TOPIC:

I've just discovered this kz1300 with sidecar for sale. Part of me is seriously considering it. I would have already went to see it but its a 14 hour drive. I've asked the owner to send me video of it running and more close up pictures. If it sounds and looks good I may drive up. He is asking $3000. Why have two KZ when you can have 3?

Dammit, now I have to clean all the drool off my screen!

I believe that's a Hannigan-built car. One of the higher-quality makers! A relatively heavy car for the bike. The 1300 is more than enough power to pull it, but the bike itself is a light-weight. Those were built to match the weight of the larger Hondas, so the 1300 in street trim would be like the tail wagging the dog. Not so bad on acceleration, but braking could be "exciting", especially if you have two passengers. Even if the car has a brake, and most Hannigans do, it' still not likely that you will be able to manage it under control in a panic stop. Brakes on a sidecar are more to make normal stops more even and to help relieve the side-twisting and loading on the wheels and bearings, as well as to help the whole rig make right turns.

Suggestion; buy the rig mostly for the bike, then sell off the car and find a more suitable one if you really have a hankering for one. If you have never owned a sidecar rig before, we need to talk about the safety of them and how to ride. It's NOTHING like a solo bike. In fact, it is virtually opposite what your instincts will tell you. I let two of my old long-time biker friends try my first rig and both of them crashed it by not being able to overcome their instincts.

Not wild about that color, but the car is a really nice one. You could EASILY get your money back for the car alone down here in the States! Maybe drive it down here, disconnect it and leave it on consignment to sell and ride the bike home solo.

Yeah my keyboard is all soggy now. At 3 grand it's a steal but for me the chair is on the wrong side.

This is the outfit that I really like maybe one day A "Krauser Domani" built on a K series BMW frame.

RickG wrote: Yeah my keyboard is all soggy now. At 3 grand it's a steal but for me the chair is on the wrong side.

This is the outfit that I really like maybe one day A "Krauser Domani" built on a K series BMW frame.

Those, along with Hannigan's latest offering for the Honda GL1800, are built like an offset trike, with the rear wheel on the "bike" section and the sidecar wheel both driven from a trike's axle that has simply been offset to line up with the transmission output shaft.

I am often asked by nay-sayers why not just get a car? It's because I can have the fun of riding my motorcycle and carry two passengers as well as a LOT of luggage without ever putting my feet down. That last bit is very important to this old man who has limited leg strength any more. A lot of sidecar rigs are bought by older guys who have lost their leg strength and/or their sense of balance. But, I see these very elaborate rigs that come so close to being the same size and shape as a car and even I ask that same question! Still, there's something very interesting about them! Not being symetrical, and on three wheels means their handling, compared to a similar car, really sucks!

Sorry, Rick, but the most sidecars are here in the U.S., and we are in our "right" minds! Gotta go to Europe to find all the lefties! Would it be illegal to have one on the right in Australia? It would completely screw up the alignment on one to do that, though!

I drove a Ural with a sidecar once and it was a bit odd. I understand your point about driving being different. The Ural is much smaller and built for a sidecar.

I'm still waiting on the video and some more pics from the owner. I have no issues with buying it but the logistics are a pain. I need to know if its mechanically sound. If it is, I can catch a ride up with someone and drive it back. If it isn't sound, I need to either borrow a vehicle and a trailer, or put a hitch on my car. I could drive up, rent a U-haul trailer and bring it back... as long as it fits on/in the trailer. I'm waiting for the answers to those questions as well.

I was more interested in the bike than the sidecar but it would be cool to have. If it works out and I get it, I'd keep it for a bit and likely sell the sidecar. I love the green. Looks to be almost the same color as my ZX12R.

My father would love this thing but I think he's too sick to ride at all anymore. He was looking for a trike/sidecar setup a few years back but he hasn't mentioned it in a while. His back is bad enough that he doesn't trust himself with a bike.

trikebldr wrote:

RickG wrote: Yeah my keyboard is all soggy now. At 3 grand it's a steal but for me the chair is on the wrong side.

This is the outfit that I really like maybe one day A "Krauser Domani" built on a K series BMW frame.

Those, along with Hannigan's latest offering for the Honda GL1800, are built like an offset trike, with the rear wheel on the "bike" section and the sidecar wheel both driven from a trike's axle that has simply been offset to line up with the transmission output shaft.

I am often asked by nay-sayers why not just get a car? It's because I can have the fun of riding my motorcycle and carry two passengers as well as a LOT of luggage without ever putting my feet down. That last bit is very important to this old man who has limited leg strength any more. A lot of sidecar rigs are bought by older guys who have lost their leg strength and/or their sense of balance. But, I see these very elaborate rigs that come so close to being the same size and shape as a car and even I ask that same question! Still, there's something very interesting about them! Not being symetrical, and on three wheels means their handling, compared to a similar car, really sucks!

Sorry, Rick, but the most sidecars are here in the U.S., and we are in our "right" minds! Gotta go to Europe to find all the lefties! Would it be illegal to have one on the right in Australia? It would completely screw up the alignment on one to do that, though!

For 30 years or older I can get rego with a right hand sidecar but only with a club registration which is cheap but restricts use to club events and tests etc