Sidecarcross is Insane and I’m about to go for a ride with one of the worlds best sidecar racers…wish me luck! We’ll also test my fastest lap against the hot lap of a professional sidecar crew. What on earth have I signed up for?
    I’ve tried my hand at most dirt bike disciplines whether it’d be trials, enduro or motocross, but I’ve never before set foot in a sidecar chair, so I think it’s time to put that right! FIM World Sidecarcross Grand Prix Racer Dan Foden was the perfect man to take me for a spin and top tier passenger Jim Kinge was the best coach I could ask for. It’s safe to say that I’ve got a whole new level of respect for sidecarcross racers now….

    Be sure to follow the boys across social media and YouTube:
    https://www.instagram.com/danfoden/?hl=en
    https://www.youtube.com/@UCSz90qjb83jDem3LN7UJG5w
    https://www.youtube.com/@UC8b7LsAOoR22CJAXYyXV18w
    https://www.facebook.com/Jim.kinge

    Thanks to Cardo for helping us out with the awesome Packtalk Edgephone head sets. These were awesome for communication at the track, you can also hook them up to the pack talk edge helmet coms system to talk with your riders on the go. Check them out here – https://www.cardosystems.com/shop/packtalk-edgephones/?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAyeWrBhDDARIsAGP1mWREuth1dI162lrn8XgVkb–46YIS7hX8-nro6ZjEEpNYOp2JtAhg3waAuoNEALw_wcB

    A big thanks goes to our channel sponsors for making these videos possible!
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    And also a big thanks to O’NEAL for always helping us to enjoy the ride: https://oneal.com/

    A huge thanks to Dale, Malcolm and the Conquest Valley Motorsport team.
    https://www.facebook.com/conquestvalleymotorsport.ltd

    Oh oh sidecar racing is an absolutely Bonkers sport wrestling one of these massive machines around the track is no mean feet let alone being the guy in the chair hanging on for dear life I’ve tried my hand at most dirt bike disciplines I’ve dabbled in Trials I’ve

    Given Enduro a go and I grew up racing motocross but I’ve never ridden a side car and I’ve certainly never been the passenger if you ask me it looks uncomfortable irresponsible and downright dangerous so naturally today we’re going to give it a Go so this is the last discipline that I need to check off my dirt bike bucket list but I’m not fooled I know this is a dangerous game this is a big motorcycle after all and the consequ quences can be severe if you get things wrong the list

    Of injuries that these two guys have been through this year alone is pretty long and properly gnarly this is the team that will be showing me the ropes today individually they are two of the best side car races in the nation behind the bars we’ve got 23-year-old Dan foden and in the

    Passenger seat we’ve got Jimmy King today these two will be showing me the Delight of side car they’ll be showing us how it should be done before I give it a go myself I couldn’t ask for better coaches on my very first day of side car

    Action Jim and Dan are about to show us how it should be done before I gear up and give it a go for Myself So Dan and Jim are actually Step Brothers both from a sidecar racing background but they aren’t actually currently teammates Dan has his own passenger that’s Ryan and Jim is actually looking for a rider at the moment so if you’re in need of a passenger with some serious skills give Jim a

    Shout nevertheless they look like they make a good pairing to me and they’re about to show us how it should be done I’ve got my notepad and pencil out because Jims about to give me a lesson on holding on for de Life I think already Jim is showing us how gnarly it is to be a passenger in a side car outfit and we’re only halfway through the lap things are about to get Wild The way these boys can throw around this big heavy machine is nothing short of incredible standing track side for this opening lap of action I started to get a little nervous I knew my time was about to come after this demo lap they’d be coming back to the pits and

    Getting me ready for my first ever ride as a sidecar passenger Oh I don’t know what I’ve got myself in for uh I’ve got to try and do that in this video but first I think it might be useful if I go to SAR school so um let’s pull in Dan and Jim and they’re going to give me a few lessons on how I

    Can maybe try to replicate what we’ve just seen there my nerves have just gone I’m pretty scared now What are we doing what you got me Into so why are you doing this us why do get his boots taped up so his buckles don’t get caught on the floor pan or any of the bits of metal around the bike the last thing you need is buckles coming on done you Bo apparently you might get dragged

    Along right yeah would be the first time was happened to me only if we lucky no why not it makes that look really easy that leg that leg’s doing all the work be right you pick up do anyone I don’t feel like that’s doing

    Any benefit to me go to stream Max go to go see how far you can get off the side that yeah no is that it drop your ass further down TR always try to sit on your left heel like that there you go sliding that foot get over there w’t

