Pre-Trip Check

Learning to crawl: Since I’m a newbie not only at sidecar rigs, but at motorcycling itself, it’s going to be a while before I venture out of our neighborhood. For my first ride, I spent about an hour or two just cruising around our area, Eugene’s River Road. At the risk of being over-cautious, I’m not in a hurry to see so much as a stoplight. I’m going to err on the “learn to crawl before I can walk” side of sidecar driving.

Passenger Pellets: For the first few weeks too, my only passengers are 3 bags of stove pellets (one in the trunk, 2 in the tub). At 40 lbs. a bag, or 120 lbs. total, this is the perfect amount of ballast for me to start with. Jodie and Ella will ride along only once I feel comfortable with riding the rig in traffic.

Date: Sat., Feb, 16, 2008, 3-5 p.m.

Conditions: Sunny and warm (high 50s?). I express my thanks to the motorcycle gods for an uncharacteristically perfect February day for my Patrol to arrive.

Area: River Road (my neighborhood)

On the Road: The First UDF, and Other Observations:

• UDF (Ural Delay Factor) already setting in. Stopped once to chat with some neighbors (approx. 10 minutes). Before I even left, though…
• …While still in driveway, a neighbor from down the street was driving by. He swerved to the side of the road, squealed to a stop and came over to check out my Patrol. He was very impressed by its simplicity and how it was made for the owner to be able to take care of it.
• After riding a few blocks on a perfect, sunny day — a pleasant surprise for this time of year — I felt a bit thirsty. Stopped at a lemonade stand run by some kids who live nearby. Good chat with their dad. “I didn’t know they even made things like that anymore,” he said, nodding in approval at my Patrol.
• Further to lemonade stand: flipping up the visor on a full-face helmet does not provide adequate angle or clearance to drink lemonade. Must take helmet off.
• Further to lemonade stand, again: cats like Urals. Before I left, our cat, Jasmine, hopped up in the sidecar, and then onto the gas tank — she kind of looked like she wanted to drive. While at the lemonade stand, their cat also hopped up into the sidecar, and then onto the gas tank, as if it wanted to drive. Will have to see how the cats react when one is on the gas tank and I start up the bike.
• Need to ask Vernon Wade, of Adventure Sidecar motorcycle training, what he did to make the course rigs so bloody difficult to drive. Even out of the driveway, it’s been much easier to maneuver my Patrol (so far) than it was his KLR and Suzuki sidecar setups. Then again, I suppose I also just might’ve learned something from all that training (which I did, and recommend his classes to anyone considering a sidecar or trike).
• Tonight, over a Patrol Porter in a frosted mug, need to review manual and other paperwork, especially everything pertaining to break-in period. Also need to get a grasp on how the reverse shifting works, so I can try to back out of the garage Sunday.
• Need to work on shifting into third gear more smoothly.
• Area is full of great, long, quiet, empty, straight streets — perfect to get up a little speed and practice braking.
• The Ural is not a car. When stopping, keep clutch in, but do not keep pressing down on gear shift with left foot. Lever is clutch. Pedal is not. Repeat.

Conclusion: I was made for this.