Sidecar operated Harley

[JohnR]

Page down for Pics (I hope?)

http://groups.msn.com/HarleyTechTalk...3&all_topics=1

[HarleyCreation]

The year 1915 listed on this thing rang a bell.

In the book "Harley-Davidson Lore" (Vol. 1, 1903-1965) there is a photo (plate 034) of Al LeRoy with a similar handicapped-rider sidecar rig stopping off in Milwaukee on his 2nd tour of the USA. That was in 1916. LeRoy lost his legs in a streetcar accident. He sat in the sidecar and steered via a handlebar extension.

Auction bike is listed as a 1915. LeRoy's sidecar rig looks like it could be a 1915 too. If it's the same bike, some changes have been made since the LeRoy photo was taken. Coincidence or are they same machine?

The idea of steering from the sidecar was already an old one by 1915. Seems that I have seen a circa 1908 photo of a similarly equipped NSU set up this way. Must have been a little tricky working the clutch, shifting and steering at the same time. Hands would stay busy.....

[HarleyCreation]

Now that I think about it, there was yet another guy around this very same time period with yet another similar sidecar-operated Harley. This other guy rode around with a little dog with him. I think that he visited the red brick Harley factory too. It's still a good place to visit.....

[AdminGuy]

I know of a couple people currently building ant rigs for para guys that really want them. It was interesting to see how it was customised and set up. Also mind blowing to read how ignorant some of the questions of the users of that BBoard. Wow, these peple need to read..... a technical book of ANY kind.

[Perry Ruiter]

Here's the front and back of a post card showing the fellow with the dog (photos harvested from an eBay auction last year) ... Perry

[INLINE4NUT]

Both fotos are a hoot! Thankyou Perry and JohnR , I have to believe there was more than two of these running around the US at this time

[HarleyCreation]

I think Al LeRoy had two arms, so there were at least two of these sidecar-operated jobs that visited the Harley factory in the 1915-1919 period, and like In-Line said, probably more.

The postcard with the mini dog-sidecar is a GREAT photo and deserves to be in a book on this exciting era of American motorcycling.