New member

[SP]

Hi, All.

Having joined last summer, I have benefited a lot from the forum and thought I ought to finally introduce myself. I've an '84 R65 with a Watsonian sidecar that I use daily and am gradually sorting out. She goes pretty well but she's not looking at her best so don't want to embarrass the old girl on camera just yet...

All the best,
SP

[montmil]

Hi, Sp, and welcome to the R65 forum.

Would enjoy seeing a photo of your rig. We used to say about cars, "It looks great from twenty-feet away." So... Just back off a wee bit.  [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

[marcmax]

Hi SP and welcome.  

Please do post a pic of your rig. I have a 1982 R65LS (modified) running a Velorex sidecar that is my daily rider. I love to see R65 sidecar pics because there don't seem to be many of us out there.

[BPT]

I've also got an R65/Velorex combo and I'd like to see something different.  Don't worry about looks.  Think of it like your kid - even if it's ugly you can still be proud of it!    

[SP]

Thanks, All. I'll post some images shortly.

I am glad to hear that there are others with chairs. I have put over 3,000 miles on the outfit in the last six months and have been really impressed by how it handles - as well as how much fun it has made going to work! Plus the chats with random strangers, waves from kids etc. All very civilised.

[SP]

Hi, All. Here she is...

Can anyone recommend a rear tyre for the bike? It's got a Continental Go on the moment which, as would be expected, has lasted very poorly. I have been looking at the Metzeler Block K, which looks as though it ought to fit OK.

[montmil]

The windshield and 'vert top should make passengers happy in wet weather!

[marcmax]

Nice looking rig. I can see why it attracts attention. One of the things I enjoy most about mine is the random chats with people wherever I go. It seems like everyone likes a sidecar.

I am running Metzeler Block K tires front and rear. They are a nightmare to get mounted but it definitely improved the handling. I have had no clearance issues on the rear but the front required some modifications. Since the tire profile is square and not rounded the edges rubbed inside the front fender. Welded a short plate to the fork brace/fender bracket to raise the fender approx 2cm and everything fits fine.

[SP]

Yes, montmil, you need all the weather protection you can get in the UK!

Thanks for the tyre info, marcmax, that's really helpful. Presumably you don't have leading link forks on your outfit?

She goes pretty well but there are, as you can see, lots of jobs to do on the outfit, still. The next is to replace the leaking oil pressure switch when the 24 mm deep socket arrives...

[marcmax]

No leading link forks or modified triple tree yet I think it still handles well. I will never set a speed record but I can keep up with traffic.

I am about to take mine apart and replace the wheel on the chair. Mu R65 is an LS and has the alloy wheels. I found a used LS front wheel and am replacing the spoked wheel on the sidecar so all the wheels match. Will have to go through the alignment process all over again since the original is a 16" wheel and the new one is an 18" one. I also found a used mechanical caliper from a Yamaha 4 wheeler and will see if I can fab a bracket so I can finally have a brake of the sidecar. The original drum brake from Velorex is just not a good match to tie into the rear brake on the R65

[Justin B.]

Dang, youze guyz bolt the chair on the wrong side, too!

Looks cool, I have been looking for an old Vetter Terraplane close to me for several years and will join the club if I can ever locate one.

[montmil]

?.. I have been looking for an old Vetter Terraplane close to me for several years and will join the club if I can ever locate one.

Maybe get Perry to assist in widening your search. He does have the contacts. You've likely seen his FTW operation. I had a 'full access pass' when I met up at Perry's with "Scotty in Texas". One entire building full of sidecars and associated bits.

[BPT]

Thanks for posting the pics, I really like the looks of that sidecar.  I'd like to see some more angles of that, it has some interesting lines.  I've heard the name mentioned but not familiar with the Watsonian.

[BPT]

Perry's a friendly guy, he put up with me hanging around and asking questions.  He can be kind of hard to "pin down", seems he's always going in several different directions at once and sometimes you have to lead him back to whatever you were talking about originally.  But a wealth of information and, yes, pieces and parts and bikes all over the place.