Expedition Sidecar

Maximus Ram

Expedition Leader
"My friend Ara, aka Beemer Chef, and his best bud Spirit are traveling North America in their 1100GS hack. He regularly posts here in 'Current Expeditions' or whatever it's called...you ought to check out his thread and blog."


Isn't he actually traveling in an RV, pulling his sidecar rig on a trailer and riding around when he stops....At least that is the impression I have gotten...
Brian in NM

I haven't seen mentioned anything of trailering the rig in any of what I have read. Or seen any pics of the beemer being trailered. If true, it's kinda of disappointing.
 

mtnbike28

Expedition Leader
I disagree

I haven't seen mentioned anything of trailering the rig in any of what I have read. Or seen any pics of the beemer being trailered. If true, it's kinda of disappointing.

He has shown several pictures of the truck set up as camp... but I disagree, he is using the truck to get to the riding spots, living out of the truck and taking full advantage of both vehicles. No different to me than driving to hiking or mtn biking trails or water to paddle... I wish I could live on the road for as long as he has!
 

buddha

Adventurer
I plan on taking some longer camping trips on my 06 Gear Up this year, though I wouldn't call them expeditions (maybe if I lived out west). I don't see why the Ural wouldn't be a good platform for longer expeditions. I don't enjoy riding over 70mph on mine (top speed of 75), so wouldn't think it a good platform for long highway jaunts. Take the backroads and you'll have a good time. Plenty of room for storage, and more capable off road than any other hack that I know of...

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goodtimes

Expedition Poseur
How reliable has yours been?

I think they would be cool 'back roads' rigs...nothing to crazy, no freeway....just the country back roads/forest roads/etc.
 

buddha

Adventurer
How reliable has yours been?

I think they would be cool 'back roads' rigs...nothing to crazy, no freeway....just the country back roads/forest roads/etc.

I've only had it since last August, but dead reliable so far. Starts every time, and if I choose to forgo the electric starter, I can usually kick it with a single kick. The owner that had it before me, and for most of its life, had no problems with it either.

And besides, it's a hoot!

And you can do a little freeway with it.. I have. Just get used to drafting trucks, which allows you to stay in the flow of traffic without working too hard (though has other safety concerns).
 

Maximus Ram

Expedition Leader
He has shown several pictures of the truck set up as camp... but I disagree, he is using the truck to get to the riding spots, living out of the truck and taking full advantage of both vehicles. No different to me than driving to hiking or mtn biking trails or water to paddle... I wish I could live on the road for as long as he has!

Hmm, well that's what hapeens when you start following a journey in the middle. Just went and viewed his site and sure enough, there is a truck w/camper and trailer. And to clarify, I didn't mean disappointing as a negative, I was just under the impression he was 3 wheelin it..it is still a very cool journey and neat to read about.:roost:
 

Jonathan Hanson

Supporting Sponsor
Let's not forget what still rates as one of the ultimate motorbike/sidecar journeys of all time: Theresa Wallach and Florence Blenkiron, from London to Cape Town. In 1935. On a single-cylinder Panther motorcycle, with a sidecar and a trailer.

A motorcycle with sidecar is a natural combination for overlanding. I'd love to try one of the two-wheel-drive Ural combinations.
 

Sleeping Dog

Adventurer
Dauntless

Dauntless does dual sport sidecars and I've seen a Hannigan or two on a BMW GS.

But a Ural, particularly a later model one should be up to the task and they're so basic that it would be easy to fix on the road.
 

smkymntn

Observer
Dauntless

I have been drooling over his enduro sidecars. Do you think something like a Vstrom or KLR would be better than a ural offroad and on?
 

jingram

Adventurer
Offroad... well IMHO, not really. If you buy a Patrol or Gear-Up, you get 2wd and reverse, which puts you way ahead of a Vstrom or KLR in an offroad or even expedition style trip with lots off offroad sections. That being said, a KLR is one of the best 1 bike combos on the market. Huge following, easy parts availability,etc and much more forgiving onroad which sounds funny to say.

I've always looked at it like this, if I was doing a trip across Eastern Europe through Russian and Mongolia, the Ural would be top choice. Also a great choice stateside anymore. They are very easy bikes to work on and the 07/08 bikes especially are really good bikes for what they are. If I was doing a trip to Central or South America or down through Africa, KLR all the way.
 

GlobalMonkey

Adventurer
BeemrChef

I haven't seen mentioned anything of trailering the rig in any of what I have read. Or seen any pics of the beemer being trailered. If true, it's kinda of disappointing.

Just to ad my 2cents...Yes, Ara has an RV with a trailer. It is a C class Ford Econoline. But that is actually his home, he doesn't have neither house nor an apartment. When he set out on his journey, he got rid of everything, what would keep him in one place. So where the rest of you riders go back to your homes after riding for a day, a week, or a month, he goes back to his RV. Ara usually parks his RV in a one place and than discovers the area, if it is a National Park or the entire state, on his BMW, usually traveling for several days, camping in his tent, just like any one else. You can go to http://theoasisofmysoul.com/ and if you follow up the blog for over the last 2 and 1/2 years, you will find out more about his journey.

Tomas
KTM 640 Adventure
 

lonestrom

Adventurer
We did Seattle to the North slope of Alaska and back ( 6,000 miles ) in July on 2 solo's,I'm planning the same trip on my ADV hack sometime in the next several years.
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