JSHRAM
.060 Over
Needed a way to bring my best friend along. Bike leans independent of side car. Side car is 1975 Spirit Eagle. Just finished the frame and mount... Louts of fabrication but two bolts and it's a solo bike again!
Leaner side car... Custom mounting.
- Thread starter JSHRAM
- Start date
Ishrub
That's my name ....built like a truck
- Joined
- Feb 18, 2016
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- 8,851
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- Duffy, Canberra, ACT, AUSTRALIA
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- 2x2010 ABS Roadsters, Sprint ST 1050 ABS, 3x250s
Looks great and interesting design but isn't it a little light weight for a Rocket?
It is unclear how much weight the Heavy Duty California Sidecars Companion version was designed for but I am sure you will find that info here too! I hope you had the manuals offered below or similar to help!
Plenty of pics and info in link to identify etc and a few highlighted snippets I have posted below.
*************************************************************
Florida Sidecar Products - SOA Eagle Sidecar
The Spirit Of America, Eagle Sidecar & American Spirit Sidecar have not been manufactured since 1975. The Eagle Sidecar has been copied by quite a few other companies over the years and there are quite a few of them around. It is, however, a light sidecar with a soft suspension and small mounts and in stock form is not suitable for heavier motorcycles. They were great little sidecar for the mid sized motorcycles of the day. In the early 1970's they cost $300 for a new Spirit Eagle in the box with a chrome frame.
First lets make sure you have a Spirit of America Sidecar, because many people have confused other sidecars with a Spirit Eagle sidecar such as a American Easy Rider sidecar and California sidecar Companion model.
SOA made their Eagle sidecars with a molded fender that was part of the sidecar body.There will be a MFG sticker on it from Spirit of America in California.
Lift the sidecar seat forward, pull up the carpet in the trunk (boot) and look for a manufactures label by the mounting bolts, it will be under the top layer of fiberglass and be a little difficult to read. It will have a four digit serial number.
American Easy Rider and Spirit of America - Spirit Eagle sidecars and California Companion sidecar are the same or cloned from the same body molds. The Spirit Of America Company was purchased by The California Sidecar Company in 1974 and the shape of the body is all they have in common. The CSC Companion was a heavier sidecar than the SOA Eagle sidecar with a much more rugged frame and with fully adjustable mounting brackets that worked good with heavier motorcycles. The main difference was the Spirit Of America Company made their frames of lighter gauge material and their suspension was a swingarm with coil over shock and were made for a light weight motorcycle, 400cc to 750cc.
Their Eagle bodies (later to be renamed the Companion sidecar by CSC) where made of fiberglass and their American Spirit bodies (later to be renamed Friendship 1 and made from fiberglass after California Sidecar bought them out) were made from plastic. The closest looking sidecar being manufactured today would be Texas Sidecar's Standard Model.
Mounts: Eagle Sidecar
Spirit of America mounting hardware left a lot to be desired but it did work if you were careful. If you just purchased a used SOA sidecar and it still has the original motorcycle frame clamps throw them away. And the clamp-on main struts tend to rotate round the sidecar frame under load and the clamp may need to be tack welded in place if it moves. The Eagle is a nice sidecar but be ready for a little work fixing up the attachments to be safe and secure. It is recommended not to mount one of these sidecars on a motorcycle that weigh’s more than 400 pounds.
If it is a 'Companion' they have much more for you.
California Sidecar Owners Manual For Pre 1989 Friendship I, II,& Companion Sidecars With Torsion Bar
Mechanical Upgrades for California Sidecar Models:Friendship I & Early FS II, & Companion With Torsion Bar Suspension & SOURCE LIST OF NEW PARTS
And much much more!
Florida Sidecar Products - Sidecar Manuals
It is unclear how much weight the Heavy Duty California Sidecars Companion version was designed for but I am sure you will find that info here too! I hope you had the manuals offered below or similar to help!
Plenty of pics and info in link to identify etc and a few highlighted snippets I have posted below.
*************************************************************
Florida Sidecar Products - SOA Eagle Sidecar
The Spirit Of America, Eagle Sidecar & American Spirit Sidecar have not been manufactured since 1975. The Eagle Sidecar has been copied by quite a few other companies over the years and there are quite a few of them around. It is, however, a light sidecar with a soft suspension and small mounts and in stock form is not suitable for heavier motorcycles. They were great little sidecar for the mid sized motorcycles of the day. In the early 1970's they cost $300 for a new Spirit Eagle in the box with a chrome frame.
