Emmett Kaiser

A Dog In A Sidecar

Saturday 11th May 2024

I (Ty) am writing this on behalf of Emmett as he lacks certain communication skills, lacks the dexterity in his paws to operate a keyboard and is a dog.

Emmett is a 3 year old Standard Parti Poodle, in Café Au Lait regalia.  His coloration is unique including a white tipped tail, which fortunately resulted in his tail not being docked as a puppy.  He meets all of the breed standards regarding demeaner.  Emmett is bright, easy to train, athletic, a great alarm system yet friendly to everyone.  Following in the footsteps of his ancestors, he is a decent bird dog, good shop dog, a great companion and eager to please. 

Part of what makes a great companion dog is a level of separation anxiety, which is an ailment Emmett suffers.  He spends his day sleeping within eyesight of the office door, ready to follow to the coffee maker between meetings or out to the mailbox to sniff the post.   He shows his disappointment and disapproval when not included in car rides or running of errands with an obstinate foot stomp.  My enjoyment of riding motorcycles was not conducive to Emmett’s inclusion.

The search for a local sidecar began in early 2022 and much to our surprise, are rather uncommon.  I have a moderately restored 1976 Yamaha XS360 that is a great bike for in town travel.  My wife and I regularly hop on it for short rides and I thought it would be a great to add a sidecar.  In February of 2024, I stumbled upon a good sidecar that met the style I was looking for.  The added carrying capacity is nice, the kids in our life will think it’s fun to hop in for rides around the neighborhood, but the truth is, I bought and built the sidecar to bring Emmett along on bike rides.

The build wrapped up in April of 2024 and after a few passenger free test rides around the neighborhood, it was time to add Emmett.  The maiden voyage was a short 10 minute ride through our residential neighborhood.  He was a little uneasy as we left the driveway, but soon settled in and understood that there are many more smells to smell when on a bike.  I was not prepared for the reactions, the waves and number of phones pointed in our direction. 

Our first actual ride through our downtown retail space left us feeling like local celebrities.  The comments, waves, reactions, pictures and most of all smiles are great.  A vintage bike gets looks.  A vintage bike with a sidecar is uncommon in our area.  A vintage bike, with a sidecar, with a dog garners a whole different level of attention.  I now fully understand giving stops plenty of “sidecar time” to account for selfie requests and pets for Emmett.  He eats it all up. 

If you’re traveling through Sioux Falls and see an old Yamaha with a sidecar, chances are that you will see a pair of ears flapping in the wind.  I hope the sight gives you a smile and trust that for us, a ride with some good friends and companions brings a bit of order to this crazy world.

https://www.instagram.com/sfsidecardog/

I'm Riding for Men's Health in The Distinguished Gentleman's Ride

Monday 29th Apr 2024 On Sunday the 19th of May 2024, I'm riding in The Distinguished Gentleman's Ride with fellow men and women across the globe to raise funds and awareness for prostate cancer and men's mental health on behalf of Movember. Men die on average 6 years earlier than women and for largely preventable reasons. The number of men that are suffering is growing, and we need to do something about that. So, before I press my tweed and polish my boots, I'm asking you to join me in raising funds and awareness for these causes by donating what you can for this meaningful cause and to help the men we love, live happier and healthier lives.