The Ultimate Sidecar?
THE ULTIMATE SIDECAR?
THE IMMENSELY SOPHISTICATED field of sidecar building and racing in Europe is reaching stages never dreamed of, witness the weird appearing BMW rig shown on this page. This “ultimate" unit was designed and built by a young Swiss named Rudy Kust for the famous Fritz Scheidegger at a cost of over $3,500, indicative of what is required to stay out in front.
Power and drive train are BMW, chassis is a fabricated multitube complex with a bolt-out section to remove the engine. Disc brakes are used on all three wheels, which, incidentally, are special 13" magnesium units created by the builder. The hubs are cast into the wheels; Kust even made the patterns and performed the machining on them. Tires are 4.50 x 13 Dunlop sidecar racing tires made especially for this demanding sport.
Fibreglass gasoline tank doubles as a contoured leg rest for the driver who operates the machine in a kneeling position, hence the term “kneelers” for this type of bike. Total weight is 365 lbs., height is 24'/2 inches, and the entire machine is covered with a streamlined fibreglass shell. Scheidegger is a steady contender for world championship honors and may very well do it in 1963 on the new rig. •
