1850mm is the maximum width allowable for a side car, where is the measurement taken from? The two outer most points? the centre line of the wheels to the edge of the sidecar? I thought I would ask the brains trust first rather than hassle with the RTA or Maritime whatever they are called.
To my understanding its overall width. Outside of sidecar to outside of handle bar. Which seems like an arbitory rule made up by some one for no real reason. If you have a double width (2 seat side by side) chair it must put the rig over width? Increased width gives greater cornering stability when you turn towards the chair or away I suppose to a lesser degree. Cars can be wider and trucks at 2.5m are the normal max width vehicle on the roads. 2.1m wide would would be easily viable I should think for a long and heavy (big engined) bike. Anyone with more wisdom on the subject out there? :huh Its a question I had myself. Cheers, Bruce.
thats exactly right, just picked up a double HRD which is about 1100mm, the bike is a Kawasaki VN1700. will be a tight squeeze if thats the case.:eek1 Might have to get the rego with an apple crate attached, then swap to the HRD once it has passed?
ADR 43 Motorcycles Manufactured on or After 1 July 1988 43.4.5. Overall Width (including any Equipment) 43.4.5.1. The 'Overall Width' of any motor vehicle (other than an L-Group vehicle) or trailer shall not exceed 2,500 mm. 43.4.5.2. The 'Overall Width' of an L group vehicle shall be as follows : 43.4.5.2.1. In the case of a two wheal vehicle (LA or LC), the maximum width shall not exceed 1,000 mm. 43.4.5.2.2. In the case of a three wheel vehicle (LB or LE) or a motor cycle with a side car (LD), the maximum width shall not exceed 1,850 mm. So if you want an outfit wider than 1.85m it needs to be attached to a motorcycle manufactured before 1 July 1988 in which case it can be up to 2.5m wide.
That's really nuts.1850mm is only 73" I thought Aussies had better sense than that. Judging from the pictures on adv of Aussie rigs, most look out of compliance.
Yep, just measured mine, a BMW K1100 with home made chair, 1950mm wide. The only time I had to put an outfit over the pits in 1978, R60/2+ chair they never bothered to measure the width, that was at Rosebery rego headquarters in Sydney. PJ in Gladstone South Australia.
thanks peeps, looks like it is just going to fit, might fit a kids bicycle wheel to the hub for measurement
Most coppers haven't a clue about sidecars so there's no problems until someone gets involved in a collision or meets a smart-arsed copper or scaley, that's when the big problems start. Non-compliance means your un-roadworthy, unregistered and un-insured so even if your in the right - you're stuffed. Really needs to be changed retrospectively to 2.1m.
Well you could make a point on safety grounds perhaps, narrower = less stable. More likely to lift the sidecar in corners. Still we live in a country that can't even have common road rules nation wide. now that is ridiculous!
