Yes, that's our outfit before the fairing.
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Post Classic Sidecar
- Thread starter Signal
- Start date
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- Tags
- build frame third wheel
Just had a busy few weeks. Last weekend we had a 2 day meeting the last before our winter off season.
Today Sunday we had the “Have a Go day” where members of the public sign and indemnity and pay a small fee and are taken for rides. The idea is to grow the sport. It’s also a good day to run in a motor.
The week between was full on swapping the road bike motor for a new 277 rephase motor with a 650 Central Long Rod kit and Lillie replica head, megacycle 30 cam.
The initial impression is that it was worth the effort we still have some fine tuning to do on the Dyno during the lay off so won’t really know until we line up against the opposition at the end of August.
Also snapped a few shots of some other XS outfits there today. The sitter was made in the last 4 weeks. The guys who built it said it was put together just how they used to be, in a hurry and with the help lots of beer.
If you want to see some other photos of NZ sidecar racing here is a link to facebook. If you are like me and don’t like facebook you can see the photos without joining .
https://www.facebook.com/NewZealandSidecarRacingAssociation/
Today Sunday we had the “Have a Go day” where members of the public sign and indemnity and pay a small fee and are taken for rides. The idea is to grow the sport. It’s also a good day to run in a motor.
The week between was full on swapping the road bike motor for a new 277 rephase motor with a 650 Central Long Rod kit and Lillie replica head, megacycle 30 cam.
The initial impression is that it was worth the effort we still have some fine tuning to do on the Dyno during the lay off so won’t really know until we line up against the opposition at the end of August.
Also snapped a few shots of some other XS outfits there today. The sitter was made in the last 4 weeks. The guys who built it said it was put together just how they used to be, in a hurry and with the help lots of beer.
If you want to see some other photos of NZ sidecar racing here is a link to facebook. If you are like me and don’t like facebook you can see the photos without joining .
https://www.facebook.com/NewZealandSidecarRacingAssociation/
Hi Signal,
I see that the sitter rig is using girder forks.
My only girder fork rig was the ex-army 16H Norton/Swallow utility box I taught myself to operate, back in the 1950s.
My only formal instruction was from the rig's seller:- "Watch it, kid, these things steer funny"
Do you reckon that girder forks work better than XS650 tele-forks for a racing sidecar or were they all that was available in the back of the build shed?
pago cruiser
XS650 Addict
WOW!
That is an incredible build.
And the other guys hardware is almost equally awesome as well.
Looks like lots of fun. Wish this whole sidecar thing was bigger here stateside; I'd love to play more with these.
We've got a couple rigs (for on and off-road work, of course); but wifey and canine both freak out when I fly the chair(s)...
That is an incredible build.
And the other guys hardware is almost equally awesome as well.
Looks like lots of fun. Wish this whole sidecar thing was bigger here stateside; I'd love to play more with these.
We've got a couple rigs (for on and off-road work, of course); but wifey and canine both freak out when I fly the chair(s)...
Hi Fred I don’t know how well the girders work but they were having a few problems on the day. The guys built their own girder front end. It was thrown together for a laugh to show you don’t need to spend much to have fun.
It’s the off season for us so we have started work on our new sidecar, it will have 10 inch wheels to give us some more rubber on the ground.
First up is to get the brakes and wheels sorted so 4 callipers have been cleaned up, new aluminium pistons made. Lighter than the stock steel ones.
Four discs have been cleaned and drilled. Large expensive pieces of aluminium have been machined into smaller pieces to make 2 part hubs.
The plan is to run 1 disc up front with two callipers (less weight) but the front hubs have been made to take two discs if that plan fails.
Still a long way to go but getting there, this really chews the hours, bending the steel for the frame is the fast part then another slow period fitting the ancillary stuff.
The existing outfit is booked into the Dyno next week for final tuning of the new motor.
It’s the off season for us so we have started work on our new sidecar, it will have 10 inch wheels to give us some more rubber on the ground.
First up is to get the brakes and wheels sorted so 4 callipers have been cleaned up, new aluminium pistons made. Lighter than the stock steel ones.
Four discs have been cleaned and drilled. Large expensive pieces of aluminium have been machined into smaller pieces to make 2 part hubs.
The plan is to run 1 disc up front with two callipers (less weight) but the front hubs have been made to take two discs if that plan fails.
