WWI machine gunner
with AJS V-twin
is on the race track, especially on
traditional road circuits like the Isle of Man.
Some would argue that the race machines of
today are not really traditional motorcycles with
sidecars, but monocoque bodies with three
wheels. This may be so, but that is evolution.
In road racing, competitors in classic classes still
resemble motorcycles with sidecars attached, but
modern outfits are long and low, with fat tyres,
As far as numbers go, the heyday of the motorcycle
and sidecar was between the First and Second
World Wars, but it didn’t end there. At the 1960
Motorcycle show in London, there were ten sidecar
ranges exhibited, in both saloon and sports forms.
So it seems the demand for three wheels carried
Isle of Man 1954
well into the 1960s. After the 1960s, however,
cheaper cars and delivery vans began to take
their toll on sidecar sales. Manufacturers began to
concentrate on solo commuter vehicles, and the
leisure market. The result was that the classic sidecar
combination has become a rare sight on modern
roads. But that is by no means the end of the story.
The motorcycle sidecar has captured an enduring
following amongst enthusiasts. There are sidecars
being built in India, the Netherlands, China, the UK,
Russia, Australia, USA, Switzerland, and Finland.
An area where sidecars have survived in numbers
Isle of Man 2002.
What a difference
48 years makes
and appear to borrow technology and ideas from
open wheel race cars. Sidecars have also been used
in motocross, enduro, trials, and speedway. Unlike
outfits used for transport, in racing the passenger
becomes an integral part of the whole performance.
In fact a racing outfit would likely be almost
unrideable, or at least uncompetitive, without the
passenger providing valuable balancing assistance.
It seems there are sufficient enthusiasts
out there to keep this very colourful and
historically relevant branch of motorcycling
alive, on both the road and the track.
If you have an interest in sidecars a good starting
point would be New Zealand Sidecars 07 5494438
or 027 2810454 [email protected]. They
are based in Katikati and are the New Zealand
representatives for Watsonian sidecars. Founded
in England in 1912 they are still trading as
Watsonian Squire today. The proprietor is a
member of the British Motorcycle Federation
and the Sidecar Association of the USA.
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