    That’s what you are so not getting back on it after you do that bring back in you sit your ass there you take that hand off this time you wrap that so you move this leg onto here yeah and then you you’re around there like that yeah

    See then you wrap that arm around down give him a cuddle him a cuddle like that that’s exactly it a little squidge up you ready to go back I I’m actually more scared now than when I work I thought I thought sidec car school would I thought

    Sidec car school would like give me some hope and confidence it’s all well and good talking about it like while the bike’s sitting still but when you’re going over when you’re getting smashed around and stuff you got to do that it’s crazy right yeah in a race when there’s

    Another dude there yeah yeah like you going into a corner in a battle and you’re like yeah we want to get right over and he’s here yeah get R Trail you run over everyone what would be really funny is if the other side car was with

    Pass on the other side then you could be slapping each other a proper fight two okay so Dan and Jim have showed us how it should be done they’ve given us a show out on track and uh scared the crap out of me uh but now they’re going to

    Take me to sidecast school and Jim’s going to give me some pointers on how to be a good passenger but first Dan can you just tell us about the bike what are we actually going to be riding today what what is it so this is a 670cc a AMF

    Uh made in Belgium by Glenn Woodman the frames of wsp made in Holland by Daniel Williamson completely customized by nothing to do with a solo yeah it’s a proper bit of Kit and the motor started out as a KTM 450 yeah so this is a four stroke but you have got two-stroke

    Experience because obviously our channel is has a big two-stroke following and you did ride a yeah last year yeah nine years of my 10y year career I rode as Aral made the change for a fourstroke just due to that being the way that it’s sort of going in competition at the

    Moment but and how much is one of these going to set you back cuz you can’t really buy them off the shelves you can’t go into a dealership and say I want that one right you have to get it all yeah you have to get yeah you have

    To get your engine yourself probably about three or four grand for a good used engine and then maybe another four grand to get it converted into a good one and then you need three of those and from what I’ve seen you need some good mechanical knowhow as a rider as well

    Like these things uh look very complicated to me and you need to know how they operate to make some quick fixes on go right yeah they are very complicated and can be quite stressful at times but as the rider then what are you looking for in a good passenger what

    Are your tips for me um confidence know where you want to go on the track um be loose relaxed no don’t be scared yeah and just obviously Fitness is the biggest one for a passenger I think so great and I asked you this earlier but do you think what would be harder riding

    With a a really bad passenger or riding with no passenger at all probably riding with no passenger at all well if you got a really bad passenger who’s going the wrong way around the wrong Corners then yeah we and um how much difference do you think a really good passenger makes

    Over just a good passenger massive difference yeah just an average passenger to a good passenger can make you 5 Seconds a lap no problem well we’ll we’ll test that the a little later on in the video we’ll do a lap time Showdown cuz you know we like to do

    Those and we’ll test our lap time again yours and Jims at the end of the video and uh 5 seconds is my is my goal then it we be within 5 seconds and I’ve done well but I’m not hopeful let’s get Jim in and he’s going to give me some tips

    From the passenger point of view okay Jim you’re our expert passenger today uh what the hell do I need to do well you got to keep the bike stable so when you’re come into a Leander I put my leg round and out and down like this but

    Probably want to go new style for yourself so leg there come down nice and slow hand on the back there and then once once get I’m actually supposed to take my hand off that bar I think I’m be death dripping it now the looser you are the more relaxed you are

    The easier you’ll find it otherwise you end up just getting arm pumped you won’t be to hold on for so the idea is when we’re turning left I’m hanging out this side left is left and then when we go back up sit behind down give him a nice

    Cuddle drop in behind him and uh help him turn right it’s all about the weight placement keeping them keeping them level keeping them steady any other straight line what do I do in a straight line straight line keep your feet spr keep yourself loose again so if anything

    Happens you can sort of shift your weight towards anyway you see a bump coming that side shift your weight that side and then uh sure Danel shout yeah you know what’s going on as well yeah I hope he does uh and jumps there are a few jumps out there jumps keep your

    Weight level keep yourself knees bent and just give it a little tug as you pull off keep the front end high so like pull back just just a little pull off pull back keep the front end High you want to land back real first any more questions I should be asking why don’t

    Yeah why do we do it um just as as long as you’re left when he’s going left and you’re right when he’s going right you sound I wouldn’t say I was confident at the start of the day but I am less confident after scy car School let’s give it a

    Go so it’s the Moment of Truth for me then it’s time to put my money where my mouth is it’s safe to say I was feeling a little nervous a little trepidacious maybe I wouldn’t say I necessarily signed up for this video voluntarily my old man dad Phil who you know from the