Still a long way to go but getting there, this really chews the hours, bending the steel for the frame is the fast part then another slow period fitting the ancillary stuff.
The existing outfit is booked into the Dyno next week for final tuning of the new motor.
After the dyno runs we decided the foam air filters were a bit restrictive. Decided to go for a K & N oval and make some velocity stacks into the filter mount. Turned into a mission but its all done now. Also made up a small condensate tank for the breather its a copy of Craig Weekes design. Just need to put the body work back on and wait for the next meeting at the end of August. Work continues although slowly on the new outfit.
I heard a rumor that China is getting into vintage sidecar racing,
With an interesting twist,
I guess you're allowed to fix 'em during the race...
With an interesting twist,
I guess you're allowed to fix 'em during the race...
Well that's a skill that could come in handy.
Hi 2Many
then there's the sidecar piano player in this:-
https://gearheads.org/8-must-see-side-splitting-motorcycle-sidecars/
And a more serious one:-
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Those guys are the Purple Helmets. Worth searching for.
So these guys are the prelude to today's kids stunting their sportbikes....only in a controlled atmosphere.
...just goes to show, 'a picture is worth a thousand words.' I guess that I might have misspoke/posted.
...just goes to show, 'a picture is worth a thousand words.' I guess that I might have misspoke/posted.
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Cool short film (7 min.) about sidecar racing,
and a particular "passenger".
....with some rare footage from 1953 @ Spa Francorchamps,
one of those very special tracks (like Leguna Seca) I hope to drive on before I exit this world.
.
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and a particular "passenger".
....with some rare footage from 1953 @ Spa Francorchamps,
one of those very special tracks (like Leguna Seca) I hope to drive on before I exit this world.
.
Wow 'Dude! That's so cool! Just goes to show: old ain't dead, and age is just a number. I hope I make it to his age....
Home now and pretty shattered after a great couple of days this weekend. We had a 2 day meeting at Circuit Chris Amon (Manfield). It was the test run of us transporting 2 sidecars in the trailer my mate has built.
Had a few dry races and a couple I the wet.
There were four XS powered outfits there all pitted in a row. They looked better in the flesh than in the photos.
After race one my mates kids bike made a funny noise going over the line so his son shut it down .
In the post mortem a broken valve spring retainer was found this lead to a bent valve and contact with the piston.
After the days racing we drove home to pick up another head and piston then returned early this morning and had it fitted in time for them to start all their races today.
I snapped a few photos of some of the outfits that were close to us, I missed out on a few Nortons but only realised this when I started loading the photos.
Our next outing is the Southern Classic in Timaru in early December which is a good lead in to the Cemetery Circiut on Boxing day.
Had a few dry races and a couple I the wet.
There were four XS powered outfits there all pitted in a row. They looked better in the flesh than in the photos.
After race one my mates kids bike made a funny noise going over the line so his son shut it down .
In the post mortem a broken valve spring retainer was found this lead to a bent valve and contact with the piston.
After the days racing we drove home to pick up another head and piston then returned early this morning and had it fitted in time for them to start all their races today.
I snapped a few photos of some of the outfits that were close to us, I missed out on a few Nortons but only realised this when I started loading the photos.
Our next outing is the Southern Classic in Timaru in early December which is a good lead in to the Cemetery Circiut on Boxing day.
Attachments
Man that looks like fun... 
Meddy
XS650 Addict
I like the way you have done the trailer Signal, very clever.
Like Jim says, looks like fun.
Like Jim says, looks like fun.
Signal keep up the good fight, great reporting on your racing season!
Can't wait to hear more.
Thanks for the video yamadude.
Can't wait to hear more.
Thanks for the video yamadude.
Oh yes its great fun. I enjoy the whole of the sport, the building the racing and the people involved.
Lots of family teams.
So far as the trailer is concerned I had nothing to do with it. It was conceived and built by my friend, and yes he is clever.
I will post photos of the Southern Classic last year there were 300 bikes entered and Wes Cooley was one of the guest riders. He even went out and did a few laps in a demonstration event.
Lots of family teams.
So far as the trailer is concerned I had nothing to do with it. It was conceived and built by my friend, and yes he is clever.
I will post photos of the Southern Classic last year there were 300 bikes entered and Wes Cooley was one of the guest riders. He even went out and did a few laps in a demonstration event.
