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| Sidecars: Iconic, great fun |
Only 601 of the initial Meteor were built by Watsonian, between 1946-49, using a batch of RAF Mosquito bomber reserve-fuel tanks that it had bought from the Air Ministry shortly after the end of the Second World War. Made from stretched and spun plywood, the tanks were light and aerodynamic, so Watsonian adapted them to use as sidecar bodies.
The body shell of the modern Meteor is produced from glass fibre, using a mould taken from one of the original plywood bodies. It sits on a tubular steel chassis, manufactured in Watsonian's Cotswold factory, which is uprated from the 1940s design with the addition of a shock-absorber and 16″ wheel. Measuring 2100mm x 1000mm, the Meteor has a 390mm wide seat. A fold-down screen is mounted on a cast-aluminium bar in front of the cockpit and the seat tilts forward to provide access to storage space behind.
Priced at £3995 including VAT, the Meteor - pictured here attached to a Moto Guzzi V7 Racer in front of de Havilland Mosquito TT35 at the RAF Musuem, Cosford - is available in a range of gel-coat colours. With more than 100 years’ experience, Watsonian offers fittings for a wide range of modern and classic motorcycles and can provide a factory fitting service.
www.watsonian-squire.com or see them at Motorcycle Live, Stand 3E28.
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