    Videos this was his idea he thought it would be a great day at the track for everyone and I wonder why he thought that would be the case I didn’t really know what to expect but I tried my best to focus and remember what Jim had told

    Me this is me heading out for my very first lap as a sidecar passenger I was a complete virgin before this day so let’s see if I can even survive one lap and hang on for one circulation of the circuit before we get the stop watches

    Out wish me luck guys let’s see how this goes sedan started off nice and slow for me to get me used to things I’d also not been around the track yet today so I wasn’t quite sure what layout of the circuit he was using here at Conquest Valley

    Motorsport here we go up the big hill for the first time hanging on for a life I don’t know where track he’s using right yeah oh big step down oh Jesus Christ oh God first jump going to roll like this they go stra yeah okay I’m definitely not leaning over enough

    I down the hill oh Jesus Christ money down here is it oh yes I’m car the we going off the track off here go left straight after and we just joined back on yeah try avoid that hul mind the same car Jesus Christ this is tiring Oh soft spot oh so this was my very first lap just learning the ropes after this we had a brief Pit Stop where Jim gave me a few more pointers before we got back out on circuit and got the Stockwatch on this time to see how fast we could go around

    The track Dan was stepping things up a little bit here as I got a bit more used to what I was supposed to be doing let’s see how this goes with the clock on here we are then up the hill side go let’s go can’t see anything it up

    Here right turn down the bomb hole high on for de life now w woo stay downhill h on for it budy who oh and in tight tight tight yes we’re side caring step through oh off-roading now up the hell never STI this is my least F bit here we go get

    Off oh yeah hit jump oh yes through the Deep stuff here didn’t step through oh God So we’re coming around then to complete my hot lap if you want to called it that so I do have a lap time in the book then we’ll reveal that a little later on once Dan and Jim have been out for their fast lap yeah two one more lap

    I was starting to feel more comfortable in the car in the passenger chair but as you can see my energy levels were rapidly decreasing so let’s see how much longer I can hold on For oh God can’t See Oh oh sorry right oh yeah C it there hold up oh man oh that is hard work oh man fair play the gym mate Jesus one lap in and I feel like I’m going to die oh my God Jim how the do that that’s the answer we wanted I feel

    Like I’m going to die not cuz it’s like scary going that speed but that is physical in it how long are your motos don’t realize how much effort it takes just a step from there to there to there that’s way more tired than ride the Motocross

    By that’s blown my mind you done quite well though I I wasn’t committing to leaning that way enough I don’t think it wasn’t letting go of the bar but it felt safe that was 6 minutes Dan says the longest 6 minutes of my life to be a

    Fair play to gym and all the other passengers and Riders of course but that is another level of effort like that’s so tiring one lap felt like a whole race on a normal motorcross bik when we first got here I was worried about like stepping through into the different

    Positions like just being able to hang on but that felt quite natural actually like when you working with it to step through and lean over but it was just the actual physical exertion of doing that how many times do you think you step through and back and over in a

    Lap yeah that it’s like a lot of movement and you basically running a marathon in in place the the difference a passenger can make if you’re not working in concert with a with the bike and the rider like we I got tired up there and lost concentration and I was in the wrong

    Spot and we just started going completely wrong way didn’t we nearly in a bush nearly in the bush down the mountain Fair like a whole new level of respect for side car passengers that is gnarly stuff no and like that’s an empty track with 30 other teams in the race 29 other

    Teams that’s scary stuff to be hanging off that’s insane it’s almost time for the hot lap Showdown where Dan and Jim will show us how much difference a good passenger really makes but first Dan’s found himself another victim this is Dale this is his track and he expressed some interest this morning

    About having a go in the chair so we’re making dreams come true today oh yeah is it still a dream oh yeah much like me Dale’s never had a go on a side car before so uh it’s going to be baptism of fire I think for Dale here but he looks

    Confident he’s just had a sidecast school briefly from Jim so uh let’s see how he goes do you want to actually um into his person who actually set him up who oh was it malcol was this all Mal Malcolm what you gonna do D I’m gonna put him in the

    Chair it’s like The Green Mile is it all right as I figure out how to hold on so I do have to say a big thank you to Dale and the conquest Valley Motorsport team for allowing us to come along and film this video here today at

    Their track this was the least we could do to say thank you to Dale was to send them out in the chair the filming of this video was made a lot easier thanks to our friend at cardo Who provided us with these headsets you can see here

    These are the cardo pack talk Edge phones very high quality headsets here that we use to communicate between us myself Phil my Dad and Dan on the Drone we can talk to each other around the track you can also use these to talk to your Rider on the bike if they’ve got a

