Motocross Action tests a 660cc TM Sidecar!

#motocross #motorcycle #racing
Motocross Action tests a 660cc $20,000 sidecar. Are you a mind reader? Can you predict people’s actions and decisions? If you can, chances are you would be good at sidecar motocross racing. Yes, you could have your own mentalist stage show in Las Vegas and make millions, or use your telepathic powers to save the world from evil, but you wouldn’t have as much fun as racing sidecars. he sheer weight and power of riding a sidecar on a motocross track is intimidating. The WSP chromoly rolling chassis, which costs over $9000, and 660cc four-stroke TM engine (based on a bored-and-stroked TM 450MX engine) are the meat and potatoes of the bike. With the bike weighing 400 pounds dry and the riders around 350 pounds combined, that is a total weight of 750 pounds that the 660cc TM four-stroke has to pull around the track. The Italian-built engine pumps out 72 ponies. That would be unmanageable on a solo bike, but with the power focused more on torque than horsepower, it was about perfect for this sidecar. What’s it like to race a sidecar motocross rig? Believe it or not, it takes two people to control a sidecar. They are joined at the hip. The person who steers the sidecar is called the driver, even though there is no steering wheel. The passenger isn’t really a passenger at all. He is working incredibly hard to keep the sidecar rig balanced out and aimed in the right direction. Don’t call the passenger the “monkey.” That is a derogatory term given how important the passenger is to the success of the team. As we blasted down the starting line and headed towards the steeply banked Talladega first turn, I remembered Gert Van Werven’s initial advice when I asked how to get it around the big Glen Helen track. He said, “Just pin it!” When he said that, my eyes lit up and I looked over at Josh with a big grin on my face. So, I got on the gas hard coming into the Talladega first corner, and I could hear Josh yelling, “Slow down!” I ignored him and kept the throttle pegged. As we blasted up the banking, I had the handlebars turned as far right as they would go, but the sidecar kept going straight. I thought we were going to fly over the lip of the 70-mph Talladega banking. Just before we flew off the track, Josh saved both of us by leaning off the side of the bike to distribute the weight to make it turn. We both started laughing hysterically. It was partially from the thrill and partially from the fear. Thankfully, we were still in one piece. t was incredible how powerful the bike was. The 660cc powerplant put serious power to the ultra-wide 140 rear tire. The handling was awesome-that is if Josh and I were in the right positions. After every lap that we clicked off, Peter and Gert would pull us over to give us some pointers. It was Josh who was getting the most instructions. To me, the instructions were a blur, but for Josh they involved moving faster, leaning farther out of the sidecar, putting his arm around me in the left-hand turns, where to put his feet, how not to burn himself on the scorching hot exhaust and, most important, not to fall out. When they told Josh not to fall out, I giggled, only to have them turn to me and say, “If he falls out, you are on your way to a big crash when you get to the next corner.” My job was easy. I just twisted the throttle, but I wasn’t about to tell Josh that. It is really hard to put into words how much fun this experience was. Riding a custom-made $20,000 machine that has all the power you need at your fingertips is a serious adrenaline rush. Having a good friend working with you to experience the same fun together is also quite the rush. Thanks, Gert and Peter, for the lessons, and Ralf for letting us break in your new ride.
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[@Aint1S]

I never stopped smiling the whole time! Those guys doing this for a living are a rare breed! Hat's off to you gentlemen, you make something difficult look so easy and that scares me!

[@codenamenoob4973]

Best video yet, hilarious fun. Here in northern Ireland they run a few racing series for sidecars, during one of my practices at a grasstrack race somehow one of the sidecars ended up out with us in the 250 class I went by the two fellas up a fast uphill it's really strange going by one as I worried the passenger was gonna lean into my front wheel on the run up to the corner 😂

[@joshmosiman1955]

Thanks! And yeah it is definitely sketchy when you mix sidecars and two wheel bikes on the track at the same time. Pretty funny

[@dr.hugog.hackenbush9443]

Test one with the big Zabel 700cc 2-stroke.

[@contyrrell1822]

Was just about to comment that

[@24willydude]

The description of the ride had me cracking up the entire time

[@jackpiper4581]

The description is literally the dialogue throughout the video

[@josephdowney4919]

This was an awesome test, thanks for the entertainment. I got nervous for the passenger just watching this!

[@MX304]

That is actually a lot more interesting than I thought it would be. I'd have a go on one. Cool to see some different content!

[@joshmosiman1955]

@MX304 Glad you liked it! It was a ton of fun, I didn't know what to expect, but it was a blast. Especially when you're doing it with a friend

[@pascalvdsande2727]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/fYC5m2CcrcuAZrM

[@damianvanhees1255]

@@joshmosiman1955 personally as a dutch man in the world of sidecar. it is a blast a you said. and espacially if in my case you and your dad are both passangers. credits to the people in america. the sport is really unknow in america.

