Anyone else with an FJ and sidecar?

[reggit]

If so, what wheels/tyres do you run and how stable is it?

Mine is a bog standard bike with a chair bolted on (professionally so I was told).  As a solo it is a brilliant piece of kit, but with the chair bolted up, it changes into a nasty piece of work that tries to kill me!

OK, I'm still a complete novice with 3-wheels, but am looking for some (any!) way of making it more stable in a straight line, and it's not the steering wobble that is the issue - it just likes to dive for the footpath at any opportunity!

I'm thinking of changing the front and rear tyres to a square section to give it more contact area - but will that actually help my cack-handedness at driving the thing!

[The General]

Ahhh...the science of sidecars. How much lean out do you have? (2-3 degrees). What about tow in of sidecar wheel to Motorbike? Square tyres will help with traction but first get the alignment right. A bit of trial and error to get that right. Drop the air pressure at the front. (try below 30 - 28 or even 25) It`s next plan to kill you involves steering. If it doesn`t have a steering damper nor leading link suspension, you need to change the rake on the steering head or take up Gym membership. Made from Aluminium Billet usually, it will increase the trail of the front wheel. (a bit like a chopper angle but maintains original height).  Have you had some help to train your reflexes to handle an emergency left or right turn for accident avoidance? If ya still alive after all that...try Counter Steering....
I haven`t got a sidecar at the moment but hope to one day. To get them right is a real challenge....but they are fun...esp when set up right. Now this is a good setup: Flexit leaning sidecar demonstrating science
but best place to start might be here:http://www.cyclesidecar.com/Guides/alignment.html

[reggit]

Thanks for your advice, I can see my front tyre was well over inflated for sidecar use - I'll reset the pressure and check the alignment (which I have been told is right - but who knows).

I have a damper for it, which arrived a couple of days back, but not decided where/how to mount it.

The more I've been considering this bike, the more I'm moving away from my original idea of been able to revert to solo use if needed - I already have 2 other bikes to chose from - and will probably be looing at the idea of leading links, car tyres etc as and when funds allow and keep it solely for sidecar use.

Like the video - want one!

[fintip]

What an amazing sidecar setup. Now I will never be satisfied with a normal sidecar. 

[reggit]

Ok, back to the sidecar - has it really been a month since I disconnected it all!

Nice new leather seat fitted to the chair, as it didn't have one.  I found the occasional seats out of the boot of a Landrover discovery 2 is a perfect size, and folds flat to allow access to the storage area in the back of the sidecar.  Bit of jiggery pokery with an angle grinder and a welder on the mechanism and all is good.

Just reconnected the outfit following the guide linked to by 'the general' - Thanks to the rough spray paint on the mounting brackets, I can tell the toe in was about right before, but the bike must have been twisted to the chair - leaning out at the front and in at the back.  Not tried it on the road yet, it's 11pm over here - so tomorrows job is to check everything is tight and keep my fingers crossed that it tracks in a straight line!

[The General]

The good health news is that bikes make us smarter than the average because of focus required. So sidecars make ya brilliant; Here`s the facts: http://www.geton.co.uk/news-reviews/topics/riding-makes-you-smarter#wPgEjuDBJyTyEKBz.03 

[red]

The good health news is that bikes make us smarter than the average because of focus required. So sidecars make ya brilliant; Here`s the facts: http://www.geton.co.uk/news-reviews/topics/riding-makes-you-smarter#wPgEjuDBJyTyEKBz.03 

Riders,

I would agree with Dr Kawashima in general, but there may be other factors involved.  Having been in Tokyo traffic, the long exposures to car exhaust (with reduced oxygen levels, with higher CO and CO2 levels) do not help brain functions.  White-lining a bike between lanes of stuck traffic is legal there, so a bike rider gets much less bad air per day.  Riders whose brains do NOT step up to the challenge may get eliminated from any study, by car drivers.      

Cheers,
Red