Founded by Hennie Winkelhuis in 1972, the EML concern was a leading light in the world of sidecar combinations during the 80s and 90s, producing at its peak some 800 machines per annum. Sales dropped considerably after the turn of the millenium.
Winkelhuis supplied chassis for Horst Hartmann and his brother Falk who took the German off-road championship three times. Hartmann encouraged Winkelhuis to build road-going outfits.
A chassis was created for BMW boxer twins. By 1975 the machines sported 15" wheels which they built in-house, and many modifications followed.
Their second model was the HW2 which continued to use BMW components includng a rear disc brake, and had a folding seat.
A new chassis appeared in 1984 designed for monoshock BMW's, but with a conventional swinging arm and two rear shock absorbers. Brake calipers were by EML.
In the early days the firm built a small number of Steib TR500 replicas using sheet metal bodies from an external supplier, but subsequent bodies were all fibreglass units.
The family-style GT was produced from 1979 to 1993, which was followed by the GT2.
Conversion kits were available for the Honda CB 750, CX 500 and Goldwing, along with kits for XS1100, Suzuki GS shaft drive models, the Z1300 and Ducati 860/900 twins.
Sidecar popularity slowed at the end of the 90s, and EML's next roadgoing sidecar, the S1 Roadster, was presented in 2005.
At this time the company began building trikes, but they continued with sidecar kits and in 2022 offered them for the BMW R1250GS and the latest Gold Wing.
Source: Gespann-Lexikon
See also:
emltrike.com/sidecars
EML - The Empire Strikes Back at
https://www.gsx1100g.net/gwiki/doku.php?id=technik:gespanne
