Buying a sidecar and fitting a seat

[Jiminy]

I'm looking at a sidecar on TradeMe. It's always been my dream to ride a sidecar, although I have never tried riding one (yet).

The side doesn't have a seat. Is it difficult to find and fit one?

Does anyone know what are the rules in NZ re WOF and registration?

What do I need to look at when inspecting the vehicle?

How does it feel to ride a sidecar?

Pffffew, so many questions

[Ixion]

1. Easy enough. Use a bit of wood with some vinyl on it, and hoick it in somehow
2. No rego at all for a chair. WoF, you don't need a separate wof for the chair, BUT if it's fitted to the bike when you take that for a WoF the sidecar will be checked too. If, that is, the testing station can figure out what to do about it. They couldn't thirty years ago when I had one, and they were more common then . They'll at least check lights and tyres. Best is to take the chair off, get your warrant and refit the chair. Totally legal.

3. Look for rust. Look at tyres. But mainly figure out if you can fit it. Fitting a side car to modern bikes isn't at all straight forward. Old ones had sidecar lugs and frames built for the task. Not nowdays. So look at the fittings (make sure that you get them) and see if they'll work for you. Check it as you would atrailer. There's really bugger all can go wrong with them

4. Feels distinctly different. Totally unlike a solo or a car. Rather cool but. I'd have another if I had somewhere to put it. And a bike to haul it. ANd more money.

PM or email Lee Rusty, he'll give you all the info you need.

[Jiminy]

Great, thanks

The side is sold with a bike, which is handy.

I vaguely remember having read somewhere (probably on this site) not so long ago that the rules have change recently about sidecar WOFs, so I'll need to do some more research. I'll contact Lee Rusty, thanks for the info!

Now on to sort out a garage/car park

[Steam]

Great, thanks

I've got a little PDF book on "Sidecar riding techniques" which I could email to you or something. I should check how small the file is first...

[FROSTY:Me]

Give alex gee a yell--09 4168932 --the deal as I recall is that the Motorcycle/sidecar needs to be registered as just that and may need a low volume compliance

[Steam]

Great

Is it the BSA 650cc Lightning and Busmar sidecar? That thing looks incredible!
EDIT: Oh, it will be the BMW, as it has no seat, as described above. Love that single headlight.

Give alex gee a yell--09 4168932 --the deal as I recall is that the Motorcycle/sidecar needs to be registered as just that and may need a low volume compliance

What? When did they change that?
It was like Ixion said, the last I heard.

[gijoe1313]

Zounds and ods bodkins! I was also looking at sidecar combos (and though the hotdog vending one was tempting... )

There be that nice Beemer wiv' side car? And yep that BSA with sidecar is noice, vury noice!

Failing that, I'll just plonk for a Ural!

[FROSTY:Me]

Is it the BSA 650cc Lightning and Busmar sidecar? That thing looks incredible!.

S a brick---that was the first "car" i ever travelled in--one exactly like that -cept it was on the side of a gold flash

[FROSTY:Me]

What? When did they change that?
It was like Ixion said, the last I heard.

Call Alex--they changed the law--dont recall exact details but basicly the old days you could wof ya bike then strap a chair on the side. Now the whole plot needs to be legal

[FROSTY:Me]

Ok heres the deal--a motorcycle and sidecar unit is required to have a low volume certification as a COMPLETE vehicle.
Old grampa joes gs850 with a chair on it HAS indeed got WOF's for 15 years or so. Now it needs a compliance cert.
The only exceptions are the old (read up to 1960) british and american bikes. The reason beinbg that at manufacture these bikes were desighned to take sidecars and had factory welded lugs and frame strenthening.
The example I was given was a 1945 russian sidecar bolted to the side of a triumph of 2005/06 vintage.
Bikes up to 200km/h plus but none of the chair components were sesighned for it

[Ixion]

S a brick---that was the first "car" i ever travelled in--one exactly like that -cept it was on the side of a gold flash

That was what I had. Gold Flash with Busmah double adult chair.

My understanding of the rule is that a detachable sidecar needs no WoF in itself. It's not a part of the bike. Like a trailer. There's no VIR manual for sidecars (is for trailers) . Nor is there a rego fee prescribed. Nor does a sidecar have a frame number or VIN.

But , if it's a built in one piece sidecar (like a racing sidecar) the it would need compliance . That makes it a class LE (ie a trike) .

[FROSTY:Me]

sorry dude your understanding is out of date --as a lot of chair peeps are finding out

[Ixion]

Got a link to the legislation. Not saying you're wrong, but they couldn't change that without a law change, and I haven't seen one.

[Motu]

sorry dude your understanding is out of date --as a lot of chair peeps are finding out

Nothing in the VIRM Tony,and that's the Bible.As Ixion says,if it's one piece or a new build it'll need an LVV,but there is nothing at this stage in writing that you can hang a fail on.

[Lucy]

I'm looking at a sidecar on TradeMe. It's always been my dream to ride a sidecar, although I have never tried riding one (yet).

The side doesn't have a seat. Is it difficult to find and fit one?

Does anyone know what are the rules in NZ re WOF and registration?

What do I need to look at when inspecting the vehicle?

How does it feel to ride a sidecar?

Pffffew, so many questions

Yo! I "won" this auction - but there was a stuff up on the price. He will take $2400 for the bike only, but $3k for the combo. I'm having second thoughts (bid $2300 for the lot). Supposed to go have a look tomorrow. Let me know if anyone of youse want it instead ok?

0274 278700