Pride Mobility Sidekick User manual

www.pridemobility.com
1-800-800-8586
Exeter, PA
St. Catharine , ON
Owners Manual

2Sidekick
Read and follow all of the in truction in thi manual before you attempt to operate your cooter for the fir t time.
If you are unable to under tand any of thi information or require additional a i tance for et-up, contact your
local Pride Provider or call the Pride Tech Service Department at 1-800-800-8586.
The following symbols will be used throughout this Owners Manual to identify warnings and
cautions. t is very important for you to read and understand them completely.
WARNING! Failure to heed the warnings in this owners manual may result in personal
injury.
CAU ION! Failure to heed the cautions in this owners manual may result in damage to
your mobility vehicle.
Plea e be ure to fill out and return your warranty card. Al o, notify u of any change of addre o that we can
keep you appri ed of important information about afety, new product , and new option that can increa e your
ability to u e and enjoy your cooter.
Your Sidekick:
Body Color _______________________________ Serial #
Purcha e Date _____________________________ Option
Your authorized Pride Mobility Product Corporation provider:
Name___________________________________________________________________________
Addre _________________________________________________________________________
Phone___________________________________________________________________________
SAFETY GUIDELINES

3Sidekick
CONTENTS
I. INTRODUCTION......................................................................................................................... 5
II. SAFETY ......................................................................................................................................... 6
III. EMI/RFI .......................................................................................................................................... 9
IV. SPECIFICATIONS ................................................................................................................... 11
V. DESCRIPTION .......................................................................................................................... 13
VI. BATTERIES AND CHARGING ............................................................................................ 17
VII. OPERATION ............................................................................................................................... 21
VIII. COMFORT ADJUSTMENTS................................................................................................ 23
IX. DISASSEMBLY AND ASSEMBLY ..................................................................................... 25
X. OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES ................................................................................................. 28
XI. BASIC TROUBLESHOOTING ............................................................................................. 29
XII. CARE AND MAINTENANCE ................................................................................................ 30
XIII. WARRANTY................................................................................................................................31

4Sidekick
Pride cannot be held re pon ible for any damage or injury incurred due to improper or un afe u e of a Sidekick
Scooter. Nor can Pride be held re pon ible for any damage or injury incurred during or re ulting from attempt to
follow the in truction and recommendation et forth in thi owner' manual or in any of the in truction di played
on or accompanying the product it elf. If you do not feel capable of afely following any of the in truction and
recommendation pertaining to your Sidekick Scooter, plea e contact your authorized Pride provider.
Copyright © 2000
Pride Mobility Product Corp.
COPYRIGHT
INFMANU1003/REV E/JANUARY 2001

5Sidekick
I. INTRODUCTION
Welcome to Pride Mobility Product Corporation (Pride). Congratulation on the purcha e of your new Sidekick
Scooter. The Sidekick de ign combine the mo t advanced tate-of-the-art component with modern, attractive
tyling. We are certain that the de ign feature and trouble-free operation of your new Sidekick Scooter will add
convenience to your daily living.
At Pride, your afety i important to u . Please read and follow all of the instructions in this manual before
you attempt to operate your Scooter for the first time. The e in truction were produced for your benefit.
Your under tanding of the e in truction i e ential for the afe operation of your new Sidekick.
Thi owner manual i compiled from the late t pecification and product information available at the time of
publication. We re erve the right to make change a they become nece ary. Any change to our product may
cau e light variation between the illu tration and explanation in thi manual and the product you purcha ed.
A an owner of a Pride product, you are invited to regi ter your product warranty and enroll in the Pride Owner
Club. You may do o by filling out and returning your enclo ed regi tration card or by vi iting Pride web ite at
www.pridemobility.com. A a regi tered member, each time you vi it our ite, you will have acce to the mo t
interactive and hone t educational venue available today for people with mobility need , their familie , and friend .
From the cover page of our ite, click on the button that read Owner Club, to enter a page dedicated to current
and potential Pride Product Owner . You will gain acce to interview , torie , recreation idea , daily living tip ,
product and funding information, and interactive me age board . On the e me age board you are invited to
peak with other Pride cu tomer a well a Pride repre entative who are available to a i t you with any que -
tion or concern you may have. You will receive a free gift imply for regi tering with the Pride Owner Club.
We want to hear your que tion , comment , and ugge tion about thi manual. We would al o like to hear about
the afety and reliability of your new Sidekick Scooter, a well a about the ervice you received from your Pride
provider. Al o, notify u of any change of addre , o we can keep you appri ed of important information about
afety, new product , and new option that can increa e your ability to u e and enjoy your Sidekick Scooter.
Plea e feel free to write u at the addre below:
Pride Mobility Product Corporation
Attn: Technical Service Department
182 Su quehanna Avenue
Exeter, PA 18643-2694
If you experience any problem with your Sidekick that you are not able to olve, or if you do not feel confident in
your ability to perform any of the in truction contained in thi manual, plea e contact your local Pride provider.
Once you under tand how to operate and take care of your Scooter, we are certain that it will give you year of
trouble-free ervice and enjoyment.
The Pride Team

