Sidecars?

[dbmxm]

Alright, so I summoned up all of my image grab skills to bring you these horrid quality pics of the attachments:

I have no idea what order these will be displayed in, but descriptions are as follows:
1. Front triangles on frame downtube
2. Front 1"x1" welded to the trailer
3. Rear peg with hole
4. Rear trailer nubbin
5. Overall View of the frame in paint

 

[silverbear]

Alright, so I summoned up all of my image grab skills to bring you these horrid quality pics of the attachments:

I have no idea what order these will be displayed in, but descriptions are as follows:
1. Front triangles on frame downtube
2. Front 1"x1" welded to the trailer
3. Rear peg with hole
4. Rear trailer nubbin
5. Overall View of the frame in paint

That really helps to see the pictures. So the front mount can allow the attached arm to swivel up and down. I have to figure a way to make an attachment without welding, since I don't weld. There is another way to do it, but what that is I don't know yet. I suppose it also depends on the bike the frame is attached to. The rear mount is different from the one I have which came with the trailer and attaches to the axle with a female receptacle just below the axle nut. The swing arm fits inside it and is held in place with the pin clip.
SB

 

[Kevlarr]

Biggest thing to remember though is it really isn't enough to get the sidecar to lean into a turn, you're still going to end up more or less dragging the sidecar wheel through a turn unless the sidecar wheel lines up perpendicular with the rear wheel.

Think of it as having three wheels inline and only the front turns, one of the two rear wheels is going to have to "scrub" (slide sideways) through a turn.

 

[dbmxm]

Also note that this is on a 20" BMX....so it approximates the height of the trailer really well...

As for a front mount without the welding, you could probably run some threaded rod through the trailer frame toward the frame, then figure out a spring mechanism up to the downtube??? Or you could heat up the rod and bend it.

Oh, and I definitely had to grind down the axle on the wheel to get it to match the axle linkage from the 16" wheel that came on the trailer.

 

[sseisup]

Woah, lots of ideas. I tried a pivoting sidecar on a motorcycle, it was more natural than the rigid set up I have now on my bicycle but the rigid was so easy to build. I'm toying with a body now but wanted to say I added a pocket rocket electric motor. Now with a little pedaling I can out run my 27" Sekia 1000 with a very heavy bike. The batteries make for good balast too. I put the sprocket to a three speed rear tire in place of the sidecar tire so it has gears to boot. I'll get pics up later.

 

[Michigan Mike]

Like you guys, I've been thinking about a sidecar for years. In doing some research on the old timers, including the Watsonian, it seems they were set up so that the connection could flex or turn (not sure how to put it), so that the bike could still lean into turns. Wouldn't it handle kind of weirdly if it can't lean? Anyway, that's what I'm trying to figure out. I keep picturing the front end of an aluminum canoe with it chopped off a few feet back and a wooden squared off end in place as a very cool sidecar. Much of the structural support could be from the canoe itself... strong and lightweight. I've been on the lookout for one wrecked in a rapids. Maybe next summer. Still can't figure out the connection to the bike, though. I also want to be able to detach it easily. Any ideas? Some enterprising machinist could come up with an attachment kit and make some money. I think a lot of motorbikers would be interested in a sidecar if they thought they could put one together themselves and if it could detach.
SB

silverbear,
Just a thought on finding an old canoe ... if there's a canoe rental near you they might have an old beater that's really cheap.

 

[fasteddy]

Pictures by speedydick - Photobucket

I have put the pictures of the side car I'm building as I frame it. Photo bucket above will take you to the sight.
It will be a Chris Craft style boat with mahogany lapstrake sides.
It is 2x4 ft x15" tall. I'll post more photos as i finish it.

Your thoughts, positive or negative are most welcome and if you have a question please ask.

Steve.

 

[silverbear]

Pictures by speedydick - Photobucket

I have put the pictures of the side car I'm building as I frame it. Photo bucket above will take you to the sight.
It will be a Chris Craft style boat with mahogany lapstrake sides.
It is 2x4 ft x15" tall. I'll post more photos as i finish it.

Your thoughts, positive or negative are most welcome and if you have a question please ask.

Steve.

Steve, that's just awesome! I know we're looking at the skeleton, so to speak, and that a beautiful mahogany skin is going to follow, but it's clear you know what you're doing. Not only is it a beautiful build, but you designed it, too! I am impressed sir, and tip my hat to you. (Actually I don't wear a hat, so I tip my imaginary hat... )
SB

 

[fasteddy]

Silver Bear, thank you. I just told BarelyAWake that my brother came into the shop and said when you build the next one you will know what to do. The kid knows me!
If I do do another one it will be 18" wide not 24"
To hard to bend the wood when it's that wide.

