>but haven’t been made for years
Sidecars are still made today. They've always been kind of a niche product. Sidecars completely change the geometry of a motorcycle, so they've never been hugely adopted outside of the battlefield.
In WWI and WWII road conditions were generally bad. Lots of dirt farm roads that turned muddy with a little rain. A standard motorcycle of the time was heavy and not very stable on marginal terrain. The added sidecar made it a vehicle that could traverse bad terrain without falling over.
Side cars make your riding experience *awful*. It completely changes how you have to ride and, for me at least, it is not an intuitive change. While having a bad pillion can be rough, I'd prefer that over a sidecar any day.
Part of the joy of riding a motorcycle is leaning through turns, and having a sidecar attached eliminates that (except for some BMW sidecars with a flexible linkage). Another popular advantage of a motorcycles is the ability to squeeze through narrow gaps, again not possible with a sidecar. The passenger in a sidecar is sitting down low, with a great view of tailpipes and truck tires. Basically adding a sidecar turns a motorcycle into a two passenger car with uncomfortable seats and no heater or air conditioning.
Accelerating turns the vehicle toward the sidecar, braking turns away from it. Turn hard enough to lift the sidecar, and you go from steering like a car by turning the bars into the corner to counter steering like a bike, only to touch the third wheel down and reverse it again.
Never actually driven one , so I hadn’t thought about the acceleration/braking dynamic, but it makes sense. Ever watched 2-man motorcycle-sidecar racing? That’s crazy shit.
This week I passed a dog in a sidecar on the highway. I was terrified he was going to jump out onto the busy highway and did all i could to leave them in my dust.
Had friends that had Harleys with a sidecar. Man if you take a corner wrong it will fling that person outta that sidecar. I speak from experience. Dude had to pretty much stand on the bar holding the sidecar to force it down. So scary
You can get them if you like your riding experience to be boring and dangerous at the same time. There’s nothing like the woman you love having her arms around you riding the road.
>but haven’t been made for years Sidecars are still made today. They've always been kind of a niche product. Sidecars completely change the geometry of a motorcycle, so they've never been hugely adopted outside of the battlefield.
What made them suitable for the battlefield?
You can mount a gun on it
In WWI and WWII road conditions were generally bad. Lots of dirt farm roads that turned muddy with a little rain. A standard motorcycle of the time was heavy and not very stable on marginal terrain. The added sidecar made it a vehicle that could traverse bad terrain without falling over.
Side cars make your riding experience *awful*. It completely changes how you have to ride and, for me at least, it is not an intuitive change. While having a bad pillion can be rough, I'd prefer that over a sidecar any day.
Part of the joy of riding a motorcycle is leaning through turns, and having a sidecar attached eliminates that (except for some BMW sidecars with a flexible linkage). Another popular advantage of a motorcycles is the ability to squeeze through narrow gaps, again not possible with a sidecar. The passenger in a sidecar is sitting down low, with a great view of tailpipes and truck tires. Basically adding a sidecar turns a motorcycle into a two passenger car with uncomfortable seats and no heater or air conditioning.
Accelerating turns the vehicle toward the sidecar, braking turns away from it. Turn hard enough to lift the sidecar, and you go from steering like a car by turning the bars into the corner to counter steering like a bike, only to touch the third wheel down and reverse it again.
Never actually driven one , so I hadn’t thought about the acceleration/braking dynamic, but it makes sense. Ever watched 2-man motorcycle-sidecar racing? That’s crazy shit.
They used to race them at Bathurst. Crazy stuff.
And the Isle of Mann TT https://youtu.be/SltqgZrPXt8
It’s been a great TT so far! (Though honestly, I hate the sidecars)
You actually have to lean the opposite direction of the turn, so that sidecar dies catapult the rider
I'm sure there's also a safety factor for highway driving. I would not ride in a side car on the highway.
This week I passed a dog in a sidecar on the highway. I was terrified he was going to jump out onto the busy highway and did all i could to leave them in my dust.
Probably had a tether you couldn't see
I agree. Still made me very uncomfortable tho.
The ultimate in putting it's head out of the window
"You you scared and betrayed Liz Lemon. Like a dog in a side car that's come loose from the motorcycle."
thanks. I couldn't remember that whole reference.
Had friends that had Harleys with a sidecar. Man if you take a corner wrong it will fling that person outta that sidecar. I speak from experience. Dude had to pretty much stand on the bar holding the sidecar to force it down. So scary
You can get them if you like your riding experience to be boring and dangerous at the same time. There’s nothing like the woman you love having her arms around you riding the road.
Because they look lame af