6Sidekick
A you begin to u e your Sidekick during your daily activitie , you will encounter ituation that, at fir t, may
require ome practice to negotiate on your Sidekick cooter. Simply take your time a you operate your Sidekick
and you will oon be in full and confident control a you maneuver through doorway , on and off of elevator , up
and down ramp , and over moderate terrain.
DOORS
nDetermine if the door open toward or away from you.
nU e your hand to turn the knob or pu h the handle or pu h-bar.
nDrive your Sidekick gently and lowly forward to pu h the door open; or drive your Sidekick gently and lowly
backward to pull the door open.
ELEVATORS
Modern elevator have a door-edge afety mechani m that, when pu hed, reopen the elevator door( ).
nIf you are in the doorway of an elevator when the door( ) begin to clo e, pu h on the rubber door edge or allow
the rubber door edge to contact the cooter and the door will reopen.
nU e care that pocketbook , package , or Sidekick acce orie do not become caught in the elevator door .
RAMPS AND OTHER INCLINES
More and more building have ramp with pecified degree of inclination. The e ramp are de igned for ea y and
afe cooter acce . Some ramp may have turning witchback that require good cornering kill on your Side-
kick.
nTake wide wing with your Sidekick front wheel around any tight corner . If you do that, the Sidekick rear
wheel will follow a wide arc. Do not cut the corner hort, and do not bump into or get hung up on any railing
corner .
nWhen driving down a ramp, keep the Sidekick peed adju tment dial ( ee V. De cription) et to the
tortoi e ( lowe t peed etting) to en ure a afely controlled de cent.
nNever drive your Sidekick acro the ide of a hill or diagonally up or down a hill, and do not top, if po ible,
while driving up or down an incline.
nAvoid udden top and tart .
Other incline may be natural or, if man-made, not de igned pecifically for cooter . Figure 1 illu trate your
Sidekick tability and it ability to climb grade under variou weight load and under controlled te ting condi-
tion .
FIGURE 1. MAXIMUM RECOMMENDED INCLINE ANGLE
SIDEKICK
2˚
3˚
6˚
250 lbs. 300 lbs.
200 lbs.
8˚
150 lbs.
II. SAFETY

7Sidekick
The e te t were conducted with the Sidekick eat in the highe t po ition and adju ted backward on the eat
ba e to it farthe t rearward po ition. U e thi information a a guideline. Your Sidekick ability to travel up
incline i affected by your weight, your cooter peed, your angle of approach to the incline, and your cooter
etup.
nWhen you approach an incline, it i be t to lean forward. See figure 2 and 3. Thi hift the center of gravity of
you and your Sidekick toward the front of the cooter for improved tability.
WARNING! Do not exceed the incline guidelines or any other specifications presented
in this manual.
DRIVING SURFACES
Your Sidekick wa de igned to provide optimum tability under normal driving condition ; dry, level urface
compo ed of concrete or a phalt. However, Pride recognize that there will be time when you will operate your
Sidekick on urface other than concrete or a phalt. For that rea on, we al o de igned your Sidekick to perform
admirably on packed oil, gra , and gravel.
nFeel free to u e your Sidekick afely on lawn and in park area .
nAvoid tall gra that can entangle the running gear.
nPacked oil and gravel, uch a driveway or road , pre ent no problem for your Sidekick.
nAvoid loo ely packed gravel and and.
nIf you feel un ure about a driving urface, avoid that urface.
nDo not operate your new Sidekick for the fir t time without completely reading and under tanding thi owner
manual.
nDo not carry pa enger on your Sidekick.
nDo not leave the key in the witch when your Sidekick i unattended.
FIGURE 2. NORMAL DRIVING POSITION FIGURE 3. INCREASED STABILITY DRIVING POSITION
II. SAFETY

