Motorcycle sidecar that turns into a canoe

All the more reason to mourn the passing of the motorcyle sidecar: some of them could turn into canoes, at least according to this June, 1934 article in Modern Mechanix: "A MOTORCYCLE side car which doubles as a canoe on trips to the beach or river bank has recently made its appearance in Germany. The car is fitted with small metal pontoons which keep it upright in the water. Future models will be fitted with rudders, completing the transformation from side car to a navigable boat. "

Side Car Serves as Boat (Jun, 1934)

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Brainspore

Sidecars aren’t gone, they’re just relegated to a hobby for eccentrics. It’s not hard to figure out why: a motorcycle with a sidecar has all the drawbacks of an ordinary motorcycle (lack of protection from collisions, exposure to the elements) with none of the advantages (maneuverability, ease of parking).
- Beanolini
  
  a motorcycle with a sidecar has all the drawbacks of an ordinary motorcycle with none of the advantages
  
  …and what’s more, must be ridden in a completely different way. You can’t steer by leaning, and a sidecar with a single driven wheel will turn away from the sidecar under acceleration, and towards the sidecar on braking.
  
  This means that an inexperienced outfit pilot is highly likely to end up in a hedge after trying to brake in a straight line. An experienced pilot is highly likely to scare passengers by willfully lifting the sidecar while travelling at speed.
  
  when were sidecars ever mainstream?
  
  In the UK, sidecars were quite common as cheap transport until the 1950s- my parents-in-law went on their honeymoon on an sidecar combination.
- Anonymous
  
  Did you “figure” all this out while sitting at your computer or do you have hands-on experience?
Anonymous

Totally reminded me of this:

http://www.albertpenello.com/mask/pirahna.html
Anonymous

A car moves the body
A motorcycle moves the soul
An outfit moves more bodies and souls
not forgetting room for more beer

Graeme
Melbourne Australia
Robotech_Master

A canoe? That’s nothing. Wallace and Gromit had one that turned into an airplane!
ChibiR

To anybody who thinks that this is a lame or silly idea, just think what we could’ve had if we had kept working on this: Motorcycle Sidecar SUBMARINES!
Wordguy

Mourn the passing of the sidecar? There are still plenty on the road. Check out Watsonian, Champion, Sidestrider, or Hannigan. Not to mention Ural, which sells the bike/hack outfit ready to go. They race ‘em too (though I haven’t hear of a sidecar regatta…).
- dculberson
  
  The Ural, with it’s 2-wheel-drive option, is awesome but hardly mainstream. Of course, when were sidecars ever mainstream?