10 Two Wheeled War Machines | A Brief History of Ten Military Motorcycles

[@Rapidfireblade]

I have recently restored an m20. During VE Day I displayed it outside my house. I was quite surprised at the amount of attention it got,

[@maxasaurus3008]

You guys still celebrate Victory in Europe Day? Hell yeah 🎉.

[@johncasor9698]

i had a CZ it was a 125cc dirt bike just loved it. it was a 1976 and in san diego, ca and in school everyone was talking how great it was and only one kid had one it was a 250cc... so i did get one 2 years later... i never really saw many of these bikes only a few...

[@garypeatling7927]

I had 250 twin in 1975 lasted for ever clutch cable only real problem

[@bryn494]

Those 5 BMWs the Soviets 'acquired' in Sweden were actually a cover story. The tech. (and most likely the tools too) were given to them as a secret part of the Ribbentrop pact.

[@thetreblerebel]

ROKON this is now a modernized bike for the outdoorsman with fuel or water stored in the wheel...good stuff

[@carlclifford64]

I once owned a BSA M21 and a BSA 350 Don R. They wereright beasts.

[@williamnethercott4364]

Matchless and Ariel 350s, Norton Big 4 and Douglas (WW1) spring to mind.

[@terencequinn2682]

Love how he starts with an English accent then gradually becomes quite distinctly Scottish. In a very charming way!

[@celtisafricana4984]

He HAS to be Scottish with that beard. Now, anyone care to weigh in on the Nut Sack in the background?

[@crouchingwombathiddenquoll5641]

Bilingual ?

[@lostbear53]

In '68 I had a 1942 Cushman Eagle 125cc w/sidecar that was in the Army till 46... still running!!!

[@pauld6102]

A couple good ones to feature on your next military bike show is the Maico 490 used by Argentina against the Brits in the Falkland Island war of '82, and the Husqvarna 420/470 OR automatic bikes in Sweden's military snow service patrols.

[@NickRatnieks]

My brother bought an M20 for £10 in 1971. In the summer of 1972- this was in Portsmouth he got a job putting up some kind of exhibition for the Royal Navy. He said that there were some M20s in the workshops- still being used and he was given a few tips by the mechanics regarding their maintenance and use. I got an 1959 M21- an ex-AA bike for £6 the following year and we did a swap.

[@refard5]

next one you'd have to mention the KLR 650 and it's diesel counterpart.

[@joeernst1836]

My first thought as well

[@paulformaioni37]

it comes in a diesel?

[@refard5]

@@paulformaioni37 US militarry only

[@southronjr1570]

@@paulformaioni37 There are also several builders doing custom conversions, iirc the same company doing the conversions for the Army sell or did sell versions to the civilian market

[@onlybugwit]

I used to ride an M21 combination when I was 16. Great bike 👍

[@whereswaldo5740]

These videos are so enjoyable. Love history. Love bikes. War history. Can’t get much better. Encore

[@1965vw]

Great list! I have never heard of many of these bikes, so thanks for sharing. That Vespa 150 TAP is hilarious and probably my favorite! I just imagine it taking on a tank... talk about David vs. Goliath. I'd love to ride one of those around town with a replica of the gun/ammo and see the looks on people's faces!

[@obelic71]

the Vespa is perfect for comute. Honey how was your work today. mwoa heavy armoured traffic as always got 2 of them today 😁

[@beowulf5982]

I loved this video. Full of facts and well presented. Thank you Sir.

[@telescopereplicator]

Great item. Great history. Great images. You nailed it again, Paul !!!

[@TheHistoryEngine]

Haha thanks dude, much appreciated!

[@telescopereplicator]

@@TheHistoryEngine Great photographs. Where do you find things like that ? And forget those new bikes. I want one of those old ones, for sure !! MUCH more character.

[@v0x_zk7]

Hello, i just discovered your channel and i just want to say it's awesome, you're like that grandfather that tell stories about motorcycling and it's just lovely

[@NBZW]

Owned a 56, B33. Loved that thumper!

[@cybair9341]

I've got good memories of my Triumph TRW.

[@armedhippie]

I have owned 3 m20s, I flying flea, 3 welbikes, a couple wla,'s, 2 model 16h Nortons, and a few more. Great memories.

[@motopatisserie2398]

Another winner!, informative and easy to watch.

[@kylejohnstone9044]

the History of ... is great plz make more

[@jeronimomurruni]

The fliying flea was on sale on 2019, it was a coustomized bullet 500 with canvas saddle bags and a "military" looking paintjob.

[@McRcFly]

Are you referring to the pegasus model? If so I had one. It was a classic 500

[@terencequinn2682]

The fact that bikers can share, care and learn on KZbin is one of the real upsides of the internet. A couple of guys ( or even one!) with some decent recording equipment who are prepared to put in some time and effort can turn out a little gem like this one.

[@lllllREDACTEDlllll]

While in Iraq in 2003-4 I took a few pictures of motorcycles mounted with recoilless rifles that we fought against. I'll see if I can dig up the pictures if anyone interested.

[@DR_Neal_Rigger]

The Zundap is criminally underrated, and might be the most reliable bike of the era..

