My old Yamaha Midnight Maxim and Sidecar

These pictures are NOT my actual bike rig. Still they are fairly accurate depictions of my setup.

(NB - Click on any photo for a larger picture. Click your browser "back" arrow to move back to the blog)








This is a Velorex sidecar, also known as a Jawa - from Czechoslovakia.

It had a "universal" adapter kit that never quite fit the Yamaha as well as I would have liked.










The sidecar windshield is missing from the photos here and below. I think it looks better with the windshield and I don't think any passenger would be happy without it.

Also not shown is the passenger compartment cover. With it, it would look something like an old Amish buggy!












A better view of the bike. It was a Yamaha Midnight Maxim 750 and had plenty of power. My father owned a Kawasaki 1000CSR at one point and had AMAZING power!













You might see how the bike is slightly leaning to the left here. The instructions directed the owner to do this so that when weight was applied the lean would actually work itself straight.












Not shown, of course, is the fact that weights needed to be added inside the sidecar. If this was not done the rig had a propensity to tilt way too far when turning right - the sidecar wheel would actually come off the ground - pretty scary! I used collapsible water jugs for weight. That way, if I picked up a passenger I could empty the water and reuse the jugs later.