The first question one might ask, is "why call the site http://www.chairintheair.ca? What is the significance?". In sidecar terminology, 'chair in the air' refers to the action of lifting the sidecar wheel above the road surface. This Bandit based sidecar rig is my third rig i've owned - and it is also the most difficult to lift the chair, due to the use of flat-profile automotive tires. With my past two sidecar rigs, it was a much easier task to lift the chair - friends would see me lifting the chair, and say "chair in the air!" - It may sound idiotic, and it probably was, but I had those rigs airborne, often with an unsuspecting passenger in the chair, so often that the phrase stuck. Getting the chair in the air, in a controlled and sustained fashion was addictive, sometimes at the expense of frayed passenger nerves, and a bent sidecar wheel spindle or two due to hard landings. The sidecar wheel doesn't come off the ground often anymore, but that personal passion and joy for sidecars, as the phrase "chair in the air!" alludes to, still exists stronger than ever.

The second question that is likely to be asked, is "Why stick a sidecar on a sporty motorcycle? Why don't you just get a $!@#!! car? What a waste!". In this day of cookie-cutter sedans, econobox compact cars, Land-barge SUV's, and Soccer-Mom minivans, the sidecar rig is a comparative rarity. Even motorcycles suffer the same disease - rows of identical looking race-replicas, and freight trains of "individualistic" cruiser riders, all looking the same, whether on a HD or a metric cruiser. It is a common assumption that a sidecar rig is the last step before trading a helmet in for a rocking chair, for an older rider unable to balance a solo motorcycle. It's also an incorrect assumption. Riding a sidecar rig is a preferred choice for me, rather than the only option.

A sidecar rig is a vehicle that is now uncommon on today's roads, and no two sidecar rigs are alike. A sidecar rig's road handling is unique - they handle neither like a solo motorcycle, nor like any 4 wheeled vehicle. They are one of the few vehicles on the road today, that are largely un-legislated and un-regulated - At least in Canada - and are often the result of the owners own creativity and sweat equity. Speaking for myself, it is a continuous source of enjoyment, whether riding it in the nice months of weather, or working on it in the dreary months of winter.

This website, like the sidecar rig, is the combined work of over 5 years. It replaces a previous website, now available as an archive in the menu to the left. It's purpose is to hopefully provide the reader with some inspiration to join the ranks of sidecarists. When I put this rig together over time, I used a few email lists as a source of information, as well as figuring out how people did things, by studying photographs obtained off of the 'net. There was, and is very few websites out there that are organised to the point where a person can try to follow a logical plan of action/options, or at least assist with the process of putting a well constructed rig together. It is my hope that this website will assist in that process.

This is not intended to be a 'vanity site' - The Bandit rig is far from being a show-bike. It sits outside in the rain, and cosmetics are secondary to mechanical soundness. It is far from perfect, and like this website, it is a continuous work in progress.

In reading these pages, please keep in mind that the most important thing to remember is safety - in fabrication, and in making a rig that won't kill you or someone else due to improper design, shoddy workmanship, or poor set-up. Always keep in mind, "when in doubt, build it stout". The usual legal disclaimers apply - if you injure or kill yourself or someone else, trying to copy what i've done - I'm not responsible - it is assumed that readers of this site are adults exercising good judgement. Do feel free to send photos of the carnage though - Like most people, I do enjoy seeing a good train-wreck now and then.

I would like to publically express my thanks to 'Tedski', for making this site happen. Without his assistance in making an extremely low-cost dedicated domain hosting service available, this site wouldn't exist. Thanks, Ted.

UPDATE November 15th, 2006:

I'm finally starting to move my butt and updating/completing the site from it's incomplete start back in April.. Ahem, riding took away all my available leisure time. I've started the basics of the text website sections, but i'm concentrating on adding all the photos and detailed descriptions related to the Bandit, and the various projects it has endured in the past few years at My Photo Site.

William Strong
April 22nd, 2006