SIDECARS and
the GRAND PRIX
THE HISTORY OF INTERNATIONAL SIDECAR ROAD RACING
By Richard C. Renstrom
Photos courtesy "Motor Cycle”, London
SIDECAR RACING, perhaps more than any other facet of
motorcycle sport, is typically European. Born way back in
the 1920’s, it was not until after World War II that sidecar
racing became an officially established part of the international
road racing scene. Since then the sport has grown until, today,
there is probably more honest competition involved than in
any of the solo classes in grand prix road racing.
The first significant mention of sidecar road racing occurs
in the history books for 1923, when the famous Isle of Man
TT hosted a class for 600cc three-wheelers. This first event
was dominated by the colorful Freddy Dixon, who used an
opposed-twin Douglas with a banking sidecar to score a
popular win. The I.O.M. also staged sidecar races in 1924 and
1925, but then the interest waned and the event was dropped.
The next significant sidecar races were held in Germany
during the middle and late 1930’s, with such exotic machines
as supercharged BMW twins, blown DKW two-stroke split
singles, and supercharged NSU twins soundly trouncing the
unblown singles. An effort was even made by the Germans to
stage a European championship, with Toni Babl and Hans
Schumann winning the mythical 600cc crowns in 1936 and
1937. Adolf Hitler then canceled out the young sport in 1938
due to the many fatal accidents that occured, which proved
that the series was really only a German affair, and not very
“European” after all.
After that episode no one paid much attention to sidecar
racing until after the war when some Dutch, Swiss, Italian,
British, Belgian, and German riders began to agitate for a side-
car class. Part of the reason for this renewed interest was the
lowered standard of living in war-torn Europe, which caused
the sidecars to become an exceptionally popular mode of
cheap transportation for many families. With this in mind, the
Federation Internationale Motorcycliste met to decide what
approach to take for the side hacks. The decision was to allow
the Swiss GP organizers to hold a 600cc sidecar event in con-
junction with the three (250, 350, and 500cc) solo classes. The
post-war ban on superchargers was in effect, of course, and fuel
was limited to a 72 octane rating.
The Swiss GP was held at Berne that year, and great
interest was centered on this experimental event by competitors
and spectators alike. The race itself proved to be exciting and
colorful, with Luigi Cavanna taking the trophy with his Moto
Guzzi outfit. Cavanna was followed by Swiss ace Hans Halde-
man on a Norton and Hans Starkle on his NSU.
These early day sidecar rigs were rather archaic looking, but
their technical specifications were still quite interesting and
diverse. The Guzzi featured a horizontal 500cc single-cylinder
engine with a bore and stroke of 88 x 82mm, and outside
flywheel, and an unusual pivoted-fork rear suspension. The
RIGHT: 1964 scene at England's Mallory Park shows how
streamlining is used on sidecars to reduce wind resistance and
increase speed.
FAR RIGHT: 1954 LO.M. scene shows Cyril Smith leading
Fritz Hillebrand's BMW. Note lack of streamlining and right
and left mounted sidecars.
TRIO of BMW aces, headed by Arsenius
Butscher, shown in sorhe glose action
during sidecar event of recent Belgian
Grand Prix. (Mick Woollett Photo)...