Trip in Northern Finland

Now as posting of videos is OK, I will share with You a recording of Our first longer sidecar trip with my cousin Jaakko. We did this to the region of Oulu, and had plenty of fun, as You can see! He will, by the way, take You around the beautiful landscape of Northern-Savo if You come to visit us, as advertised at http://www.avilo.fi.

Back in business

Last summer went with very little riding, so I will show some pictures of our summer trip from 2006. That was the year that Finland won the Eurovision song contest, so You may hear Hard Rock Hallelujah by Lordi the if You pay attention! The location is Siikajoki in North-West Finland. Trip was excellent despite a broken tyre (on the way there) and collapsed rear wheel spokes (on the way back).

The photos

On first trailer trip

The first longer trip with the trailer attached was to a friends summer cottage in Hankasalmi. First kilometers were a little exciting, but once I noted that the trailer followed with ease, I just forgot about it and enjoyed the ride of about 120 km. Nice speed on this smaller road was 90 km/h, although 100 km/h would have been no problem.
Nice swimming in a lake, dinner with friends, and back home before dark (although it doesn´t really get dark in Finland this time of the year), what could be better. 

So here is the HD FLSTN with Ultra Classic sidecar and a selfm made and painted trailer. on a sunny day in our yard.  

The positioning is perfect, and I checked, You can turn maximum angles both ways, without problems (trailer touching either bike left blinker or sidecar). 

From the side. You can attach a lot of lighter luggage (sleeping bags, tent) to the rack on top. 

The trailer was painted to HD colours, but I decided to leave the golden stripe away, as it�s form differs anyway from the round shapes of bike and sidecar.  

Here You get a glimpse of my motorcycling history. You can identify a number of rallies from the mid 80�s when I was free, single and wild(er). Also some stickers that identify a chemist of standing....not to mention a hobby picked up in recent years to keep an open mind! 

A dog it has to be! I forgot to mention our new child, a tricolour corgi bitch, that joined the family just recently. Here she is posing on her first harley-ride. We will see if she gets accustomed to the sound and speed and we will be able to take her with us to bike gatherings. 

Winter is gone and spring sun is shining again. To enhance transportation capacity, and allow trips with two possibly grown up passangers, i had been planning for a trailer over the winter. Over Easter i found a suitable unit on offer. Now it is all set up and attached. Admire! The hich was done so it can be detached. It's set up between bike and sidecar, so the combination doesn't get any wider.
 

Preparing for parade 

Folks arriving in style 

What a view at nightfall 

Own packaging 

OK, here finally some photos from this summer. First tryout ended in a flat tyre that I noticed when I pushed bike out of garage. But this time both trip to Himos, Finland, and the marvellous weather at site made the trip something to remember. Not to mention the smoke sauna that I had not enjoyed for some time!
 

The Dunlop Elite 2 sidecar tyre made system turn much better. It turned out to be narrower than the 3.25 (i think) tyre it replaced. 

And from the side 

So, here is what it looks like with the new windshield. Pretty good, in my opinion! The whole bike/sidecar setup looks lighter and more balanced than with the high original windshield. For touring I can still attach the detachable wshld to bike. This gives some wind noice so I have not ben using it so much.  

Careful turning 

and the other way! 

keeping the balance 

Gone to see motocross... 

Camping place in woods 

HD-gathering in Finland, Kalajoki, summer 2004 

Warm glowes are needed in early April