Antique & Classic Cars Blog
Any Time’s Motorcycle Time….
Sunday, January 25th, 2009…For some. Eleven below is a bit crisp for most of us, but this diehard cyclist had the sidecar-equipped Ural out yesterday morning.
A sidecar is a near must in a low-friction environment like snow–keeping you upright and lending a little traction for going uphill too. This sidecar has a driven wheel with its own brake.
What that extra wheel won’t help with is the frigid, frigid wind flying at you like a flock of samurai swords. Not only does this rider have a constitution like the Founders wrote, he’s also got some very effective winter riding gear.
Kudos for staring Old Man Winter in the face on a subzero morning and saying, “Think I’ll take the bike.”
5 Responses to "Any Time’s Motorcycle Time…."
Interesting. I never saw a sidecar equipped motorcycle with a powered wheel. Did you get a chance to take a good look and see how this was done? Does it have a solid rear axle or is there some type of differential? I know there are a few hard core bikers out there. I remember seeing someone out in a full dress Harley in -10 weather.
No diff, just a user-engageable axle running to the sidecar wheel. I have one, and almost never use the sidecar-drive unless I get it really stuck, either on loose soil, gravel, mulch, etc., or in the snow, when I need the extra traction and steering is a difficult proposition anyway.
I shot this picture fast when I sneaked back to the Diamond’s counter for a coffee refill. I was actually onhand to interview the owner of a WWII-era Harley WLA for an unrestored-motorcycles book.
The owner of this bike was inside and I based my driven-wheel comment on things I overheard them saying, as well as videotapes I have seen at the motorcycle show of Urals with the driven wheel running around tough terrain.
Here’s a link to the Ural site’s specifications for their model with the sidecar driveshaft.
http://www.imz-ural.com/gearup/specs.htm
I should see the owner of this bike again and I’ll ask him about the third wheel to confirm, or just get down in the snow and take a closer look.
The WLA owner also runs around with a sidecar sometimes and that one, bolted to a ‘44 Harley, isn’t powered….
Thanks for the link Kris. I see the answer (special features-Engageable sidecar drive shaft). I imagine that would come in handy for Mn winter use. Toss some sandbags in the sidecar, engage the sidecar driveshaft, away we go!
I admit I haven’t ridden a sidecar bike, though studying people riding them, you can see how steering would be, as Donavan puts it, a difficult proposition.
Seems like keeping one going where you wanted would be a bit like running a “three-legged race” at a carnival with your partner wearing a blindfold.
They’re way cool looking, though. I made a feature film recently and if I make another one, I’d love to have a sidecar-equipped bike in there. Heck, be a great thing to shoot (film) out of–with good image stabilization, of course.
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MotorMouth Kris Palmer, freelance auto writer and editor, blogs about vintage cars, the collectible auto scene and just about anything else that goes vroom.
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