S/TEP Class

Took the 1st half of the Sidecar/Trike riders course today.

What an absolute blast!! Finish it tomorrow, then off to WA state DOL to get my license.
I used to wonder about sidecar racing. Now I think I get it, that would be a blast to do!!
All the coordination, body english, etc (Yeah, I'm way to fragile {read old} to compete now.)
But I sure do understand it's thrill.

Yeah, ok, I'm jazzed, but it was a good class! Looking forward to tomorrows lessons, drifting, flying the car, evasive maneuvers, etc.

Just thought I'ld share.

Blessings all.

Yep, it is a fun class. And I learned a lot. MUCH different than being on 2 wheels. Good luck!

Great report!

Where did you take it? What type of rigs did they have?

Are you taking it from PNW or Evergreen? How many students in the class?

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Finished the class today!!

I are A 'ofishul' Sidecar Pilot (well as soon as I go to WA DOL and get my license amended)

Even got my wings, I flew the chair (crude as it was, I kept it in the air)

Took it from PNW in Auburn at the Supermall. Nice classroom, 8 students in this class ranging from a no motorcycle experience noob to long time riders. 2 great instructors, Dan and Dave, did a great job demoing everything, answering questions, asking questions to make us all think and respond.

The track portion was a large section of parking lot permenantly barricaded and marked off.
We had a Harley trike, 2 Canam spyders, and 4 hacks, either a 250cc or 400cc bike with a very substantial frame and a home made plywood tub with an auto bucket seat in it. Crude but it worked and fairly comfortable.

1st day, hack riders were paired up and took turns driving and being the monkey. Most of us had a specific style of 3 wheeler we were primarily interested in, but the test covers all 3 types, and we were encouraged to try all 3 rigs.
I was pleasantly surprised at how stable the Trike was, found the Canam to be a delight to drive (fast, good brakes, handled well), and the hack just a RIOT of FUN!!

2cd day, solo riding so ballast was added to the sidecar, and we had to use a lot more body english to maneuver around. It was a rainy day, so a good day to see how they handled in typical WA weather. I definitely need to buy good waterproof gloves.:eek1 Finished our classroom instruction in the morning, took the written exam, then moved out to the course. We had several more exercises to complete (swerves, panic stops, drifting, etc) Then we moved on to the final riding exam.

I recommend the PNW class. Even if you never intend to own a hack, for a $125.00, (WA residents or military) where else can you spend 2 days getting some coaching, learning a new skill, and racing around on a rig you don't have to worry about scratching the shiny new paint. Cheaper than a couple of days at Disney.

Soon as I get back from my next trip to the sandbox, 3 wheels here I come!!

For what it is worth. The trike they have was one of the proto types we built for the trike kit we now offer.
Jay G
DMC sidecars
2328 Roosevelt ave
Enumclaw WA
98022
866-638-1793

Our first day at the S/TEP class in Eustis,FL included two new Can-Am RTs (both ridden by their female owners), my Ural, and the school bikes. Of the nine students most were new comers to motorcycle riding. Only two of us were interested in hacks, the rest own or were getting trikes.
Good fun first day with educational exercises.


Car flying tomorrow!

Vince;

You'll have FUN tomorrow!!
Looks like your weather is a bit nicer than ours.

Let me know how the Ural brakes do in the panic stop exercise.

Does FL require a separate license for 3 wheels like WA. does?

Blessings

Keith

PS. Nice Yamal!

Good stuff!
Can-Ams at the course - impressive! Never drove one, myself, but I know a few, if you know what I mean...

So - did you get to drift it around the range - drive it hard into the turns? *nudge nudge wink wink - you know what I mean, eh?* Use the old ADV Modulating Finger :fyyff to control the front end on wet pavement?

Yo Keith! Now that you are practically a "licensed pilot", we'll have to arrange a brief encounter. I know at least one other sidecarist in the area that'd likely be willing to burn down some roads around here.
Glad you took the course and found three wheels to your liking - it is, indeed, a worthy investment of $$ and time to make that determination alone. Congrat's!

GA,
"Does FL require a separate license for 3 wheels like WA. does?"

FL does not require a separate license for three wheels but does have a separate "three wheel only" endorsement. The students in our S/TEP class that pass get the"three wheel only" endorsement.

I already have a "motorcycle also" endorsement on my FL DL which covers two and three wheel motorcycles.

I forgot to mention that one guy in the class is getting a new Morgan three wheeler with the SS motor so he needs the "three wheel only" endorsement on his FL DL.
http://www.morgancars-usa.com/auto_article.html
http://www.morgancars-usa.com/

Intentionally flying the car for the first time was a blast for me and helped me get over the fear of doing it. I feel much more confident piloting the hack after the course. I will use the yellow book exercises to practice what I learned in the class.

Ural USA refunds $125 of the course cost which is nice.

Thanks for the info and details!

I live near there and have always just seen 2-wheeler classes...

I may need to go sign up and get the sidecar upgrade out of the way.

I did the class on my '12 Ural GU. It did very well in the braking portion to my surprise. Best thing I got out of the course was trusting the breaks to actually stop my ural.

And is harder to fly the car than the rig they had, but once you get used to the weight ratio it flys pretty easy.

SGB

I'm going to have to test drive a Ural. I'm 6'5" tall, and the seat position seems a little low for me. (too much knee bend)

Do you know if the seat can be raised?

Thanks

Barnone;

Thanks for the info. Those Morgans are cool.

Pricy but cool!!

This is a kind of kit version https://sites.google.com/site/siggyssite/home/pembleton-grasshopper-build

GA,
Go to http://www.sovietsteeds.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=26291 for ideas on raising the seat on the Ural.
I just bought a takeoff HD police seat off Ebay to replace my tractor seat.

Barnone;
Thanks for the link.
Just what I need, another web site to drool (waste time) over.

Keith

A lot of ways to mod a ural. No real easy ordering of after market parts though. Most people fab up their own solutions.

Ebay Ural
http://uralnwco.ipower.com/store/page8.html
http://www.uralfla.com/gallery.asp?id=209234&page=1&showsite=true
http://www.modtopperformance.com/index.html
http://www.heindlengineering.com/Online_Store/sidecar_parts.htm
http://www.racewayservices.com/raceway/accessories.shtml
http://www.crawfordsales.info/toolsAndMaintenance/
http://www.imz-ural.com/parts-catalog/
http://www.uralne.com/accessories/?sort=featured&page=1
And even more places to get your credit card smoking.