Sidecar

A sidecar is a one-wheel attachment which is attached to a motorcycle or scooter, thus forming a three wheeled vehicle. This motorcycle sidecar or scooter sidecar is not directly aligned with the rear wheel and is powered by the rear wheel only. It is different from motorcycle trike, which has both the rear wheels powered and sharing a common axle.

In 1903, Mr. W.J. Graham of Graham Brothers was the first one to acquire a provisional patent for sidecars. Motor bikes with attached sidecars were also used as a cheap alternative to passenger cars. Sidecars were very popular before 1950s and were also used by army and police forces. Although less popular nowadays, sidecars are still manufactured by companies across the world. The sidecar body consists of a frame which is fixed to the motorcycle's frame on one side and the sidecar's wheel provides support on the other side. The motor bike sidecar provides one passenger seat and a small trunk compartment at the backside. In some cases, the sidecar features a removable soft top and can also be modified for carrying cargo or tools.

Sidecar racing events are popular in Europe, United States, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. Events like Motocross, Trail and Road Racing, are sidecar racing events that use different engine specifications. Most of these racing events also feature Vintage sidecar racing, which has a huge fan following.