Topic: CB750 + Sidecar!

[nick5446]

I can't be the only one on here with a sidecar rigged up to my CB, right?

I'm curious what else you guys have done to your bikes to make them better suited for carrying the hack. My bike is basically stock, but there are some things I would like to do to it; improving the stopping power as the biggest thing. I am currently sporting the stock brakes all around, including the single disk front. I think the easiest and most effective thing to do is to go to a double-disk front.

Have you guys done anything to your suspension? I believe mine is stock, but it's not that bad.

Steering stabilizers?

What are you running for tires?

I'm thinking about adding an oil cooler. I don't think my bike is running too hot, but it seems like cheap insurance.

What else??

[sinister902]

1975 cb750f with a '66 jawa sidecar

Untitled by nicholas edsell, on Flickr

Untitled by nicholas edsell, on Flickr

no stabilizer but have an oil cooler. Tires are firestones (customer bike not my own, my last choice for tires lol). Sidecar tire is a heidenau

[nick5446]

I've got a homemade stabilizer setup. It is SKETCHY without it.

[MikeSimon]

Depending on what sidecar you use, you could consider putting a brake on the hack. Really, in order to run a sidecar properly, the front end should have a long trail thus most conversions have a leading link fork. I am sure, you could find one that fits the CB if you look around, especially as many earlier Goldwings have been hacked. I assume, you set up the sidecar with a toe-in when mounted?
It all depends on what your primary purpose for the hack is. If you travel longer distances, geometry and straight-line stability is more important. If you just putts around town, easy steering is more desirable. Both things are almost mutually exclusive.
Also, a larger rear sprocket could help the bike pulling the additional load.
I raced sidecars as a young man and had a HD rig up until 2 years ago. Will probably get one again, something a little more extreme. My dream rig would be Krauser Domani.

[nick5446]

My sidecar is homemade...it'd be nice to have a brake on there, but it's probably not going to happen without rebuilding the whole thing.

LL forks are definitely intriguing, but I think for my purposes, stiffer springs or heavier oil may be sufficient.

Gearing was another thing I meant to mention. When I first started riding it, I thought I wanted a larger rear sprocket to help it get off the line. Now that I've been riding it a lot, I'm actually thinking about a smaller rear sprocket so that I can get the RPMs down on the highway. I'll do a few ~200 mile trips, but nothing major. I mostly run around town and commute on it.

How about clutches? Are you guys burning through clutches quickly? Mine is getting worn out, but I can't blame that entirely on the sidecar. I will look into replacing it with a heavier duty unit.