Motorcycling Dogs, Sidecars, Wandering About

[DaveO]

I made a trip to the West Coast a couple of years ago. The two of us started at Las Vegas and toured the Grand Circle in a Winnebago. I think I came to the forum and asked a few questions before I went. Can't find the posts but, as ever, you were all very helpful. But it occurred to me that I didn't post about this, and it is motorcycling connected.

We stopped for two nights in Bluff, Utah and met this guy Ara, with his dog Spirit who travels in the sidecar wearing a helmet and goggles. Didn't realise he was famous until some time later. www.theoasisofmysoul.com/

Of course the image will be familiar as the idea has been lifted by lots of companies. In the UK I've seen motorcycling, helmet-wearing, be-goggled pit bulls advertising insurance. he is the real deal and presumably the original.

A really nice man. (We discussed how much power his alternator could provide.) I subsequently discovered that he had been wandering with Spirit, his dog for ten years following the death of his son.

Dave

 

[Jim]

I hadn't known that Spirit was gone. Sad... He loved to ride.

 

[xjwmx]

I've met lots of motorcycling and scootering dogs. the most impressive one was a mod who'd stand like a statue on the floorboard of a 49cc scooter. owner went everywhere with the dog and he could make any kind of turn or speed and the dog would be right there.

 

[2manyrides]

I bought my xs650d in 1982. Top photo is with scarf in 1984. It is a scan of the front page of a newspaper in town. Next photo is with scuff when he was young in 1986.
I did not teach my next two buddies to ride in their early years. There becomes a point where they refuse to stay on the bike as it just begins to move, so it is best to start them out young. Self preservation?

Here is a video from 1984. The names have been hidden as I do not have rights to this news footage. I even hid my own name as I used to be shy of revealing. There was more footage that got erased. Lost... This is what I have left.

 

[MaxPete]

I made a trip to the West Coast a couple of years ago. The two of us started at Las Vegas and toured the Grand Circle in a Winnebago. I think I came to the forum and asked a few questions before I went. Can't find the posts but, as ever, you were all very helpful. But it occurred to me that I didn't post about this, and it is motorcycling connected.

We stopped for two nights in Bluff, Utah and met this guy Ara, with his dog Spirit who travels in the sidecar wearing a helmet and goggles. Didn't realise he was famous until some time later. www.theoasisofmysoul.com/

Of course the image will be familiar as the idea has been lifted by lots of companies. In the UK I've seen motorcycling, helmet-wearing, be-goggled pit bulls advertising insurance. he is the real deal and presumably the original.

A really nice man. (We discussed how much power his alternator could provide.) I subsequently discovered that he had been wandering with Spirit, his dog for ten years following the death of his son.
Dave
View attachment 149966

Nice tale Dave - thanks for sharing.

I once met a guy who had a cat that rode with him. He had a piece of black towel sewn onto the left shoulder of his leather jacket and the cat would jump up and grip onto the towel material with its claws - and just lay there as they motored along. He said that all was well unless he tried to go more than around 55 MPH and then the cat would start to yowl and cry until he slowed down a bit.

 

[xjwmx]

cats reject wind in their face. dogs seem to like it.