Quarter-Century Sidecar Project Rumbles Out
From concept drawing to reality, one-of-a-kind rig is finally realized.
Preoccupied House
Inspired by concept illustrations, 'Rumble' is a one-of-a-kind dream machine built by Dan Stern—a project that had been percolating for decades. The problem was not motivation, it was time. As the founder and owner of House of Thunder Harley-Davidson in Morgan Hill, California, and previously steering Custom Chrome into an industry leader, Stern had been a bit preoccupied—until recently.
Photos courtesy of Bikernet.com.
Filed Away
In 1997, Stern was thumbing through a copy of VQ magazine from Paisano Publications, when he saw the work of artist Tim Conder in a feature called, 'Dreams Do Come True.' Stern knew immediately that he wanted to bring the swoopy left-hand sidecar to life. Too busy to consider a build, he tore out the drawings and filed them away as a future project.
>>Join the conversation on this Rumble sidecar creation right here in the Harley-Davidson Forum!
Mishap Build
Stern, along with his wife Shirley, opened House of Thunder Harley-Davidson in 2004. He recounts that while moving in, a file cabinet popped open and spilled out the Conder concept illustrations. The fortuitous mishap got the project stirring again in Stern's imagination. He recounted that once things had settled at the dealership, he carved out time for the sidecar build.
>>Join the conversation on this Rumble sidecar creation right here in the Harley-Davidson Forum!
Elegant Rig
Starting with wooden bucks, Stern built molds to form the sidecar's fiberglass panels. He then worked out the frame and wheel setup. Next was an automotive air shock system to raise and lower the body, with the pump and tank mounted in the nose of the elegant rig. The air-ride sidecar is possibly the first or even the only one of its kind.
>>Join the conversation on this Rumble sidecar creation right here in the Harley-Davidson Forum!
Dedicated Years
In 2015, Stern sold House of Thunder Harley-Davidson—something he said was as much “an emotional decision as it is a business decision.” Four years later, he decided to dedicate twenty hours a week to finishing the sidecar project. With time to reflect, Stern decided to backtrack and abandoned most of his previous work, just to start again.
>>Join the conversation on this Rumble sidecar creation right here in the Harley-Davidson Forum!
Almost Addiction
By 2020, Stern had launched into the 'Rumble' project full time, driven to build the best rig possible, no matter how long it took. He philosophically explained his rationale, “When you see something that alters your state of mind to the point of almost addiction, you’ll keep working on it until it’s done, regardless of how long it takes.”
>>Join the conversation on this Rumble sidecar creation right here in the Harley-Davidson Forum!
Rumble Expertise
On the power side of things, the rig is pulled around by a 2004 Heritage Softail with mild engine and gearing upgrades. In keeping with Conder's vision and the hot rod theme, Stern used Halibrand 'knockoff' wheels all around. A proportioning valve and Brembo brakes keep the critical stopping equation well-balanced. The overall fit and finish of 'Rumble' spoke to Stern's expertise.
>>Join the conversation on this Rumble sidecar creation right here in the Harley-Davidson Forum!
Swooping Concept
In the VQ feature, 'Rumble' was named after the Link Wray song with the same title. While Stern is not one to name his builds, he felt it was appropriate in this case. He also recounted that in 1997, he had called Conder to ask if anyone intended to build the swooping sidecar concept. The answer was no, until now—almost twenty-five years later.
>>Join the conversation on this Rumble sidecar creation right here in the Harley-Davidson Forum!
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