Sidecars - On both sides....

[robbieguy2003]

Ok... Random question time. Is it possible to have a sidecar on both sides of a motorbike, i.e. one on the left and one on the right?

Also, is there a reason why they're either on the left or right? It's just a random question that's came up in conversation, and I thought someone on bikechat might know!

I'm either expecting decent replies, a coolstory bro or a picture of nobcat. Surprise me BCF!
____________________
Current Bikes: Honda CBR 600RR - '07, Suzuki GSX1250 FA ST '11
Old Bikes: Suzuki Intruder 125 LC - '2001, Honda CBR 600F - '92, Honda CBR 600RR - '03

[Timmeh]

https://www.bikechatforums.com/download.php?id=87054
____________________
GSXR400 x2 | '94 RVF400 | '93 TZR125 4DL (again)
20:22:30 BLUEX5: i would love to be forced to undergo a**l plugging with different sizes
20:48:18 Temeluchus: comp you hunk of smouldering homos3x you

[N cee thirty]

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b1/The_Russian_two-wheel_car_in_London._1914.jpg
____________________
'00 Aprilia RS50 > '92 Honda CG > '99 Yamaha Fazer > '91 Yamaha RXS > '79 Suzuki X5 > 01' Honda Cg > 07' Honda Cg > 82' Kawasaki Z200 > suzuki gsxr 400 gk73a > honda vfr 400 NC30 Mod 2 Passed 09/06/2011

Jewlio Iglesias wrote: I actually did vote BNP once

[Fisty]

Left and right..... think about where the passenger sits in your car..... then think of a car in france.....
____________________
Quietly and consistently taking the piss.
TL1000R | Hayabusa | ZXR400 | TL1000S | Bandit 400 V
Fatter and faster than Fret

[Drworm]

https://motorcycle-74.blogspot.co.uk/2011/02/double-sidecar.html

https://i.imgur.com/5HIRU.jpg



____________________
Previous Bike: Honda CBF 125, Honda CB600F Hornet
Current Bike: Kawasaki Z750

[Teflon-Mike]

Construction & Use regulations.

I believe that the C&U regs were first introduced in the Mid 60's about the same time as the MOT test was introduced, and they specifically prohibited twin side-cars.

It had been implicitly prohibited in the 1930's by taxation rules, that counted wheels.

There was a Brough that used a double rear wheel, to handle the torque of an Austin car engine, even though the tyres were set about 1/2" apart, on a single wheel, the tax department deemed it a 'trike'. Fitted with a side-car, it was then deemed a 'car', because it had four wheels, to stop people buying one and avoiding higher car tax.

Same would have applied if two side-cars were fixed to one bike; it would have been deemed a car and subject to higher tax.

In the 1980's; the C&U regs were revised to demand that the side-car was fitted to the left of a bike.

This was the contension that surrounded the two-wheel drive 'Ural' outfit, the Russian built version of BMW Wiemach blitzen-bike.

The shaft drive crown wheel providing the power take off to power the side-car wheel on the right, for a Left-Hand-Drive 'outfit', and denied practical re-engineering to be converted to a left hand 'chair'; hence UK Urals were single wheel drive.

However, some people tried to get round the C&U regs registering them as trikes, rather than outfits, which ran foul of the MOT regs, as they 'failed' on technicalities such as the symetrical placement of lamps!

NOW, we have the EU Harmonisation rules, that insist that if a vehicle can be registered in one EU Menber-state, bu restriction to movement of goods, it must be registerable in another.... though there are exceptions for certain local requirements.

Which has, I believe left the matter in something of a hyatus, where few have definative answers as to whats technically legal or not!
____________________
My Webby'Tef's-tQ, loads of stuff about my bikes, my Land-Rovers, and the stuff I do with them!
Current Bikes:'Honda VF1000F' ;'CB750F2N' ;'CB125TD ( 6 3 of em!)'; 'Montesa Cota 248'. Learner FAQ's:= 'U want to Ride a Motorbike! Where Do U start?'

[fatpies]

[U_W v2.0]

i think having that much weight would cause steering to be so sevearly affected it would end up going in a spiral.

also it would probably twist the framework
____________________
BCF's biggest cunt list: Cansa, Pits, Rob

[Frost]

On racing outfits you can have it on either side, but it's usually on the left as most tracks are clockwise and therefore have more rights than lefts.

[Spudly]

[U_W v2.0]

[cimbian]

I used to ride with a Squire chair to get round the car-licence regs. No one told me (and it was before internet) that I had to accelerate to turn left and decelerate to turn right. Once I got the hang of it it was fine, but up on the kerb a few times!
____________________
22PlusY
Current: Moto Guzzi 1100 Breva. Previous: Honda XL650V TransAlp
Bearded, Balding, Born again Buddhist Biker

[recman]

[Teflon-Mike]

[sickpup]

[covent.gardens]

[sickpup]

[stinkwheel]

I do know someone who tried to register a bike with a chair on each side and they were refused saying it was a car and as such had to conform to minimum radius regulations.

Sidec*rs are however the work of the devil and should never be ridden under any circumstances. I have scars to prove it.

A sidec*r is a vehicle that only runs in a straight line due to an opposing and equal sum of instabilities. Everything about them is counter-intuative and a general abomination.

A right hand sidec*r is more of the same, only worse because they try to make you run the chair into oncoming traffic instead of parked cars and you can't see to overtake in them.

Just say AAARRGH FUUUUCCCCK NONONO! to sidec*rs.
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Timmeh]

Years ago I saw some article about sidecars, think it was BMW that done one with a tricked-up hydraulic rig so that the car leans over as the bike does, so it corners properly (or close enough)

I wouldn't even dream of riding with one, I'd forget it was there and bin it headfirst into a car or something.
____________________
GSXR400 x2 | '94 RVF400 | '93 TZR125 4DL (again)
20:22:30 BLUEX5: i would love to be forced to undergo a**l plugging with different sizes
20:48:18 Temeluchus: comp you hunk of smouldering homos3x you

[Teflon-Mike]

[cimbian]

[Dan79]

The 1986 Construction & use regs s8, give a maximum width of "any other motor vehicle" that can be used on the highway as 2.5m; would a motorcycle with a side car on each side exceed that limit ?

I guess that such a vehicle might also require relatively softer suspension on the sidecars than that on the driven rear wheel (and perhaps also a heavier than average rider), in order to maintain decent traction on the driven wheel on uneven ground.
____________________
Previous bikes - 1984 Honda VF500 (FII) Interceptor and 1990 Yamaha RXS100
Current bikes - 1984 Honda VF500 (V30) Magna