8Sidekick
WARNING! Do not expose the electronics to any type of moisture at any time (rain, snow,
mist, or washing the scooter). Such exposure can damage the electronics. Never attempt
to ride a scooter that has been exposed to moisture until it has dried thoroughly.
WARNING! Do not operate or store the scooter where it may be exposed to inclement
weather conditions such as rain, snow, mist, and below-freezing temperatures (such as
storage on an outside car/van lift). Attempting to operate the scooter in such conditions
can damage the electronics and potentially result in loss of control.
WARNING! Do not operate a scooter in icy or slippery conditions or on salted surfaces
(i.e., walks or roads). Such use may result in an accident, personal injury, or adversely
affect the performance and/or safety of your scooter.
WARNING! Always protect batteries from freezing temperatures and never charge a fro-
zen battery. his will damage the battery and may cause personal injury. Attempting to
charge a battery in freezing conditions does not prevent a battery from freezing.
nMake certain that the eat i locked into place and that the key i removed from the key witch before getting
on or off of your Sidekick. Make certain that the eat i in a locked po ition when you are operating your
Sidekick.
nReduce your Sidekick peed when you are operating it on uneven terrain and oft urface .
nReduce your Sidekick peed when you are driving it around a corner.
nNever drive your Sidekick acro the ide of a hill or diagonally up or down a hill, and do not top, if po ible,
while driving up or down an incline.
nProceed with extreme caution a you approach the downgrade of a ramp or other incline and when driving near
a rai ed urface or unprotected ledge and drop off (curb , porche , tair , etc.).
nNever remove your Sidekick anti-tip wheel or modify the Sidekick in any way that i not authorized by
Pride.
nU e extreme caution when operating your Sidekick on bu y treet and in parking lot or hopping mall and
never ride your Sidekick where you cannot afely and legally walk. Con ult local municipal or tate agencie
with regard to operating your Sidekick on public roadway .
nDo not operate your Sidekick while you are under the influence of alcohol.
nCheck with your phy ician if you are taking any medication that may affect your ability to operate your Side-
kick afely.
nKeep your hand on the tiller and your feet on the floorboard when you are operating your Sidekick.
nMake certain that the tire are properly inflated (30 p i).
nNever u e your Sidekick cooter a a eat in a moving vehicle.
nMake certain that the Sidekick batterie are properly ecured when you are tran porting your cooter in
another vehicle.
nDi connect your Sidekick batterie if you will not be u ing the cooter for more than 48 hour .
nBattery po t , terminal and related acce orie contain lead and lead compound . Wa h hand after handling.
II. SAFETY

9Sidekick
EMI/RFI WARNINGS
Laboratory te t performed by the Food and Drug Admini tration (FDA) have hown that radio wave can cau e
unintended motion of electric cooter . Radio wave are a form of electromagnetic energy (EM). When electro-
magnetic energy adver ely affect the operation of an electrical device, that adver e effect i called Electromag-
netic Interference (EMI) or Radio Frequency Interference (RFI).
EMI/RFI FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQS)
The following FAQ ummarize what you hould know about EMI/RFI. U e thi information to minimize the ri k
that EMI/RFI will adver ely affect your Sidekick.
Where do radio waves come from?
Radio wave are emitted from the antenna of cellular phone , mobile two-way radio ( uch a walkie-talkie and
CB ), radio tation , TV tation , amateur radio (HAM) tran mitter , wirele computer link , microwave ource ,
and paging tran mitter . Radio wave are a form of EM. Becau e EM i more inten e clo er to tran mitting
antenna ( ource of emi ion), the EM field from two-way radio are of pecial concern to electric cooter u er .
f EM /RF affects my Sidekick, what kind of motion should expect?
Thi i difficult to predict. The an wer would depend on a number of factor :
nThe trength of the radio wave .
nThe con truction of your particular Sidekick.
nThe location of your Sidekick (whether it i on level ground or on an incline).
nWhether or not your Sidekick i in motion.
The motion of any electric cooter affected by EMI/RFI can be erratic. The cooter may come to a udden top or
move in an uncontrolled manner. Al o, it i po ible for EMI/RFI to relea e the brake of an electric cooter. Some
inten e EMI/RFI can even damage the control y tem component of an electric cooter.
s there any way to know for certain whether or not radio waves are the cause of any unintended motion
of my Sidekick?
Unfortunately, EMI/RFI may be difficult to recognize, ince the ignal from radio ource are invi ible and may be
intermittent. However, the FDA recommend that you report all incident of unintended motion or unintended
brake relea e of your electric cooter to the cooter manufacturer and, if po ible, determine whether or not
there wa a radio wave ource nearby at the time of the incident.
One precaution you can take again t inadvertent motion of your Sidekick i to make certain that you or omeone
el e i not the cau e of the unintended motion.
nTurn off your Sidekick by removing the key from the key witch when you are getting on or off of your Sidekick.
nNever leave the key in the key witch of an unattended Sidekick.
By following the e tep , you greatly reduce the ri k of you or anyone el e inadvertently bumping the throttle
control lever and cau ing the Sidekick to move unintentionally.
Are all scooters susceptible EM /RF ?
Each make and model of electric cooter differ in it ability to re i t EMI/RFI. That i , each cooter ha a
particular level of re i tance to EMI/RFI. Thi re i tance i mea ured in volt per meter (V/m). A higher re i tance
level offer greater protection again t EMI/RFI. In other word , an electric cooter with a high re i tance level i
le likely to be affected by a trong radio ource than i an electric cooter with a low re i tance level.
III. EMI/RFI

