Sidecars?

GoldenMotor.com

silverbear

The Boy Who Never Grew Up
Jul 9, 2009
8,325
670
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northeastern Minnesota
The MI design is a nice one. Very good looking, I think. By clicking on an illustration it will make it large enough to read the print. Thanks for sharing the plans, Troy.
SB
 

atombikes

New Member
Feb 14, 2010
525
2
0
Northern VA
Here are the soapbox plans from 1941, there isn't any copyright, as far as I can tell I have the only set of plans...including the Hi Sibley site. I also won some other plans from the 40s for pusher set ups and motor wheels which I will also put up in the correct sub forums.

Put a HF 6.5 engine in the back of that under the body, and add some Honda CX90 wheels and you have a CYCLEKART:

http://www.cyclekarts.com/

(well, not exactly, but it's close enough as a topic for discussion)
 
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chainmaker

Well-Known Member
Jan 19, 2010
2,634
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Ma USA
I saw the cycle car site a bit back, so very cool. Also it seems they have basically the same origins of Boardtrackers..returning GI's looking for that adrenaline rush of combat.
 

mick29

Member
Jun 8, 2009
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Salisbury East
Hey guys, mick29 here, how are all my sidecar buddies ?? cant believe how popular this thread on sidecars has become, is Steve (fasteddy) still around ?? please get in contact my friend haven't spoke for years, I think its time for a new bike and sidecar for me, I have the bug again. Ride safe everyone mick29.we..we.
 

fasteddy

Well-Known Member
Feb 13, 2009
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British Columbia Canada
Hi Mick,
I was looking at the visit count on the sidecar thread yesterday and thought about how, when you started it, you would never have guessed that it would be this big and getting bigger every week. Glad to hear that you are getting back into it. It's hard to stay away from them.
Started another non sidecar build and haven't touched my sidecar in over a year. I have a new electric motor for it and in a couple of months I'll be getting it back on the road. The other build is nearly done after better than 3 years of working on it when I felt like it, which wasn't often obviously. It's gas powered so it will be used mostly in the U.S.

Have a sidecar build planned over the winter.

I'll PM or email you today.

Steve.
 
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fasteddy

Well-Known Member
Feb 13, 2009
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British Columbia Canada
truckd,

I wonder if that was a one off or if they were a commercial venture. A seat, plush interior and a quality stereo. I see a lot of coin tossing going on and the loser rides the scooter.

Steve.
 

truckd

Well-Known Member
Oct 19, 2010
2,837
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palmdale calif
The photo was also taken in Europe and they ride scooters more then full blown bikes but seriously who knows why the guy tossed in so much $$$$$ and time into it? maybe it was his thing? the side car could have been a cion operated childs ride, out side a super market, could have been a carnival ride, go cart he just decided to turn into a side car, who knows why we spend the $$$ that we do on stuff that makes absolutely no sense to others? it's nice and I just thought I'd share his creativity since it was Very Nicely Detailed, did you check out the modern disc brakes on the front of the scooter? it's obvious that he has invested in it as well
 
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fasteddy

Well-Known Member
Feb 13, 2009
7,470
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British Columbia Canada
The family says I spend to much time on the but it pays off at times.

The 1961 Lambretta scooter and sidecar cost him 2,500 British pounds or $4,000 U.S. dollars to buy and build so he could take his 11 year old son with him when he goes riding. He's 44 years old and lives in England.

The 1/4 scale body is built in Belgium and a company in England that sells them in plain white gel coat for 450 pounds or $800 U.S. is [email protected]
The sticker kit is an extra 35 pounds or 56 U.S dollars.

They are made for go karts.

Steve.
 

truckd

Well-Known Member
Oct 19, 2010
2,837
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palmdale calif
I read a very small article about the side car but it never mentioned the particulars as a matter of fact the site I was visiting was about vintage cars.
 

Scott.D.Lang

Member
Jan 1, 2013
406
2
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Chicago
There is not a lot on the subject of sidecars so here is a Watsonian superlight. With a nice schematic type drawing from the patent office. I will post a pic and let you know how I like it when it is finished and on my bike. That is flat iron with very few welds. It was made for the gentleman cyclist who just happened to have a child accompany him on family outings.*grins*
is there somewhere that the bracket that bolts to the bike could be found if I had that or something close it would make me build a side car build instaid of a trike build this winter besides a side car would be more useful Id still get 3 wheels for winter riding and my little girl ( and the wife's dog doodle bug ) who refuses to let me build her a motorized bicycle would be able to go where ever I go.

.trk
 

silverbear

The Boy Who Never Grew Up
Jul 9, 2009
8,325
670
113
northeastern Minnesota
Scott,
I don't think think there is anything ready made out there and good luck finding a Watsonian under carriage and hardware. However, if you look for a link on Watsonian sidecars provided by fasteddie you can see where someone has made one up on the same principles. Also Chainmaker is doing a build using a whizzer engine and is building a sidecar for it using plans from a 1941 soap box derby car. He also has plans for a sidecar frame and attachment hardware along the lines of a Watsonian, but using modern materials for the do it yourselfer.

An advantage over building the trike is that you don't have to buy and maintain another engine. With the sidecar you have two in one. Remove it and you have your two wheeler. Your daughter wants to go... hook it up in a few minutes and you're off. And it will turn heads...
SB
 

Ludwig II

Well-Known Member
Jul 17, 2012
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UK
Beware of the loads a sidecar imposes on a solo. Bicycles and most modern motorcycles aren't built with sidecarring in mind, so you will probable have to beef things up.

Driving: not like a bike, not like a car. Shut off and the sidecar wants to carry on rolling around the outside of you. Open up, you overtake the sidecar and turn that direction. Take time away from the public highway to get used to it before you try to deal with traffic.
 

racie35

Active Member
Nov 17, 2012
1,702
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usa
all those effects can be miniumized with toe, camber and lead adjustments.....they are different to drive though