From show business to snow business

British sidecar manufacturer Watsonian Squire has been experiencing increased interest since one of their distinctive Manx outfits featured in the latest Harry Potter blockbuster, so the team at the Cotswold factory wasn’t going to let a little bit of cold weather stop the production line.

 

In the attached photos General Manager Rob Jones can be seen checking that it is possible to walk across the car park without freezing one’s assets and also that all icicles are neatly arranged.

 

New sidecar brochure

See the full range of Watsonian and Squire sidecars in the brand new 2011 brochure.  Learn how to spot the difference between a Manx, Monaco and Monza, the PV1 and Palma or the ST3 and RX4.  With such a comprehensive range of modern and classic designs it's easy to understand why Watsonian Squire is the longest surviving sidecar brand in the world. 

Download your free copy at
http://www.watsonian-squire.com/WATSONIAN%202011.PDF
or call Watsonian Squire on 01386 700907 to request a print version by post.

Watsonian sidecars at Motorcycle Live

Sidecars on show at Motorcycle Live

Watsonian Squire have been making great British sidecars in the Heart of England since 1912 and remain Europe’s biggest volume manufacturer.

Originally sidecar bodywork was either wicker or aluminium, mounted on an ash wood frame; today all Watsonian sidecars are manufactured from glass fibre, with a steel frame. The GP Manx is single-seater sports sidecar that retains the traditional octagonal nose shape dating from the 1920's and has a large 16” spoke wheel. It is the most compact and lightest model in the GP range, making it well-suited, both practically and aesthetically, for the new generation of traditional British bikes.
 
Two versions are on display, featuring a choice of single and twin cylinder machines. Watsonian have teamed up with Norman Hyde (www.normanhyde.co.uk), Triumph performance specialist and sidecar speed record holder*, to create a sporty outfit that combines a Manx sidecar with a twin cylinder 865cc fuel-injected Bonneville equipped with a host of performance accessories from Norman Hyde.

The Manx has a shorter chassis than other models in the GP range and is thus lighter and more compact. Meanwhile the Bonneville is fitted with a Power Commander, bell-mouth air intake and
sport silencers, for extra go, with an AP Lockheed front brake disc and calliper for additional stopping power.

A steering damper and up-rated Ikon shocks beef up suspension to handle the extra weight of the car and Hyde has also specified a Givi screen for touring comfort.  Also on display is a GP Manx paired with a Royal Enfield single cylinder 500cc Classic, which may seem familiar to anyone who has seen the latest instalment of the Harry Potter film series (The Deathly Hallows, released on 19th November 2010).  Watsonian Squire supplied several sidecar combinations to the film-makers for use in the spectacular chase sequence in which the hero (Harry Potter) flees from the Death Eaters in a sidecar outfit driven by Hagrid.
 
Prices for Watsonian GP Manx sidecars start at £3695 and a full factory fitting service, with tuition for novice drivers, is available. See these outfits at Motorcycle Live Birmingham NEC, 27 Nov - 5 Dec 2010,

* Norman Hyde captured the World Sidecar Land Speed Record in September 1972 on the Concorde runway at Fairford, Gloucestershire. Using a supercharged 850cc Triumph Trident powered, home built sidecar outfit (Road Runner 3) Norman averaged 161.8 mph (260.8kph).

Rev up for Christmas with Malaguti Grizzly

It's a well-worn cliché that every child asks Santa for a new bike for Christmas, and what could be more thrilling for good little boys and girls than one with an engine?

New for 2010, the Grizzly RXC12 is a 50cc motorcycle designed specifically for children. Manufactured in Italy by Malaguti, a family-owned company that has specialised in this area for decades, the Grizzly offers parents the reassurance of a fully developed and robust product that meets current European standards for machine safety and carries the CE mark to prove it.

Suitable for children aged from 7-12, the Grizzly RCX12, is supplied in a soft state of tuning, with twist-and-go transmission, making it easy for youngsters to build their riding skills and confidence.

With upside down front forks, hydraulic rear mono shock and 90mm steel drum brakes front and rear, only genuine automotive quality components are used, assuring owners of many years service as well as a buoyant second hand market.

