2011 Watsonian Squire

Watsonian Squire have been making great British sidecars in the Heart of England since 1912 and
remain Europe’s biggest volume manufacturer.

Watsonian Manx

Originally sidecar bodywork was either wicker or aluminium, mounted on an ash wood frame; today all Watsonian sidecars are manufactured from glass fibre, with a steel frame. The GP Manx is single-seater sports sidecar that retains the traditional octagonal nose shape dating from the 1920's and has a large 16” spoke wheel. It is the most compact and lightest model in the GP range, making it well-suited, both practically and aesthetically, for the new generation of traditional British bikes.

Two versions are on display, featuring a choice of single and twin cylinder machines. Watsonian have teamed up with Norman Hyde (www.normanhyde.co.uk), Triumph performance specialist and sidecar speed record holder*, to create a sporty outfit that combines a Manx sidecar with a twin cylinder 865cc fuel-injected Bonneville equipped with a host of performance accessories from Norman Hyde.

The Manx has a shorter chassis than other models in the GP range and is thus lighter and more compact. Meanwhile the Bonneville is fitted with a Power Commander, bell-mouth air intake and sport silencers, for extra go, with an AP Lockheed front brake disc and calliper for additional stopping power.

A steering damper and up-rated Ikon shocks beef up suspension to handle the extra weight of the car and Hyde has also specified a Givi screen for touring comfort. Also on display is a GP Manx paired with a Royal Enfield single cylinder 500cc Classic, which may seem familiar to anyone who has seen the latest instalment of the Harry Potter film series (The Deathly Hallows, released on 19th November 2010).

Watsonian Squire supplied several sidecar combinations to the film-makers for use in the spectacular chase sequence in which the hero (Harry Potter) flees from the Death Eaters in a sidecar outfit driven by Hagrid.

Prices for Watsonian GP Manx sidecars start at £3695 and a full factory fitting service, with tuition for novice drivers, is available. For more information on sidecars contact Watsonian-Squire on 01386 700907 or visit www.watsonian-squire.com.