Sidecar Safety

Safety should be the first thing that comes to your mind when it comes to the purchase and installation of a sidecar. There is not much else in the motorcycling world that you can do to provide as much fun and enjoyment as the addition of a sidecar.

Driving (notice that we used the term driving instead of riding) a sidecar rig is significantly different than riding a motorcycle alone. We think that there are at least three components to sidecar safety. In no particular order:

Training – We highly recommend that you seek sidecar training. We have a couple of links to organizations that offer sidecar training. With the rapid increase in the popularity of sidecars many states are adding sidecar safety training to their safety foundation training schedules. You can also call a couple of sidecar installers or dealers near you for more information. Read as much as you can about sidecar safety, installation and handling characteristics. We cannot stress enough how important we think this is.

Installation – The correct mounting and adjustment of your sidecar is very important. Most dealers that hold themselves out to be sidecar specialists will be able to do a good job for you. There is a lot to be said for having someone with the necessary experience do the work for you.  It can be done yourself, but be very meticulous in following instructions and other recommendations. There is a lot of good information available both in this website and others about the art of sidecar mounting.

Sidecar choice – Pick a good quality sidecar and the right sidecar for your particular application. For example our sidecar the Cozy would not be a good match with a Honda Goldwing as the Wing is too large and heavy for the Cozy. On the other hand a large European type sidecar would be too large and heavy for a 750 Honda or a 500cc Royal Enfield.

Be sure to check out some of the featured sidecar links and sidecar faq's for additional tips and information.

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