What is it about side cars?

[balibeemer]

What a great set up - Lovely

[scottyintex]

       A good reason for a sidecar

[Danie]

Lovely pic Scotty - I am sure your grandchildren will remember their grandfather for ever........

[drewboid]

Scotty,
Simply beautiful!!!
Is that a Globe sidecar?
Cast wheels and added lighting look great - puts my 1953 Steib to shame.  I do like the lighter sidecars with a lower HP machine.  Mine is a lot closer to the bike though - and as a result wants to fly when it is unloaded.  If I can find the photos I'll post them.

[not-so-fast-ed]

The wheel, lighting and turn signals really make it look perfect!  WOW!

Nice "Hack", Scotty.

[Justin B.]

I seriously looked at a Vetter Terraplane sidecar for my then new '78 R100 but the dealer talked me out of it.  He was adamant that the "later" Beemers were not suitably "robust", structurally, for sidecar applications.

[scottyintex]

Drew.....it is a Cozy sidecar....I think ....the tub or boat was bought by a buddy of mine and a lot of beer was part of the transaction.  When he sold it to me ........it was a Cozy, then he decided it was a Steib.....then went back to Cozy. The cradle or frame holding it was shop made. The fender and wheel of the sidecar came off a wrecked R65. The bumper in front is off a Steib....the side fender I bought on ebay came off a Cozy, as did the steering damper. The windshield came off a old Honda.  The luggage rack in back is off a Velorex.  I ride a junk yard special or custom bike....take your pick. We tried the sidecar tucked closer to the cycle......looked better......but the ride wasn’t......Would love to see pictures of yours.


Justin, any of the post /2 cycles can easily be reinforced to take a sidecar.  There are kits made to do just that.  Mine has a heavy duty triple tree..makes the cycle two inches longer that a regular R65. The lower point of the sidecar attachment does not connect directly to the cycle frame but to a heavy duty aluminum block. This block in turn is attached to the frame in several places..... spreading out the stress. ....just precautions to be on the safe side. Three years and thousand of miles..........no problems..

      I was talking with a guy at the Classic Rally here in Texas......he has a R75/5 with a Velorex sidecar. He had no frame or triple tree reinforcement. He has had the rig for some 12 years and a lot more miles than me. He has never had a problem. He ask if I had ever actually met anyone who had a frame failure. No..... I have not.......and I have seen a lot of post /2 cycles with sidecars, talked with their owners.  He suggested given the thousands of BMW sidecar hacks out there......there really wasn’t a problem.
      I saw his point......but think I recommend reinforcing. But I also think any airhead BMW can be adapted to safely carry a sidecar. I think you know Perry Bushong.....the Texas expert on sidecars.......who holds the patent for the triple tree I am using. He build a R65 sidecar rig.......  similar to mine .....attaches the same way..........for his son in law.

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

And having the sidecar "out there" a little bit makes valve adjustments and oil changes a lot more accessible.

[aussie]

What a lovely picture. It makes me really want one...(yeah it's a dream - though I've thought about it off and on for some time now) - though I'd want to put it on the 'right' side of the bike  

[Justin B.]

Scotty, Perry was the one who advised me against putting on a sidecar back in '78.  Maybe that was before he figured out he could make lots of money off 'em or because I wasn't going to contract him to do the work?  If I ever find a Terraplane in good shape for cheap...

[drewboid]

OK - here is a pic of the sidecar - a 1953 LS200 - I was at an event taking disabled kids for rides - down the parking lot and back and never out of 2nd gear so no protection. Otherwise it is ATGATT!!!

The hack is a junkyard special from when I was in Germany back in 1970 - rattlecan painted and a little worse for wear. Although you can't see it the sidecar wheel was replaced in France when the original started breaking spokes. The replacement is 19" and has a half hub brake drum. Someday I'll find a chrome moon hubcap to cover it.

[scottyintex]

That looks fun!!! A very nice rig anyway you look at it. Sidecars can be so cool.....I like that original Steib sidecar fender.  My sidecar fender was made from a wrecked R65..but have been thinking about changing it to a different one. One that goes down  deeper....less chance for little fingers to find their way into the spokes. Like you .........my granddaughters and I just ride around a few blocks....in second gear. Also.... I may take the windshield off..or at least cut it down and put a grab rail on the front to make it easier to get in and out.