"FLYING TIGER" 1981 CB750 HONDA
AND SIDECAR. STREET LEGAL, TOO! COOL! -
$3200 (Santa Clarita/San Fernando Valley)
$3200 (Santa Clarita/San Fernando Valley)
Contact- Mike 818-744-4024
Date: 2008-08-18
Well, I’m listing my 1981 Honda CB750F dual sport sidecar for
sale. A full metal bodied Sputnik sidecar was used but with all the
modifications and improvements, it is light years beyond what it was.
Painted it to resemble the “Flying Tiger” P-40
Warhawks from WW2. A real eye catcher!
Built originally to carry me, and over the next several years, different passengers, on dual sport rides and different off road events. Being street legal, I can use it anytime during the year. What a blast, too! The rig really handles well. With or without a passenger in the sidecar. I mounted the sidecar with a fairly wide stance, which makes for a more stable ride and also helps keep the hack down when scootin’ around right hand turns with an empty chair. It has a custom made leading link front end, and an incredibly strong sub frame that is mounted to the bike in 6 places and then the sidecar is actually mounted to that. This spreads the load of the sidecar evenly and only to the beefy subframe, which is mounted to the bike only at motor mount, shock mount and footpeg areas. No clamping or bolting onto the frame itself!
The sidecar chassis is braced and strengthened and the sidecar swingarm is completely rebuilt and beefed up. When I redid the swingarm, I made it so that the sidecar wheel mounts up with a little angle (camber) to it. Most all of the better motocross and off-road sidecars have some camber built in to the sidecar wheel for extra traction and bite. The funky original shock on the sidecar found its way into the trash and was replaced with a rear monoshock from a later model dirt bike and works really well.
In fact, I also mounted a tractor seat in the sidecar. It’s nicely padded and is actually on it’s own air ride mounting system. Ever see those guys in those big tractors, and other farm vehicles out in the field, moving up and down on those air ride type seats while they’re going along over the bumpy ground? Well heck, if it’s good enough for them, I thought I’d utilize the same technology for my passenger’s comfort since I’ve been known to go over some bumpy ground, too. It really is nice and makes a HUGE difference. I got rid of all the crappy stock mounts and latches that hold down the back trunk lid and the front canopy, and installed Jeep style latches. Mucho better.
The bike sat for almost 10 months while I was busy doing everything but riding, it seemed. I ended up taking it to a local mechanic so he could adjust, clean and go through the carburetors. Seems that bikes don’t have to sit around very long anymore before the gas in the float bowls turns to varnish and the carbs have to be gone through. Oh well….it’s all done now. Runs good, too. I have a new set of foam style individual air cleaners that I need to pop on there and then voila….that’s all, folks!
The bike has been in two movies (one was a feature film, too!) and has been on ESPN’s Motoworld. It’s been in several magazine write ups from Grand Prixs and off road events I’ve entered. And an issue of “Dual Sport News” magazine which contained an article I wrote about riding sidecars offroad. That same issue has another sidecar of mine on the cover, too. A shot from the Barstow to Vegas ride a few years ago with me and one of my two sons in the sidecar. I can give the new owner copies of all of them.
So, with gas prices being what they are, this would be a cool alternative to driving that gas guzzler of a car or truck you currently are using. And another little known or cared about fact…. You do NOT need a motorcycle endorsement on your license to pilot one of the babies. Turns out a sidecar has three wheels, not two. Big surprise, huh? Well anyway, being that a sidecar is not a two wheeled vehicle, it doesn’t require that the driver has a motorcycle license. So, don’t let that be a reason to let this pass you by. I’m negotiable on price. I need to move it along; as I do with a couple other bikes of mine. Lemme know if you have any questions at all or need any more pics. Call me (Mike) on my cell at 818-744-4024 or drop me a line from this craigslist posting. But feel free to call, anytime, and we can talk. I could even help out getting it over to you, if needed. Heck, I’ll even throw in a sidecar lesson or two if you’d like.
I’m located in Canyon Country (Santa Clarita) and am very close to the San Fernando Valley. Thanks for looking and call with any questions, at all!
Back
Built originally to carry me, and over the next several years, different passengers, on dual sport rides and different off road events. Being street legal, I can use it anytime during the year. What a blast, too! The rig really handles well. With or without a passenger in the sidecar. I mounted the sidecar with a fairly wide stance, which makes for a more stable ride and also helps keep the hack down when scootin’ around right hand turns with an empty chair. It has a custom made leading link front end, and an incredibly strong sub frame that is mounted to the bike in 6 places and then the sidecar is actually mounted to that. This spreads the load of the sidecar evenly and only to the beefy subframe, which is mounted to the bike only at motor mount, shock mount and footpeg areas. No clamping or bolting onto the frame itself!
The sidecar chassis is braced and strengthened and the sidecar swingarm is completely rebuilt and beefed up. When I redid the swingarm, I made it so that the sidecar wheel mounts up with a little angle (camber) to it. Most all of the better motocross and off-road sidecars have some camber built in to the sidecar wheel for extra traction and bite. The funky original shock on the sidecar found its way into the trash and was replaced with a rear monoshock from a later model dirt bike and works really well.
In fact, I also mounted a tractor seat in the sidecar. It’s nicely padded and is actually on it’s own air ride mounting system. Ever see those guys in those big tractors, and other farm vehicles out in the field, moving up and down on those air ride type seats while they’re going along over the bumpy ground? Well heck, if it’s good enough for them, I thought I’d utilize the same technology for my passenger’s comfort since I’ve been known to go over some bumpy ground, too. It really is nice and makes a HUGE difference. I got rid of all the crappy stock mounts and latches that hold down the back trunk lid and the front canopy, and installed Jeep style latches. Mucho better.
The bike sat for almost 10 months while I was busy doing everything but riding, it seemed. I ended up taking it to a local mechanic so he could adjust, clean and go through the carburetors. Seems that bikes don’t have to sit around very long anymore before the gas in the float bowls turns to varnish and the carbs have to be gone through. Oh well….it’s all done now. Runs good, too. I have a new set of foam style individual air cleaners that I need to pop on there and then voila….that’s all, folks!
The bike has been in two movies (one was a feature film, too!) and has been on ESPN’s Motoworld. It’s been in several magazine write ups from Grand Prixs and off road events I’ve entered. And an issue of “Dual Sport News” magazine which contained an article I wrote about riding sidecars offroad. That same issue has another sidecar of mine on the cover, too. A shot from the Barstow to Vegas ride a few years ago with me and one of my two sons in the sidecar. I can give the new owner copies of all of them.
So, with gas prices being what they are, this would be a cool alternative to driving that gas guzzler of a car or truck you currently are using. And another little known or cared about fact…. You do NOT need a motorcycle endorsement on your license to pilot one of the babies. Turns out a sidecar has three wheels, not two. Big surprise, huh? Well anyway, being that a sidecar is not a two wheeled vehicle, it doesn’t require that the driver has a motorcycle license. So, don’t let that be a reason to let this pass you by. I’m negotiable on price. I need to move it along; as I do with a couple other bikes of mine. Lemme know if you have any questions at all or need any more pics. Call me (Mike) on my cell at 818-744-4024 or drop me a line from this craigslist posting. But feel free to call, anytime, and we can talk. I could even help out getting it over to you, if needed. Heck, I’ll even throw in a sidecar lesson or two if you’d like.
I’m located in Canyon Country (Santa Clarita) and am very close to the San Fernando Valley. Thanks for looking and call with any questions, at all!
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