Alan Hayes & Bill Wood on the Mk 1 sidecar outfit
SIDECAR TRIALS IN SOUTH AFRICA
(This article originally appeared in a South African motorcycle magazine in the early 70's)
by Alan Hayes
It was two years ago when Bill Wood and I, first began seriously thinking of trials sidecars. After collecting many photographs from overseas magazines and also receiving regulations from the A.C.U. I built the first sidecar with help from Bill Wood who also put up a new Ossa to get this project off the ground. With the experience gained from building and riding this outfit, I was ready to build my own also on an Ossa but was then approached by Bruce Johnson of Yamaha fame to build one on his TY 250, which I did. A guy called Noel Meyer also built a chair on to his Ossa Explorer but he put it on the right hand side, I found it took a while to get used to this when I tried it out.
There are several variations in each outfit as we have still a lot to learn. Important factors appear to be sidecar lead, rear suspension and front fork trail. The first outfit has 2286 mm lead the second 2032 mm lead and my own has 1778 mm lead. Bruce Johnson has experimented with front fork trail and seems well pleased with his modifications. We all found that we had to go to heavy springs on the rear suspension. Chassis construction consists of round and square mild steel tubing clad with aluminium. Sidecar suspension is of trailing arm type controlled by a spring damper unit.
Handling can be described as interesting, to say the least, but is more driving problems than machine set up, and most of the people who have tried their hand at being a passenger or driver seem to enjoy the experience. We have had several unofficial trials but need a few more outfits to put this on to a more serious footing, if you will excuse the pun, but we are confident that this interest will grow in time and we expect many hours of fun.
Bill Wood gives a highly amused Andy Buys a skilful drive around the bend
These two are rapidly approaching a 10metre drop into a quarry. Note how poker faced they coolly await their fate.
Bruce Johnson is the one praying out loud and Gerald Alexander is the one cursing him with clenched teeth.