Most of us would probably picture a sidecar outfit involving a traditional British motorcycle. And possibly a dog in flying goggles riding in it. But actually big V-twin cruisers make sense when you’re carrying additional weight and passengers. Having an engine with plenty of low down torque, a relaxed riding position, and the ability to cover plenty of miles in comfort all make sense. Watsonian already make fitting kits for Harley-Davidson motorcycles. But there’s another choice as the Watsonian GP700 Sidecar now fits new Indian Chief Vintage motorcycles.
The Indian Chief Vintage is a good choice of motorcycle for a sidecar outfit. It’ll handle the weight of the largest and widest Watsonian sidecar, the GP700. That’s due to the 1811cc Thunderstroke V-twin engine. And at the same time, the 46mm telescopic front forks and 300mm twin front and single rear floating discs mean you’ll also be able handle bumpy surfaces and be able to stop well enough.
Unless you’re making a British comedy film from the 1970s, you want your sidecar to be firmly secured. And not to create handling problems. So Watsonian designed a specially engineered tubular steel subframe which bolts beneath the engine casing. That provides a secure mount for the four attachment arms. You can see them in the front view of the Indian Chief Vintage and Watsonian GP700.
And in addition to the space for an additional passenger to travel in comfort, you also get the benefit of a boot space for luggage. Which can come in handy when you’re touring, or doing the weekly shopping.
The Watsonian sidecar range have been produced since the company was founded in 1912 in Birmingham, and are now built from their factory in the North Cotswolds. The Watsonian GP700 sidecar prices start at £6,295, and the fitting kit for the Indian Chief Vintage costs £800.
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