Sidecar

GoldenMotor.com

Bicycle Motor Fun

New Member
Sep 17, 2011
89
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Warren, Michigan
Nice job Russell on your sidecar for your bicycle! There is a fella here in the Detroit area that built a sidecar for his gas powered bicycle and he did a great job on it, but I don't have a photo to offer. I have a Watsonian Monza sidecare attached to my 1954 BSA Golden Flash 650cc motorcycle and it is fun. The attachment is ridged, of course and there are adjustments for toe, etc. The sidecar has a foot brake. For right hand turns, I come into the turn just a bit faster and then apply the sidecar brake and the motorcycle easily completes the turn. Making a left hand turn is similar, except I only brake the motorcycle. It does take a little getting used to it, but not a problem. BMF
 

Russell

Well-Known Member
Apr 19, 2009
1,276
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MA
Nice job Russell on your sidecar for your bicycle! There is a fella here in the Detroit area that built a sidecar for his gas powered bicycle and he did a great job on it, but I don't have a photo to offer. I have a Watsonian Monza sidecare attached to my 1954 BSA Golden Flash 650cc motorcycle and it is fun. The attachment is ridged, of course and there are adjustments for toe, etc. The sidecar has a foot brake. For right hand turns, I come into the turn just a bit faster and then apply the sidecar brake and the motorcycle easily completes the turn. Making a left hand turn is similar, except I only brake the motorcycle. It does take a little getting used to it, but not a problem. BMF
Kinda sounds like rubbing your belly and patting your head, pretty impresive when done right. A picture of the BSA would be good!
 

silverbear

The Boy Who Never Grew Up
Jul 9, 2009
8,325
670
113
northeastern Minnesota
BMF,
It sounds like I may need to re-think my brake situation on my sidecar. I will have a drum brake on my front wheel and a drum brake on the sidecar wheel with a coaster brake in back. Since I have a clutch lever on the left handlebar I thought a dual pull brake lever would be the ticket for the right side. I had not realized that a right turn would be easier with a separate control to just the sidecar wheel. I was just thinking about stopping and not about steering. This is going to take some getting used to.
SB
 

Bike Monster

New Member
Jun 4, 2010
377
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0
Conneticut
Not finished but operational and good enough for pictures.

Bike can lean seperate from sidecar for cornering.
Has a locking trunk , horn, spring seat and a brake.
It has a quick connect / disconnect setup.
Russel im so jealous! nice job!. i want to make a sidecar for my army build but im no t sure if i could do it or not?????
 

Bicycle Motor Fun

New Member
Sep 17, 2011
89
0
0
Warren, Michigan
Silverbear: I will be looking forward in seeing your sidecar build completed! On my BSA/Monza sidecar, the sidecar has its own single wheel suspension. Unlaiden, that is, with no one on the motorcycle in the sidecar, the motorcycle tips away from the the sidecar ever so slightly so when the sidecar is occupied, it is verticle or ever so slightly leaning in towards the sidecar. These adjustments may take a bit of time to do, but they are somewhat critical. I'll keep my eye out for the fella with the bicycle/sidecar that I have seen at our local antique engine/tractor shows here in Michigan (Clio). He powered his bike with a weekwhacker. At the end of the weedwhacker, he had made a cylinder out of rubber, mounted to the end of the weedwhacker drive shaft, that drove the side of the rear wheel. This was the only modification to the weedwhacker, it was one with a automatic clutch. He had the entire assembly fastened to the bikes upper tube with the engine below and in front of the handlebar. It was neat! Enjoy your build, BMF
 

Russell

Well-Known Member
Apr 19, 2009
1,276
155
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MA
Took it out for a 3 hr. ride yesterday. Really rode well. I did feel a bit uncomfortable being about 3 ft further into traffic. What a great reaction from the public. Thumbs up everywhere, even by people passing me.
 

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fasteddy

Well-Known Member
Feb 13, 2009
7,475
4,962
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British Columbia Canada
Fantastic! How did it handle?

Wonder how many dinner conversations started with, you should have seen this neat old motorcycle and sidecar I saw a guy riding today.

A whole lot I'm sure and your on a few phone cameras as well.

Steve.
 

Russell

Well-Known Member
Apr 19, 2009
1,276
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MA
It handled very well. Of course I can only compare it to the first MB that I built. That was an electric with a rigid powered sidecar drive. That was a nightmare.
This one is stable and corners well. I have only carried an 80lb load in it but will up that too 100 lbs for the next extended run. Left turns are a breeze, right turns have to be taken wider but still good.

The sidecar has a brake but I don't think it is needed(unless a panic stop).
Fantastic! How did it handle?

Wonder how many dinner conversations started with, you should have seen this neat old motorcycle and sidecar I saw a guy riding today.

A whole lot I'm sure and your on a few phone cameras as well.

Steve.
 

Ludwig II

Well-Known Member
Jul 17, 2012
5,071
783
113
UK
One thing many of our British sidecar riders did was not have a sidecar brake, but when turning left (some rebellious nations drive on the other side to us), the secret was to slow down early and open the throttle. This is what the old flat cap and double adult Busmar drivers told me, and I have no reason to doubt them.

 
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