What Is a Philly Sidecar? Everything You Need to Know About the City's Famous Name
Beyond drinks and tech acquisitions, the literal sidecar has an entrenched subculture in Pennsylvania motorcycling. Custom builders in suburban Philadelphia frequently took inspiration from national builders like West Coast Choppers, who famously integrated industrial sidecars onto custom frames, including polished aluminum bodies modeled after vintage Airstream trailers.
Sidecars remain rare, technically challenging vehicles. Driving one requires steering input rather than counter-steering, creating a learning curve that has resulted in notable high-profile mishaps, such as Arnold Schwarzenegger's 2006 low-speed collision while riding with his son Patrick in a custom rig. In professional motorsports, sidecar racing represents an extreme pursuit that has faced regulatory pressure and shrinking fields at major events. For Philly collectors who cruise along Kelly Drive and Fairmount Park, antique sidecars hitched to BMW or Ural bikes remain an enduring statement piece of vintage transport.
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