Hi, R 3 R owner

CCjon said:

Tyler,

Here is a link to my R3 sidecar thread:

Rocket sidecar duty

Any build advice or input from you would be very welcome. Right now am waiting for the machinist to have the longer fork caps ready so I can reinstall the front end.

As you already know, driving a sidecar is not difficult, but it does require a new skill set, paying more attention to the road and working the handlebars. The sensations are different than two wheels, as I explain to new sidecarists, riding two wheels is you and the machine against the road. Three wheels is the machine and the road against you.

You have to watch the left hand curves, while we watch out for flying the chair on right hand curves. Most of the time that is operator error, caused by entering the curve too hot, too fast. Riding the posted speed limit is the safest manner to learn. Yet, learning to fly the chair on purpose is a necessary learning technique.

Since every sidecar hack drives a little bit different, one has to be careful making blanket statements on handling. On one rig. using the rear brake on curves helps the turning, on other rigs it has an opposite effect. As you learn and practice, is important to learn how YOUR rig handles in curves when accelerating and when braking. Naturally learn this at a slower speed.

It is a shame most of us get into sidecars later in life when they have so much more to offer a long distance touring rider than two wheels. Have been to Alaska twice on sidecar, crossed the USA from Atlantic to Pacific on a Russian sidecar and visited all 48 lower states on a Goldwing sidecar. Now am going to find out what adventures the R3 sidecar will open for me.

Best,
CCjon

Click to expand...

I agree with you totally, I didn't want a sidecar but in the end it was that or stop riding. I've owned my R3 nearly 10 years (I tend to keep bikes a long time my last bike was a Triumph Trophy 900 which eventually covered 135k miles I didn't want to sell it so gave it to a friend in exchange for some shim adjustments on my bike and my wife's bike) and letting it go was out of the question I love riding it so much. But I've only a right leg which is worn completely out and standing for any length of time is impossible so it was a Trike (not practical enough) or a sidecar, I've only covered about 1k miles on it as it was being converted most of the summer, Watsonian asked what I wanted and then built it clever people. I wish I'd done it around 5 years ago as the transition would have been easier but there you go.
Apart from the springs and oil the forks are stock and I'll leave them that way, it's a terrific workout going for a ride but I'm getting more fluid with cornering and I've actually started using the back brake. The engine braking on the rocket is so good I'd just downshift and let the engine slow me with the front brake as well.
You are absolutely right about road positioning too. I'm an advanced rider with some police training and use the road well for observation which has had to change drastically as the outfit is actually wider than my VW van! I live in Cornwall which has a lot of narrow roads with infrequent passing places.
Watsonian say the bike leans into the sidecar a little and has a tiny amount of toe in (they set it up) I don't have a sidecar brake, but it stops really well so I'm not really bothered about one.
The main weight on the sidecar is the wheelchair which weighs 150kg so holds the chair down very well. It's unlikely I'll use the outfit without the wheelchair on board so I'll always have that stability.
I've a few rallies planned next year in the UK and probably in 2021 my friend who has a Ural and I want to do the Elephant rally in Germany in early February.
My wife and I want to go to Spain next summer, and camp and tour, she has a Bonneville.
I think you'll enjoy the R3 with a chair, the torque is so good from tickover there is no power issue, it's physically a big bike so is well planted and I find as a biggish chap it's comfortable on longer trips, because it's got a lot of room.
Thanks for your reply if you are on FB I'm there my name is Tyler Bennetts, there aren't many of us.
I'm friends with a guy called Sean Plunkett in Australia who has a R3 outfit and he's done some serious mileage and he's posted some videos on YouTube.

Tyler said:

Hi I was a member some years ago, still have my R3R much modified, it now has a wheelchair carrying sidecar fitted, it was made by Watsonian Squire in the Midlands UK. Nice bit of kit they made it pretty much how I wanted it.
New to sidecars so a fairly steep learning curve although I've owned the bike since 2010 so am familiar with it.
Wanting to go darkside (obs) and wondering about best sizes. Don't want to change the gearing particularly.

Click to expand...

Unlike most I like riding solo but I love outfits. Have had a sidecar for probably 30 years in total and pretty much totally on car tyre rears. My R3R has had the outfit on for 2 years now (1 year solo) I have just changed the rear tyre over this week. They will wear oddly due to the bike lean out and road camber (chair side wears down quicker). When I select a tyre I look for a 225/55/16. Depending on your location the tyres speed rating and weight rating must equal or exceed the MC tyre designed for the bike. (I think in Aust now it now must handle the maximum speed limit but State by State rules vary and Cops interpretations vary) I prefer directional tyres which means the fitment is critical as to the direction arrows. Asymmetrical tyres are left and right handed but not directional so not sure how that would affect the outfit tracking straight.
I still use M/C tyre on the front as there curved profile climbs out of longitudinal ruts rather than following them. As the front wears and the trye flattens the headshake can increase. Also the car tyre options for the front available in Australia would require mods to the font end to fit.

Al Burdon said:

Unlike most I like riding solo but I love outfits. Have had a sidecar for probably 30 years in total and pretty much totally on car tyre rears. My R3R has had the outfit on for 2 years now (1 year solo) I have just changed the rear tyre over this week. They will wear oddly due to the bike lean out and road camber (chair side wears down quicker). When I select a tyre I look for a 225/55/16. Depending on your location the tyres speed rating and weight rating must equal or exceed the MC tyre designed for the bike. (I think in Aust now it now must handle the maximum speed limit but State by State rules vary and Cops interpretations vary) I prefer directional tyres which means the fitment is critical as to the direction arrows. Asymmetrical tyres are left and right handed but not directional so not sure how that would affect the outfit tracking straight.
I still use M/C tyre on the front as there curved profile climbs out of longitudinal ruts rather than following them. As the front wears and the trye flattens the headshake can increase. Also the car tyre options for the front available in Australia would require mods to the font end to fit.

Click to expand...

I'm in the UK and yes the regs say speed and load ratings must equal or exceed original spec, which to be honest isn't difficult. I've still got the bike tyre on the back and due to the weather deteriorating I won't wear it out this year but it'll be the first job next spring. I'm looking at wider front tyres but will stick with a bike tyre for the reasons you gave plus there isn't much I can see that will fit.
The police in the UK haven't much clue when it comes to regs. I was actually asked by a traffic cop what the rules were for towing a trailer with a bike! His comments were we hardly ever see them it's not an issue, he was more interested in trucks regs.
I'm guessing there's something like an annual inspection where you are we have an MOT and usually these guys are pretty good. They are fine with car tyres on sidecar outfits and the guy that does my bike said he wouldn't have a problem with a rear tyre on the front as the loading index and speed rating would be higher anyway.
Thanks for your response it's helpful to know what everyone else is doing.

Hello Tyler and welcome back from Virginia