sidecar heating

[maddogmargetts@yahoo.co.u]

My old dad had a double adult sidecar on his Triumph 5T and as a toddler when trundling around Sheffield, I remember feeling it was warmer outside than inside the sidecar. Later on when I was old enough to sit on the bike "helping" my dad with the regular maintenance I asked him about how to get the sidecar heated and he went into elaborate detail on his plans to redirect the left-hand exhaust pipe so it ran through the side car and then out the back so as not to poison the inhabitants. He never did get round to trying out his invention and I have been left wondering if it was possible and if so, why has no one else done this? Or did my dad miss the chance to get a patent on sidecar heaters and thus make a mint? I wonder if the idea is feasible because I may well try this on M21 when i get a sidecar for it. One initial thought was that having 2 different lengths of exhaust pipe may interfere with the balance of the exhaust gas pressures. On a single this would not pose a problem. My old lady said there's no way she will ride in a side-car without serious comforts so I am on a mission.

[idie]

On a twin the thing that was done in the sixties was the make a muff with forward facing holes in it to go round the nearside exhaust pipe. A flexible pipe to the side car and a small extractor fan to pull hot air into the side car. I rigged up one once on my Pather outfit.

[DAVE BRADY]

Hi,

I can remember and A65 outfit with twin pipes and the near side one had small dia. copper pipe wrapped around it and small radiator in the sidecar.  The coil was about 10" long. 
I suppose in theory a cooled section of the exhaust pipe may affect exhaust gas flow but the advantages of a warm sidecar would more than compensate for any tiny loss of power.

Dave.

[berniej]

When I first casually mentioned a sidecar a few years ago my wife's response was 'wouldn't be seen dead in one'!
Then we got our first pooch - who refuses to travel in any kind of carrier, pouch, modified top box - I tried them all without success although he was happy to explore when stationary.

Time passes....
The A65 combo wasn't a success and I've now sold the bike but after a bit of fettling the sidecar is now on the M21 and works very well carrying the three of us!

This doesn't of course address the question of sidecar heating - but might I suggest a warm car blanket and hip flask as a simple and practical solution? 

[GLENN]

The concept is like the heating system on a light aircraft.  It would potentially be a good solution for a sidecar!  All the best, Glenn

[BILL NELSON]

I've seen a small, good quality diesel heater installed in a sidecar - it was not one of the ultra-cheap, dubious Chinese ones, but the same unit used by motorhome builders. The only problem was the owner said it could only run intermittently, even at the lowest output it pushed out a lot of very warm air. It only had a 1 litre diesel tank mounted between the back of the bike and the sidecar. There was a CO alarm for when the hood was up.

[DAVE BRADY]

Hi,

I remember hearing about a heated sidecar.  It was on an outfit belonging to Jack Martin of East London Branch.  It consisted of a small radiator fitted in the sidecar and connected to coil of small bore tube, probably copper, wrapped around the exhaust down pipe (two pipes, not siamese).  I think it worked on convection only but was apparently quite affective.

Dave.

[yellow B31]

https://motos-of-war.ru/en/motorcycles/bmw-r75/

Check out this link. BMW carried out this idea during WW2 for bikes in Russia , unfortunately I cannot find any pictures but Military Ron might know.