I started it several months ago and had a chance to make some progress for a while, spring and summer have slowed progress quite a bit. I've taken a few pics but haven't taken time to start this thread and post them. Now that I have it started I hope to update it from time to time. I'd like to thank Claude of that CSM place for the info that he has given me over the phone and a few part that I've bought, he's a great resource to have around here. Thanks Claude! I'll try to keep the horse jokes out of this. :eek1 A few things about the build, I wanted reasonable ground clearance on it, 10-12" to clear road debris and ruts that we tend to get here on the off hwy roads here in the NorthWet, I have it set at 10" now but can lower or raise it if needed. There are a few things that I "over built" I like things that way, while I won't be running the Baja 500 with it I may act like I am at times and don't want to worry about walking. So if you think I've overbuilt something just remember, you probably haven't seen me drive before. It is being built so we, my bride and I, can take off into the mountains or deserts of Wa or any other state and spend a few days camping. The bike its going on is a '98 HD Sportster that I made some mods to so that it would be more fun off hwy. It was a fun bike but needed a hack. The bike has 9.5" of clearance so they are a pretty good match. I have a pretty decent background in machine and fabrication, mostly in heavy industry here in the NW, I've done repair and made parts for over 20 years on logging and mining equipment, I've also played in the circle track, rally and autocross arenas building, repairing and tearing up the cars. I build and ride choppers http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=885931 but have found an almost equal love in sidecars! Now for some pics The sidecar "frame kit" After a few nights with the port-band and the lathe things started to look like parts! A swingarm in the making.. The suspension tower.. Lower mounts for the sub frame to car being made.. And how they go on the sub frame, this is the rear, the fronts are the same, they weren't on when I took the pic..
I got the frame bent, I decided to make it this way to eliminate a weld joint and a possible point of failure. I also built it this way because its mine, and that how I wanted it. The loop is leaning against a plywood mock up body, we did that to get a rough "real world" idea of how big to make it. Ordered some parts for the bike and the hack.. I got some time to do some welding.. I made the swingarm so I could easily replace the axle, I may change to a different wheel, if I do and the length is different all I'll have to do it press out the old axle and make a new one the correct length.. While I was busy fitting and welding my apprentice(lovely bride) was busy on the lathe, she loves to help out in the shop and I always love when she is out helping me, She turned all the parts for the pinch blocks and the what have you. QC inspector!
Mocked up the suspension.. Started the sub-frame, it is probably overbuilt but remember the first post? It catches all four of the front motor mount bolts on the front section, in the rear it catches the exhaust mount with two bolts and the rear motor mount also. These are the last pics that I got, it is a little farther along, the step/nerf bar is welded on along with the lower suspension link mount. Here is a pic from the rear, my shop is very small, I call it the shack, so its tough to get good pics. In this one you can see the frame is glued together, the suspension tower, suspension and the anti-swaybar mount tube is in place. Right now it is mocked up and attached to the rolling chassis of the bike, I should be getting some attachment parts from Claude for the struts any day, when I get them and the strut length figured out I will tear it back down to add a cross member, body mounts and do some finish welding. If we have good weather and I have the time I may put it together in the yard to get some decent pics before I tear it down.
You do nice work Claude is a great guy and shares info readily, but I think you should call your thread "Now for something completely diffirent" a chopper guy with an Sportster powered adv rig !!!!!
and I've started working on the build again. I hadn't touched it for about 2 months so when I did get back to tinkering with it a week ago I got excited, then motivated to get some work. We've had a great summer with plenty of riding with friends. I Started finish welding the frame up last weekend, made a few parts and got them squared away and glued on. Last night I made the body mounts and welded them on this morning. And Murphy has his fingers in everything, the nice welds are either on the bottom or covered! Finished welding the crossmember in. I fit and finished the lower frame connectors and then glued them together. And every once in a while a guy gets a break and has a nice weld where someone might see it! I tacked up the lower strut mounts, they will be finished welded this week, I wanted to make sure everything was where I thought it would be before I did the hot glue. Notice the lovely hardware that I got from Claude at CSM, very nice stuff! I could have made my own but the time it would take me to make it was better spent riding this summer. Thanks for the great hardware Claude! Then this afternoon my bride and I hooked the bike frame and sidecar frame together and took turns pushing each other around the yard! I still need to make the anti-sway bar attachments and a few other things but the frame is almost finished. Then we are on to the body, I scored a Pro-Tech tool box to use as the trunk, we will make a front for it and connect things together. With any luck it won't be 2 months till the next update. Here is a pic of the concept bike I built a few years ago, it was fun but needed a hack, its getting one now!
Thanks guys, some of us do or have done it for a living so it makes it easy to turn it in to fun things at home too.
