Doug Bingham

I have uploaded a documentary from 2003 about Doug's Griffith Park Sidecar Rally. RIP. https://youtu.be/shm2YxeewF4

I met Doug thru researching the Internet for Sidecars as I had purchased a 1983 R90/6 with a Velorex Sidecar attached. Doug invited me to his shop in Van Nuys, CA. Instant Friend and Mentor on my first foray into Sidecars. Been riding Desert (District 37) and street since 1963 (16 yrs old). Doug added a Shimmy Damper and checked alignment and explained the reason for the placement of the wheel and brackets for my rig. I had Doug install another Velorex on my 2007 Triumph Bonneville. His...

I met Doug at his shop a few years back on a trip to the U.S. from Canada and later purchased a leading link front end from him for my sons Goldwing. We talked a few times over the phone on later occasions and I always found him to be knowledgeable and gregarious with plenty of useful information.

I'll always remember him slyly chiding me when we were on the topic of politics about, as he put it, "throwing off the yoke of the monarchy and the need for a revolution over the Kings...

Several years ago, while were on the"Sunrise Navigation Rally" I crashed our rig into a ditch in Fillmore. This resulted in my wife getting knocked out, my foot being crushed and our rig suffering extensive damage. The rig was hauled off to an impound lot where the guard dog devoured the side car seat and at the same time my wife and I were taken to what was called "emergency". Since both of us couldn't do anything, we were unable to recover our rig from impound. Doug and Jim Strader went to...

See you later buddy.

Huntley and Ritchie

I am saddened to learn that Doug is no longer with us. Doug & I emailed a number of times over the years and had just one phone conversation a long time ago but I know I will miss knowing that he is there. My condolences to his family.

Met Doug 3 times for sidecar service of an outfit he originally setup for the previous owner of my rig. That includes after an unplanned offroad iceplant excursion where the sidecar was pointing up in the air, and I was looking at the sky. Neither the outfit nor I suffered serious injury at 60 mph. What a nice guy any man would like to call friend, brother, uncle, grandpa (i didn't really qualify in any category, just a dedicated customer). My goodness one could spend hours (or days) with him...

Yes the the great ones leave us so too soon. I d like to know who will continue the side car show? Thanks for any leads for contacts to continue this tradition . Vic Gallardo at [email protected] ,,,docent at Murphy auto museum in Oxnard.

As a mentor and friend, Doug was the greatest. Thanks for the lessons and I will pass them on.
- Tom "Porkchopp" O'Leary, www.sidecarcanada.com