[@AlanMydland-fq2vs]

i think u may be right

[@chrishereford5969]

If love to see the twins like the BSA Golden Flash. Thank you for sharing.

[@mrgmmiller]

Thx again. Truly digging the history.

[@melangeken]

I really like your channel man, I got hooked since the murderdrome episode!

[@boarders9407]

melangeken agreed

[@BanjoLuke1]

What a nice collection of histories. When I was a boy my father mentioned a motorcycle he had taken around Falaise after it was left by retreating Axis forces. He was a field gunner supporting 53rd (Welsh) Div and used this motorcycle he found until just before the final push into northern Germany. It was a 2wd combination with a differential gear and had small pipes running up to the handlebars from the exhausts to keep the rider's hands warm. He had assumed it was transferred with a unit who had come from the Eastern Front. He spoke of the great boon of having hand warmers in the very.cold Winter of 1944 going up through Belgium. He thought it a most precious and capable vehicle but had to give it up when his regiment got a new CO near the end of hostilities who demanded that all German equipment be abandoned, as it might give the men the impression that it was superior. In my father's view (he was very.yoing at the time) this was a fatuous statement as most of the German equipment was clearly superior. This meant that the German motorcycle and the German pistol had to go.... the latter to be replaced with what he called "a bloody useless Smith & Wesson". I do not know what his gripe with the pistol was, but he clearly preferred the German one. His boss also gave up using a German half-track he had had repainted green. But the 2wd motorcycle combination with the hand warmers featured in many of the tales of my childhood. Apparently it was quite tricky to ride in a straight line over rough country.

[@himatic7]

Three to add: the Vickers Clyno, the "trusty" Triumph model H, and the Chang Jiang CJ750 and it's variants. The latter was a descendent of the R71, via the Ural, but eventually spawned a whole family of military and paramilitary vehicles.

[@deadfishparty]

Another excellent, well paced documentary. Really enjoyed.

[@prankmonkeyxs650]

Great vid brah, I'm super into motorcycles and military firearms now I'm into military cycles! The perfect evolution of wasting my money!

[@umvhu]

I'm not 100% sure but it's quite likely that Douglas produced the largest number of military motorbikes ever during WW1, where the radio did not exist and vast numbers of couriers were required. Definitely worth looking into.

[@calebzimmerman3634]

Another military bike video! YES PLEASE!!!

[@NoamRabbit]

Love my Harley and motorcycles , great to watch the history, hope we can be friends

[@curtforeman9014]

Thank you sir for this video! Well done sir!

[@Area51ca]

Well done thank you for your time and efforts.

[@silktvPDR1]

Very enjoyable video... TRW sidevalve twin lovely bike

I expected to see a TRW here as well?

[@jeanpaulcomeau8131]

Great video that won my subscription to your channel. Thank you from Malaysia

[@davidives7997]

Great history. Good narration

[@stuartliddle7228]

My stepgrandad gawd bless him, worked for triumph during the war. He always said he left to join the paras (as a medic) because he couldnt do with the ladies wittering and gossiping in the factory! He claimed to have had a 100 mph+ factory bitsa special, that he rode at night with no idea where he was as all the roadsigns had been taken down,,,, He was at Pegasus Bridge and went on through Germany. He nabbed a BMW sidecar and got rid when he found reverse by accident and found a ditch! said the bmws were the best he rode though..... Good work fella, keep it up!

[@captnodge]

Wow what a great film well done Love the title music Was expecting smcqueen at some point

[@larryedwards1591]

Love it i was a cav scout love the bike history 🤘🤘🤘

[@paulbusek7265]

Awesome and interesting video! Great job!

[@swampmonster8626]

Wonderfully done, greatly appreciated. Myself and others would also enjoy seeing some of Indian MC war machines. Who could forget a specialty machine like the Papoose, or the 841?

[@dotmargrave]

My father rode an M20 during the Second World War as a dispatch rider he used to tell me he loved it, he tried a Matchless at the time and didn’t like it at all.

[@CaptHollister]

11:26 That WLA is more likely a WLC (C for Canada) since it was filmed alongside a Canadian Military Pattern truck, as used by all the Commonwealth armies in WW2

[@angiefav1847]

Very very good, l enjoyed every minute well done

[@josephkerkau2520]

Please do an article on the life of the Indian Motorcycle I own a 2018 and I love it

[@danielmccarthy1982]

Another great vid Paul. Could I suggest you look at the -Swiss made Condor A580 if you're doing another look at military vehicles? A very capable bike, heavily over-engineered with a hi/lo ratio gearbox and frame lugs for carrying rifles. Being Swiss of course means it never saw combat!

[@MINIMOTOMADNESS]

my grandad was a dispatch rider in ww2,226th field squadron brock barracks reading berks,he was in the middle east but in 1944 he was sent to belgium,,i think he rode a matchless,but then he found a bmw bike towards the end of the war and rode that..great video paul.

[@TheHistoryEngine]

Great story! Keep meaning to reply to your last comment! Should definitely go for a ride out some time.

[@MINIMOTOMADNESS]

@@TheHistoryEngine I would like that very much Paul. I'm free whenever you are..

