Have you ever wanted to ride in a motorcycle sidecar? While they are not the common site on the road that they once were, you may still find yourself next to one in traffic once in a while. Sidecars are more of a novelty or luxury in recent years and are usually attached to more expensive cruisers but that has certainly not always been the case.

In the early 1900’s, motorcycle sidecars were often rather flimsy and not much more than an oversized bucket bolted to the side of a motorcycle. In some cases motorcycle sidecars served as both a way to transport the family and a means of hauling good, tools and other supplies much like a small truck might be in the modern day. Sometimes they were used for hauling like a mini-truck and often were used to transport the family if a motorcycle served as the only means of transportation for the household.

During the second world war, motorcycle sidecars even served as mounts for machine guns and proved themselves to be quite valuable to the war effort on both sides. Over time the motorcycle sidecar was refined, taking on a more aerodynamic shape. Sidecars were developed using materials ranging from wood to aluminum to fiberglass with the comfort of passengers as a growing consideration. The popularity of the sidecar continued around the world for many years after the war but began to decline in the US in the 1950’s.

Today the motorcycle sidecar is quite the head turner if for no other reason than the rarity of its appearance on the American road. You can order a sidecar for most any model of modern motorcycle and the adapter kit to affix it as well. They are much more luxurious than those of yesteryear. Motorcycle sidecars from the factory or built from a kit now offer luxury options like closed canopies, air conditioning, stereo, video and more.