Covered the frame with 1/4" luan plywood today and kept thinking about birch bark and spruce root stitching. Gotta tell ya my foot was tapping and I was humming.
That is a got to do.

Saw a side car from the early 1900's and would that be a joy to build. High back and low sides, door. Almost like a throne.
One at a time.

Steve.

 

[Sharksfan]

A friend of mine had a MB with a sidecar that was shaped like a coffin. It was the coolest lookin' bike ever. It was just recently stolen from the Stanford university area. If any one out there hears about or sees this very distinctive ride please contact me through this site.

Sharksfan.

 

[fasteddy]

Can't picture some one riding it around in the area. That is really hard to explain where it came from. Hope he gets it back.

Any pictures?

Steve.

 

[BarelyAWake]

Pictures by speedydick - Photobucket

I have put the pictures of the side car I'm building as I frame it. Photo bucket above will take you to the sight.
It will be a Chris Craft style boat with mahogany lapstrake sides.
It is 2x4 ft x15" tall. I'll post more photos as i finish it.

Your thoughts, positive or negative are most welcome and if you have a question please ask.

Steve.

Now that's gonna look sweet when she's done - it'd be a sign of mighty restraint to not plunk her in the water to take her out for a cruise

chk yer PMs BTW

 

[turtle tedd]

Fasteddy ...side car is lookin fine

 

[fasteddy]

Thanks Tedd. I'm bustin my chops to get it finished and on the bike. My brother weighed it and it was just under 40 pounds. I skinned it with luan and will start doing the mahogany tomorrow.
Building the rear cover at this very monent.

It's been more fun than I've had for a while. The bro. is after me to make a mold for one and make them in fiberglass but I am afraid that isn't going to happen. I'm too happily retired.

 

[silverbear]

Thanks Tedd. I'm bustin my chops to get it finished and on the bike. My brother weighed it and it was just under 40 pounds. I skinned it with luan and will start doing the mahogany tomorrow.
Building the rear cover at this very monent.

It's been more fun than I've had for a while. The bro. is after me to make a mold for one and make them in fiberglass but I am afraid that isn't going to happen. I'm to happily retired.

Well, I think your brother is right in that if you wanted to, I'm sure there would be interested buyers out there for a fiberglass sidecar. Or, make them one at a time out of wood, sweat and blood (at least that's how my woodworking goes) and sell them as a very high end item. Some people out there have lots of money, I heard. Especially if the sidecar can attach and detach from the bike easily and if the attaching device/fittings, whatever don't alter the bike in any permanent way... I can see somebody out there with a restored 40's or 50's cruiser wanting one pretty badly. If it remains a fun thing to do and makes some mad money for another bike project down the line, why not? Lookin' for some more photos, Steve...
SB

 

[fasteddy]

Silver Bear,there was blood in this one. Chiseling some glue off it and thought I better move my hand just in case. Moved it and at the same time I slipped and the end of my thumb got the skin cleaned off it.
Truly amazing how many times you bang your thumb when it's sore.

Will take some pictures of the side car in a few minutes. The plywood skin is on it and it looks more like a boat than a bunch of sticks on a raft.

I am trying to picture one of these as adult sized. If the one I'm building was a shape other than like a boat I do think it would work.
More of a traditional shape would work.
I could make a plug and see just what a fiberglass shop would want to make a mold and produce them. Just something to sell on the site to other MBers.

I asked my Mom yesterday if she could remember what make of motor cycle that she and my uncle were sitting on as kids. That was some 90 years ago and she couldn't remember but she did say it was a very short life span for the maker.
The first time he took my grandmother for a ride they wound up in the ditch. Seems granddad had been in the pub for a while just before.

Steve.

 

[cinelliphyle]

Here are A few shots of a side car and bike I built. The side car is made from an old wooden canoe and the bike started life as a rusty relic in my yard.
cinelliphyle...

 

[silverbear]

Here are A few shots of a side car and bike I built. The side car is made from an old wooden canoe and the bike started life as a rusty relic in my yard.
cinelliphyle...

Welcome to the forum. I think you have to post a couple more messages before you can post a photo, so you might try responding to this and give it another shot then with the pictures. I'm really interested in seeing your sidecar as I've had the same thought using either an aluminum front end, wooden or birchbark...
SB

 

[fasteddy]

Image hosting, free photo sharing & video sharing at Photobucket

I have put some more photos of the side car I'm building on photo bucket. Doesn't look so much like a bunch of sticks on a raft.
I covered the frame with 1/4" luan to make the the sides smoother and give the Mahogany strips some thing to nail and glue to.

