An international forum for people interested in modern high performance road going sidecars. Forum Index An international forum for people interested in modern high performance road going sidecars.

 
 FAQFAQ   SearchSearch   MemberlistMemberlist   UsergroupsUsergroups   RegisterRegister 
 ProfileProfile   Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages   Log inLog in 

First sidecar: I've got a LOT to learn!

 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    An international forum for people interested in modern high performance road going sidecars. Forum Index -> Introduce Yourself
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
Otis the Sasquatch



Joined: 25 Oct 2014
Posts: 25
Location: Kirkwood MO

PostPosted: Sun Jul 26, 2015 8:09 pm    Post subject: First sidecar: I've got a LOT to learn! Reply with quote

Hello Everyone!

The short-ish version;
I had a friend. He had a HP Sidecar rig.



I had always admired it. Never owned, or piloted or even rode in, one before.




But I have always liked the Unusual, Strange, or down-right Weird. Be it cars, guns, or motorcycles. So of course, I was infatuated.




We rode together, not as often as we would have liked to, for about eight years. Time, money, etc. always got in the way of getting together as much as we would have liked. Me, on either a 2002 Goldwing or a 1981 GS1100E Suzuki. Him on the 1998 K1200RS, w/ 2006 Hannigan, CHS rig. Or his Honda GB, or one of his others.







(continued...)


.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message AIM Address
Otis the Sasquatch



Joined: 25 Oct 2014
Posts: 25
Location: Kirkwood MO

PostPosted: Sun Jul 26, 2015 8:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

But along the way, he became ill. Prostate Cancer. The BAD kind. He fought long & hard, never gave up. Rode absolutely as long as he could.



We were never "best friends" or anything like that, but for some reason he asked me to help his family sell his motorcycles after he was gone. I told him "Sure. But I will buy that one!".




So now it's mine. I did not take possession until after he passed. Not the way I wanted to end up with it, but...



Had to make some room in the wallet & the garage, so the Goldwing was sold.

In it's new home.




.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message AIM Address
Otis the Sasquatch



Joined: 25 Oct 2014
Posts: 25
Location: Kirkwood MO

PostPosted: Sun Jul 26, 2015 8:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

After 40+ years on two wheels, I now have to learn about this three-wheel world. And on an HP rig at that. Oh well, in for a penney in for a pound.

So I'll be around, probably asking a LOT of questions. I've done a lot of readin', and some (not enough) ridin', but I intend to do LOTS more.

And I'm having a lot of fun doing it!



See y'all around. I think I'm getting the hang of this, but if you pass me & I don't wave, don't take it personal; I'm just deep in Learning Mode Concentration right now.

Smile


.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message AIM Address
bmcsheehy



Joined: 22 Jan 2005
Posts: 991
Location: Massachusetts USA

PostPosted: Mon Jul 27, 2015 2:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Congratulations and welcome to the forum. Smile
Dennis was a great guy. Sad
_________________
Bill
High Performance Sidecaring... ...There is nothing "HACKED" about it.
2006 ZX-14 / HANNIGAN HP.
2011 Concourse / California Friendship III.
2016 Suzuki Bandit 1250s
1936 Ford Fordoor Humpback
www.Yankee-Engineering.com
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Dar



Joined: 04 Mar 2006
Posts: 349
Location: Ballston Spa, NY

PostPosted: Mon Jul 27, 2015 2:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Welcome to the world of sidecars, Otis.

I joined that world myself about 10 years ago when I bought my HP rig directly from Hannigan. Hadn't really driven a sidecar before, except for a short (15 min) test ride about 6-7 years before that. Dave Hannigan convinced me that what I should do to learn how to drive the thing was to come to his shop to pick it up, he would spend a couple of hours in his parking lot teaching me what I needed to know, and then take off on the almost 1200 mile ride back home from Kentucky to New York. Well, 1200 miles of practice helped a lot, and by the time I got home 2 days later, I was feeling fairly comfortable with driving the rig. After I got home, I rode the sidecar rig exclusively for about a month before taking my two wheeled bike out for a ride again, just to reinforce the sidecar training.

One thing in particular that I remember sticking in my mind from that first trip, that hadn't really been stressed in Dave's training session - the effect on steering of the transition between being on the gas and rolling off on the throttle or braking. That was the most unsettling thing in my first few hours of the ride home. After you've been riding a while, it's something that you don't even think about anymore, it's second nature.

These days, switching between the sidecar and a regular bike doesn't really require any more thinking about the differences any more than driving a car after riding a bike. Once you're comfortable enough on any of them, you just switch between them without having to (consciously) readjust your mindset in between.

And I think that learning on the HP rig is actually a big plus - they are a lot more stable than some of the "conventional" rigs that I have ridden in in the years since I first got my own HP rig.

Good luck, and welcome to the three wheeling world.
_________________
David D
Suzuki Bandit 1200/Hannigan Bandito
2000 Guzzi V11 Sport
2009 BMW R1200GS
1978 BMW R100RS
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Ralph



Joined: 27 Jan 2005
Posts: 603
Location: Lexington, Ky

PostPosted: Tue Jul 28, 2015 1:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Welcome Smile
_________________
"So Soon Old & So Late Smart"
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Otis the Sasquatch



Joined: 25 Oct 2014
Posts: 25
Location: Kirkwood MO

PostPosted: Wed Jul 29, 2015 1:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for the nice Welcomes!

Makes me sorry I took so long to get together with you guys.

No Big Rides this year so far, but I have the St louis Ride For Kids coming up soon. I'll post up a report soon after. That always brings together all the local Hacks.

Thanks Again! I hope to be hangin' aroung here for quite a while.
Otis
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message AIM Address
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic    An international forum for people interested in modern high performance road going sidecars. Forum Index -> Introduce Yourself All times are GMT
Page 1 of 1

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum


Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group