Motorcycle and sidecar.

[Joanl 12]

In my early childhood we went all over in my dads motorbike and sidecar. It was a BSA bike and a Watsonian Sidecar......I sometimes got to sit on the pillion behind dad with my mom and lttle brother in the sidecar. Blackpool, Mablethorpe, Aysgarth etc.....I didn't like it though when we went anywhere that meant we had to go over the Snake.....

[flyer 10]

on long trips to yarmouth my wife use to change the babys nappy from the pillion, tent & blankets ect up the nose, two babys in the back, pots &pans hanging all over the place we looked like a family of Gypsys but oh what fun we had, when the third kid came along(my wifes fault LOL )had to move to four wheels, still did a lot of touring but not quite the same

[Jacko 1 10]

My Father had a Vincent Black Shadow attached to a Canterbury Sportsmoble sidecar, which as you can guess would go a bit, he also towed a Berkley Caravette with it, I remember returning from Ecclesall after collecting a bedroom suite from there (bed, dressing table, wardrobe & chest of drawers) all of which were either in the sidecar or caravette, my Dads instructions before we left Ecclseall was look out for the police, as we were coming down Barrack Hill we got the ding a ling of the police car and we pulled in to be given a telling off regarding our speed, my Dad said it was impossible as we had all this weight on board, to the understanding constable who said 'I am well aware of the capabilities of a Vincent Black Shadow sir' after he had admired the combo we were let off with a polite warning, it still didn't stop me getting the guantlet treatment once arrived home, my ears twitching now.

[flyer 10]

On leave from army my pal had a 650 bsa and we was bent low just tearing up the road when along came some Gent flying past bolt upright on a Black Shadow with side car and just to hurt our feeling was picking his nose with his free hand

[pjkay 10]

yes as a youngster 16yrs I had my hands on a few combos...Quite a change from two wheels...Technique was too let the bike and sidecar work as a team... Had tiger 110 and swallow jet 80? sidecar. This bike could go round left handers fast if you had the nerve to open the bike up and push it round the sidecar on the apex. Even drifting it if you had the Knack.. I enjoyed the experience and had a real thrill out of it..I was lucky enough to have many bikes both solo and combos...I worked in a motorcycling family business..Those were the days....

[poppypoppy 10]

My brother had quite a few motobikes and side cars...I used to go all over with him on that....I had to sit in the side car until we had got out of sight of mom..then he would stop and I would climb out and onto the back of the bike with him...and without a helmet....can anyone remember the messerschmitt cars? He had one of those too...till he turned it over going down cemetery road...smashed all the glass top on it...then he had a bubble car...used to have to open the front and get out that way...and 3 wheeler cars... the only name that springs to mind now about the 3 wheelers he used to have is 'bond'...god we had some fun on the back of his bike and in these silly little cars...

[PopT 10]

Hillsbro

Your 1951 picture of your family on holiday on the motorbike and sidecar is sheer nostalgia.

 

It really sums up those post war days and the pleasure people found in simple transport.

 

Travelling to the coast must have been quite a journey for the family and yet I bet they enjoyed the challenge and the expectancy of seeing the sea.

 

Happy Days! PopT

[Tom Bailey 10]

I had a 650 Panther Combo, it had so much torque being a long stroke that it could set off on tickover.