First lets make sure you have a Spirit of America Sidecar, because many people have confused other sidecars with a Spirit Eagle sidecar such as a American Easy Rider sidecar and California sidecar Companion model.
SOA made their Eagle sidecars with a molded fender that was part of the sidecar body.There will be a MFG sticker on it from Spirit of America in California.
Lift the sidecar seat forward, pull up the carpet in the trunk (boot) and look for a manufactures label by the mounting bolts, it will be under the top layer of fiberglass and be a little difficult to read. It will have a four digit serial number.
American Easy Rider and Spirit of America - Spirit Eagle sidecars and California Companion sidecar are the same or cloned from the same body molds. The Spirit Of America Company was purchased by The California Sidecar Company in 1974 and the shape of the body is all they have in common. The CSC Companion was a heavier sidecar than the SOA Eagle sidecar with a much more rugged frame and with fully adjustable mounting brackets that worked good with heavier motorcycles. The main difference was the Spirit Of America Company made their frames of lighter gauge material and their suspension was a swingarm with coil over shock and were made for a light weight motorcycle, 400cc to 750cc.
Their Eagle bodies (later to be renamed the Companion sidecar by CSC) where made of fiberglass and their American Spirit bodies (later to be renamed Friendship 1 and made from fiberglass after California Sidecar bought them out) were made from plastic. The closest looking sidecar being manufactured today would be Texas Sidecar's Standard Model.
Mounts: Eagle Sidecar
Spirit of America mounting hardware left a lot to be desired but it did work if you were careful. If you just purchased a used SOA sidecar and it still has the original motorcycle frame clamps throw them away. And the clamp-on main struts tend to rotate round the sidecar frame under load and the clamp may need to be tack welded in place if it moves. The Eagle is a nice sidecar but be ready for a little work fixing up the attachments to be safe and secure. It is recommended not to mount one of these sidecars on a motorcycle that weigh’s more than 400 pounds.
If it is a 'Companion' they have much more for you.
California Sidecar Owners Manual For Pre 1989 Friendship I, II,& Companion Sidecars With Torsion Bar
Mechanical Upgrades for California Sidecar Models:Friendship I & Early FS II, & Companion With Torsion Bar Suspension & SOURCE LIST OF NEW PARTS
- 28 page and 17 diagrams & pictures and a center spread illustration of frame, mounts, brackets, fasteners and parts.
- Light illustration with wiring color code.
- How to Up grade the mounts with modern parts and how to tweak your original clamps to work better and safer.
- How to rebuild your torsion bar suspension, and where to get a modern torsion bar kit to replace it.
- Where to buy a new windshield and how to make your own.
- What luggage racks will fit and where to buy them.
- Where to get a new seat cover, seat foam, seat shell.
- What modern fender will fit a Companion and where to buy it.
- Where to get a Tonneau cover made and how to make one yourself.
- Tail light lenses, Friendship : what motorcycle lens will work and how to make it fit. What LED light kit to use to replace the original 3 tail lights with. What to replace the Companion tail light with.
- And a index source list of new parts, bearing, bushing, seal, mounts, step, lights, torsion arm kit, etc,etc… and where to buy them.
- Some back ground biography on the sidecars and company and a interesting list of their early sidecar product line.
- California Sidecar Installation Instruction Manual For Pre 1989 Friendship & Companion Sidecars With Torsion Bar Suspension:
And much much more!
Florida Sidecar Products - Sidecar Manuals
Last edited:
JSHRAM
.060 Over
thanks for the v info! There's nothing stock about the mounting or frame. I've done a complete custom designed system mount with welded connections except the pivot points. Still working on this page info with the site host but here's some pics that show what's going on...
John's Leaner Sidecar Combination - Homemade Project | Haul N Ride
John's Leaner Sidecar Combination - Homemade Project | Haul N Ride
Paul Bryant
Living Legend
Doesn't the Roadster look good in red ! Better than light Black, dark Black, or Satin Black
stollydriver
Live life to the full
Wash your mouth out with a bar of soap then say 1000 hail Mary's.Doesn't the Roadster look good in red ! Better than light Black, dark Black, or Satin Black
Grumpy Ole Codger
Miserable as FECK
Blue is always going to be better, but that red is certainly a close second!!Wash your mouth out with a bar of soap then say 1000 hail Mary's.
vicvet
.020 Over
- Joined
- Mar 10, 2017
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- 2012 R3 Roadster
I am very interested as I have a 2012 roadster and a wife that is tired of looking at the back of my head on trips. The haul n ride website is down can I get a copy of the pictures of the custom welding that you did?
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