TravellingStrom

Trying to get back on the road, for long distance adventure(or any adventure), is becoming more of an issue than I thought would be the case. Being an old fart has some extra issues to be considered. Upstairs, motivation is not an issue, but, downstairs, the old body is saying different. Mind over matter means nothing when the knees say, shit that hurts! On top of that, having had a heart attack a few years ago, I’ve got me a handful of pills to chow down on daily, so, having access to chemists is another factor on distance and direction, and travel just generally.

After much thought, I have decided I can no longer consider the Vstrom modification to an electric bike, in it’s current form. As mentioned in my previous post, if I cannot pick up a pissy little 500cc sports bike, there is no chance of mucking around with that big bad bastard, which has been more horizontal than me, I think. Probably, maybe 😉

So, I started to look into other options, 3 wheels. I know, sooky, but there are quite a few different ways along this path. If I still want to get out there, which I do, then it is either 3 or 4 wheels. Or a tank, leave that for another day 😉

4 Wheels: My original plan back in 2020, when I bought the Taxi, and had been thinking about it for a few years prior, was to retire after 5 years, fit out the back with camping stuff, buy a metal detector and an old or new postie bike, which would be strapped in the back, and go strike gold out in the middle. Well, 5 years later, it is now 2025, my knees are buggered, I had the old heart thingy thing, so I am no longer confident wandering around the remote outback on a postie bike(I should be able to pick that bastard up, surely!!).

So, next steps. I cannot take a heavy, or even lighter bike anywhere off road. Not happy about that, but that is life.

I am still thinking electric bike conversion here. If I cannot do 2 wheel, then try three wheel. Two options:

1. Trike
2. Sidecar

Now, I was genuinely interested at this stage in option 2, because I did not want to consider option 1. Trikes are just a massive investment in conversion and they did not appeal. Plus there was the added issue of the center front wheel on a 2 wheeled track. So.

I have never ridden a bike with a sidecar(they call them chairs apparently), here is an example of a Ural.

But, you know what, I thought I could come to like them. They use the same two tracks that a car uses Or a bike, so no issues with the center hump on them off road tracks. I could also use the actual sidecar as a battery storage unit, giving me more range. Because going electric was still on my mind. Buy a shit ton of batteries, buy the chair(the sidecar) and then using a bolt on method attach it to the Vstrom, Yay.

A few issues arose during my research, not with my actual researching, but the results that popped up. Especially with the Vstrom.

A. The main problem was that apparently Suzuki do not recommend a bolt on sidecar attachment, because the frame is not suitable. Bugger. After more research, apparently, to use a “bolt on ” chair, there needs to be a suitable frame to actually bolt on, makes sense. The Vstrom does not have it.

The DTMR(Department of Main Roads and Transport)(QLD) have stipulated certain rules about adding a chair to any bike. If it can be bolted on, then there is no need of a modification certificate. I have researched this and according to Suzuki, adding a chair, in any way, would need major modifications! So, as this conversion would need a certificate, we go once again down the certified engineer rabbit hole and I am not going there.

B. I was still thinking of a chair, and maybe buying a pre-configured setup(hence the Ural photo above), as it gave me hope. Maybe, (forget the Vstrom) I could buy a Ural(or something similar) and convert that to electric? I know the Urals are tough beasts, and I could probably fill up the chair with batteries, so there is potential. Right there I have lots of range(potentially) and stability.

Well, as things turn out, this was another dead-end. And not for the reasons you might expect.

I researched sidecars. By crikey, every single report I read said they are a struggle, they are a bitch to ride, on any surface, but they are wonderful??? I read a lot of forums, a lot of first hand knowledge and those that had the right bikes, and the right chairs, loved em. But it seems like it was above my practical knowledge to do any of this. Once again, bugger! Put this one out to pasture for the moment.

Disheartened once again, I resorted to reviewing what I had learned. To see if there was any way of safely riding and exploring.

It still came back to 3 or 4 wheels, not 2. One thing I really hate are noisy fucking Harleys, so no way was I getting a trike. 90% of them are HD. But, there is a trike out there that uses a Hitlers revenge motor, hmm, that is another option, I don’t mind VW’s, I have built a few!!!

But, when it comes down to it, they are all built for pose and comfort. Never been there when I travelled and don’t expect it in the future, I need something more robust!!

So, the last obvious choice is the Can-am Spyder. 3 wheeled, but 2 in front with a rear middle drive wheel. Weird setup, check em out. This one is the canyon model.

I rode one(not this model) up in Townsville back at the Ullysses rally I think in 2007, a very early model back then, and it was fun. So, now I am thinking, and looking and reading all the threads..

This could be me, TBC…….