Britbike forum Forums British Motorcycle specific Brands Bsa bulletin board Sidecar on a BSA unit single

Only B40 I’ve had any experience with was an Enduro Star. But I did ride mine on the highway and my riding buddies had a Victor Special and a Victor Roadster.

We were headed to a rally in Southern California (Indio? 69/70) Stopped at a bike shop along the way……….kid comes running in and tells the guy behind the counter “There’s a Victor chopper out front”

Those rally’s were a hoot. We used to love to watch the Harley guys trying to start their bikes. Back then we didn’t realize our bikes would end up
having a hard starting reputation…. we sure didn’t have that problem back then.

I had one for a while and it was a fantastic bike. The previous owner had fitted it with a high compression piston and 626 Concentric. Still had the wide ratio box fitted and yet it pulled so well that it went from 3rd into top with little bother and pulled it well. A B25 box would have made it a real hoot. I would definitely own another one.

Any unit single is going to lack the power of a twin and a twin will lack the power of a triple. And they would lack the power of a Honda Fireblade.

Damn, if only they made a 1000cc version.... Its all a comparrison against something else. Joking aside, it depends on what you want the bike for... If you want something with a lot of power, buy and A65 or Rocket 3.

Re the WDB40, I have known people use them loaded with camping gear and riding the motorways to international rallies. The one I had was good for 80, thats at least 20mph more than some people want to do on any classic bike.

I know of two people that ride Bantams to international rallies (or did do)

Anyway, I think this is going miles away from the original topic.

Your probably right, I wouldn't want to sit on a motorway doing that... But if you did, then you wouldn't own a WDB40 would you? I do know of a B44 that did that for a quite a few miles... It didn't blow up. the WD engines like the late motors were pretty darn bullet proof....

Anyway since the point your trying to make (and I ain't got a clue what that is) has nothing to do with the topic in-hand....... Shall we leave it there?

If anyone wants me to prune the thread, please let me know.

No offence caused, I just didn't get the reason for the posting.... The image of the WDB40 was just displaying the location of the oil filter on those bikes, how it behaved as a side car lugger wasn't ever a consideration

You fellows can talk about anything you want to on this thread…..I take no offense.

I think “for me” the B44 is as smallest bike I’d want for a sidecar tug BUT……keep in mind that the chair I use (Velorex) was designed for and used on Jawa 350cc two stroke motorcycles…ugh ( maybe some 250s?)

Alan mentioned the oil filter set up…..and I asked for a photo. Thank you Alan.

Pureblood was just chiming in and the title of this thread is something like” Sidecar on a BSA unit single”……..so it all works. I have to agree with him about a B40 for a tug.

I've taken a couple of photo's of Georges set up but didn't get the important part.......exactly how it is attached. My 67 Roadster frame only has one bolt hole......unless I fab something up and I'm not feeling that.

Bet the way I have mine mocked up......it won't work. Comparing this one to mine......mine will foul the brake pedal.

I had a Velorex sidecar attached to my Velo. It was a lightweight unit and I think it was an earlier model than Gordon's. I see pictures of old Velo's pulling heavy sidecars, but mine didn't seem to have enough oomph to comfortably pull it. I had a hard time getting above 45-50 mph with the rig. So I bought a basket case Norton Atlas, put it together and attached the Velorex to it. That had no problems going 70-75. I had a 4 point mounting system, 75 lbs. in the car and a steering damper. Even so, you got a workout riding that thing briskly. I eventually got rid of it because my kids didn't want to ride in it any more and it took up a lot of real estate in the garage.

Ed from NJ

Street legal, 250cc 1960 Greeves with a 560 Velorex.
Top speed 47mph. Super light and capable. Desert, forest roads and trails.

You should ride a decent goldie Allen, that would change your mind.

My inspiration bike!!!! Always loved this one. I do believe you have another rig I love just as much? Photo please?????

Don was such a big help during my build.......I was lucky to have him around.

Alan.....I saw a photo of a friends ( Jim H.....aka Hippy Jim) WDB40 with a little different filter set up and have asked for a photo....I'll share when I get it.

Zundapp with an Acap?
Sadly, that rig is still in pieces, the chassis is done but tub needs work. Got all the strut/mounting hardware sorted out and boxed away for now. Disappointing I know, but it got pushed to the back burner during these last few years. Lately I've been overwhelmed with three 1960's "C" model Triumphs that needed to be rescued from their custom chopper state. Picked them up during the height of Covid (July 2020) out of a barn in the Central Valley. A 1958 21, a 1965 T100SC and a 1967 TR6C. Everything chromed, Webcoed, dished, molded, extended and heavily painted with multiple coats of metalflake lacquer. 2.75 x17" speedmasters with spooled hubs on all three. Struts. Looked at them for a year...decided to take them back to original stance.

Don.....you have a knack for picking up obscure motorcycles.......that turn into treasures

It's been so long now I'm not sure if you ever had the chair mounted........but I remember lots of beautiful shots of the bike. Do you get to ride the Zundapp from time to time????