10 Sidekick
What is the FDA doing about the problem?
The FDA ha written to electric cooter manufacturer and reque ted that tho e manufacturer te t their new
model of cooter to be certain that they provide a rea onable degree of re i tance again t EMI/RFI. The FDA
ha tated that all newly-manufactured model of electric cooter hould have a re i tance level of at lea t 20 V/
m. Thi re i tance level provide a rea onable degree of protection again t the common ource of EMI/RFI.
The FDA ha al o reque ted or recommended that:
nElectric cooter manufacturer clearly label new product with that product re i tance level or tate that the
re i tance level i not known.
nThe labeling or informational material upplied with new electric cooter mu t explain what the re i tance level
mean and warn u er about the po ibility of EMI/RFI and how to avoid it.
nElectric cooter manufacturer undertake an educational program to inform electric cooter u er and their
caregiver about the problem a ociated with EMI/RFI and about the action they can take to minimize the
ri k of EMI/RFI.
nWhile there i no exact way to tell if your cooter i totally afe, an immunity level of 20 V/m (May 1994) i
generally achievable and u eful. Thi product ha been te ted and pa ed at an immunity level of 20 V/m.
Adding acce orie and component or modifying the unit may change the u ceptibility to EMI/RFI.
What can do to find out if my Sidekick is likely to be affected by EM /RF ?
If you have had your Sidekick for ome time and have not experienced any unintended motion, it i not likely that
you will have a problem in the future. However, it i alway po ible that EMI problem could ari e if you are clo e
to a ource of radio wave . Therefore, it i very important for you to be alert to thi po ibility. The Sidekick
cooter meet or exceed a re i tance level of at lea t 20 V/m.
What can do to reduce the risk of my Sidekick being affected by EM /RF ?
Here are ome precaution you can take:
nDo not turn on or u e hand-held per onal communication device , uch a citizen band (CB) radio
and cellular phone , while your Sidekick i turned on.
nBe aware of nearby radio wave tran mitter , uch a radio or TV tation and hand-held or mobile two-way
radio . Try not to operate your Sidekick too clo e to tho e tran mitter . For example, if you are on an electric
cooter with a re i tance level of at lea t 20 V/m, you hould remain at lea t three feet from a hand-held two-
way radio and at lea t ten feet from a mobile two-way radio.
nBe aware that adding acce orie and/or component , or modifying your Sidekick in any way, may change it
EMI/RFI re i tance level and may make it more u ceptible to interference from radio wave ource .
What should do if my Sidekick moves unexpectedly?
If unintended motion or unintended brake relea e occur , turn off your Sidekick (by removing the key) a oon a
it i afe to do o.
f my Sidekick moves unintentionally, where should report the incident?
Call our headquarter at 1-800-800-8586 to report the incident.
III. EMI/RFI

11Sidekick
FIGURE 4. SIDEKICK DIMENSIONS
3.5"
"
13.5
80˚
"
1.25
"
8
31.25 -
"33.25"
14" - 16"
22"
31"
17"
23"- 32
14"
42"
3Wheel Length
3WheelTurning Radius
"
1"
IV. SPECIFICATIONS

