ANYONE MOUNTED A SIDECAR TO A AJS MODEL 20

Information relating to the Matchless G9 or AJS Model 20 500cc twin
User avatar
Rockerbri
Member
Posts: 81
Joined: Sat Jan 17, 2015 11:51 am
Location: uk

ANYONE MOUNTED A SIDECAR TO A AJS MODEL 20

Post by Rockerbri »

Hi all, it will soon be Xmas so hope you all have a top time, anyway has anyone out there mounted a sidecar to a AJS model 20 ?
Ive got a lightweight sidecar and was thinking of mounting it to my 1960 AJS model 20, having not done this befor i thought i would ask if anyone out there in Matchless /Ajs land has done so ? If you have would be great to be given some advice about the do's and dont's,
many thanks all..... :beer:
MATCHLESS G12 CSR...MATCHLESS 250 CSR...AJS MODEL 20 ...BSA A65 LIGHTNING...HARLEY DAVIDSON ROADKING & SPORTSTER...
JimFitz
Posts: 663
Joined: Thu Feb 27, 2014 9:27 am
Location: Kent, England

Re: ANYONE MOUNTED A SIDECAR TO A AJS MODEL 20

Post by JimFitz »

Hi Bri

I have mounted a Watsonian Monza to my 1960 G12 and I am currently restoring a Sunbeam S7DL to which I will attach a Swallow Jet 80.
You do need to get the gearing right which I did by changing the primary and gearbox sprockets on the G12 - one of my previous threads goes into more details and explains the maths. It is also important to make sure the forks are in good shape because they experience a lot of sideways force with a sidecar and hardly any riding solo apart from heavy braking. The springs also need to be the stronger sidecar type. I have kept the rear shock springs standard on the heaviest setting (Girling type). I only ride solo with an empty chair (apart from a bag of sand to keep the wheel down on lefties) - the springs would need to be uprated for passenger work.
The most difficult task is finding the fittings. Most of the ones on ebay look like they have been dug up from gardens or trawled up from the sea bed and if you can find new ones, are horrendously expensive.
Setting up the sidecar is not too difficult and I did mine with the aid of two aluminium ladder sections, a spirit level and plumb line. There is a guide on the Velorex site which gives typical setup settings to get you on the road - then you may have to tweak them slightly.
Do not forget that you will need to change the registration details with DVLA - section 12 of the V5 IIRC.
Good luck with it.

Jim
Too old to Rock and Roll but too young to die.

1952 G80 rigid, 1960 G12 DL / Watsonian Monza, 1954 G80S.
User avatar
Rob Harknett
Posts: 11236
Joined: Mon Jan 01, 1990 12:00 am
Location: ESSEX UK

Re: ANYONE MOUNTED A SIDECAR TO A AJS MODEL 20

Post by Rob Harknett »

Back in the mid 1960's I put a child adult sidecar on a 1951 BSA A10. That's all, just put it on. No mod's to the bike. Did not have money in those days to be particular about things.
User avatar
ajscomboman
Member
Posts: 3961
Joined: Mon Jan 01, 1990 12:00 am
Location: HAMPSHIRE UK

Re: ANYONE MOUNTED A SIDECAR TO A AJS MODEL 20

Post by ajscomboman »

Rob Harknett wrote:Back in the mid 1960's I put a child adult sidecar on a 1951 BSA A10. That's all, just put it on. No mod's to the bike. Did not have money in those days to be particular about things.
Not particularly helpful then Rob.

A few more useful tips, set the toe in for 1" to 1 1/4" if its a light chair. Set the bike to lean out away from the chair using a plumb line approx 1" and have the nose of the chair slightly up 3/4 " from horizontal. Some people set the chair to lean away from the bike slightly so when the rider sits on the machine it brings it back to horizontal. Have a separate brake pedal for the chair that can be used independently as it helps on tight left handers.
G15 Roy
Member
Posts: 3543
Joined: Sun Jan 01, 1995 12:00 am
Location: ESSEX UK

Re: ANYONE MOUNTED A SIDECAR TO A AJS MODEL 20

Post by G15 Roy »

Rockerbri wrote:Hi all, it will soon be Xmas so hope you all have a top time, anyway has anyone out there mounted a sidecar to a AJS model 20 ?
Ive got a lightweight sidecar and was thinking of mounting it to my 1960 AJS model 20, having not done this befor i thought i would ask if anyone out there in Matchless /Ajs land has done so ? If you have would be great to be given some advice about the do's and dont's,
many thanks all..... :beer:
Looks like you have lost you membership profile or just forgot to renew.
Roy
JimFitz
Posts: 663
Joined: Thu Feb 27, 2014 9:27 am
Location: Kent, England

Re: ANYONE MOUNTED A SIDECAR TO A AJS MODEL 20

Post by JimFitz »

Oh yes, Comboman jogged my memory. Before you set the chair up sit on the bike together with any passengers or bags of sand in the chair and get someone to put tie downs around the fork crown and front wheel, swinging arm and sidecar suspension to hold the whole lot in the loaded position. It is surprising what a difference it makes to the final handling.

