Fitting a sidecar.

I’m drawn to the idea of fitting a Watsonian International sidecar to my R80ST. I can work out the advantages (to me) but as I’ve never had a chair before I’d be interested to hear from anyone who’s done similar and regretted it. First hand experiences only please. It’s a big commitment to make.

You might wait a lifetime if you want first hand experiences of that! I've never ridden a bike and sidecar in my life. However a few years ago this guy had a sidecar for sale that looked like the one in your photo, complete with fitting kit for a G/S, which is essentially what the ST is.

Godin Sporting Cars & Motorcycles Ltd.
20-22 The Alders Estate
Seven Mile Lane
Mereworth
Kent
ME18 5JG

Sales: +44 (0) 16228 14140
Mobile: +44 (0) 77699 70559

ant@anthonygodin.co.uk

Good luck,

Steve.

This is the chair I’m interested in. I wasn’t expecting experiences of this type specifically but any negative aspects of sidecar ownership would be helpful to determine as to wether I take the plunge myself. I will be arranging a test ride to see if I like it.

Pm Bakerman on this site, he used to have an airhead with sidecar attatched.

Thanks. I will.

I had a chair on my Ural back in the day - fitted on the RHS (imported from Germany). Had no car and it performed most functions for us. It was brilliant and a huge amount of fun. Rubbish at filtering, but relatively easy to bash back into shape after trying. I currently (30yrs on) have a Steib 501, but it is currently removed and will be re-fitted when my knees no longer support the bike. Go borrow someones outfit before making the commitment, but I am pretty sure you will enjoy the experience

When I was 17 I fitted a Watsonian double adult to a 500 AJS single, as I intended riding to work through the winter snow, ice and slush - I was in Scotland at the time.
But that was so long ago I cant really remember much about it, but I can confirm that the are no good for filtering!

But as already stated thay are a acquired taste and well worth a trial first.

It is essential that they are expertly fitted, as small changes make a big difference to the handling.

I would stick to the smallest, lightest chair you can find if you intend using stock wheels and forks.

Remember too that when / if you remove the chair you will have a flat tread on both tires, and unless you want to find out what a real lock to lock tank slapper feels like they will need to be replaced - DAHIK!

I’ve been given a link to the British Federation of Sidecar clubs. There is a member there that runs lessons. I’ll give that a try as Watsonian don’t allow demos.

I’ve only ever ridden a bike with a sidecar once and it was dreadful - a huge double adult thing attached to an early 60’s Triumph, which I presume was badly aligned as the bike weaved violently from 1mph to it’s max speed of about 30mph.

I would still quite like to try a very light chair on my BSA.

The downside.... Fuel economy... Can't filter....your average speed for covering distance reduces on twisty roads. It's more demanding of you physically and mentally.

There are times I've not really enjoyed having the chair on the bike. The main time that's sticks is the run up to Scotland on the M6 on some of those very long inclines with wife, child, border collie and luggage all on board, the drag on the left meant for long periods of time pushing against the bars to go straight. It's a very different experience. You can't really see it as a 3 wheeled motorcycle. It's like nothing else because of the weight hanging off the side. Equally it's not like driving a car either. You need to still be very active shifting your weight and leaning.

That said when I've been out on it with just me and the sprog it's a hoot as I'm not worried about wifey hanging on.

The first time the chair lifts on a tight left turn and your heading for the oncoming traffic will scare the shit out of you!

I'm about to do the Mk2 of my outfit. I'm going to sell the Monaco I currently have strapped to the bike and change to a swing setup with smaller lighter chair.

BTW if you get an outfit try and get one with a brake on the chair wheel, it makes downhill left hand turns on tight steep roads far less scary.

Is it worth it...if you love all things bike yes. But I'd keep a solo bike if you can. Outfits in my view aren't replacements of bikes if your doing this just for fun.

blueranger, thanks. Good first hand objectivity. I have other bikes. This idea is ‘as well as’.

