This page started as "all about Harley-Davidson Motorcycles and Sidecars or sidehacks"! Since then, it has become a collection of favorite links, jokes and hopefilly, a technical resource. I started the web page because I own a 1992 FLHTCU with a TLE Ultra sidecar and am also a computer nut. I bought the rig from a friend of mine and have been having a blast with it ever since. I commute 36 miles to and from work with the sidecar outfit. Check out my pictures if you are curious about my sidehack.
Sidecars aren't for everyone. You see some older people hauling a sidecar around, mostly because of comfort or because of some physical limitations but sidecaring is not necessarily an "old man's" sport. A lot of younger people are finding out that a sidecar rig is a great family machine. You just load the wife on the back, stuff the kids into the sidehack and then "off you go." You also get a fantastic amount of storage with some rigs which makes it a great cross country machine. A sidehack is definitely not for someone who thinks that leaning through twisties is the only thing that motorcycling is about, but if you love adventure and are into lots of new challenges then a sidecar may be for you! Leaning two wheels through a turn is easy because most of us learned about counter steer when we were very young, but navigating a sidehack rig through a turn at road speed takes a special kind of skill, a skill only learned and perfected through lots of practice!
Riding is my favorite sport. I took my first trip to Daytona with John, a friend of mine, in 1997 but it seems like forever ago. I posted some of my Daytona pictures to this site in case you are curious. Daytona is a great destination and I am planning to return again next year (in 2000). John is a Beemer pilot (nobody's perfect but at least he rides on two wheels). Anyway, he wouldn't be caught dead on a Harley nor with an attached sidecar but John is a "ride through the twisties" kind of guy. John owns a 1975 R90S and a 1985 K75, both of which are sharp machines. His R90S has clocked almost 300,000 miles and John has been trying to talk me into buying a BMW since 1996. BMW's are great machines but I don't think that I could part with my HOG. Maybe I'll buy a Beemer as a second bike? (Wife won't be happy!) My previous rides were a 1978 Suzuki 450, a customized 1986 FXST and a 1983 Honda 750.
Ride safe and keep the shiny side up,
Tom