Jim
Too old to Rock and Roll but too young to die.

1952 G80 rigid, 1960 G12 DL / Watsonian Monza, 1954 G80S.
User avatar
Rob Harknett
Posts: 11236
Joined: Mon Jan 01, 1990 12:00 am
Location: ESSEX UK

Re: ANYONE MOUNTED A SIDECAR TO A AJS MODEL 20

Post by Rob Harknett »

ajscomboman wrote:
Rob Harknett wrote:Back in the mid 1960's I put a child adult sidecar on a 1951 BSA A10. That's all, just put it on. No mod's to the bike. Did not have money in those days to be particular about things.
Not particularly helpful then Rob.

A few more useful tips, set the toe in for 1" to 1 1/4" if its a light chair. Set the bike to lean out away from the chair using a plumb line approx 1" and have the nose of the chair slightly up 3/4 " from horizontal. Some people set the chair to lean away from the bike slightly so when the rider sits on the machine it brings it back to horizontal. Have a separate brake pedal for the chair that can be used independently as it helps on tight left handers.
I was making a point about mods to the bike. I got used to the gearing when the sidecar was put on. My pillion passenger became a sidecar passenger. If anything, this put less weight on the bike suspension. So no need to bother about changing anything on the bike. I had quite rigid plunger rear suspension on my 51 A10 BSA. I set up the sidecar what felt best for me. That was with the bike pulling forward evenly. So no strain in keeping the steering straight ahead. Having to use more strength to achieve this was something I did not like. So I would advise you make careful adjustments that affect steering. Make sure you do not get any " steering wobble " This is really common sense. If the bike does not ride comfortable, its not set up right. As far as side car braking is concerned. If you have a side car brake, set it up so it improves braking. My Watsonia side car had a brake. It rested under the foot brake and was adjustable. Via the cable and pedal adjuster. I would advise both side car and rear brake are set equally. This will give good braking on the straight. If too much on the chair it could pull over to the left. Just like car brakes. If the left is more powerful you could end up in the ditch. I could apply just the sidecar brake if I wished. In fact, if I was going up to 40 mph down a country road, I could hit just the side car brake hard enough, to spin the bike round facing the opposite direction.
User avatar
Rob Harknett
Posts: 11236
Joined: Mon Jan 01, 1990 12:00 am
Location: ESSEX UK

Re: ANYONE MOUNTED A SIDECAR TO A AJS MODEL 20

Post by Rob Harknett »

http://archives.jampot.dk/book/Workshop ... chless.pdf
You can also refer to a workshop manual.
User avatar
Rockerbri
Member
Posts: 81
Joined: Sat Jan 17, 2015 11:51 am
Location: uk

Re: ANYONE MOUNTED A SIDECAR TO A AJS MODEL 20

Post by Rockerbri »

G15 Roy wrote:
Rockerbri wrote:Hi all, it will soon be Xmas so hope you all have a top time, anyway has anyone out there mounted a sidecar to a AJS model 20 ?
Ive got a lightweight sidecar and was thinking of mounting it to my 1960 AJS model 20, having not done this befor i thought i would ask if anyone out there in Matchless /Ajs land has done so ? If you have would be great to be given some advice about the do's and dont's,
many thanks all..... :beer:
Looks like you have lost you membership profile or just forgot to renew.
opps its just run out best re-new... :beer:
MATCHLESS G12 CSR...MATCHLESS 250 CSR...AJS MODEL 20 ...BSA A65 LIGHTNING...HARLEY DAVIDSON ROADKING & SPORTSTER...
User avatar
Rockerbri
Member
Posts: 81
Joined: Sat Jan 17, 2015 11:51 am
Location: uk

Re: ANYONE MOUNTED A SIDECAR TO A AJS MODEL 20

Post by Rockerbri »

Rob Harknett wrote:http://archives.jampot.dk/book/Workshop ... chless.pdf
You can also refer to a workshop manual.

Many thanks are have a read...
MATCHLESS G12 CSR...MATCHLESS 250 CSR...AJS MODEL 20 ...BSA A65 LIGHTNING...HARLEY DAVIDSON ROADKING & SPORTSTER...
Locked