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(as of May 16, 2025 05:34:01 UTC – Details)
The Rockers Bike Ads series of publications are designed to provide a convenient source of reference for researchers, enthusiasts, and anyone with an interest in motorcycling history. These compilations are deliberately presented without narrative, allowing the advertisements to speak for themselves.
To begin, let’s define a sidecar: “A conveyance consisting of a small carrier attached to the side of a motorcycle.”
Since the emergence of the first practical motorcycle over 140 years ago, one key issue with the basic concept of the “motorised bicycle” has persisted: the lack of a comfortable and secure means of carrying passengers or luggage .
While a pillion seat or makeshift seating may often have sufficed for hardy enthusiasts or those with limited options, it was far from ideal for family men with young children. Similarly, carrying luggage for touring or tools for trade work posed significant challenges.
The sidecar emerged early in the motor age as a simple and practical solution—an optional attachment that transformed the motorcycle into a more versatile and family-friendly vehicle.
When is a car not a car? Though this volume focuses primarily on sidecars, you will also find references to related motorcycle variants such as forecars, cyclecars, trailers, and even caravans.
Of the nearly 150 manufacturers listed, a small number may have produced models that were merely “badged” or assembled rather than factory-built. These are marked with an asterisk (*) in the listings.
It is also worth noting that manufacturer names and sidecar brand names do not always align. Over time, changes in factory ownership and branding such as ‘Swallow’ occurred—generally, the name found at the foot of the original advertisement offers the most accurate attribution.
The heyday of the sidecar stretched from the post–World War I era through the interwar years, peaking just before World War II. By the mid-1950s, the rise of the affordable family car signaled the decline of most sidecar manufacturers. Nonetheless, a few—most notably Watsonian—continue to produce quality sidecars to this day.
This publication presents advertisements in alphabetical order, one per page, with an additional example for each year of production. Priority is given to adverts that showcased a range of current models or those with the most visually striking illustrations.
The date and source of the original publication appears at the foot of each image as well as the record number corresponding to the image in the Rockers Bike Ads master database.
Please note that all the images have been sourced from original publications in my library, many of the original publications are over 100 years old, so image quality isn`t always of the highest quality. Due to the cost of production all the images are reproduced in Greyscale (Black & White) which in most cases is the original format. Where original images are full colour these are annotated as such.
Together, these ads form a fascinating timeline of sidecar evolution, construction methods, and the many creative variants that once shared Britain’s roads.
The line between sidecars, cyclecars and three-wheeler cars etc is often quite fine so adverts that don`t quite ‘fit in’ to the theme have been included for interest rather than omitted. Whilst this may not be a definitive guide, and potentially subject to future revision I’m sure you’ll find it as interesting to read as I’ve found it to compile.
ASIN : B0F7RDR8PP
Publisher : Independently published (May 6, 2025)
Language : English
Paperback : 583 pages
ISBN-13 : 979-8281847056
Item Weight : 2.13 pounds
Dimensions : 6 x 1.32 x 9 inches