I had a Ural, you go nowhere fast on a Ural, it only had the two wheels braked, and when you need to stop quickly on damp roads, you end up sideways,

Great fun though, I tried a few long journeys, and despite the speed, were an adventure, it’s tiring work though, if your not used to it, mostly though I used it around the local lanes, like you would an open topped sports car, a day out when it was sunny,
I bought it to go adventure camping, and would consider another once I retired, you need to ride it distances, when the roads are quiet, otherwise you wish you were on a solo bike,
The positives of the Ural was it had reverse gear, the negative was it was a Ural, and not very well made,

I wouldn’t buy one if I couldn’t ride a normal bike, and if I did, it would be something light weight.

Thought I'd chip in as a recent outfit convertee

Had been looking on and off for about 12 years but never quite found one that ticked all the boxes of bike, car & price.

My wife found one on Ebay about 3 weeks ago that was being sold from darkest Lincolnshire! A Yamaha Diversion hooked up to a Watsonian. I'd never ridden one before either. Luckily for me Andy_B11 offered to pick me up from the station, drive to pick it up, an overnight stay at his with some instruction and then he'd follow me back as he was working in Barrow in Furness the next week, although if I'd shit myself he was happy to ride it back and me drive his van.

So we picked up the outfit, Andy gave me the theory after checking the bike etc over. I did a few figure of eights round the car park and then off we set back to his house 40 miles away. He'd come up with a route that was as straight as possible but even so, I shit myself exiting the first roundabout, car wheel came up and I was heading to the central reservation. "common sense" told me to let go of the throttle but remembering his words I accelerated and all was ok.
The following day he left the choice of roads to me, basically it was either A1 and cut across or M6 to Kendal. After much prevarication I opted for the M6 mainly because it was raining and I could spend the journey going at a decent speed in a straight line for probably 90% of the journey and on a wet Sunday afternoon it wouldn't be that busy. At 65 to 70 it initially felt like a bucking bronco beneath me, I was soaked to the core very quickly. Needing to fill up just before the M6 toll we lost each other primarily because of the jobsworth taking my cash and refusing to let me through until I could get my sodden tight gloves back on!!!!!

I pulled in at Keele services for a coffee and some warmth, Andy rang my mobile and I said I was happy to do the rest of the journey on my own and thanks for helping, he'd also leant me a thermal hi viz jacket because of the weather (apologies to Tarka for this ). So basically it was a 250 mile drive home, the first 180 miles of which was rain. Just north of Preston the rain stopped and it became warmer so I could relax and enjoy. Quite curious that the camber of the M6 seemed in the main to favour outfits in that a lot of the left hand bends were uphill and the right hand bends downhill. Got home after about 6 hours on the road absolutely soaked through but grinning like a maniac..........

As a novice with only 3 rides under my belt I'd concur with what blueranger and ianboydsnr said.

In summary

Fuel econmy atrocious, I needed to fill up 3 times to cover 250 miles.
Did I shit myself, yes several times but you should be ok if you realise the implications of how these things ride.
Is it hard work, yes at the moment, I don't know if it will get easier or just more fun
I certainly will keep my other bike.
Read the theory both before and after the first ride.
Sidecar brake is essential imo.
Is the outfit a keeper? Maybe, the primary reason for getting it was so that me, wife and dog can pootle around the Lakes, they both fit in the sidecar. Wife thinks her pillion days are behind her due to disc problems and dog was happy as long as he is not alone!

If my wife likes it then it will be a keeper, tbh I have concerns about how she will feel as a sidecar passenger, watch this space!

Hello I have a g/s from about 1981 that was fitted from new by headingham with an ATH chair . It’s the only one they ever made and is an object of some beauty. You would be welcome to look and perhaps have a go on it . I live in Bognor . If I knew how to put photos on I would of course do it ? I do know how to email them if you give email Or someone tell me how to post pictures ?.. best wishes Michael

Something to think about....
Not sure how difficult it would be to do with the watsonian international.

https://youtu.be/SOIPkPR48x4

The only thing I'd want to do is be able to lock it rigid. When your loaded up with luggage and pillion it's a God send. Petrol stations become a simple affair.

Coutts said:

Hello I have a g/s from about 1981 that was fitted from new by headingham with an ATH chair . It’s the only one they ever made and is an object of some beauty. You would be welcome to look and perhaps have a go on it . I live in Bognor . If I knew how to put photos on I would of course do it ? I do know how to email them if you give email Or someone tell me how to post pictures ?.. best wishes Michael

Click to expand...

I’ll send you a pm. Thanks.