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Sidecars in Sibley AGAIN
Quote from Al Olme2 on August 15, 2021, 7:09 pmThere are reportedly sidecars being made in Sibley, IA once again. It IS NOT Motorvation back in business but another group has apparently taken over the old Motorvation works and will be building sidecars again. THIS IS NOT MOTORVATION AND THEY ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR OLD MOTORVATION ORDERS. More information when I know more. BTW, the name "Motorvation" was sold off to a company that does not make sidecars.
There are reportedly sidecars being made in Sibley, IA once again. It IS NOT Motorvation back in business but another group has apparently taken over the old Motorvation works and will be building sidecars again. THIS IS NOT MOTORVATION AND THEY ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR OLD MOTORVATION ORDERS. More information when I know more. BTW, the name "Motorvation" was sold off to a company that does not make sidecars.
Quote from Joe Norris on August 16, 2021, 9:24 amHello!
I hate that my first post here is a bit of a downer, but since I came across this thread I figured I might as well just jump in with both feet. I am one of the customers who got stiffed when Motorvation declared bankruptcy. Cost me almost $5000. That hurt, especially since they looked like they were going strong when I visited their shop a couple of years ago. Really liked the look of their product, and I'm disappointed that I wasn't one of the lucky ones who ended up with a car from them. Such is life I guess.
I did end up with a very nice car, from DMC Sidecars out of Washington state. They even gave me a discount because of my bad luck with Motorvation. I'm very happy with the sidecar, and am enjoying the ride. But I still sort of wish I'd have gotten the Motorvation rig. Oh well, ride on and enjoy!
Thanks for having me on the forum. I look forward to learning a lot!
Hello!
I hate that my first post here is a bit of a downer, but since I came across this thread I figured I might as well just jump in with both feet. I am one of the customers who got stiffed when Motorvation declared bankruptcy. Cost me almost $5000. That hurt, especially since they looked like they were going strong when I visited their shop a couple of years ago. Really liked the look of their product, and I'm disappointed that I wasn't one of the lucky ones who ended up with a car from them. Such is life I guess.
I did end up with a very nice car, from DMC Sidecars out of Washington state. They even gave me a discount because of my bad luck with Motorvation. I'm very happy with the sidecar, and am enjoying the ride. But I still sort of wish I'd have gotten the Motorvation rig. Oh well, ride on and enjoy!
Thanks for having me on the forum. I look forward to learning a lot!
Quote from Al Olme2 on August 16, 2021, 8:33 pmAGAIN, this IS NOT Motorvation version 2. It's a new company that is operating in Sibley, IA. at least in part because of some experienced people who live there. At the last communication, they do not even have the rights to make the old Motorvation designs although that may come.
Yes, a number of people had very bad experiences with Motorvation. Please don't saddle the new company with the history of Motorvation. I don't know whether they will be a success or a failure, honest dealers or thieves, genius engineers or bodgers but I do know they deserve a chance.
AGAIN, this IS NOT Motorvation version 2. It's a new company that is operating in Sibley, IA. at least in part because of some experienced people who live there. At the last communication, they do not even have the rights to make the old Motorvation designs although that may come.
Yes, a number of people had very bad experiences with Motorvation. Please don't saddle the new company with the history of Motorvation. I don't know whether they will be a success or a failure, honest dealers or thieves, genius engineers or bodgers but I do know they deserve a chance.
Quote from 2FLTC on August 17, 2021, 7:09 amI wish them best of luck. Hopefully they will build some nice sidecars. It's good to see they are trying to being it back.
I wish them best of luck. Hopefully they will build some nice sidecars. It's good to see they are trying to being it back.
Quote from jaydmc on August 17, 2021, 8:33 amMy concern with this and most of the other sidecar companies is liability insurance which is there to protect the consumer. Garage keepers insurance which many may have will not cover manufacturing of sidecars. Policies are not cheap. Our insurance agent went to over 70 companies. Only one had a policy that was under $50K per year but not by much. It is our biggest single expense as such I suspect that most sidecar manufactures do not have coverage to protect their customers.
I so wish them luck, I just hope that they do not try to cut corners.
Jay G
DMC sidecars
My concern with this and most of the other sidecar companies is liability insurance which is there to protect the consumer. Garage keepers insurance which many may have will not cover manufacturing of sidecars. Policies are not cheap. Our insurance agent went to over 70 companies. Only one had a policy that was under $50K per year but not by much. It is our biggest single expense as such I suspect that most sidecar manufactures do not have coverage to protect their customers.
I so wish them luck, I just hope that they do not try to cut corners.
