Sidecar Saturday at the Ace Cafe

Watsonian sidecars will be at London's famous Ace Cafe on Sidecar Saturday (31st March 2012) as part of the British manufacturer's centenary celebrations.

Founded by TF Watson in 1912, Watsonian has survived two world wars, the Great Depression  of 1929 (and numerous economic recessions that followed) and a devastating factory fire in 1930.  Today the company still makes Great British sidecars in the Heart of England, exporting across the globe.

Visitors to the Ace Cafe's Sidecar Saturday will have an opportunity to see the Watsonian Wizard outfit, based on the combinations that the factory supplied for the filming of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.  Watsonian supplied several sidecar Royal Enfield Bullet/GP Manx combinations to the film-makers for use in the spectacular chase sequence in which Harry Potter flees from the Death Eaters in a sidecar outfit driven by Hagrid.

Watsonian will also be promoting their centenary rally, which they are hostnig at Stoneleigh Park near Coventry on 18-19th Aug 2012.  Attractions include a display of historic sidecars along with the company archives, driving skills test, prizes for Best in Show, celebrity guests, trade stands and an opportunity to test ride Royal Enfield motorcycles, which have been distributed by Watsonian since 1999.      

For more information on Watsonian's current range of sidecars and details of the centenary rally call 01386 700907 or visit www.watsonian-squire.com.

The Gus Bus sidecar

 

This is the Gus Bus - a Suzuki Bandit paired with a Watsonian GP DL sidecar.

 It's named after Gus, the Rotweiler puppy who loves to ride in the chair.

 

Owners John and Sandy take the outfit to bike meetings to raise funds for Help 4 Heroes.  On the back is a picture of OB, the original Afghan Hero mascot.

Watsonian sidecars at Motorcycle Live

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.