12 Sidekick
V. SPECIFICATIONS
Model Numbers SC-200, SC-201
Length 42in.
Width 22.75in.
Tires Type: Pneumatic Front: 2in. x 8in., Rear: 2.5in. x in.
Weight Capacity 300 lbs. (136 kg) Maximum
Battery Type (batteries not included) Two 12V, 32 AH, U-1 type, SLA (Sealed Lead Acid)
Horsepower 1.2 hp (peak)
Charger Onboard amp charger
Speed (ma ) Variable up to 4.5mph (60% reverse)
Ma imum Grade Please refer to figure 1.
Range 20-25 miles per charge with 32AH batteries
Turning Radius 31in.
Body Colors Painted: Champagne or Gray
Seating Style: Low back
Dimensions: 17in. width (usable) x 13.5in. height (usable) x 14in. depth
Seat Cover Material: Vinyl or Fabric, Brown, Burgundy, Blue or Gray
Armrests: Match
User adjustable seat height from ground: 18.75in. to 20.75in.
User adjustable seat height from scooter deck: 14in. to 16in.
Included Features Adjustable seat height and positioning, onboard assessory bracket
Brakes Electronic regenerative braking and electromechanical disc brake
Rear Wheel Drive Sealed Transaxle, 24V DC Motor
Wheels Black steel rims
Tiller Type 4-position user-adjustable
Freewheel Mechanism Freewheel release lever located on transaxle
Scooter Weight TOTAL weight w/batteries: 148.5 lbs.
TOTAL weight w/o batteries: 8.5 lbs.
Component breakdown:
Front section: 28.5 lbs.
Rear section (w/o batteries, shroud, tray): 36.5 lbs
Rear plastic shroud: 3.0 lbs.
Seat: 25.5 lbs.
Batteries (2 required): 25.0 lbs. each
(12V, 32 AH)
Tray: 5.0 lbs.
Front-to-rear Lockup Lock pin and lever system
Ground Clearance 3.5in.
Optional Accessories Cane/crutch holder, cup holder, front basket, headlight, oxygen holder,
power seat assembly, rear basket, rear bumper, rearview mirror, safety flag,
taillight, walker holder

13Sidekick
Your Sidekick i a motorized electric cooter de igned to enhance your per onal mobility. Your Sidekick i an
indoor/outdoor cooter de igned to travel primarily on mooth urface , uch a idewalk , road , parking lot ,
floor , and driveway . For ea y tran portation or torage, you can di a emble your Sidekick into ix (6) compo-
nent . See figure 5.
FIGURE 5. SIDEKICK COMPONENTS
REAR SECTION
FRONT SECTION
SEAT
REAR SHROUD
BATTERIES
FIGURE 6. CONTROL CONSOLE ASSEMBLY
BATTERY CONDITION METER KEY SWITCH
HORN BUTTON
LIGHT SWITCH (OPTIONAL)
SPEED ADJUSTMENT DIAL
THROTTLE CONTROL LEVER
POWER SEAT SWITCH
(OPTIONAL)
TILLER ADJUSTMENT LEVER
V. DESCRIPTION
KEY
CONTROL CONSOLE ASSEMBLY
The control con ole a embly hou e all of the control you need to drive your Sidekick, including the key, the
witch, the peed adju tment dial, the throttle control lever, the battery condition meter, the horn button, the tiller
adju tment lever, and the light witch. See figure 6.

14 Sidekick
Do not expo e the control con ole a embly to moi ture. In the event that the control con ole a embly doe
become expo ed to moi ture, do not attempt to operate your Sidekick until the control con ole a embly ha
thoroughly dried.
Ke Switch
nFully in ert the key into the key witch to power up (turn on) your Sidekick.
nPull the key out to power down (turn off) your Sidekick.
Speed Adjustment Dial
Thi adju tment dial enable you to pre elect and limit your Sidekick top peed.
nThe image of the tortoi e repre ent the lowe t peed etting.
nThe image of the hare repre ent the fa te t peed etting.
Throttle Control Lever
Thi lever allow you to control the forward peed and the rever e peed of your Sidekick up to the maximum
peed you pre et with the peed adju tment dial.
nPlace your right hand on the right handgrip and your left hand on the left handgrip.
nU e your right thumb to pu h the right ide of the lever to di engage your Sidekick brake and move forward.
nRelea e the lever and allow your Sidekick to come to a complete top before pu hing the other ide of the lever
to move in rever e.
nWhen the throttle i completely relea ed, it automatically return to the center  top po ition and engage your
Sidekick brake .
Batter Condition Meter
Whenever you have the key fully in erted, thi meter give an approximate reading of your Sidekick battery
voltage.
Horn Button
nThe key mu t be fully in erted into the key witch for the horn to be operational.
nThi button activate a warning horn.
nDo not he itate to u e the warning horn when it u e could prevent accident or injury.
Light Switch(Optional)
Thi witch control your Sidekick lighting y tem.
nPre thi witch once to turn on the light .
nPre it again to turn off the light .
WARNING! If the key is removed from the key switch while your Sidekick is in motion, the
electronic brakes engage and your Sidekick comes to an abrupt stop!
V. DESCRIPTION

