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Check out the following:
http://www.hackd.com http://www.sidecar.com yahoo groups, sidecar talk
The Hack'd magazine is in WV, and you should ride overand talk to them. The Sidecar Magic shop is near by, and good people. Many other good folks in the east who know sidecars. You will find links on the sidecar.com site to installers. These folks are very helpful. Call them and talk to them and get various bits of advice.Going to one or more sidecar rallies is very educational. That's how I got re-oriented to sidecars, after being away from the lopsided third wheel for a number of decades.
Sidecaring is a great sport, and I have a GL1100 set up with a sidecar. I love it, and I travel all over with my rig.Learning to DRIVE them is different from a two wheeler, but it's not that difficult. That said, getting a rig well set up often involves more than simply bolting a sidecar to the side of a stock motorcycle. It is often done that way, but it often drives like that, somewhat poorly but operable.
The sidecar.com site also has several publications on line about operating a sidecar. Read them, written by Hal Kendall.
In terms of setting up the rig, there are issues of toe in of the sidecar wheeland outward lean of the motorcycle - adjustments that effect the handling of the rig and the rear tire wear. Hal Kendall handles that information on his on-line publications. Sidecars are also light when turning to the right (assuming the sidecar is on the right). You need to learn how to operate them with this issue. One thing, with a single passenger,nevercarrythe passenger on the back of the motorcycle, always in the sidecar. Hal also goes through the dynamics of center of gravity and tip overissues. Important stuff!
Going more technical, folks change the front steering to extend the front steerwheel farther forward, which reduces the trail. This results in less pressure on the handlebars and eliminates shoulder soreness during long trips,and makes the rig easier to steer. Several ways to do this, including modified triple tree or a leading link front fork.Wider handlebars are often utilized.
Suspension often isupgraded, and then even going to car tires on the rear drive wheel of the motorcycle are further modifications that happen. Stock motorcycle tires on the drive wheel oftenwear only5,000 to 8,000 miles, vs. 30,000 for a rear drive wheel car tire.
And then, a sidecar reduces your gas mileage.
Spend a lot of time on the internet getting oriented. Sidecar rallies are also fantastic places to get oriented. You will find lots of information talking at rallies. My experience isthat after attending rallies, talking to installers on the phone,and reading on line,I ultimately made the right decision on my choice for going three wheels. I really enjoy my rig a whole lot, and aput on the miles, including long miles!
I want to add two things; First, I thought you were in the eastern US. I don't know where you are... And second, although trikes are quite popular, for the money, you are way ahead with a sidecar set up. For less than the cost of a trike conversion, you can set up a sidecar with leading link front fork on the motorcycle, car tires, upgraded suspension, and the sidecar.