How likely would I be to find a decent used sidecar rig for $6,000 or less? I'm thinking something based on a Japanese standard less than 10 years old with a well setup sidecar. I could wait 6 months to a year to search.
There are a lot of good rigs around in the $6K range. There is also a lot of unsafe junk. If you find a rig you are interested in, Feel free to contact me before you look at it so I can tell you if it is even worth looking at and if so what to look for on the sidecar end of things. At this time the least expensive complete rigs I have for sale starts at $8000 for a 2006 BMW F650 with a new M72B sidecar. Jay G DMC sidecars www.dmcsidecars.com 866-638-1792
I hope he does, Bandit /Motorvation Formula II, I think Bob Wark assembled it and it's pretty basic and that's huge tub that could double as a cargo box, car rear tire on the Suzuki rim, I've sent several guys that way one of you should buy it.DB
Scotts setup is nice but I've ridden a Bandit and find it's riding position too far forward and its pegs too high. The price is nice though.
Everything about sidecars is a compromise, half the job is to get stuff that works together, lower the pegs, design a seat you like the beauty of the bandit is a ton of power and they make an offset triple tree to reduce trail.DB
This is perhaps the MOST truthful statement about side caring, that I have ever heard. I don't care if you buy a new or used Ural or drop the really big bucks on a ''custom rigs'' made from whoever....you are going to find things to change & don't mean readjust the mirrors. Somethings will keep you from riding your new rig, before you have what is major to you & minor to others fixed/corrected. Point is, if it's shit to you, the owner/rider then it's shit, until it's fixed. Don't settle for a builder telling you how great the rig is, when it's shit for you. The builder is in a hurry to see you leave & stop wasting his time. The builder may have wasted a year of your life, waiting for completion, even though he promised you, you'd be at the top of his building list ASAP when he has your $$$$. This will be a lie. He will be doing so many jobs while your bike sits around getting damaged from on going shop work around your bike. He has your money...you have his finished rig. Now go home & live w/ it...this is what you can be faced w/ & you'll get the ''bum's rush'' to leave the builder's shop. Good luck w/ what ever direction you end up riding into....inmates of ADV will bail you out.
To be fair, a promise is just air. Only worth what you think it is. This isn't just in bikes either. I had a good buddy that was a handyman. When I moved I had him touch up my house (some drywall here, some paint there). I was shocked at the little bit he would do for the price. I mean, when I said "paint the laundry room" he only painted 2 walls and left the other two. He didn't even do the work, he had his helper do the work. I bought his helper lunch every day because the guy had no license and worked his butt off. I was finishing the upstairs part (lots of work, little time). Lesson learned. I paid the man his rate and never used him again. On the flip side, I had a floor guy promise to refinish the floors. I wrote out a check and hoped they would look good as we had already moved. Holy hell! The wood floors looked like glowing honey. Guy did an awesome job and I am sure that is what sold the house. So, you pays your money and you takes your chances. That is life.
A used bike is worth blue book, the sidecar is $500-$1500 depending on what it is and I'd allow another $1500 if the two are hooked together and I wasn't a fabricator.
This certainly was NOT my experience with Claude, we spent a month on the phone and email planning my build, then he built it in just about the time he predicted, and made me promise to give him lots of feedback, the few times I've called he acted like he was hearing from a good friend. This was the best purchase experience I ever had.
Merry Christmas Jack, you and I are the owners of the 2 coolest sidecar rigs in the Midwest :wink. It must be our Karma with Claude that we got thru it all. Every dog has his day maybe appropriate or even a little philosophy. Holding onto anger is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die. ― Gautama Buddha I'm not a huge fan of the other adv sidecar builder but his latest products are much nicer than his early ones though not my cup of tea.DB
+1 I did not have Claude build my rig but he was a very fine resource. Answered my questions, corresponded with me both by phone and email. A rare and pleasant gentleman.
I agree to that. Claude did me right.. He rebuilt my rig last winter did a beautiful job... The years before that he helped me out when the PNW boys who built it wouldn't.. Happy Holidays Guys
DB is there a post or ad or something for that sidecar you reference earlier (the bandit)? Just curious.
It's on USCA site and the owner advertised it on SCT a yahoo group. http://sidecar.com/mbbs22/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=12663&posts=1&start=1
Waiting on my rig from Claude with high expectations. The 12 month wait since I sent the bike out there is a bit long.