15Sidekick
REAR SECTION
The onboard battery charger, the charger power cord receptacle, the batterie , the electronic controller a embly,
the main circuit breaker, the manual freewheel lever, and the motor/tran axle a embly are located beneath the
hroud on the rear ection of your Sidekick. See figure 7 and 8. Refer to IX. Di a embly and A embly for
in truction on removing the rear hroud.
FIGURE 7. UTILITY TRAY COMPONENTS
CHARGER CORD
BATTERY CONNECTORS
AMMETER
ONBOARD BATTERY CHARGER
FRONT TO REAR CABLE
CONNECTOR
MOTOR CONNECTOR
MAIN CIRCUIT BREAKER
RESET BUTTON
UTILITY TRAY
ELECTRONIC CONTROLLER
ASSEMBLY
V. DESCRIPTION
Onboard Batter Charger
The onboard battery charger convert hou ehold current (AC) to direct current (DC) and charge the batterie of
your Sidekick. See VI. Batterie and Charging.
nThe charger i located on the utility tray. See figure 7.
nThe charger i a black-colored pla tic box with a green and red LED indicator on the exterior of the ca e.
Batteries
The batterie tore the electrical energy that power your Sidekick. See VI. Batterie and Charging.
Electronic Controller Assembl
The electronic controller a embly i located behind the batterie and at the forward right corner of the Sidekick
rear. See figure 7. Thi a embly receive electrical ignal from the control con ole a embly control and end
power to the motor, the brake , and the lighting y tem (optional).
Do not expo e the electronic controller a embly to moi ture. In the event that the electronic controller a embly
doe become expo ed to moi ture, do not attempt to operate your Sidekick until the a embly ha thoroughly
dried.
Main Circuit Breaker
When the voltage in your Sidekick batterie become low or your Sidekick i heavily trained becau e of exce -
ive load or teep incline , the main circuit breaker may trip to protect your Sidekick motor and electronic from
damage.
BATTERIES

16 Sidekick
MANUAL FREEWHEEL LEVER
FIGURE 8. REAR SECTION
MOTOR/TRANSAXLE
ASSEMBLY
ANTI TIP WHEEL
ANTI TIP WHEEL
nThe main circuit breaker i mounted on the utility tray, behind the electronic controller a embly. See figure 7.
nThe main circuit breaker re et button pop out when the breaker trip .
nWhen the breaker trip , the entire electrical y tem of your Sidekick hut down.
nAllow a minute or o for your Sidekick electronic to re t.
nPu h in the re et button to re et the breaker.
nIf the breaker trip frequently, you may need to charge your batterie more often. You may al o need to have
your Pride provider perform a load te t on your Sidekick batterie .
nIf the main circuit breaker trip repeatedly, ee your authorized Pride provider for ervice.
Manual Freewheel Lever
Whenever you need or want to pu h your Sidekick for hort di tance , you can put it in manual freewheel mode.
nThe manual freewheel lever i located on the end of the motor/tran axle a embly at the right rear of the
Sidekick. See figure 8.
nPull up on the manual freewheel lever to di able the drive y tem and the brake y tem.
nYou may pu h your Sidekick.
nPu h down on the manual freewheel lever to reengage the drive y tem and the brake y tem and take your
Sidekick out of freewheel mode.
Motor/Transaxle Assembl
The motor/tran axle a embly i the electromechanical unit that convert the electrical energy of your Sidekick
batterie into the controlled mechanical energy that drive the Sidekick wheel . See figure 8.
Anti-Tip Wheels
The anti-tip wheel are an integral and important afety feature of your Sidekick. Do not, under any circum tance ,
remove the anti-tip wheel from your Sidekick. See figure 8.
V. DESCRIPTION
WARNING! Before placing your Sidekick into or taking it out of freewheel mode, make
certain that the key is removed from the key switch. Even though the motor of your Side-
kick is disengaged from the drive system when your scooter is put in manual freewheel
mode, the motor can still run if the throttle lever is pushed. Never sit on a scooter when it
is in freewheel mode. Never put a scooter in freewheel mode on any incline.

