Sidecar racing has a rich history in Europe, with a championship held every year since 1949, but it remains largely a niche sport in Australia.

Sidecar racing involves a rider and a passenger careening around a standard motocross track on a custom-built chassis.

Passenger Brian Anthony and his rider, John Robinson, won the 2017 Sidecar Series championship.

The sidecar passenger has to lean out onto the track to help the bike get around corners. ( ABC News: Gary-Jon Lysaght )

"[The passenger] is basically a counterbalance, you need to lean out to the inside of the corner to get as much weight out as you can and be solid on the bike," Mr Anthony said.

"Move your weight so that you get enough traction to the back wheel and get around the track as fast as you possibly can."

A life on the track

Mr Anthony began sidecar racing when he was 16 after starting out in motocross.

Despite not being harnessed into the sidecar, he does not find the experience frightening.

"At the start it's probably a little bit scary, but once you get the feel of it, you have quite a bit of steering control," he said.

"If you're not leaning and giving traction to the back wheel in the right spots, it makes it a bit tricky to go fast for the rider."

Brian Anthony has been racing in sidecars since he was 16. ( ABC News: Gary-Jon Lysaght )

Mr Robinson said the sport has a larger focus on teamwork than traditional motorsports.

"I can feel exactly where Brian is in the bike, we've ridden together for a long time," he said.

"You're totally relying on each other and if either one of you makes a mistake, you put the other one's life a risk, so it's crucial you're a good team."

Mr Robinson started racing sidecars more than 40 years ago, as his brother's passenger, before shifting gears and becoming a rider.

The 2018 Sidecar Series will be held across regional South Australia throughout the year. ( ABC News: Gary-Jon Lysaght )

Despite its relative anonymity, sidecar racing still generates plenty of interest in Australia.

The 2018 Sidecar Series will be held throughout regional South Australia this year, with the next round held at Port Pirie on May 20.

A rich history

Sidecars were first introduced in the early 1900s and were widely used during World War II.

"The army needed a way to cart the guns around, the big Gatling guns," said Ian Spooner, owner of the Peterborough Motorcycle Museum, in South Australia's mid-north.

"They found it quite useful to be able to put them in a sidecar and be able to carry that extra weight, instead of [using] a Jeep."

Mount Gambier sidecar rider Ian Hogg racing in the 1950s with passenger Des Hastings. ( Supplied: Colin Thompson )

Mr Spooner said most sidecar racing in Australia is done on a dirt circuit, as in the Sidecar Series.

"Then you have the road racing sidecars that were quick and very low — they guys virtually lay down on them," he said.