Hitchcocks Forum

Hi all,
I know its probably been asked a thousand times for which i apologise in advance.

I have a 2003 350 import bullet, i have a sidecar (garrat adult and child ?) that i am THINKING about fitting. The bullet is standard bar the Hosts Higher comp piston and luxurious leather seat !

Question 1
Will the 350 tow a sidecar or is the 500 better ? (From what i can see theres not alot of difference between the engines performance).

2
Is there anything that can be reasonably done to make it tow better (sprockets, clutch upgrades etc)

3
Is it easy to fit one to the frame or are there mods needed (to the frame, not sidecar)

Sensible answers please ladies and gents.
Thanks
Pete

You are asking too much of a 350, a 500 is not really up to the task, ok 60 years ago when traffic was much slower

Most certainly I would not fit a sidecar to an Enfield frame. Additionally neither the 350 nor the 500 engine is really suited to sidecar work in modern day traffic. OK maybe as a plaything but that is all.
As one of our number oft time writes - other opinions are available

Hi both,
Thanks for your honesty, i remember following an newer 500 enfield with sidecar and passenger a year or so ago and it did seem to be struggling a little. any recommendations on something a little more suitable but with less of the price tag that most classics seem to fetch now ?
Thanks
Pete

Not an opinion, just what I do.... I've got a year 2007 Bullet, 500cc iron engine, with a Watsonian Manx chair. I use it round town and on country lanes etc. Not on long stretches of motorway, but sometimes on inner city motorways which are, obviously slower. It's ok for carrying stuff or Sheila who's pretty light. Everyone enjoys it, from my daughter's 2 and 5 year olds to my uncle in his 80's. No major problems with the engine. Yet. ATB Chris

Hi Pete, if you want to be serious about riding an outfit well laden over serious distances I think you need a serious ‘tug’ like a Panther M100 or M120. Unfortunately they do have a relatively high price tag but it's horses for courses init. Back in the day they were extremely popular for sidecar work and, uniquely I believe, produced their own dedicated s/c chassis with braked, interchangeable wheel and spare wheel carrier, there's posh! Please don't take this as criticism of the Bullet which can do a lot of stuff better than a heavyweight Panther (I know, I have one of each). Have you had outfits before? Adam

It will do it but be prepared to be outperformed by mopeds! I know the figures say there's not much difference between the two engines but in reality there is - quite a lot!
Have you driven an outfit before? It's not anything like a solo of course but nothing like a car either.

A classic looking alternative is a Ural 1940s BMW type but dont splash out on a new one (Like I did) as they fetch little money 2nd hand I had a 750 and it had everything but Flue but always got me home. They have a great club or did (Cossack owners club)have who often have bikes for sale so I would join the club first as at about £20pa is a way to get to know them without buying one. Gear box was and probably still is horrible but some have a reverse.A well sorted 650 which without the alternator problems my 750 had may be your answer?

Have to agree with Mr Grumpy about the Ural being the ideal sidecar hauler. - They are designed from the outset to do just that. they also have a cousin made in Kiev, Ukraine, - The Dneipre. There is much interchangeability with parts, enabling owners to "cherry pick" the most suitable bits for whatever they want their outfit to do. there are also many options, such as:- gearbox configuration / bevel box ratios/ Differentials (with and without a lock) Sidecar wheelbrakes and accesories.
I cant agree about the gearbox though. It is far superior and stronger than any Bullet offering, The reverse is useful - as is the neutral finder option. It's all in the setup. I've had to strip /clean/shim/polish/re-bearing/ re-seal all of them. (and reprofile the slickshift cam) They also need propper technique to get the best out of them (you have to "double select" the gear to get it to go in silently - for instance...

My dear departed Pop was involved with a firm that imported the Cosack Ural and a big two stroke Russian (Soviet actually) machine years back in the days of Bell Bottom jeans and muslin shirts. It was part of some sort of trade involving milk powder from our end and tractors and motorcycles from them. The big issue other than the fact that they were a pretty dated machine even back in the 70's was that the sidecars were on the wrong side for NZ roads. We drive on the left but the Russians drive on the right. Pretty hairy if you are in the chair. I assume they've sorted this out now?