Is it better to run a knobby offroad - it seems like it would be. Just wanted to check with the collective brain....
Unless it's a two wheel drive rig there's no advantage to using a knobby tire on the sidecar.
For the bike itself a trials tread or knobby would be useful, depending on what type of off roading use you are planning.
Lonnie
After looking at some sidecross tires that is what it seems like, they all run something without knobs.
But it seems that if you are running a brake on that side, it would be nice to give it a little grab when going thru the greasy stuff or just plain ol' regular mud too...or for L-handers so you are not sliding too much...just a thought - am i thinking about it the wrong way?
if you run a brake or driven sidecar wheel traction is good and a knob on the sidecar wheel makes sense. Otherwise it just needs to be round and hold air...
I agree with Vernon. This is one application where good traction can work against you. I hooked up a brake on my sidecar wheel and found that it helped with improved straight line braking if I used all 3 brakes at once. However, it caused a scary swerve to the right when I tried to use the sidecar brake only. I've run dual sport tires all around, but it's more for appearance than anything. If you had 2 wheel drive, it would be a different story.
The only reason I would run a knobby on the sidecar wheel would be if it was the same size as the bike and maybe could provide a source for a spare in a pinch.
Vernon do you really use a sidecar brake off road much? If so does it really work for you? Please elaborate.
Just a few thoughts out of 2 snowy winters long time ago and costarican driveing.
Trail tires (and spikes) are nice in medium snow and mud, but often clog up.
Breaking and sideway traction get preaty reduced on dry road.
The tire blocks wear down in a saw like pattern.
Motocross tires just jump and break out in an close and open of the eyes.
In heavy mud or snow only a rope or custoum made snow chain will really help.
In mud and clay clearence beween tire and mudgard become an essential point. If you have not enough clearance you produce a brick between tire and mudgard and in the next river suddenly the front tire breaks 100%. As it happend to me on the trip "travel happy as a cow but don't ask the cowboy!" (see Roads to travel)
Clearence eases the use of a rope and helps to clean the tire.
Try to find at least for front and back tire a trail or enduro wheel pattern that has inclined walls of the blocks so the mud can be thrown out by centrifugal forces.
I do't know if tractor style bike tires are available (that is what I prefer on my 1960 Willy's (Firestone AT)), that would be the ultimate selection for me the next time in heavy clay. (I have seen them on a BMW GS once)
With tractor stye tires take in acount that it has to whipe out the mud not suck inside. So at ground contact of the back wheel (and driven SC wheel) the arrow has to show to the back. For front and non driven sidecar wheel the arrow has to show to the front. For to push out the mud when breaking.
On a non driven sidecar wheel the only advantage of a open tire pattern I see is to clean out the dirt if you have not much clearance between tire and mud guard.
I hope that these thoughts will help to find your own way to go.
Best regards from the land where you not even finish the tank and you hit a bourder.
Seven Peter Pan
Important I forgot:
the best invent (2. winter) was a metal sheet that formed a deflector for the sidecarframe and spare tire below my boat. Turning right circles was substituted by a adrenaline (bood warming up) action from the lifting sidecar. Helped very much in the forest's too.
Sven Peter Pan