Harglo has imported Malaguti fun bikes from Italy for over 20 years, so full spares and technical support is readily available. Retailing for £1175- including VAT and covered by a 1-year parts warranty, the Grizzly RCX12 is ideal for anyone with a large garden or access to private land (e.g. a field or paddock). For more information contact 01386 701162 or visit www.harglo-performance.com

Watsonian sidecar shines with the stars in Harry Potter and the Deatly Hallows

ONE of the “stars” of the latest, much-anticipated Harry Potter blockbuster due to be released nationwide next week hails from the north Cotswolds. The pale blue Royal Enfield motorcyle and Watsonian Manx sidecar which features in the seventh Harry Potter movie- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 -have been supplied by Blockley-based company Watsonian Squire.

Read the full article in The Cotswold Journal.

Ride on the side for Harry Potter in the Deathly Hallows

British built Watsonian sidecars help Harry Potter get off a to flying start in the latest movie – Deathly Hallows – which is due for UK release on 19th November 2010.  Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) is rescued from his relatives’ house by Hagrid (played by Robbie Coltrane) riding a Royal Enfield Bullet Classic, paired with a Watsonian Manx sidecar.  Watsonian Squire supplied a number of sidecar outfits to be used in the dramatic chase sequence, filmed on location in and around London.  The Blackwall Tunnel has never looked so exciting!  Visit the official movie website at http://harrypotter.warnerbros.com/harrypotterandthedeathlyhallows/mainsite/index.html

Harry Potter gets a ride on the side with Watsonian sidecars

Watch out for the Royal Enfield/Watsonian sidecar outfit in the latest Harry Potter movie.  Deathly Hallows premieres in UK cinermas on 19th November and we're expecting some spectacular sidecar stunts.

In case you're wondering why the young wizard is travelling by sidecar, he's being rescued from his home by Hagrid.

You can see a clip in the latest trailer at http://www.facebook.com/#!/HarryPotterUK

Now that's magic!

Sporty side to British cafe racers

British cafe racer styled motorcycles are enjoying a revival, with Triumph, Royal Enfield and Norton all offering examples in their current model line-up.

Now Watsonian sidecars have teamed up with Norman Hyde, Triumph performance specialist and sidecar speed record holder*, to create a sporty three-wheeler.

Modern Hinckley-built Bonnevilles have proved a popular choice for sidecar customers across the world as the bike's smooth power delivery and torquey engine suit sidecar driving, while Watsonian's Grand Prix sidecars, which retain the traditional octagonal nose shape dating from the 1920's, complement the Bonneville's classic styling.

This sports outfit combines a Manx sidecar, which has a shorter chassis than other models in the GP range and is thus lighter and more compact, with an 865cc fuel-injected Bonneville equipped with a host of performance accessories from Norman Hyde. These include a Power Commander and bellmouth air intake, sport silencers, rearset footrests and M bars, providing a sporty riding position to match the bike's enhanced performance. Additional stopping power is delivered by an AP Lockheed front brake disc and calliper; a steering damper and up-rated Ikon shocks beef up suspension to handle the extra weight of the car and Hyde has also specified a Givi screen for touring comfort.

Prices for the Watsonian GP Manx sidecars similar to the one pictured start at £3495 and a full factory fitting service, with tuition for novice drivers, is also available. For more information on sidecars contact Watsonian-Squire on 01386 700907 (www.watsonian-squire.com) and for details of Norman Hyde accessories go to www.normanhyde.co.uk or call 01926 832345.

ENDS

* Norman Hyde captured the World Sidecar Land Speed Record in September 1972 on the Concorde runway at Fairford, Gloucestershire. Using a supercharged 850cc Triumph Trident powered, home built sidecar outfit (Road Runner 3) Norman averaged 161.8 mph (260.8kph) for the two way run over 1 kilometre.

TF Watson produced his first sidecar in 1912 and the company has been manufacturing sidecars in the Heart of England ever since. Following a merger with the dynamic young Squire company in 1984 Watsonian Squire became the Europe's biggest manufacturer of sidecars.

Tokyo Motorcycle Show 2010

We were delighted to receive this photo of the Tokyo Motorcycle Show from our Japanese distributor.  As you can see, Corofi have embraced retro styling with a really eye catching stand and some interesting sidecar combinations.

