Originally Posted by vosyer
Take a look at the Bilenky website - they do a lot of retro-fit SS couplers on steel tandems, I have a quote for such right now on one of my bikes - Gary Bushnell may as well. I understand a retro-fit on a alum frame is not practical. So you could shop for a awesome deal on a steel tandem take it on a trip and see if that works and if not have is cut up when you get home. (TG), is right though, there are on a occation awesome deals on coupled bikes that come up - but not as often as a straight un-coupled tandems. So patience can work to your advantage - By the way the best deals I have seen on new coupled tandems was recently at R&E Cycles in Seattle for several their Rodrigez tandems.
I think you may be referring to Dennis Bushnell... great Seattle-based builder who, coincidentally, builds all of the Rodriguez branded tandems and solo bikes. A custom Bushnell would have a similar price to a stock Rodriguez tandem when equipped the same way. Of course, with a custom build you can be sure the frame will fit exactly the way you want it to, you can specify the steering characteristics, and you can also have it fitted (braze-ons) and equipped (components) the way you want it as well, which usually saves you money by mitigating future component upgrades... something I call the Harley-Davidson syndrome.