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Originally Posted by bobkoure
re:minimotosidecars - have been on the minis in the pits (not on-track) but never saw a rig with these. Looks interesting - sort of like a cart, but kneeling (maybe two people?) and the odd handling that comes with a rig? Or are they not kneelers - and how do you fit if that's the case?
Did one race as the "monkey" on an off-road rig (hare and hounds). Broke a clavicle. I think I got off light...  Trees are hard. This was in '74 or so - don't even have the lump anymore, where the bone knit. So much for long term souvenirs, I guess... |
Custom Chassis with 80cc 2 stroke or 125cc 4 stroke roadbike (must be roadbike) engine mounted in front of driver, just behind front wheel. Driver is effectively down on all fours with shins supported by cruved pegs, gear change is a linkage that gives gear shift to right foot by placing in a "toecup" and kicking up to go down the gears, and down to go up the gears (Linkage moves gearshift from LHSide to RHSide hence the reversal of gear changing from regular road bike).
Passenger has roughly a 60cm x 70cm bit of chassis to plonk yerself on as best possible, generally down on right knee and left foot.... hand grip behind driver for passengers right hand. Hand grips positioned round chassis as appropriate for them to be able to hangout the side and drag ass cheek on the floor at 70mph in lefthanders, and throw yerself right up and over the top, lying over the rear of the driver and grabbing a handgrip down by his right foot. If passenger doesn't move in direction of bend, the bike don't go in the direction of the bend either and continues in straight line.... has "steering" but due to size etc will always understeer. Basically undriveable without passenger, who has to not only provide a pivotal weight to cause the bike to steer, but has to be over whichever wheel is required to gain traction or brake (lean to the front to dig sidecar nose into tarmac to slow, put weight over rear wheel for better traction on take off....)
Average 80ish mph down the straights.
Have a read thru techdocs that explain chassis construction and dimensions etc, and have a watch of the videos in the downloads section fella! (More coming when season starts back up in April)
US Sidecars are still based on fixed gear minibike engines, whereas everyone over here got bored of those and wanted geared speed demons... hence roadbike engines.