Jay G
DMC sidecars
Quote from Joe Norris on August 17, 2021, 8:36 amQuote from Al Olme on August 16, 2021, 8:33 pmAGAIN, this IS NOT Motorvation version 2. It's a new company that is operating in Sibley, IA. at least in part because of some experienced people who live there.
I guess I didn't word my reply very clearly. I wasn't in any way tying this new venture to Motorvation. I was simply lamenting the fact that Motorvation had what appeared to be a quality product and I am sad that I didn't end up getting a sidecar from them. They offered some unique features that I would have really liked to have. And of course there's the 5 grand.....
At any rate, it's my understanding that at least one gentleman who worked at Motorvation has moved over to this new venture, and if it's the gentleman I met when we visited Motorvation, he's very knowledgeable and appeared to be quite talented as well. He would be a great asset to the new firm.
I wish them nothing but success, and look forward to seeing some of their products at some point in the future.
I want to again thank Jay and the folks at DMC for stepping in and taking away a bit of the pain by offering a generous discount on the great sidecar I got from them. It's a quality unit as well, and I'm really enjoying the ride! Thanks Jay!
Quote from Al Olme on August 16, 2021, 8:33 pmAGAIN, this IS NOT Motorvation version 2. It's a new company that is operating in Sibley, IA. at least in part because of some experienced people who live there.
I guess I didn't word my reply very clearly. I wasn't in any way tying this new venture to Motorvation. I was simply lamenting the fact that Motorvation had what appeared to be a quality product and I am sad that I didn't end up getting a sidecar from them. They offered some unique features that I would have really liked to have. And of course there's the 5 grand.....
At any rate, it's my understanding that at least one gentleman who worked at Motorvation has moved over to this new venture, and if it's the gentleman I met when we visited Motorvation, he's very knowledgeable and appeared to be quite talented as well. He would be a great asset to the new firm.
I wish them nothing but success, and look forward to seeing some of their products at some point in the future.
I want to again thank Jay and the folks at DMC for stepping in and taking away a bit of the pain by offering a generous discount on the great sidecar I got from them. It's a quality unit as well, and I'm really enjoying the ride! Thanks Jay!
Quote from Tax Man on August 18, 2021, 3:06 pmGary, formerly sidecar installer at Motorvation Engineering, told me Mary Sontag, owner of the company died several months ago. I've done some searching on the Internet but can't find the date of her death. He said she was living with her daughter in California when she died.
Gary, formerly sidecar installer at Motorvation Engineering, told me Mary Sontag, owner of the company died several months ago. I've done some searching on the Internet but can't find the date of her death. He said she was living with her daughter in California when she died.
Quote from Joe Norris on August 19, 2021, 10:22 amQuote from Tax Man on August 18, 2021, 3:06 pmGary, formerly sidecar installer at Motorvation Engineering, told me Mary Sontag, owner of the company died several months ago. I've done some searching on the Internet but can't find the date of her death. He said she was living with her daughter in California when she died.
Mary was at Motorvation in late June of 2019 when we were there for our tour. She was definitely having some health issues at that time, but we enjoyed meeting and chatting with her. It seemed that she had some sort of strategy for carrying the firm forward, but I guess things didn't work out.
Gary may have been the fellow who gave us the tour that day. He was very friendly and knowledgeable. The quality of their products was outstanding from what I could see. It's a shame that things didn't work out. Hopefully this new endeavor will carry on the same quality, and I wish them every success.
Quote from Tax Man on August 18, 2021, 3:06 pmGary, formerly sidecar installer at Motorvation Engineering, told me Mary Sontag, owner of the company died several months ago. I've done some searching on the Internet but can't find the date of her death. He said she was living with her daughter in California when she died.
Mary was at Motorvation in late June of 2019 when we were there for our tour. She was definitely having some health issues at that time, but we enjoyed meeting and chatting with her. It seemed that she had some sort of strategy for carrying the firm forward, but I guess things didn't work out.
Gary may have been the fellow who gave us the tour that day. He was very friendly and knowledgeable. The quality of their products was outstanding from what I could see. It's a shame that things didn't work out. Hopefully this new endeavor will carry on the same quality, and I wish them every success.
Quote from hdgypsyman on March 6, 2022, 10:20 pmGary Greene was the person at Motorvation sidecars who installed my used Motorvation Formula II sidecar onto my 2011 Roadglide Ulta just before the company closed. He now is involved with a new company called Mid West Sidecars:
https://midwestsidecars.com/?page_id=22
Gary Greene was the person at Motorvation sidecars who installed my used Motorvation Formula II sidecar onto my 2011 Roadglide Ulta just before the company closed. He now is involved with a new company called Mid West Sidecars: