Gold Star 2023 plus sidecar

[Greybeard]

I saw this sweet combo today

[muskrat]

G'day GB.
Looks quite neat. How are the mounting points/lugs?
The thought of a chair had been contemplated for Deb.
Our cousins that ride on the wrong side of the road would have fun 
Cheers 

[Greybeard]

Looks quite neat. How are the mounting points/lugs?

I didn't have time to study the way it's attached. I understand that the sidecar makers, Watsonian, organise that.

[RogerSB]

This is how I attached a Watsonian GP Manx to my A10 (1960 swing arm GF). I bought the arms and connectors from Watsonian. After I attached the sidecar I sent Ben (at Watsonian) photos and got his approval of the way I fitted it, as there are a few different combinations of arms and fittings.

Depending (I believe) on the year and model there is a mounting hole in the frame at the rear of foot brake especially for the bottom rear connection for a sidecar (see last photo). It had a rubber grommet in it when new.

If you want any close ups of the connectors just say.

Rog.

[Greybeard]

The new BSA does not have provision for a sidecar so some clever ideas must be used.

[RogerSB]

As far as I'm aware the principle is the same for all combinations, two attachments at the front top and bottom and two at the rear top and bottom and they all need to be firmly attached and fully adjustable, in/out, up/down and sideways  -  and on both the bike and sidecar. Also the steering needs dampening. There's any number of variations how to do it, but all follow the same principle. The easy bit is fitting the bits, the hard part is getting the alignment right.

I drilled the tool box mounting bracket holes bigger on my A10 to take the top rear eye bolt. When I fitted a double adult to my A10 in the 60s I was able to use the purpose built attachment point on the A10s frame under the front of the dual seat, just behind the petrol tank. On my current A10 it was, and still is, covered by a penny washer held in place by the battery carrier bolt, but the correct fitting isn't available now. Even Ben at Watsonian wasn't aware there was an attachment point there on the A10 (it's probably on the A7 also - for certain year models).

Rog.

(Edit) Apparently Watsonian supply a fitting kit for the new BSA Gold Star. Quote: The BSA Gold star fitting kit costs £495 including VAT and prices for the Grand Prix sidecar start at £7,195.

[Topdad]

Roger is correct to mention damper ,I read a report from ,I think , classic motorcycle of a guy who tried a combo for the first time ,on a royal enfield
 (new ) and in his summary he said once you'd accelerated past the head shaking stage (which he'd been told was normal?) no steering damper ,he enjoyed it alot . That was a 500 pretty low powered model well hows that going to affect its handling on this more powerfulful model ?
By the way on my 2 A10 combos set up by a mate using lengths of timber but straight edged  I never experienced any head shaking despite as a youth doing some very extreme things including spinning after a fast right hand turn when I ended up on the opposite  kerb parked against the kerb between two cars .It was a s/arm bike and friend who set it up reckoned the back wheel had hopped and could have tipped us off but for the weight of 2 in the chair and one on the back ,that was never repeated but also the only time i lost control ,.....well except driving drunk off a steep hiil in north yorkshire but thats another story .

[groily]

Roger is correct to mention damper ,I read a report from ,I think , classic motorcycle of a guy who tried a combo for the first time ,on a royal enfield
 (new ) and in his summary he said once you'd accelerated past the head shaking stage (which he'd been told was normal?) no steering damper ,he enjoyed it alot . That was a 500 pretty low powered model well hows that going to affect its handling on this more powerfulful model ?

If that Oilfield was anything like one I had very briefly, with damper and whatever bits the people 'behind the police station' in Faraway Land (that's what it said on the maker's ID plate for the Cozy Chair!!!) it was an 'interesting' experience. Mine was almost unrideable despite best efforts.
I found a man who liked them like that who paid me a small amount of currency to take it away, exhaust valve seat rattling, clutch slipping, TLS front brake not stopping, swing-arm wobbly and piston liable to regular seizure over 35mph. And that, with under 1500 miles on the clock, ho ho. Bitten, shy, not going there again ever. Pretty li'l thing tho'.

[RogerSB]

Setting up and with persistent testing took a month, that was working on it daily and with my wife’s help. In the end we got it right and I can ride with one hand on the handlebars with confidence.

Looking at the notes made at the time my final adjustments were: Axle lead: 18% of wheelbase = 10” (254 mm). Lean out: 1/4” (6 mm), with rider it increases to 1/2” (12.5 mm). Toe in: With sidecar body fitted 45/64” (18 mm), with rider increases to 3/4” (19 mm). Track width: 47” (1,194 mm).  Every combination will be different so it’s trial and error, even if you know what to adjust  .

In the late 60s, a friend, who was a motorcycle salesman for Kings of Oxford (a very well known nationwide motorcycle dealer at the time), helped me to fit a Canterbury Double Adult to my previous 'Nutley Blue' A10 in a very narrow cobbled lane at the back of my parents house. When we finished I tried it up the lane for the first time and the handlebars went from side to side in double quick time and I nearly hit the wall.  We’d forgotten to screw the damper down.

Rog.

[Topdad]

roger as a 16yr old one of those didn't inhance my cred , so within a week it was ditched for a flat board with grap handles = much fun . First camping trip reminded me why I hated camping ,lightbulb moment double adult chair cleaned ,it was water proof so refitted for every camping trip I carried the m5 mates gear when they duid there tents I unrolled 2 sleeping bags (centre folding seat removed ) my 5ft 10inches fitted snugly in the space I was usually ready before they'd finished so waited ,pub for a few and then a good nights sleep so I to fondly remember my canterbury d/adult chair 

[chaterlea25]

Hi Roger,
I hope you  don't mind me commenting on your sidecar setup?
The lower front mounting looks to be only connected to one down tube
Those that I have looked at have the mounting  clamped to both down tubes
The frame tubes are quite thin walled and I had to replace sections of down tube on my B33 frame where they were squashed by some DPO fitting either a sidecar or crash bars

John

[RogerSB]

Hi John, No I don't mind at all. I bought the GP Manx (was pre owned) from Watsonian and Ben supplied me with all the necessary fittings to fit it to my A10. After I fitted it I sent him photos and he assured me that it was ok. Originally he supplied me with a straight arm for the lower front but I found I couldn't get enough axle lead with the GP Manx chassis, as the arm has to go in the lower arm block squarely, hence the bent arm, which Ben kindly sent me.

Photo is of an A7 with a Grand Prix, which is a slightly bigger and deluxe version of my GP Manx. It was fitted by Watsonian for one of our club members (RoyC). It was that set up that I followed. With the GP being a longer chassis a straight arm could be used for the lower front.

However, if I could get the necessary fitting to spread the load over both duplex tubes I'd do it. Unfortunately I don't have the necessary equipment or engineering skills to make it myself.

Rog.