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We Live For Adventure.

Traveling in a Watsonian sidecar is an amazing feeling! I  suggest you try it!

Stan Dibben - World Champion Sidecar Racer Circa 1953

A Better Tomorrow For You Awaits.

A Brief History Of Watsonian Squire Sidecars.

 

T.F.Watson, a builder with a penchant for inventions, designed a folding sidecar to enable access through the side passages of terraced houses and in 1912 he established the Watsonian Folding Sidecar Co. at Balsall Heath in Birmingham. Since then the company has continued to produce great British sidecars, surviving two world wars, economic boom and bust and a major factory fire in 1930.

 

From 1946-1959 was a boom time, with production reaching 200 units per week at the company’s huge factory in Greet, Birmingham. Eric Oliver won the world sidecar championship for Watsonian sidecars in 1949, 1950, 1951 and 1954 and by 1955 there were 139,000 sidecar outfits on Britain’s roads, half of which were built by Watsonian.

However, by the early 1960’s the advent of affordable small cars, like the Mini, marked the beginning of the end for sidecars as cheap family transport. In 1958 Watsonian devoted 90% of production to sidecars, but by 1965 this figure had fallen to 20%, with the majority of work turning to glass fibre bodywork for the automotive industry.

 

Meanwhile, in 1973, Squire sidecars appeared, producing sports models for the new generation of high performance multi-cylinder Japanese superbikes and appealing to a new customer base of leisure riders. Watsonian relocated to Blockley in the Cotswolds in 1984 and four years later Watsonian merged with the young Squire sidecar company, creating a dynamic new business manufacturing classic and contemporary sidecars as well as record-breaking motorcycle luggage trailers.

 

UK sidecar ownership increased by 25% during 1993-2003 (from 5,288 – 7,044; source RAC) as leisure riders sought to involve all the family in their pastime and demand has been steady since then. From 1999-2012 Watsonian Squire distributed Royal Enfield motorcycles in the UK, successfully re-establishing the brand and selling thousands of new motorcycles through a nationwide dealer network. The company also developed several UK variants, such as the Trials, Clubman and Fury. In 2012 Watsonian decided to focus on its core business of sidecar manufacturing, resigning the importership, although the business continues to sell and service Royal Enfield motorcycles. 

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Top Rated

Watsonian Sidecars have been known for being one of the best sidecar manufacturers in the business. Some of the oldest sidecars that you would see out on the open roads are in fact, Watsonian Sidecars.

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111 Years of Experience

With over 111 years of expierence in sidecar manufacturing you can rest assured that once you receive your sidecar it will be as nice as every other Watsonian ever built. Our attention  to detail is un riveled.

Quality That Lasts

Many  sidecars  are past down, generation to generation. Most of the time, these customers come to us for fitting kits and additional accessories available through Watsonian.

Personalised Solutions

Own a particular motorcycle with a particular  paint scheme? Watsonian can organize to match your unique motorcycle. This truly separates us from other sidecar manufacturers that do not build to order. 

Want to Become A Dealer?

Invest in Your Future

Watsonian Sidecars can make a great addition to your showroom. They are also great conversational pieces. Most dealers recognize quickly how attractive sidecar as an option is. The sidecar market is growing year after year.

Join the Family

Once you work with Watsonian Squire USA, you have automatically become part of our family. We want to welcome you to join. 

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