So I've always been curious about a sidecar...

[pat80flh]

  I always wondered about sidecars, rode in one once and seemed like fun. I brought home today a 2003 Velorex 562, frame looks solid little, rust on spokes, tub scratched, cable brake. I only have to decide what to mate it to.
 


   I think this is too much bike.







  This one may be a little better suited, I've got cast wheels, disc rear end, but it needs massive infusions of cash to become a bike.

   



    This V65C is a real solid running bike, I lowered it but I'd return it to stock ride height. Anyone see any problem?  I don't plan to use it for running interstates but anything else would be fair game.  I'm thinking they should be a good match. The V65 is a really fun bike to ride, and sidecars sound fun.
   Any thoughts, tips or tricks welcome.

[StuCorpe]

Biggest concern (for me) would be whether it has the 19mm axle or not.  If not then plan on getting it updated.  I think a 650cc or possibly 750cc would be as large of a tug as I would put it on.  But other people have had success with them on larger bikes.

[maquette]

I had mine on my 1000SP and it worked fine for me. I bet there are several people who have one mated to an EV with good results.

[Chuck in Indiana]

I wouldn't be so concerrned with CC but rather the HP of the bike. No doubt you can put the Velorex on much larger bike. Just fill the bucket with sand and you'll be fine.

I'll argue that you *will* start breaking stuff if you do that.
To the OP, yes, I'd say that a V65 would make a good tug for a Velorex. Study. Study. Learn what they are all about. Take a sidecar course.. they are an entirely different machine than you have ever operated. A sidecar can kill you in a heartbeat if you are not aware of their dynamics.

[Jim Rich]

Sidecars are all about having fun with your friend(s) along.  Been on a Ural for a little over a year and love it.  Take the right hand turns slow and you'll be fine. 

[John A]

I wouldn't be so concerrned with CC but rather the HP of the bike. No doubt you can put the Velorex on much larger bike. Just fill the bucket with sand and you'll be fine.

I put a 562 on a Bassa. I made my own frame after the Velorex frame kept breaking . Now I can run it hard in turns without risk of it folding up at 80- 90 mph. 22mm axel and disc brake.  A V65 is a right size for a 562 but it may be short on power,  which you won't need until you get used to it.  Like Chuck said a sidecar will kill you and not even care. It takes more skill to successfully ride with a sidecar than without one.  They are fun, properly set up and a contemptible pig if not.

[kingoffleece]

I hacked a 865 Bonnie with a Cozy sidecar.  The learning curve was straight up.
At one point I needed a pro to assist.  had to make all the brackets and a subframe for the Bonnie.  As stated, the universal kit fit nothing!

Get Hough's book "driving a sidecar outfit" or something close to that and do what he says. Have fun-it was a worthwhile project to do.

[Sasquatch Jim]

 I had fo 5 years, an old velorex attached to a 650 single cylinder road bike Suzuki.  I upgraded the axle to 22mm myself.   I had a lathe.
 Put over 35 thousand miles on it before I sold it.  A very satisfactory unit.  I traveled Ore, Wash, Idaho, Mont, and British Colombia with it,
 camping nearly all the time. The original mounts were garbage.  I made my own.  I cut the windshield to half its' original height, big improvement.
 I used a 50 lb lead ingot bolted to the frame as fat aft and outboard as was practical.  I could take both hands off the bars with no tendancy to headshake
 when it was aligned. I changed the belt drive for chain drive so that I could choose my final ratios.

[larrys]

Velorex(CZ) designed the 562 to mount to CZ/Jawa 350 street bike. I still have the owner's manual for the 562 I had. It shows the bike and has all the dimensions/angles to use when mounting it to the bike. I used all those numbers when I attached it to a somewhat warmed up '69 Bonneville. I fabricated a bracket and linkage to connect the brake cable to the rear brake pedal on the bike. I put a lawnmower battery behind the seat for ballast and additional battery capacity. It was a good match and a nice driving rig. Oh, and if I stuffed the seat in the nose of the sidecar I could carry a keg of beer in it...
Larry

[John A]

All too often folks buy Velorex or Cozy side cars becasue that's what seems to be around. They also think that in an afternoon with a stringline, straight edge a few beers and a socket set they can connect the rig and ride endless carefree miles. This simply is not the case. Talk to a sidecar builder and you'll find there is a lot more to it.




That's what I thought,  ended up just useing the body and making every thing else.  It's a little cobby but overbuilt and handles well.  I made it with the harebrained idea of being able to haul an electric wheelchair on it.  Once I got the frame and suspension built I rolled the chair on it and decided I would probly die so I put the 562 body on it.  Now with what I've learned and more machine tools I hope to make another

[Chuck in Indiana]

I rolled the chair on it and decided I would probly die so I put the 562 body on it.

Most people are clueless about the forces generated by a sidecar rig, and under build them. When I first saw yours at the Iowa rally, I thought.. "Sturdy." 

[John A]

Thanks Chuck.  I made it so all the adjustments, toe,lean out etc are made at the wheel since I didn't know where all that would end up. It does handle well but eats rear tires so yesterday I changed the toe in from 1/8" to 1/2". That didn't change the way it handles, with a short test so today I'm going to roll it thru some chalk to see the tread contact visually.  Part of the tire wear is me with the twist grip, Mike Rich cylinder heads and all that jazz, with 7/37 gears I can roll smoke off the tire from a stop if I turn and unload the rear tire a little.

[lrutt]

I thought the rule of thumb was more about weight. Velo is light and needs ballast but a hack should be about 1/3 the weight of the tug. I may be mis-quoting that.

[John A]

That's about right but a larger heavier bike can easily exceed the design load on the sidecar frame and suspension.