The Cali EV was bought as a wreck from Eurobrit (tales of
tribulations
available) and rebuilt to haul a Velorex sidecar and 4- year-old daughter.
It was an easy and successful rebuild and was originally
painted bright
orange, so it didn't get confused among all the red sports bikes in our
garage.
However, the world of motorcycling has moved on since the
days of
wicker-basket sidecars, but sidecars themselves have not, so I started the
hunt for a Flexit - it took a couple of years, but I found two left-hookers
in quick succession - most are made for Europe and the US and go on the
right side.
I ended up with both - one was on a South African BMW K-series
and is for
sale - the other came off a Guzzi in New Zealand. This effectively doubled
the Flexit population of Australia - there are about 350 world-wide.
The Flexit is the world's most effective leaning sidecar,
and gives 35 deg
of lean; it runs a disc brake, electric sliding canopy, air shocks with
on-board compressor, etc, etc. The bike remains pretty well standard - no
leading link suspension, car wheels or 15" wheels are needed, and you'll
probably want to keep at least the sidestand - although the Flexit can be
locked into a rigid position for parking or slow-speed riding.
I used the arrival of the new sidecar as an excuse to have
the whole lot
repainted by a local genius in Holden's "Red Hot Red"; and it now
boasts a
3-way hardwired intercom with CB, AM/FM with removable face-plate and
remote control, 6-stacker CD and a 5-point Sabelt racing car harness for the
passenger.
Its first outing was Melbourne's Toy Run, where it attracted
a good deal of
interest. I'm still learning to ride it, but so far, the daughter, just turned
five,
loves it.
However, the Flexit is a big sidecar - it dwarfs the EV -
and without sundry
mounting brackets, it has raised a new problem - how to get the PW50 to
rallies?
Don't suggest a trailer - that's how the bike got written
off in the first
place - and the day I need both a sidecar and a trailer is the day I say
"Bugger it" and go in the station-wagon...