    Pack talk setup as well all between team managers mechanics anything at the track these are a great product I’ll put a link in the description down below where you can check them out as you can see Dale’s coming towards the end of his lap both Dale and I had similar lap times

    Had around 2 minutes 45 seconds that will be the time for the boys to beat before we send Dan and Jim out for their hot lap let’s just see Dale’s review of being a passenger and then talk to Dan down wow that is that is intense your legs kill first and the L

    To cast a buildup you can’t grip it you end up grabbing it falling off that way falling off that way and you guys go do one more lap here we go why not I was worried you actually look quite good on the Drone I was like oh maybe I’m just

    Really bad maybe I’m just like really unfit and then you made me feel better about myself now D come on just get to the end aome thank you guys thank you watch your arm on that that’s all right they do that for 35 minutes in a race the fitness they boys

    Have that is incredible G to get a lot of credit today Dan you’re good as well Char something else so I think it’s safe to say that I’ve got a whole new level of respect for sidec car passengers this sport is is Hardcore this is gnarly stuff what is

    It about side car Dan that you love why did you get into this sport rather than solos and motoross I used to ride solos when I was younger in school boys but through family and everything yeah I got into s cars and I like the way that it

    Feels riding the bike it’s sliding around you can sort of attack it a bit like a rally car almost yeah you can be really aggressive when you’re riding it and then psychic cross as a whole is just like a big Community as a workingclass man you can you can go and

    Do World Championship level racing uh so yeah that’s what sold it to me and we just talking off camera big and the passenger is still I still can’t quite compute these BLS they’re absolutely mental but usually saying off camera a couple of like Fair points about why

    People get into it in the first place why they become passengers yeah if people want to get into a cheap form of Motorsport as a passenger you don’t need to have a bike you don’t need to have a van so you can just turn up and have a

    Go get on a bike yeah and like yeah and like I said before the py across the community everyone’s friendly and want generally once people have a go and go to a few race meetings they get hooked on it and then they’re they’re there for a few years until they’re injured then

    Cuz you said basically in a in a team the rider is the boss he he owns the bike it’s his truck and then the passenger kind of turn up to work hang off the side try and win a few races and then go home not have to wash anything

    Yeah that’s usually how it works right yeah exactly that I generally make my passengers take the kit and the helmets and everything to wash them I mean a lot of passengers they do CHP in and help out where they can but again if if you can’t you can always find yourself a

    Ride where you can do as little or as much as you want to really as a sport then just talk about sidec car is it in a healthy state is it growing is it how is the sport struggling a little bit in this country at the moment I think half

    Of our problem is there’s no school boy s cars yeah so you started 14 racing yeah in the amca and ACU at 15 so in Europe they have kids and SARS organizations they’re already five or six years ahead of us before we even get going and also we struggle for practice

    Tracks like there’s not a lot of tracks that will take us so again if you if you want to get into SC cars it’s not like you can just pop down to your local practice track and find S cars there yeah the numbers are dwindling a little

    Bit at the moment but it does generally go through waves but on the European scene it’s it’s going quite strong what about in America is side cars a sport is it a sport in America or is it not a thing they do play it a little bit I

    Have heard that they are trying to maybe incorporate our racing possibly going to America I know that another team one of the world championship teams has been over to America riding and done a few press days so it’d be good to get some going over there but at the moment not

    And for you personally or your team because it’s um Ryan right your usual passenger we’ve had Jim today who’s shown us how to do it yeah what is your your goals you’re 23 you got a few seasons in the tank I should think and what’s the goal for you as a racer you

    Come to win every year so that’s our goal you try and win everything being realistic it’d be nice to win a British Championship or or a few British championships um and obviously the longterm goal is to win a world title so that’s what we’re going to try and push

    Towards last question then what if you had to sell side cars to someone that’s not tried it before how would you do that it’s very dangerous but very fun so if that’s what you want come and give it a go I know say get down the gym first

    Get get on that treadmill seriously Dan thanks so much today mate than you’re a hero M I don’t know how you do it there’s not a man that I fear there’s nobody here that can stop me cuz I’m in a league of my own kid y’all just sit

    Back watch they know who I am they can’t imitate don’t stay in your lane I’mma set it straight I’m putting my way to the top you get in my way you know that I’m so it’s hot lap time for our two professional sidec car races Dan and and

    Jim 2 minutes 45 seconds is the time for them to be something tells me they’re going to be able to manage that it’s just a question of how much faster they’re going to be so leave your guesses in the comments down below how much faster is Dan going to be with Jim

    In the chair over me and Dale like I said leave your guesses in the comments down below so the clock is on then and already the boy are looking scary fast just look at how much Jim moves around in that chair no hesitation just throwing himself around throwing caution to the

