Sidecar
A sidecar is an one-wheeled vehicle attached to the side of a motorcycle, producing a three-wheeled vehicle (however, these are not called tricycles).
The sidecar consists of a frame (which is rigidly fixed to the motorcycle's frame on one side and is supported by the sidecar's wheel on the other side) and of a body. The body typically provides one passenger seat and a small trunk compartment behind. In some modifications the sidecar's body is used for carrying cargo only (like a truck's platform).
The sidecar's wheel is sometimes also driven (sometimes using a differential gear), to improve the vehicle's ability to go cross-country.
Before the 1950s, sidecars were quite popular, providing a cheap alternative to passenger cars; they have also been used by the army and police. During WW2, German troops used many BMW and Zundapp sidecar motorcycles.
Now sidecars are a mere curiosity. Some of the few remaining producers of sidecars are IMZ-Ural and Izhmash in Russia, Dnepr in the Ukraine and Chang Jiang in China. Sidecars are often seen on Russian and Ukrainian roads.
See also:
