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Let's face it. Motorcycles might be cool transportation - for one, that is. But what if you have to carry something, or someone, besides yourself? In 1919, Harley-Davidson was the world's biggest motorcycle manufacturer, producing 23, 000 motorcycles - and 16, 000 other items. What were they, you ask? Ta da - sidecars! They may look funny tacked onto a bike but they manage to carry a passenger in relative comfort (relative being the operative word here).
FM's 1958 Duo-Glide with sidecar is one interesting-looking image. It's a follow-up to the prior BMW image with the same equipment. Fit and finish is in keeping with the more recent images we've seen. The cycle's done in gleaming black and white, with operating pedals and a real leather-covered seat that lifts to reveal the oil reservoir. The front and rear suspensions operate as well. Speaking of which, the spiffy sidecar has its own working suspension and a leather-covered seat. It also has an authentically replicated windscreen and foul weather poncho to protect said passenger (at least up to the neck) from inclement conditions. Oh, and it comes with a helmet. This image is so distinctive-looking it belongs in any serious Harley-Davidson replica collection.
When the need arose, in an era before "king-and-queen" style seats, a cyclist could bolt on a sidecar and transport a passenger (and/or some groceries) from A to B. It may not look as cool as an unencumbered bike but it did the trick - at significantly less cost than an automobile. The issue price is $195.
(05/07/2001)
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