Can anyone explain the appeal of a Sidecar?
Discussion
Ive been googing around for a while now, but cant find any forums where someone has asked this question..
Im trying to understand why people go through the expense of retro-fitting sidecars to their motorbike..
ive read about the "fun" of flying the car, and that its harder to ride etc etc..
but except for the Ural ( first pic ) which has a dif lock so it can go 2wd offroad, i cant see an advantage to them.
so, if possible could someone explain the appeal cause i just want to understand lol
P.S .. i do get the "i want to be different" factor
Im trying to understand why people go through the expense of retro-fitting sidecars to their motorbike..
ive read about the "fun" of flying the car, and that its harder to ride etc etc..
but except for the Ural ( first pic ) which has a dif lock so it can go 2wd offroad, i cant see an advantage to them.
so, if possible could someone explain the appeal cause i just want to understand lol
P.S .. i do get the "i want to be different" factor
I think traditionally it was doing the job of cheap transport for 3 or more bodies on a bike licence
but then cars got cheaper, and more reliable and killed it off
also was a way around the bike licence learner laws for a while ...hence contraptions like the "Sidewinder" tea tray you bolted on the side of your 350LC so you could ride it on L plates
Ive seen a few outfits created for less abled bodied riders too ...its completely different to riding a trike ...personally if I couldnt ride a bike for some reason, an outfit would appeal more than a 3 wheeled trike thing
but then cars got cheaper, and more reliable and killed it off
also was a way around the bike licence learner laws for a while ...hence contraptions like the "Sidewinder" tea tray you bolted on the side of your 350LC so you could ride it on L plates
Ive seen a few outfits created for less abled bodied riders too ...its completely different to riding a trike ...personally if I couldnt ride a bike for some reason, an outfit would appeal more than a 3 wheeled trike thing
so can you ride a sidecar on a car licence ?
ETA :
Whilst this looks a fun and epic road trip... surely it would be more fun with x2 bikes instead of just the one.
although there are many unless'es i can think of.. maybe there is no real black and white answer for this?
ETA :
Whilst this looks a fun and epic road trip... surely it would be more fun with x2 bikes instead of just the one.
although there are many unless'es i can think of.. maybe there is no real black and white answer for this?
Edited by SystemParanoia on Sunday 7th October 23:57
As a kid that grew up being carted around in a sidecar, I can say hand on heart they're the coolest thing to be in (if you're a normal, treehouse building, stick machine gun weilding 'boy'). They're noisy, rattly, bouncy and smelly.
In adult life I've ridden the same outfit that I used ot be transported in before I was old enough to reach the pillion footrests (and after, as Dad couldn't get me and my brother on the back of a bike!) and it's certainly a different experience!
The thing I noticed more than anything was how knackering it is. It's far more physical than a solo - maybe not more physical, just different physical actually - my shoulders were wrecked after muscling it about for a day.
They're great fun though, and if you have a young family I can't think of a cooler way to ship them about, get them involved and keep motorcycling
In adult life I've ridden the same outfit that I used ot be transported in before I was old enough to reach the pillion footrests (and after, as Dad couldn't get me and my brother on the back of a bike!) and it's certainly a different experience!
The thing I noticed more than anything was how knackering it is. It's far more physical than a solo - maybe not more physical, just different physical actually - my shoulders were wrecked after muscling it about for a day.
They're great fun though, and if you have a young family I can't think of a cooler way to ship them about, get them involved and keep motorcycling
I must admit to owning one for a few months in the early 90's and it was great fun for a summer hooning about with mates
I had a break from owning a bike during a period of regular house moves due to work and needed something cheap to keep my insurance going...Jap 125s were still group 3 at the time and I wante something practical but had no car licence. The Jawa 350 sport with velorex sidecar was group 1 and I picked one up for £200 out the back of MCN
£39 to insure it and a lot of laughs along the way, I eventually sold it to a collector (!) and made £100
I had a break from owning a bike during a period of regular house moves due to work and needed something cheap to keep my insurance going...Jap 125s were still group 3 at the time and I wante something practical but had no car licence. The Jawa 350 sport with velorex sidecar was group 1 and I picked one up for £200 out the back of MCN
£39 to insure it and a lot of laughs along the way, I eventually sold it to a collector (!) and made £100
SystemParanoia said:
so can you ride a sidecar on a car licence ?
ETA :
Whilst this looks a fun and epic road trip... surely it would be more fun with x2 bikes instead of just the one.
although there are many unless'es i can think of.. maybe there is no real black and white answer for this?
That does look like a lot of fun ETA :
Whilst this looks a fun and epic road trip... surely it would be more fun with x2 bikes instead of just the one.
although there are many unless'es i can think of.. maybe there is no real black and white answer for this?
Edited by SystemParanoia on Sunday 7th October 23:57
3DP said:
Tango13 said:
The main appeal of a sidecar outfit is that you can invade Poland!
Crossflow Kid said:
3DP said:
Tango13 said:
The main appeal of a sidecar outfit is that you can invade Poland!
German engineering masterclass of the time.
A genuine KS750 outfit is on my lottery win Top 10 bike garage list
Had a few sidecar outfits and ridden a few more - they are all different to ride. The appeal? A bit like trikes really - if you compare to a 'bike or a car then you're missing the point nowadays. Obviously in the old days they were a viable alternative to a car, not so much nowadays. the amount of fun you can have with a chair attached is immense but comparing it to a solo is like saying, "Why do people drive Landrovers not 'bikes?"...
Had a Z750 outfit with "L - plates" and it was a fantastic device - taught me a hell of a lot about driving/riding etc. - you need to set up an outfit for a set of bends. You can't get away with going in too fast and stand on the brakes like lots of solo riders do, if you did you'd end up in a ditch!
Also a Tiger Trail with a moto cross chair and knobblies all round, who needs to put their 'bike away when it snows...
If you ever get the chance to passenger in one , do it. If you get the chance to ride one it will take longer than five minutes to learn to enjoy but don't knock it 'til you've tried it. I don't guarantee you'll enjoy the experience but it's well worth trying (as, say, an alternative to offroading, a jetski or bungee jumping).
Had a Z750 outfit with "L - plates" and it was a fantastic device - taught me a hell of a lot about driving/riding etc. - you need to set up an outfit for a set of bends. You can't get away with going in too fast and stand on the brakes like lots of solo riders do, if you did you'd end up in a ditch!
Also a Tiger Trail with a moto cross chair and knobblies all round, who needs to put their 'bike away when it snows...
If you ever get the chance to passenger in one , do it. If you get the chance to ride one it will take longer than five minutes to learn to enjoy but don't knock it 'til you've tried it. I don't guarantee you'll enjoy the experience but it's well worth trying (as, say, an alternative to offroading, a jetski or bungee jumping).
SystemParanoia said:
what are the licence rules for it.
Motorbike licence.. car licence.. both ?
what are they classed as? trikes.. bikes.. bike + sidecar ?
You can still ride them on a full bike licence, although I don't know about the 17 year old thing and restrictions etc. I mean I don't know whether you'd be restricted to 33bhp on one?Motorbike licence.. car licence.. both ?
what are they classed as? trikes.. bikes.. bike + sidecar ?
Also, I've always wondered why you have to wear a helmet when riding one (or pillioning) but you don't have to when you ride/drive a trike?!
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