What’s the appeal of a motorcycle sidecar combination? Is it the added practicality of luggage carrying? The promise of companionship on a journey? Or the go-anywhere capability offered by 2WD outfits like the Ural? I’m not sure what the answer is, but I find sidecars irresistible. And this classy combination is one of the best I’ve seen for a while.
It belongs to Tony Prust of Illinois-based Analog Motorcycles, and the powered half is a 1978 CB550 K. Tony bought the combination a couple of years ago, and used it as the family daily driver before deciding to restore it.
The engine came out, and was freshened up and detailed. The stock 4-into-4 exhaust was swapped for a neater 4-into-1 item. The frame was powdercoated, and little upgrades such as pod filters and new instrumentation were installed. The sidecar is a fiberglass ‘Spirit of America’ from the mid seventies, and therefore very light; Tony needed to fill it with sandbags for balance. So he then welded 80 lbs of iron into the sidecar frame during restoration to solve the problem once and for all.
The entire combination has now been repainted in a very elegant pale gray and white color scheme, with black pinstriping, and it looks a million dollars.