[@three54ridestore]

So when are you coming to the UK to race one for real??? On there own they are fun but charging into a first turn with 30 of them is a whole other level of scary We have a bike you can use... 🤙🏻😃

[@jeffreyenglish2413]

Great video and good coverage something different sidecar motocross is big in Europe not the state’s nice Job. Keep up good work

[@allenwenzel7272]

There are still some dedicated Sidecar Motocross racers/teams in the greater Los Angeles area. It's not a very big sport in the USA these days, but it does still exist. It was never a very big sport in the USA anyways. It's a team sport, but like no other you could compare. The driver and passenger have to be able to read the terrain ahead and then know how each other will react to the same situation. It's probably the greatest team sport in motor racing, and possibly the greatest team sport in team sports!

[@DutchGamers]

I hope it will be a bigger sport in the future in USA would be sooo cool to have a sidecar competition in USA too and World championship with USA teams

[@MrTonyharrell]

Great video! Wonder if there’s interest to race them here? The cost would be a problem though.

[@oldschoolscramblesracinggr976]

Hi Tony... Yes there is. We have a Sidecar class in our TT Scrambles Series at Glen Helen. Check us out at www.OSSRG.org :)

[@LEEROY_UK]

Fantastic video , looks like you had a lot of fun on that !

[@ianpearce5745]

When you think your super fit you should try being a passenger in a motocross sidecar. Good to see a TM engine being used they are very superbly designed engine.

[@woolybugger9429]

Hot dang! Can you imagine a starting gate full of these things!?!?

[@betafamily9080]

its pretty damn cool standing there and waiting for the 5 second gate drop :D

[@Sleepy.Time.]

used to watch these race at Saddleback when they had the Baja Cross races

[@petertothRC-FPV]

🏆That was great action🎯Nice Sidehack💪

[@mikebolliger2700]

Finally the sidecar comes to America. Test out a Zabel 700cc two stroke, that would be sick. This beast produces about 80 hp😜

[@jasonfuller9128]

Brother you are so right about that is the best way to rde and race. I used to race them at Glenn helen myself back in the late 80s. Wow ....

[@nickdefreitas]

Something different and interesting. Easy to see which one would be the slimmer of the two.

[@JayPro4x]

Now this is a video!!!!!

[@ukmudlover7839]

Beautiful bike !

[@klausb.6207]

Sidecar racing is the best ever.❤

[@fredrickheinecke3640]

Wish you had a chance to ride a Zabel 700cc.. ..the sound alone..

[@_the_low_gold_gamer_2501]

It would have been cool to get lap time comparison

[@oldschoolscramblesracinggr976]

Very Cool :)

[@philosborn1840]

I like it!

[@Jake_Hynds]

What kind of rear tire is on that thing ?

[@codenamenoob4973]

He says it was a 140 rear but no other information apart from that

[@SreidMX]

A side car!!! No way!

[@lechatelain25]

Quel bruit merveilleux que ce mono 4 temps

[@poppianejo3856]

Brass Ball!!

[@jeffchambers1147]

Do a video like this but with atvmx chad wienen

[@StuartKaufman]

I Want to see lap times compared to someone like Ken Roczen on 2 wheels... Gauging off of the 2 best side car pilots of course and I'll even give 'em a full second handicap if you wanna race. BTW, Im not doggin' Its a COOL Machine

[@WayneCarolan]

Northern Ireland lads rule sidecar mx

[@smokey6859]

There are no four strokes that can come close to the zabel two stroke. Not only that, but they don't even make this TM 660 engine anymore. Everyone in sidecar Motocross is using big two strokes

[@garymoulds3583]

Sorry Matt but 4 strokes are still right up there in the sidecar world , the last sidecar GP was won by a four stroke 700cc AMS motor ! There are more people on two stroke but still plenty of us on four strokes , check out the video on my channel 👍🏻

[@FrostedFlake420]

Some weird stuff here

[@ConnerBonner1]

Do a classic test with the 125s like the Honda’s and KXs

[@joshf8097]

Come on, I'm the only one saying it but I know all of you guys are thinking it.

[@kieranmarcjones-milner572]

Eat sport I have done

[@joshf8097]

Honestly I lost a little bit of respect for you guys after this LOL I'm sorry but I'm absolutely 100% serious

[@sidecarcrossni]

Being a passenger is the toughest thing you will do. Don't knock it until you have tried it.

[@joshf8097]

@@sidecarcrossni oh I believe you, I just don't want to... hahaha. Like, never ever at all. Haha

[@joshf8097]

@@sidecarcrossni I'd much rather just ride a dirt bike. (Like it supposed to be used) lol

[@joshf8097]

@@sidecarcrossni this must definitely be a "niche: kind thing man. It just seems so cringe-worthy to me. I guess, it's just not for everybody you know what I mean? and for me, that be like me going out wearing a dress in public, lol... and, just to put it out there, I'm not trying to be mean, honestly. But for me, it's just genuinely how I feel. I would be embarrassed telling my friends and family I did that for fun. To each their own though... But, don't get me wrong, if you enjoy this kind of thing, God bless ya, keep doing it... it's just definitely not for me man LOL

[@joshf8097]

Wow that was stupid