New to the forum... joined today

[Sugmagnolia]

I want to say hello. So, "Hi".
I have been riding on the back of various bikes since I was real young. (wayin the country, SW Louisiana) I was taught tricks and stuff to do on the back of the bike. you know, stupid stuff like stand up.(10- 12 years younger than my 3 brothers). I had no fear of bikes. My dad bought me a moped when I was big enough to pedel it, rode it for years.

I now have kids of my own, we live in the city of Atlanta. I want a URAL Tourister. My older son is afraid of the idea, his dad did that. My younger son has autism and I don't always know how he will react. I feel like I am letting them down, not having the fun that I has when I was little.

So, I want to just jump into it, start riding and if they want to join, well they can. My little one, with autism is a dare devil. I think he will like the thrill and the wind. The noise is another issue, but I did get him on a 4 wheeler... so maybe.

OK. My questions are:

Ural...good choice?
(I want a sidecar)

Anyone with kids?? Kids with autism?

Thanks,
Sug

[CNF2002]

If you plan to get a kid on there, you need to take an MSF class, get full gear for yourself and both your kids (that fits properly) - you will need gear for both kids, once one rides the other will want to! Get a low-powered bike and learn on it for at least 6 months to a year. Only take the kids on low-traffic roads until you build experience for yourself. I hear riding with a sidecar is completely different from riding without one.

I dont have kids but I do have 2 cats. A spoiled girl and an unpredictable boy. They're always fighting. They haven't asked to ride on the bike yet.

[Sugmagnolia]

I have a friend who sells BMW's. He has one with a sidecar that "isn't too pretty but runs well" He offered it to me to try out and see if that is what I really want. I will take him up on that, I think.
I have to take a class in atlanta to be legal on a bike. Is there a class recommended above and beyond the "state mandated" one?



sorry bout all the emoticons (I've been deprived)

Sug

[jstark47]

+1 to everything CNF said. Learn to ride a regular bike before getting into sidecars.

To find out more about Urals, suggest you hook up with forum member 'Gummiente'. Here's his personal website, http://www.gummiente.ca/ with links to his Ural pages. Or you can PM him on this site.

[Flipper]

I think being a new rider that the sidecar thing might have a big learning curve.

The Los Angeles Times reviewed the bike a few weeks ago.

http://www.latimes.com/classified/autom ... e-highway1

Flipper

[macdaddy]

The "state mandated" course is the Motorcycle Safety Foundation Basic Riders Course. They also offer the Experienced Riders Course through the DDS. http://www.dds.ga.gov/Training/motor/index.aspx

For more info on the MSF: http://www.msf-usa.org/

Check with some of your local dealers - there are usually other courses available from private companies/individuals - a quick google found these guys: http://www.jkminc.com/

FWIW, my MSF leader recommended about 3000 solo mi before I took passengers. That was on the back of the bike, not a sidecar, but that felt about right for me.

[Kal]

Bike and sidecar handles very differntly to a straight bike. To turn the bike right or left you have to either speed up or slow down.

Urals rock. The ones I've seen have reverse gear as standard and are based on BMW's that were used by the German army in WWII - how cool is that???

One of our members, Guimente if memory serves, has a Ural with sidecar whch he uses in the Winter. Last year saw several pictures of it sat at snowed in service stations with snowmobiles...