If you already have an MZ solo, and you’re thinking of fitting a sidecar to it, don’t. 

 

You will save a load of time and trouble if you go out into the market and buy a machine that is already set up. 

 

If someone offers you an old sidecar for £50 but with no fittings, it’s not a bargain. You might still end up spending hundreds of pounds making it fit onto the MZ frame.

 

Unless you are a sidecar professional, don’t make your own fittings. 

 

If, on the other hand, you don’t really care about how much you spend, you just want a sidecar on your MZ, go to Watsonian Squire and ask them to fit a PV1. It will cost more than your bike is worth, but you will get a good result from professionals. 

 

Other observations: don’t fit a sidecar to anything smaller than 250. You will be ridiculously slow. And while 250 is OK, 300 is better. 

 

Don’t expect to go fast. You will need to gear your machine down, and you can expect a top speed of 60mph. On a good day. Less, into a headwind. You will be stuck in traffic, and you can’t corner as fast either. Trying to corner fast is dangerous. 

 

On the good side: people go long distances on sidecars, only slowly. 

 

You can carry a lot more camping gear. 

 

It’s a brilliant way to transport children, dogs, shopping and gardening equipment. 

 

Learning how to handle a sidecar is very satisfying. 

 

You will develop upper body strength.