Sidecar Passenger Needed

:up:

 

This picture/page sums up how we did. Best photo of the weekend.

http://latebraker.com/galleries/WERA/Vegas_411/Favorites/content/WERA_14_large.html


Thanks John for making this photo possible.

 

Awesome :up:

 

Awesome pics! Glad it went so well. I've have some nightmares. The slang in the sidecar world is "sandbag" or " toolbox" because normally a 1st time passenger is about as useful as strapping something heavy to the chair. Some people just DONT GET IT and it sucks to drive out and spend the whole weekend looking in the mirror. Didn't have that problem at all this time. Quite the opposite.
Thanks again Nate. Really, being able to make the bike break traction and steer it as a passenger is HIGHLY advanced stuff reserved for a passenger's 2nd SEASON, not their 1st race. We definitely showed class. Both of the Beckers said we looked really smooth when they followed us on Sunday during the 1st lap, and Rick Murray of Team RGM said the same thing. There's over a dozen championships and like 50yrs of sidecar racing between those two drivers, and another 15-18 yrs in their passengers. We were the fastest F2 (short wheelbase) out there, so if we had enough bikes to split the classes we would have technically won both races. It's really hard to stay with a well driven F1, and passengers work double- hard on an F2.
Glad you didn't pass out on your 20-lapper Nate. You're definitely on the top of my reserve list.
Cheers,
-Johnny

Oh, and for those that were there, Wood Brothers Racing was the machine that flipped on the start. Passenger Phil Wood has one broken and to 3 possibly broken ribs, driver Chris Wood has some bruising in his shoulders. They plan to be at our next race at Willow April 22-24 though. Real spirit in those guys. Here's a couple angles of the start from #3, Bad Cat Racing:
Front:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rgwx1xdMJLo&feature=related
Rear:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JtOp6leHIwc&feature=related

 

Oh and I did here there is a sidecar for sale down in San Diego, but didt get the guy's number; just kept slipping my mind.

 

:up:Wow, this looks seriously fun. I'm glad you guys had a great time and did well :up:
I need to see these in person!

 

I was at Road America a few years back at an AMA round when sidecars were racing. I walked around the pits and met a ton of sidecar teams and I was blown away by how friendly and welcoming everyone was. I was invited to sit on several of them and had an absolute blast talking with those guys.

The racing was freaking awesome to watch. I was impressed as hell at the corner speed you guys carry. It must be an awesome feeling being so low to the pavement and railing that speed, as the monkey.

I would love to give it a shot but I can't afford the racing I do now. Too bad it costs so much more. You guys rock. :up:

 

I did a few laps as passenger once. Felt more "natural" than riding a bike. AND was way fun.

 

Good stuff! :up:

 

ditto. this is badass. I'm trying to wrap my head around the "ideal" passenger dimensions though.

Light is obviously desirable for acceleration and cornering grip, but given the geometry (or lack thereof) of the sidecar, I have to think that leverage is a serious factor too.

so light, but tall and top-heavy would be ideal, right?

 

Thats cool shit.

 

"Ideal" passenger dimensions are pretty fluid. F1 and F2 have different needs, and drivers have different styles. Some drive like it's a sprint car with a lot of sliding and point and shoot, some drive like it's a 125GP with arcing lines. Passengers are often times better at one style or the other.
I prefer 160-175lbs. Males are at an advantage because they carry a lot more weight on their shoulder, as long as they are cat-like and have a good sense of timing. Females to to be better initially though, because they listen to instruction and ask good questions. It's a generality though; Nate asked good questions and applied what advice I offered.
130-140lbs passengers can often times work well with a arcing driver in an F1. That's all just 1 guy's opinion though, I hear different things from different drivers.
Anyway, again I have to thank everyone on here, and WERA staff as well. The other sidecar teams seem really happy with how the event is run and the track layout itself. There's definitely a lot to do in that back section!!!
-Johnny

 

id be game for being a monkey. 6' 155lbs those pics look great!
If yall ever make it to CMP look me up!

 

Keep dreaming.

I'm just part monkey. This *ish came naturally to me. Would I do it again ? Let me put this in a funny way: Probably not. My career is limited to a 2nd place in solo 20 and 3rd in Sundays sprint race.

my laps results

John,

I've been getting beat by Neil for long enough. The guy is magic on an SV. Being able to to lap him in the sprint race was epic. I don't care if he's got 3min total experience or was on a slower cart. A win is a win and a lapping of him will go down in history. Thanks for understanding what I meant when I pointed, forcefully, at them when we came onto the back straight.
That block pass into 6 will hold me over for a LONG time.

 

Trophies mean trophy girls.

 

Awesome thread and pics, including the one just above.:up:

I rode a modern sidecar at Grattan a long time ago for one lap at lunch and was beat for the whole day, but it was a blast. The racers monkey was a gal that was more buff than 90% of the paddock!

 

Totally want to do it... Only if you lived close to KAnsas city.

 

Serious question: If at some point in the race, say the last lap, the monkey falls off, can you still win the race or do the rules require him to be on board at the finish?