I know there are several oil filter options out there.......it's just that I have a few of these and like using them when I can. Got a pretty good stock of the filter elements and those elusive square o-rings for the can.........so I'll figure out a way to mount it to the bike. So far though.....the answer isn't jumping out at me. I really don't want to weld a tab on the frame. I've used Adell clamps on other stuff. Had to stay away from the ones I could get a big box stores and had to hit Granger or McMaster Carr for better quality clamps. I'm still not sure what I'm going to do about mounting it.

I wonder... do you know if there is any benefit/drawback to the direction of mounting? Seems maybe more sensible to mount vertically?

Steve.......I swear I would have thought the same thing but.....I've been around George's set up (the B25) and always admired it. When you look at a stock WD set up......it's horizontal. I'm just guessing what I have is the same thing as the WD. I haven't dug that deep into it. I'm pretty sure mine came from OIF models.......which are mounted vertically.

Did they get the WD wrong? George swears by the set up and I did 4 Moto Giro's USA with him over a two year period.

I have one on my B50......vertical mount. I had a heck of a time getting it to not leak. I was using the wrong lower o-ring. Then when I don't mess with one for awhile I forget how those bits go together. Have to keep a drawing/photo......thank goodness.

Pureblood wrote "Mount it on the sidecar"..............you know that wouldn't be a bad idea at all. I'm far more willing to weld a tab on the chair's frame. Wonder how much the length of the hoses dictates flow and pressure???? It's kinda busy between the bike and chair. I use a steering damper and there's struts. So the outside of the chair would be fine........but the hoses could be ????? three times the stock length???

Anybody?

PS.......thinking about a situation where you'd have to disconnect from the chair.......and you're away from home. Some way to connect the two hoses and take the filter out of the loop.

PSS.....Steve......it's messy to change. I've only had them mounted vertically ....the cap/bowl is removed by a long bolt....which is situated at the bottom. That's where the oil starts coming out....around that bolt. MAYBE.....when it's horizontal, the oil still comes out that connection but at the same time it's coming out of the top of the cap/bowl and the oil level drops quickly past the bottom bolt's hole??????????

That makes good sense... didn't think about that bolt. Anything to stifle the effects of gravity, my life-long enemy.

Mine too my friend.

I have no clue if it's neater changing the filter with it mounted horizontally .....it's just the only thing I could think of.

BUT.......now I notice that Jim's (WDB40) filter top is fed differently. All mine are the same type (BSA OIF unit singles?) ...different from Jims so I don't have anything to compare mine to. So.....I'm not sure if orientation has anything to do with those different pipe set ups? Maybe someone has an opinion...I'm all ears.



After looking at that B25's set up I still can't tell how it's attached to the frame but I was worried mine would foul the brake pedal. Guess I musta checked that.



The only downside to that location is there's only one hole I can use to mount it......there are two holes in the filter housing. The second hole hits dead center of the frame tube.

Purebloods suggestion of mounting the filter on the chair.....got me to thinking.

How about on that God awful upper rear strut subframe?



I think I can almost make the hoses disappear.


Alan.......looking at it, the 67's battery sidecover would be in the way if you tried to mount the filter like the stock WDB40.

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/530539711853684/

Hope this link works......might fit the bill??

Truly ingenious Gordon 👍🏾👍🏾

Well, thank you Richard that's kind of you....but it was pretty much a failure. I wanted to take the B50 up to Northern Pa for the OSMR. (the B44 had already made the trip twice) I rode the rig around the neighborhood but it never "felt" secure enough to actually make the trip......I chickened out.

I'd be riding around wondering what I'd do......and what it'd be like...... if just one of those straps came off. It all came down to WHERE you were on the road when that happened. Coming back from Pa (approx 600 miles one way) is a long day trip and it has me coming down Hwy 21 mountain in the dark. Add a little rain or fog and that's a nasty ride. IF that bike came loose in one of those downhill hairpin turns.....makes my skin crawl just thinking about it all over again.

I wasn't re-inventing the wheel anyway (pun intended)........I copied the idea.....I just couldn't make it happen.

For oil filter placement etc. I got one of the MAP universal ones and modified the spigots to be more suitable for hose routing. Actually I cut them off and re attached with a bit of bronzing. The result tucks neatly under the carb and is easy to change the element.

That's a nice set up Dave.....easy to get to. I haven't made that decision yet. I'm still trying to use the BSA item.......but truth be told it's not for any logical reason. I change oil pretty often and baby my engine best I can.....but my "plan/dream" is to take off on my rig and be away from home for a couple of months. So an oil filter sounds like a good idea. Easy access is a must.

Good chance that trip will never happen.......but a man can dream.

Hi Gordon, I just thought I'd relate, for whatever it's worth, that this older chap and his wife rode from Indiana to the 2006 BSA International Ralleye in Brimfield, Mass. on a B44 with a side car. They enjoyed some celebrity at the meet, probably having earned the "longest distance ridden to the meet" award. Some britbike members who were there may remember this, like Rich B. and Lannis. The sidecar was all yellow.