-j5fEnscHEx0/UPpghu4_isI/AAAAAAAAAmg/H1e0Euwcmws/s800/DSC01980.JPG" height="600" width="800" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/101775235076020229665/VeeRigByClaude?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Vee Rig by Claude</a></td></tr></table> <table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/12z3z1CqIMvC9zCpN4sQTF3v03rIe0ehIx_8KoTqyvw?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-5kq-C23z9Yc/UPpghkd0QZI/AAAAAAAAAmo/-7hAsAkdqsg/s800/DSC01981.JPG" height="600" width="800" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/101775235076020229665/VeeRigByClaude?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Vee Rig by Claude</a></td></tr></table> <table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/9IZnrXaE80b2noj8dPzTLV3v03rIe0ehIx_8KoTqyvw?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-4YMvlNMdOzk/UPpgm-KzOiI/AAAAAAAAAm0/boxYnVtmVqs/s800/DSC01982.JPG" height="600" width="800" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/101775235076020229665/VeeRigByClaude?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Vee Rig by Claude</a></td></tr></table> <table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/iDxr2jWZsNt3r7OHK1OCvl3v03rIe0ehIx_8KoTqyvw?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-qgHI4lX8xok/UPpgoZ7g8zI/AAAAAAAAAm8/A6B6hXP_ftw/s800/DSC01983.JPG" height="600" width="800" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/101775235076020229665/VeeRigByClaude?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Vee Rig by Claude</a></td></tr></table> <table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/n9qTGDXf7LA2rk58k6pv7F3v03rIe0ehIx_8KoTqyvw?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-33sqjqX4RAE/UPpgo7cexzI/AAAAAAAAAnE/Gc6eGGs4zc4/s800/DSC01984.JPG" height="600" width="800" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/101775235076020229665/VeeRigByClaude?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Vee Rig by Claude</a></td></tr></table> <table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/pKMMRE44pvGxoAPWLNP_l13v03rIe0ehIx_8KoTqyvw?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-NL2r4SDdO44/UPpgqnoCUzI/AAAAAAAAAnM/zqT8D2cJIbQ/s800/DSC01985.JPG" height="800" width="600" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/101775235076020229665/VeeRigByClaude?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Vee Rig by Claude</a></td></tr></table>
Not to mention the custom panniers, top box, front rack, fender rack, light bar, tonneau cover, flat-top rear box, jerry can holders...etc. A lot of work, all done properly. Good job Claude.