17Sidekick
VI. BATTERIES AND CHARGING
FIGURE 1 . AMMETER INDICATES BATTERY IS FULLY
CHARGED
FIGURE 9. CHARGER POWER CORD
Your Sidekick u e two long-la ting, 12-volt, deep-cycle batterie that are ealed and maintenance free. They are
recharged by an onboard 3-amp charging y tem de igned for ea e of u e and convenience. See figure 7.
nCharge your Sidekick batterie prior to u ing it for the fir t time.
nKeep your batterie fully charged to keep your Sidekick running trouble free.
FOLLOW THESE EASY STEPS TO CHARGE YOUR BATTER ES SAFELY:
1. Po ition your cooter clo e to a tandard wall outlet.
2. Remove the key from the key witch.
3. Make certain that the freewheel lever i in the down (drive) po ition.
4. Extend the charger power cord and plug it into the wall outlet. See figure 9.
NOTE: There is a charger inhibit on your scooter. The scooter will not run and the battery conditionmeter
will not operate while the batteries are charging.
5. It i recommended that you charge your batterie for 8 to14 hour . You can check thi periodically by the
battery condition meter on the control con ole. However, you mu t fir t unplug the battery charger and then
in ert the key. The battery condition meter on the control con ole indicate the approximate trength of your
batterie . When fully charged, the meter read 24 volt . You can al o check the charge by the ammeter which
i vi ible on the controller a embly cover located on the utility tray under the rear hroud. The battery charger
mu t be plugged into a wall outlet to obtain a reading. When the amperage reading i at or near zero (0) amp ,
the battery charging i complete. See figure 10.
6. When the batterie are fully charged, unplug the charger power cord from the wall outlet and then from the
charger power cord receptacle at the rear of your Sidekick.

18 Sidekick
BATTERIES AND CHARGING-FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQS)
How does the charger work?
When your Sidekick battery voltage i low, the charger work harder and end more electrical current to the
batterie to bring up their charge. A the voltage of the batterie approache a full charge, the charger end le
and le electrical current to the batterie . When the batterie are fully charged, the current ent to them from the
charger i at nearly zero amperage. Therefore, when the charger i plugged in, it maintain the charge on your
Sidekick batterie but doe not overcharge them. We do not recommend that you charge your Sidekick
batterie for more than 24 con ecutive hour .
What do the LEDs on the onboard battery charger indicate?
The onboard battery charger i equipped with two LED (Light Emitting Diodes) that indicate the charging tatu
of your cooter batterie .
nBlinking green LED  Batterie are charging
nSolid green LED  Batterie are at 90% full charge
nSolid red LED  Charger i on
Can use a different charger?
For the afe t, mo t efficient, and balanced charging of your Sidekick batterie , we prefer and highly recommend
the imultaneou charging of both batterie by u ing the onboard battery charger.
How often must charge the batteries?
Two major factor mu t be con idered when deciding how often to charge your Sidekick batterie :
nAll day cooter u e on a daily ba i .
nInfrequent or poradic cooter u e.
With the e con ideration in mind, you can determine ju t how often and for how long you hould charge your
Sidekick batterie . We de igned the onboard charger o that it will not overcharge your cooter batterie (do
not charge them for more than 24 con ecutive hour ). However, you may encounter ome problem if you do not
charge your batterie often enough and if you do not charge them on a regular ba i . Following the five guideline
below will provide afe and reliable battery operation and charging.
nIf you u e your Sidekick daily, charge it batterie a oon a you fini h u ing it for the day. Your Sidekick will
be ready each morning to give you a full day of ervice. We recommend that you charge your Sidekick
batterie for 8 to 14 hour after daily u e.
nIf you u e your Sidekick once a week or le , charge it batterie at lea t once a week for 12 to 14 hour
at a time.
nKeep your Sidekick batterie fully charged.
nAvoid deeply di charging your Sidekick batterie .
nDo not charge your Sidekick batterie for more than 24 con ecutive hour .
VI. BATTERIES AND CHARGING

