A sidecar named desire
There's something fundamentally slapstick about motorbikes and sidecars, never mind the fact that one holds the outright lap record for Brands Hatch, that makes them irresistible to sitcom writers. I'm ashamed to admit my headline has also been used for a Last of the Summer Wine episode. You never will get the comical separation of bike and chair, as so frequently depicted, but they are a hoot to ride.

It's nothing like a solo bike - you'd be amazed how many bikers don't imagine that third wheel will make a difference. The handlebars are there simply to provide something to hang onto, they're not much cop for steering purposes. No, to go left, you open the throttle. The bike accelerates around the sidecar, and hey presto you're turning anti-clockwise. To turn right, hit the brakes, and the sidecar finds itself moving faster than the bike. Pretty soon you'll be drifting round right-handers and waggling the sidecar wheel in the air round left-handers. Doesn't half impress other road users, that one. Especially your passengers. George and Mildred, my arse.

But the first time you try and ride one, blimey, Charlie. It's worse when you get that tiny bit of confidence, think you've cracked it, and decide to show off to your mates. You belt off round the block, whack open the throttle to get you round the last left-hander, with nonchalant grin under your piss-pot helmet. Then you realise the sidecar wheel isn't actually on terra firma, and nobody's written a post on an online forum telling you that's ok, it happens now and then, and whatever you do don't back off when it does. Your grin takes on something of the rictus, your ingrained habits kick in and your foot stomps the brake pedal while your hand takes a death-grip on the brake lever. If you were paying attention in the previous paragraph, you'll know what happens next: the bike slows, the sidecar slews round, and suddenly your mates are looking much less impressed as a ton of metal, patently out of control, heads straight for them on the pavement.

They jump out of the way as the outfit ploughs into the wall, leaving a huge dent in the brickwork. Bike, sidecar and rider all miraculously unscathed - truly the gods smile on drunks and fools, and, no, I'd not been drinking. All I can say is, there was some pretty impressive forward planning when it came to choosing the site of Bradford Road Safety Centre.
(Mr Apollo Follow me!, Wed 27 Jan 2010, 0:29, 6 replies)

I don't get it
If turning left = bike going faster than sidecar, I'm presuming that the sidecar is on the driver's left? So how does one "waggle the sidecar wheel in the air round left-handers"?
(Vice Admiral Sir Charles Cockbrush KCB MBE DSO, who is finding it increasingly difficult to log into b3ta.com wants to duck your aunt and kick your puppy, Wed 27 Jan 2010, 9:44, closed)

Centripetal? Centrifugal?
I can never remember which is which. But forces generated during cornering push away from the radius of the curve - this is why you get pinned to the back of your seat on the waltzer, and indeed why solo bike riders lean into the turn, to counteract the effect. The connections to your sidecar are (hopefully) rigid, so you can't lean; about the only counter-measure is to load up ballast and/or passengers - look how racing sidecar passengers shift position - although you're better off pillocking around in a car park learning when the wheel will lift.

Actually, once the wheel is lofted, you can achieve another equilibrium - this chap's sidecar is on the right-hand side, but the principle is the same. Some quite impressive waggling, IMHO.
(Mr Apollo Follow me!, Wed 27 Jan 2010, 12:14, closed)

I'm not really a fan of motorbikes and all that, BUT that video of the dude on the kawasaki kicks ass.
(mersault, Wed 27 Jan 2010, 13:08, closed)

finest form of transport ever
I ride a windle 350, soon to be a windle banshee 500, never having ridden a road going outfit my first go as rider was an interesting one. Having passengered for my dad for a while he let me lose round the old anglesea circuit, radar (left hander, tightens over the crest of a hill) was a particular arse loosener. I miss being a passenger, seem to have less control of direction as the rider :)
(danceswithferrets is leaking sanity, Wed 27 Jan 2010, 12:34, closed)

passenger control
I did two seasons as the passenger in/on a yamaha wasp motocross outfit I always thought that I had more control than the driver all he seemed to do was make it go faster or slower it was me that got it round the corners or made it crash (usually)
(johnners hitting things with hammers until they work, Wed 27 Jan 2010, 19:51, closed)

Showing off is such a risky business
My brother-in-law knew a chap at his workplace called "Black Dave" for obvious reasons. He'd gotten himself a new Ducati and was coming into the carpark to show it off.

As he raced in, he did the most impressive wheelie, and then an even more impressive stoppie. Apparently he'd only just meant to go in a bit quickly, but before he knew it, the clocks had hit him in the face, and he'd slammed the brakes on, only to nearly go over the top.

They called him "White Dave" for the rest of the day.
(Kliper Filllets Getting noticed by twats on the internet since, Wed 27 Jan 2010, 14:58, closed)