SIDECAR STORIES

Nigel Shuttleworth’s account of his graduation from solo to sidecar (RC150) was quite hilarious. Propelling his girlfriend into the opposite hedgerow was never going to cement a lasting relationship! It brought back memories of my disastrous introduction to the ‘third wheel’, way back in 1970. Looking for some means of transporting a trials bike to and from meetings, and with only a full bike licence, I exchanged an immaculate 1965 Tiger 100 for a rather sad-looking Panther 120 with an enormous double-adult sidecar mounted on a Panther chassis. I really should have known better, but at least now I had transport for the trials bike.

The dealer, I believe it was called Wymac, in Stockport, did ask if I’d ever driven a bike and sidecar. He advised me to take my time and be careful. I was soon to find out why…

Somehow, I must have managed to execute a right-turn just a short distance from the showroom, but on straightening up I found myself drifting ever closer to the kerb. I can only describe what happened as some sort of mental block. Instead of turning the handlebars I found myself leaning to the right. Inevitably the sidecar wheel mounted the pavement, striking a lamp post. Even the plastic lamp cover fell off!

The sidecar was a complete writeoff, with the floorboards shunted backwards at least a couple of feet, and the boot-mounted car-type battery lying in the road. A local resident offered to look after the outfit until it could be towed back home, fortunately only about 10 miles away. As I intended to mount a wooden platform on the chassis to carry the trials bike, I would have been removing the sidecar anyway. But I would have preferred to do so by more orthodox methods! Harold Marsden, member 8312

Ha! I’ve also enjoyed a few truly insane moments on outfits. My life has been full of folk telling me how easy they are to ride. Hmmmm… Frank W