Freewheeling with Squire Trailers

Freewheelers Emergency Voluntary Service is taking a Squire motorcycle trailer to the streets, to help raise awareness and funds for the operation. Run entirely by volunteers, Freewheelers provides a free out-of-hours emergency courier service for the NHS, using specially adapted motorcycles to deliver blood, test samples, patient notes, X-rays and other essential medical supplies to hospitals in the south west of England. 
Relying entirely on public donations and sponsorship, Freewheelers commissioned the Squire team to adapt a D18 motorcycle trailer for use at events across the UK to help raise the profile of the organisation and collect donations. The trailer – which will be towed by one of Freewheelers’ Honda ST1300s – has a custom built lid, which can be used as display board for promotional material and offers ample storage for banners, leaflets and fund-raising packs. Squire has also added a special floor section on which to mount an electricity generator. Freewheelers Vice Chairman, Mike Belch, said: “The Squire trailer will really boost our fund-raising efforts, as we will be able to carry everything we need. It will also be a great talking point when we visit schools, or attend shows and fetes to publicise our work.”  Squire motorcycle luggage trailers are growing in popularity in Europe, and as far afield as Japan, as an alternative to bike-mounted luggage. A well-engineered modern motorcycle trailer will not significantly affect the handling or performance of a machine, yet the volume of luggage they can transport is huge – up to 595 litres. Squire has performed several feats over recent years to demonstrate how easily modern high performance motorcycles can pull a properly designed trailer and in 2002 the Company set a world record, towing a Squire D21 trailer behind a Kawasaki ZZ-R1100 motorcycle at an average speed of 139.5 mph. Prices for motorcycle luggage trailers start at around £1000 and tow bar kits are available for a large range of motorcycles and scooters. Contact Watsonian-Squire on 01386 700907 www.watsonian-squire.com
Editor’s notes: Freewheelers Emergency Voluntary Service is a registered charity and winner of The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service. Freewheelers EVS has a coverage area that includes Somerset, Bristol, Bath and West Wiltshire and is funded entirely by public donation and sponsorship. For further info about the Freewheelers Emergency Voluntary Service and to make a donation, visit http://www.freewheelers.org.uk/

Margate to Land's End by Vespa and Sidecar

Watsonian Squire, Britain’s longest established sidecar manufacturer, is delighted to be supporting Paul King, who will be riding his Vespa T5 scooter outfit from Margate to Lands End to raise money for Help For Heroes.   Setting out on 10th April 2010, Paul will be accompanied by wife, Jules, and daughter Sophie, along with members of Modern Vespa, who will all be riding from Margate in Kent along the coast until they reach Lands End the following day – a journey of 466 miles.  Riders wishing to join the group for all or part of the journey are asked to raise a minimum sponsorship of £50.00 per rider; more details can be found at http://helpforheroessouthcoastvesparide.blogspot.com/. Help for Heroes raises money to support members of the Armed Forces who have been wounded in the service of their country.  Find out more about Watsonian-Squire's range of sidecars for motorcycles and scooters at http://www.watsonian-squire.com/

MP taken for a ride

During a visit to Watsonian-Squire, a leading manufacturer and exporter of motorcycle sidecars since 1912 taht is based in his Cotswold constituency, Geoffrey Clifton-Brown MP had an opportunity to take a ride in one of the company’s sidecars and also to hear of the experience of the firm in surviving the recession (one of many in its 98-year history!)
The visit was of particular interest to Mr Clifton-Brown through his work as the Shadow Minister for International Trade and Development, with responsibility for supporting British Exporters; the company produces approximately 300 sidecars per year, exporting over 50%, with Japan - the country widely credited with destroying the power of the British motorcycle industry - being their biggest export market.
One of the key themes discussed at the meeting was the burden of legislation imposed upon businesses - the  managment team at Watsonian-Squire explained that keeping pace with a constant stream of new laws and directives absorbs huge amounts of time that should be spent on growing the business.
Speaking after the visit Mr Clifton-Brown said “Everything I have seen today has greatly impressed me, from the management side of the business to the craftsmanship and pride the staff take in manufacturing such an excellent product”

Dress to the side with Boden

BODEN.  "Well made, individual clothing for men, women and children too".  Discerning people know what to wear ... and how to transport themselves.