    Wind no regard for his own safety Jim isn’t absolute mad man some of the stories he was telling me on this day were absolutely insane but I think you’ve got to have a little bit of that in you to be a sidec car passenger that’s for Sure so once again we need to say big thank you to Conquest Valley Motorsport as you can see it’s very wet out there it’s hard to find the track at the moment here in the UK but they stepped up to the plate and provided us with an awesome playground for this video

    Shoot these two guys are absolutely unhinged in the jumps on a side car that just does not compute in my brain we’re about halfway through the lap now how much faster are they going to be powering up the main Hill here at Conquest Valley up and around Jim

    Hanging off once again P sliding around that corner back down the hill into the wet section of the track this was so cool to watch them send it around here walking up the brakes on the gas and up towards the jump just a handful of goers left then

    And they are still on the gas absolutely flying at the moment what a pleasure it has been to see a professional sidecar outfit or two professional side car races doing what they do best here today oh sending get a little bit too hard there boys getting close to the edge

    There but like I said an absolute pleasure to see these guys in action here today watching it up close and personal was so impressive like I said earlier I’ve definitely got a new found respect for sidecar races here they go they’re about to cross the beam to complete their hot lap

    With a lap time of 2 minutes and 1 second that’s nearly 45 seconds quicker than myself wow as always guys my name is Max you’ve been watching 999 laser big thanks to Dan gym everyone has helped make this video possible Dale as well for risking

    Uh life and limb out on the side car as well until next time we’ll see you at the Track

    48 Comments

    1. When I raced A grade motocross, I got to ride my mates sidecar and have a turn as the passenger, he and his brother were national champs and I only lasted two laps riding and passenger. I truly believe sidecar motocross is the most physically demanding sport in the world.

    2. Rode chair in the '90's, WASP 1000 twin shock – then moved to the US. (Live near Unadilla) Miss it so much. Glad you mentioned that the comradery of sidecar teams. I was the fittest ever when I started – but looked like laundry on a line. Technique/timing is everything.

    3. finally, why did i know it would be Foden.
      definitely it´s dangerous, my list: femoral neck fracture, broken wrist, broken ribs, blown out knee and several long time knock outs on the track inclusive free helcopter rides to the hospital.
      My guess, 40 seconds easy.

    4. This one gets a 10, Max. Back in 1980 I saw the sidecars race at the March pre-race for the 500 GP's. This was just outside of Liege, Belgium. 10 bikes and their monkeys started out and 6 teams went to the hospital. But what excitement to watch the rooster tail fling 30-40 feet in the air. The mx bikes had 4 foot high berms in the corners, and the sidecars levelled them in their race's. The bikes they rode were Triumph, BSA, Norton and a 750 Honda. Harry Everts won the pre-GP.

    5. Imagine hanging on to a chair for 24 hours Max.
      That's what the riders do for the 24hour trial north of Adelaide, South Australia. This coming event in July is the 100th anniversary.

    6. Had a couple of friends in the 80s that had these tools and they where number plated on the road in Bristol .! A ride across town was a hoot in my 20s but not now with the traffic and cameras 🤞

    7. I am a solo fan but grew up with sidecars being at most scrambles back in the day, and as a school boy was in a club that had a sidecar class, this is by far best video you have done, nice one.

    8. Great to see a sidecar video. I was always under the impression that they taped the boots up because the tracks tend to berm up not rut up and it was to stop the dirt going inside of their boots. But now I know.

    9. I rode as a passenger once (and i ride motocross), i also was completely exhausted after a few laps, about the same speed you were doing. I also have mad respect for anyone who could do that 30+ min

    10. Maybe already suggested, but it would be great for you to come to the U.S and give our style of Class C flat track a go. I’d like to see your impression of riding 1/2 mile and 1 mile ovals on either a 450 single or 750 twin.

    11. Love this video!! Used to race as a passenger in British Championships.Started off spannering for a brother team in world championships. Yes the rider controls the speed, but the passenger is the one to stears the bike! As said the driver has more chance without a passenger, than with a bad passenger. Depending on which side your sidecar is on, without the right passenger, open the throttle the bike goes one way, shut the throttle it goes the other way. As a passenger fitness is your biggest asset

    12. people I knew had a Norton wasp outfit, fully chrome hand-built frame with a Comanndo 920cc engine, it was a power monster, rip it open and turn the bars and it would straight line with power being laid down, it propelled the thing forward and ignored you wanting it to turn,

    13. Ну конечно что ты хотел))) я ездил 450сс , это не просто, а тут ребята просто терминаторы😂, колясочник вообще Шварцнеггер))

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