Dad had a motorbike

[Jerry]

When I was about 7 our dad bought a BSA Gold Flash motorbike, this was the sports version of the famous BSA Gold Star.

He’d had other motorbikes before but this one was the business! It had a really powerful engine and came with a two-seater sidecar - one seat behind the other.
Well, the summer after dad bought the bike he had a tow bar fitted to it and he bought a trailer and a load of camping gear and off we went to Rhyl,
I was the youngest of 3 brothers and my eldest brother John sat on the pillion seat while me and my other brother Mick sat in the back sidecar seat and Mum sat in the front
Well folks that bike took the 5 of us and a trailer full of gear up and down all those welsh mountain roads and never let us down once.
That was our first holiday and I remember going to Rhyl and Barmouth and Colwyn Bay and having a great time.
I’d like to see one of these modern bikes do that!

By the way, for anyone who might be interested in such things the sidecar was made by the Swallow Sidecar Company, which later became Jaguar Cars.

 

[Di.Poppitt]

I love the stories of sidecars. My cousin's husband had one on his motorbike and when they came to see us out would pile two adults, three kids and the dog.

 

[jennyann]

Motorbikes and side cars

When I was growing up many people I knew owned motor bikes and some of them had sidecars. I actually got to ride in one once and it was a very
different experience. When my father learned to drive we hired a Ford
Popular car from P.J. Evans on Broad Street and went down to Devon with
five of us in it. We were having a caravan holiday at Berrow and touring around Devon for the first time. One day we drove too many miles to return that night to our base and ended up next to the donkey field at the top of Clovelly Village.
My Father said we would have to spend the night in the car....well it was literally a nightmare all squashed in the back with my two brothers. My Dad was over 6ft, so no one got any sleep. The donkeys kept braying suddenly at intervals which frightened us all.

Just before we tried to settle down, a motorbike and sidecar came
into the car park, which was deserted except for our car. There were
two people on the motorbike. It was very dark indeed and they didn't notice that there were people in the nearby car. A very interesting(to us) scenario began to unfold in front of us. The riders were a man and his wife (we assumed). They got off their bike got out a spirit stove and a small saucepan which they filled with water from a glass bottle. Made a cup of tea and drank it. Quietly talking away. After that they started undressing down to their underwear. Putting their clothes in the panniers on the bike. Next, they reched into the sidecar and pulled out pyjamas which they each donned. Next came a small bowl, a bottle of water and a towel. They both washed their faces and cleaned their teeth. Then one after the other they climbed into the sidecar and partly zipped up the top and everything went quiet. There wasn't a sound in the car as we watched this scenario unfold.

At this point we were more wide awake than ever and quite amazed.
About 6:00am the next morning as we were preparing to leave the car park. The sidecar top was unzipped and everything that had happened
the night before was carried out in reverse. Eventually with their cycling gear on the pair got on their motorbike and drove away. They never saw us at all.

I have never forgotten this and have been back to Clovelly twice since
The donkey field is still there and the car park. Not too many motorbikes and sidecars nowadays though, !

 

[Harvey Barr]

Side Cars

My first experience of side cars was in the mid 1930s my parents had a tandem with a side car attached it was very small but snug. In later years my Father bought an Ariel 250 side change it was about eight years old and well worn but I give my Father his due he stripped it right down to the frame, the engine too, he hadn't got clue mechanically but he did a very good job at least there were no bits left over. This motor bike lasted until 1948. Holidays were a bit of a trial as there was no side car, my Mother and Sister would go by train we would follow on the bike loaded up.
I well remember one trip to Monmouth it took about five hours the chain kept jumping off, the rear wheel drive sprocket was so badly worn, it was alright on the flat but but the least bit of 'pull' off it would come. I was on and off that bike like a yoyo.
In 1948 my parents came into a bit of money, Dad promptly bought a B.S.A. 500 it had telescopic forks, they were just coming in around that time, alittle later he added a Swallow side car that combo served the family well for the next few years. A car came next but that's another story