| According to the Oxford Compact Dictionary, | | | | auto-erect tent, another smaller dome tent |
| the definition of a sidecar is:sidecar. noun, | | | | with a separate flysheet, the Budweiser, a |
| a small, low vehicle attached to the side of | | | | two-burner camping stove, sleeping bags and |
| a motorcycle for carrying passengers. | | | | mats for all of us, clothes, food, a water |
| | | | carrier... plus the kids, of course, sitting |
| Well, I guess that's not a bad definition, | | | | on the seat (the luggage all went inside the |
| although I have seen some sidecars that | | | | nose and in the space behind the seat). The |
| definitely could not be described as "low" in | | | | weight of all this stuff actually helped it |
| any sense of the word. Nor are all sidecars | | | | to grip the road, as it was normally a bit |
| particularly small. In fact, when you boil it | | | | light, particularly on right-hand bends. |
| right down, the Oxford Dictionary's | | | | |
| definition of a sidecar sucks! Maybe I should | | | | That outfit is long gone, as is the guy on |
| write and let them know. | | | | the front, and I have to say sidecars have |
| | | | become something of a niche market. To be |
| Anyway, this article isn't about the Oxford | | | | honest, they were already that when we took |
| dictionary's accuracy or lack of it, but | | | | ours down to Kent, but at least you saw them |
| about sidecars. | | | | around reasonably often. I used to know a guy |
| | | | in Ilford who had a Triumph outfit. He got it |
| Where did they all go? You hardly ever see | | | | after he became paralysed from the waist |
| a sidecar nowadays, unless you are an | | | | down, to help keep the bike upright! I would |
| afficionado, of course. When I was a teen, in | | | | often see him flashing by (his injuries |
| the mid-late 60s, the law in the UK said that | | | | didn't seem to have affected his enthusiasm |
| you could ride a motorcycle on a provisional | | | | for speed one little bit). But I moved away, |
| licence up to a certain cubic capacity. I | | | | and recently the sight of a sidecar outfit on |
| think it was 250cc or thereabouts. But, if | | | | the road has become rare enough that you get |
| you stuck a sidecar on, you could ride | | | | the impulse to flag them down for a chat, not |
| anything! So that was one reason why you saw | | | | that I ever actually do that. |
| a lot of sidecars in those days, although to | | | | |
| be honest some of them really weren't any use | | | | Rare beauties So, what's out there? Can you |
| for anything except making the rider legal - | | | | still buy a new sidecar in the 21st century? |
| just extra wheels stuck on the side on | | | | Well, you may be surprised to hear that you |
| whatever attachment they had managed to | | | | can. In fact, there are at least a dozen |
| juryrig together. | | | | different models available in the UK alone, |
| | | | mostly home produced. |
| The other reason sidecars used to be popular | | | | |
| was because it was much cheaper to run a | | | | If you're interested, there are three main |
| motorcycle combination than a car. In those | | | | sources available that I've been able to |
| days, insurance on motorcycles was not as | | | | trace, although there may well be more. |
| prohibitive as it is today. It wasn't | | | | |
| uncommon to see an elderly couple going out | | | | In my opinion, the most attractive of these |
| on a motorcycle (or even a scooter) with the | | | | is the selection available to order from |
| husband on the bike, and the missus in the | | | | Merlin Sidecars. They only do a couple of |
| sidecar, well wrapped up against the cold. | | | | different styles, but both are very nicely |
| | | | put together, and they are made individually |
| I suppose the little group of fledgling | | | | by a family firm. They also have second hand |
| bikers I belonged to should have had more | | | | outfits available. |
| respect for them, but we used to laugh at the | | | | |
| pensioners next door with their Lambretta and | | | | There's also Hedinghams, who have a number of |
| its matching sidecar. Well, they did make | | | | different styles to choose from, all very |
| such a picture. And anyway, they used to take | | | | nicely turned out, and Watsonian-Squire, |
| it to a mechanic when it needed a service! We | | | | whose range is very comprehensive, all |
| just didn't understand that at all, as we | | | | attractive in their own way. They also sell |
| spent almost every weekend stripping down one | | | | complete outfits. |
| bike or another, just because we enjoyed it. | | | | |
| | | | Should you be the proud owner of a Ural |
| The standard type of sidecar on sale in those | | | | motorcycle, there is a supplier of specialist |
| days wasn't much to look at, in fact they | | | | sidecars designed specifically for this |
| could be downright ugly, but if you can get | | | | marque, though to my mind they are rather |
| the balance sorted out properly when you hook | | | | odd-looking. |
| them up, they are very practical. In the late | | | | |
| 80s, we took one down to the Kent Custom Bike | | | | Finally, if you're on the lookout for a |
| Show from East Ham in London, him and me on | | | | second hand motorcycle combination, you may |
| the bike, and the two kids AND all our gear | | | | be lucky at Free Bike Ads. |
| for the weekend, including a whole crate of | | | | |
| Budweiser, in the sidecar. | | | | If you're looking for a sidecar or outfit, I |
| | | | hope this article has been helpful to you. It |
| It was unbelievable just how much this thing | | | | would be nice to see a few more of them out |
| would hold. We took with us a 4-man | | | | there. |