"A Bird in the Hand" take 2. DR650 Deadtail Bobber, now with a sidecar

Thanks Cory! I'm glad you enjoyed it! Also glad you could finally come out for a ride!

I've been messing a bit with the leaner sidecar for this thing again lately. I re worked the subframe to gain a bit more gound clearance as well as getting the hardware sorted for the heim joints. All 5/8 fine grade 8 bolts.
20221025_161836.jpg

20221025_172358.jpg

Here's a bit of a look at what it sits under the bike.
20221025_174602.jpg

20221025_175757.jpg


Getting more ground clearance is a catch 22 in a way. The higher the subframe is also means the less lean angle you get. Should still be plenty.
20221025_180540.jpg

Decided that I'd go with an aluminum spare wheel from a fox body Mustang. It'll be mounted to a late model ford fiesta hub. Did a bit of d/a and scotch bright work and it matches the tank and fender pretty well.
20221101_214228.jpg

Made some fixturing to start building the frame. This is about where I sit as of right now.
20221104_145523.jpg

20221104_145532.jpg
 

Attachments

  • 20221025_174428.jpg
    20221025_174428.jpg
    2 MB · Views: 84
Looks great to me!

(EDIT: what's shown there in your jig is the part that bolts to the bike, right? Isn't it backwards or am I not seeing it right? Looks to me like it's currently set up so the hack will be on the right hand side not the left.)
 
Last edited:
Looks great to me!

(EDIT: what's shown there in your jig is the part that bolts to the bike, right? Isn't it backwards or am I not seeing it right? Looks to me like it's currently set up so the hack will be on the right hand side not the left.)
Haha funny you should mention that. I walked in this morning and realized that i fixtured it up completely backwards haha fixing that now. Good catch
 
Haha funny you should mention that. I walked in this morning and realized that i fixtured it up completely backwards haha fixing that now. Good catch
Yeah, somehow something just didn't look right to me. Thought maybe you were thinking of a move to a "driving on the left side" region.
 
I don't know that I'll go orange on the frame, though that's an interesting thought. I won't be painting it black though, that's decided.
Was looking back through this thread to find some info that I thought was buried somewhere. Never found it, but I did find this comment, which didn't age well lol
 
Was looking back through this thread to find some info that I thought was buried somewhere. Never found it, but I did find this comment, which didn't age well lol
The orange was a really good decision, that's for sure.
 
That might get you a post on BikeBound and/or Bike EXIF. Cool. Too bad the side hack won't be ready by then.
 
Been working on the bobber sidecar again a bit. While I really wanted to run the cool aluminum Mustang front wheel that I sourced, I was afraid that it was gonna be a bit on the heavy side. From what I've read, you want a bit of weight to a fixed hack for stability, but a leaner should be as light as possible. I decided to use a 13" Chinese scooter wheel and tire I picked up a while back instead. It is a real ugly 3 spoke thing, so I cut out a wheel cover from aluminum that mounts to the rotor lugs. A little work with the dimple dies and I think it fits the look well.
20230130_172551.jpg


20230130_173913.jpg


20230130_174002.jpg


This next bit in the scheme of things doesn't show the amount of design, head scratching and trial and error that it actually took to achieve. I did this to route the rear part of the hack frame back again to gain a substantial amount of lean angle on the bike. It'll now still be able to touch a Peg down with the leaner attached, which is right at 31°. This was not done to be able to ride on the ragged edge with the hack attached, but instead for safety. A few outstanding members of the advrider forum were talking about the woes of running out of lean angle in a turn and running off the road. Of course the plan is to never need to do so, but with my son in tow, I'm gonna make it as safe a possible. This is just tacked up of course. It will end up being boxed in and welded out.
20230118_163059.jpg


20230118_221043.jpg
 
Looks great! Have you come up w/ something for a body for it yet?
Thanks Cory! I haven't yet. I'll likely end up making one from scratch from aluminum. I was thinking about an aluminum canoe cut up and flipped upside down as you know, but haven't found one cheap enough yet lol I've driven by that one in Crestline about a half a dozen times now but haven't seen anyone out to ask about it.
 
A bare tube frame sidecar with a racecar seat would look good. A "bomber" type seat would go well with the bike.
 

Attachments

  • bomber seat.jpg
    bomber seat.jpg
    20.5 KB · Views: 46
Back
Top Bottom