This Ex-Military 1942 Sidecar Is How You Bring Your Plus One!
In the old days, if you wanted to bring along a passenger on your two-wheeled excursions you typically used a sidecar. Sidecars were also employed extensively in the war, particularly during WWII. It was an economical way to transport 2 to 3 soldiers and some gear, making sidecar equipped bikes quite popular in battle.
This particular 1942 Sidecar was sold to the South African Union Defense Forces. It stayed in South Africa until it was bought and shipped to the U.S. back in the late ’90s. A full restoration was then performed to bring the vintage cruiser back to its original H-D glory.
Even though it’s an older restoration, the Electric Blue paint still looks fantastic, and the 1200cc Harley-Davidson Flathead is said to run like new. The majority of what you see is also original, including the sidecar, frame, gas tank, fenders, and seat. With only around 1,000 of these bikes sold to the South African military, it’s also likely one of just a few that still exist!