Author Topic: Gearing down  (Read 1770 times)

Offline bikerbob

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Re: Gearing down
« Reply #15 on: 27.11. 2017 19:58 »
If you want to keep up with modern traffic then ride solo, with a sidecar attached forget about keeping up with today's traffic by keeping solo gearing. The gearing does not affect the stability of the bike but speed does, going round a corner either left or right on a solo machine makes no difference the stability does not change. On a bike with a sidecar you can go round a right hand corner much faster than a left hand corner, take a left hand corner too fast and the sidecar will come up off the ground losing you control of the bike this happens easier with sports sidecars simply because they are lighter. Back in the day it was not uncommon  to put a bag of sand in the sidecar to help stability when not having a person in the sidecar. I know all this from experience when in my youth I used to borrow my fathers Gold Flash which had a child adult Canterbury sidecar fitted, I also rode a neighbours Ariel twin with a Steib sidecar fitted.  As a family years ago we would travel all over the country on more than one occaision travelling from NE England down to the South Coast me and my brother on my Norton 88 solo and dad and the rest of the family with the sidecar outfit dad would criuse at about 50mph top speed I would belt on ahead  for a while then stop and wait for them to catch up even then 50mph was quite slow for me, now even on my A7 or A65 I rarely go above 55mph. I,m showing my age now.
56 A7 s/a
63 A65

Offline RogerSB

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Re: Gearing down
« Reply #16 on: 03.12. 2017 12:15 »
Hi Roy, I'm late here but in the mid 60s I put a Canterbury Double Adult on my Golden Flash (the one in the picture). Had it on for about a year to transport my girl friend (now my wife) around in absolute luxury - so it must have worked. I never changed the sprocket from the 21 toothed solo sprocket and never found it was a problem. Then easy to take the chair off and go back to solo - which I did a couple of times.


When you fit your chair don't forget to tighten the steering damper down or you'll drive up the road doing tank slappers. Beware going around left corners too fast as you can lift the sidecar wheel off the ground and steering is more of a push and pull on the handlebars,


Great fun though, I loved it.

1960 Golden Flash

Offline Greybeard

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Re: Gearing down
« Reply #17 on: 03.12. 2017 13:19 »
My A10 had a sidecar chassis when I bought it. I made a body for the sidecar; tried it; hated it; took the sidecar off.

In olden times when folks couldn't afford a car a sidecar outfit for the family, or even a girlfriend must have seemed like a great idea, however if you've already been a car driver and a solo motorbike rider a combo seems to be the worst of both worlds, at least in colder climates; you can no longer zip about among the traffic and you, the driver, have to sit in the pouring rain for hours. That's exactly what made me give up the sidecar: my wife and I went to visit parents one rainy Saturday in the winter. We got stuck in traffic on Londons South Circular road. Janet was ok in the sidecar, (although probably freezing her wottsits off) while I just got soaked to the skin! I swore never to do that again! The chair was off and put in Exchange & Mart in double quick time.
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Online JulianS

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Re: Gearing down
« Reply #18 on: 03.12. 2017 13:44 »
Keep solo gearing results in poor acceleration and flexibility - ok if you are riding a nice long straight road maybe. But not much fun on country roads or on an organised run.

The sidecar will add about 200 lbs weight or almost half the bikes weight.


Offline RogerSB

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Re: Gearing down
« Reply #19 on: 03.12. 2017 16:36 »
Going from memory riding solo and driving an outfit you need a totally different outlook and handling technique but I quite enjoyed it. I have fond memories of poodling along with my left elbow resting on the top of the sidecar.

My only experience was with the Canterbury Double Adult, and it was a very big sidecar but I don't ever remember my Golden Flash struggling with it and here in the south west it's very, very hilly. I would imagine a light single seater would be a doddle. The Canterbury had windows front and back with three on the sides and one seat behind the other. It had a canvass press studded top which could be rolled up and secured with straps, so a nice sun roof and you could easily chat with your passenger.  I do remember on more than one occasion having to retrace my journey to look for the perspex windows that blew out . . . so I must have been able to go  r-e-a-l-l-y  fast!

There were other benefits that I remember, and not being a car driver in those days, that I liked, such never having to pull my bike onto the main stand - just leave it in gear. Get on it like you would a horse, easy position to kick start it, somewhere to keep your waterproofs and anything else you want to carry.

My best friend was a motorcycle salesman for Kings of Oxford and he got it for me for a knock down price and helped me fit it to my GF. The one thing we forgot was to firm up the steering with the damper and on my first test ride, being used to riding solo, I opened the throttle and nearly hit the wall. I remember you had to fit it with a certain amount of lean out and tow in for stability.

1960 Golden Flash

Offline RoyC

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Re: Gearing down
« Reply #20 on: 03.12. 2017 17:58 »
you can no longer zip about among the traffic and you, the driver, have to sit in the pouring rain for hours. That's exactly what made me give up the sidecar:

I don't intend going out in the rain.
1968. It was going down the outside of stationary traffic that made me end up in hospital for 6 months and 7 months convalescence after that.
I was in a traffic jam, so I overtook on the outside, only 5 to 10 mph, a Austin A35 van came out of a side road and that was it.
I still suffer with a stiff / painful left ankle, that is why, if I want to ride my BSA I have to have a sidecar.

Roy.
My bike is a 1958 A7SS
Staffordshire UK

Offline Greybeard

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Re: Gearing down
« Reply #21 on: 03.12. 2017 18:23 »
you can no longer zip about among the traffic and you, the driver, have to sit in the pouring rain for hours. That's exactly what made me give up the sidecar:
I don't intend going out in the rain.

No one intends going out in the rain; it just happens!  ;)

Quote

1968. It was going down the outside of stationary traffic that made me end up in hospital for 6 months and 7 months convalescence after that.
I was in a traffic jam, so I overtook on the outside, only 5 to 10 mph, a Austin A35 van came out of a side road and that was it.
I still suffer with a stiff / painful left ankle, that is why, if I want to ride my BSA I have to have a sidecar.

Fairy Nuff. Sorry to hear you were unlucky.  *countdown*
Greybeard (Neil)
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Offline duTch

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Re: Gearing down
« Reply #22 on: 04.12. 2017 03:27 »

 
Quote
No one intends going out in the rain; it just happens!  ;)

 But some (one) is silly enough to do it 3 times in as many days.... *bash*

 But at least it isn't cold
Started building in about 1977/8 a on average '52 A10 -built from bits 'n pieces never resto intended -maybe 'personalised'
Have a '74 850T Moto Guzzi since '92-best thing I ever bought doesn't need a kickstart 'cos it bump starts sooooooooo(mostly) easy
Australia