A lot of this is recycled wood. Part because it just seems right but mostly because I'm a cheapskate no good.

The mahogany was door and window casings that my brother put away 20 years ago when he remodeled the house. They were just to nice to throw away.
I ripped them into 2" strips and and then ripped them in half and ran them through the planner to 1/8" thick. Yes we have a small full scale wood working shop but that only came after we retired.

I wanted to lapstake the sides{lay one board over the other} but it was a lot of work and I wasn't that good at it.
I will be taking the BarelyAWake machinist and boat building course in beautiful downtown Maine this summer. The guy is a whiz.
In the end I just butted them together and glued and nailed them down.

Lots of nail holes to fill and the mahogany being thin it cupped when it was wet with glue so the whole darned thing had to be sanded smooth. Yippee. I had to fight my brother off that job! He was good enough though to come into the work shop and point out any errors every 1/2 hour or so.

The windshield will have plexiglass in it and the the interior will be upholstered with Naugahyde.

The batteries will be under the motor cover in the rear. We can only have electric bikes in British Columbia.

The one thing I would do differently is I would make it 4' x 1 1/2', not 4'x2'. It is just to wide to bend the strips and puts pressure on them and a couple of them cracked.

I'm going to stain the mahogany dark with a red tone to it and then apply 6 to 8 coats of gloss spar varnish. That part is up to the owner and if you want to do one there is no set colour choice.

If you want to build one with out the problem of applying the strips, a good mahogany plywood is a great choice. The door and window casings were free so......

I would have used a good dark luan plywood to if that was all I could get. I've finished 1/8" door skins and been darned proud of the job.
I restored antique furniture for over 40 years so that to gives me a bit of knowledge that came in handy.
The Monark bike on Photobucket is the bike I will be restoring and using on the side car.
I'll show how I'm attaching the side car to it as I go along.

If you have a question or a comment about what I've done please email or PM me. I'd like to hear from you.

Steve.

 

[silverbear]

Image hosting, free photo sharing & video sharing at Photobucket

I have put some more photos of the side car I'm building on photo bucket. Doesn't look so much like a bunch of sticks on a raft.
I covered the frame with 1/4" luan to make the the sides smoother and give the Mahogany strips some thing to nail and glue to.

A lot of this is recycled wood. Part because it just seems right but mostly because I'm a cheapskate no good.

The mahogany was door and window casings that my brother put away 20 years ago when he remodeled the house. They were just to nice to throw away.
I ripped them into 2" strips and and then ripped them in half and ran them through the planner to 1/8" thick. Yes we have a small full scale wood working shop but that only came after we retired.

I wanted to lapstake the sides{lay one board over the other} but it was a lot of work and I wasn't that good at it.
I will be taking the BarelyAWake machinist and boat building course in beautiful downtown Maine this summer. The guy is a whiz.
In the end I just butted them together and glued and nailed them down.

Lots of nail holes to fill and the mahogany being thin it cupped when it was wet with glue so the whole darned thing had to be sanded smooth. Yippee. I had to fight my brother off that job! He was good enough though to come into the work shop and point out any errors every 1/2 hour or so.

The windshield will have plexiglass in it and the the interior will be upholstered with Naugahyde.

The batteries will be under the motor cover in the rear. We can only have electric bikes in British Columbia.

The one thing I would do differently is I would make it 4' x 1 1/2', not 4'x2'. It is just to wide to bend the strips and puts pressure on them and a couple of them cracked.

I'm going to stain the mahogany dark with a red tone to it and then apply 6 to 8 coats of gloss spar varnish. That part is up to the owner and if you want to do one there is no set colour choice.

If you want to build one with out the problem of applying the strips, a good mahogany plywood is a great choice. The door and window casings were free so......

I would have used a good dark luan plywood to if that was all I could get. I've finished 1/8" door skins and been darned proud of the job.
I restored antique furniture for over 40 years so that to gives me a bit of knowledge that came in handy.
The Monark bike on Photobucket is the bike I will be restoring and using on the side car.
I'll show how I'm attaching the side car to it as I go along.

If you have a question or a comment about what I've done please email or PM me. I'd like to hear from you.

Steve.

Steve, that's awesome! Your Monarch is very cool... that's going to be the standout rig at the Ontario rally this coming summer. Aaniimoosh is going to want a ride, you know. We'll have to get her some goggles and a scarf that matches the bike color... which is going to be...?
SB