19Sidekick
How can get maximum range or distance per charge?
Rarely will you have ideal driving condition  mooth, flat, hard driving urface with no wind or curve . You will
often face hill , idewalk crack , uneven and loo ely packed urface , curve , and wind. All of the e driving
condition affect the di tance or running time per battery charge. Below are a few ugge tion for obtaining the
maximum range per battery charge.
nAlway fully charge your Sidekick batterie prior to your daily u e.
nMaintain 30 p i (pound per quare inch) in all of your Sidekick tire .
nPlan your route ahead to avoid a many hill , cracked, broken, or oft urface a po ible.
nLimit your baggage weight to e ential item .
nTry to maintain an even peed while your Sidekick i in motion.
nAvoid top-and-go driving.
What type and size of battery should use?
We recommend deep-cycle batterie that are ealed and maintenance free. Both Sealed Lead Acid (SLA) and Gel
Cell are deep-cycle batterie that are imilar in performance in your Sidekick. Do not u e wet-cell batterie , which
have removable cap .
NOTE: Do not remove the caps from sealed batteries. Water cannot be added to sealed batteries. ap
removal voids the battery warranty and may cause damage to the batteries and to your Sidekick.
Use these specifications to reorder deep-cycle batteries:
Type: Deep-cycle ( ealed lead-acid or gel cell)
Size: U-1
Voltage: 12 volt each
Amperage: 32 AH (amp hour )
To change a battery in your Sidekick:
1. Remove the eat and the rear hroud. See IX. Di a embly and A embly.
2. Di connect the battery cable from the electronic controller a embly.
3. Di connect the battery cable from the battery terminal .
4. Remove the old battery.
5. Place a new battery in the battery well.
6. Connect the red battery cable to the po itive (+) battery terminal.
7. Connect the black battery cable to the negative (-) battery terminal.
8. Reconnect the battery cable to the electronic controller a embly.
9. Rein tall the rear hroud and the eat.
Why do my new batteries seem weak?
Deep-cycle batterie employ a different chemical technology than i u ed in car batterie , nickel-cadmium batter-
ie (nicad ), or in other common battery type . Deep-cycle batterie are pecifically de igned to provide power,
drain down their charge, and then accept a relatively quick recharge.
VI. BATTERIES AND CHARGING
WARNING! Battery posts, terminals and related accessories contain lead and lead com-
pounds. Wash hands after handling.

20 Sidekick
We work clo ely with our battery manufacturer to provide batterie that be t uit your Sidekick pecific electri-
cal demand . Fre h batterie arrive daily at Pride and are hipped fully charged to our cu tomer . During hipping,
the batterie may encounter temperature extreme that may influence their initial performance. Heat dimini he the
charge on the battery; cold low the available power and extend the time needed to recharge the battery.
It may take a few day for the temperature of your Sidekick batterie to tabilize and adju t to their new room or
ambient temperature.
More importantly, it take a few charging cycle (a partial drain followed by a full recharge) to e tabli h the critical
chemical balance that i e ential to a deep-cycle battery peak performance and long life.
Plea e follow the e tep to properly break in your Sidekick new batterie for maximum efficiency and ervice
life.
1. Fully recharge any new battery prior to it initial u e. Thi charging cycle bring the battery up to about 88% of
it peak performance level.
2. Operate your new Sidekick in familiar and afe area . Drive lowly at fir t, and do not travel too far from your
home or familiar urrounding until you have become accu tomed to your Sidekick control and have prop-
erly broken in your cooter batterie .
3. Fully recharge the batterie . They hould be at over 90% of their peak performance level.
4. Operate your Sidekick again.
5. Fully recharge the batterie again.
6. After four or five charging cycle , the batterie are able to receive a charge of 100% of their peak performance
level and are able to la t for an extended period of time.
How can ensure maximum battery life?
Fully charged deep-cycle batterie provide reliable performance and extended battery life. Keep your Sidekick
batterie fully charged whenever po ible. Batterie that are regularly and deeply di charged, infrequently charged,
or tored without a full charge may be permanently damaged, cau ing unreliable performance and limited ervice
life.
How should store my Sidekick and its batteries?
If you plan on not u ing your Sidekick for an extended period of time, it i be t to:
nFully charge it batterie prior to torage.
nDi connect the battery harne e from the electronic controller a embly.
nStore your Sidekick in a warm, dry environment.
nAvoid toring your Sidekick where it will be expo ed to temperature extreme .
WARNING! If your Sidekicks batteries do become frozen, do not attempt to charge them.
Cold or frozen batteries should be allowed to warm up for several days prior to recharging.
For prolonged torage, you may wi h to place everal board under the frame of your Sidekick to rai e the
cooter off of the ground. Thi take the weight off of the tire and reduce the po ibility of flat pot developing
on the area of the tire contacting the ground.
What about public transportation?
If you intend to u e public tran portation while u ing your cooter, you mu t contact in advance the tran portation
provider to determine their pecific requirement .
VI. BATTERIES AND CHARGING