[@debbiepugh2055]

On Yer Bike another great video Can’t believe how much footage you managed to find and great narration by Paul ! Loved it 💖

[@eh74nq]

Fantastic wee video. If you're ever in Edinburgh, happy to let you take my ex Dutch army Moto Guzzi V50 Nato for a spin :-)

[@agoogler1887]

A really good program 🤓

[@cerealtiller]

I piloted a BSA m21 combination for Motorcycle deliveries and collections the Side car had a rear loading Ramp on a few occasions the piston melted while idling in Traffic. It was upgraded to a BSA A65 which was much better.

[@billshortall3594]

Keep them coming brilliant

[@prabodhsangiorgio3912]

Hi, love what you do and the informative style you use. I'd like to bring to your attention the moto guzzi "mulo meccanico". Built for the italian alpine corps, it is the predecessor of all modern moto guzzis

[@paulmcneill2666]

Very interesting and well presented. Good work .

[@willgreen3665]

Very good video.

[@glenn5ft19]

The Japanese copy of the Harley Davidson was used by the Japanese in the Aleutian Islands campaign. In fact my Father brought home a piston and steering damper knob from one, which are now in my bottom dresser drawer.

I've a theory that if the Americans depended on the Harley...it would account for them arriving 'late' in the war........

[@markrowland1366]

BSA army riders in north Africa, Australians and New Zealanders, raced each other. That is now called motor cross. Modern bikes have suspension ranges of a foot orore. Hard tailed M20 BSA bikes three inches only at the front. Standing on the peddles all the way.

[@Bikerbob59]

I remember my dad and a friend getting a deal on 10 surplus BSA army bikes in the 60s.

[@motogusnz]

Such a quality and interesting video. Thank you and so well done. Very refreshing c/w some of the usual tat

[@motogusnz]

Just to be clear, when I said 'usual tat,' I meant 'other' channels - not On Yer Bike. You guys do a terrific job. I just realised how that comment might appear

[@wascalywabbit]

My grandfather in WW2 was stationed in Pontiac,and they got him to join the motorcycle outfit,he told me several stories,like how they would mess with each other,like using a coat hanger somehow so it would take off once started,and one night a pile of coal was in his spot and rode into it... But his final straw was on a cobblestone rd and was near a farm,where he ran over sheep shit and slid 50ft on his hip... His flashlight saved him on that one... After that... He said to hell with it and signed in with the 1st division infantry because it was safer..lol... I still have brownie cam photos of him on that old Harley...but he never rode again after the war

[@GadgetMart]

Loved it 👍 Very professional too

[@jeremyhowerton6514]

Can't be. His "nut sack" was showing for the entire video.

[@paulm5774]

Fantastic another great episode . Loved it 😎. Only just recently discovered the channel so I’ve got lots of great videos to catch up on 😎. My I make a suggestion for a future episode how about, the much loved little BSA Bantam. Look forward to more great episodes 👍

[@mr.shannon6137]

The United States, Marine KLR should be #1. The USMC uses a modified Kawasaki KLR 650 that runs on JP-8. The absolute coolest military motorcycle ever made. Check it out.

[@thetreblerebel]

Rikio HD bikes...yeeees!

[@paulformaioni37]

informative and well made video

[@kieronwheeler3087]

I think you need to mention the Triumph TR7T, as a training and display bike used by the British army.

[@johnsweeney6072]

Good job I enjoyed it 👍🇦🇺

[@martinmaloney7294]

Great video , well done !

[@reypolice5231]

What fun Thanks

[@heretohear8662]

Great vid!!

[@edgeyt1]

My dad was told to ride around a field near Sheffield in 1939, if you didn't fall off you passed the army test. At the end of the war he watched a long line of army motorbikes being lined up on a beach in Ceylon ( re named Sri Lanka), a half track was then deliberately driven over them. My dad was disgusted by this waste and complained - he was told that the army had no use for them anymore, there was no way they were going to be shipped back home and leaving them in working order would skew the local economy. Norton, Triumph, BSA etc if you need spares take a metal detector to the beaches of Ceylon (as was) lol.

[@TheHistoryEngine]

Ouch. I had heard stories of such things happening after the war. I recall a story of how the U.S army dumped loads of Jeeps, heavy machinery etc in to the Pacific for the same reason.

[@custodialmark]

Our dad, J Ferd. wud be recovering on this day in history, as hands nearly blown off one week after landing Utah beach. of few stories, He had rode some early bikes as worked garage in Norristown, an as war prepared vehices for water landings. when let chance to test ride the new biger bike,?harley, he near imediatly got bucked off frum its frist throttle. he guarded some pow on beach or towns, shot possible sniper behined parachoot ,as seen in movie. but by time i got to re connect with him, too old to ride bicycle to Philly by canal.

[@henrya3530]

According to the founder of the company the correct pronunciation of Rokon is "Rock on". Unable to fulfil a contract to supply motorcycles to the Indian army in 1955 Royal Enfield sold the plans and tooling to an Indian company to make the bikes there. Thus the Indian Enfield Bullet came into existence and while the English company has faded into history the Indian company continues to grow. Armoured motorcycles are something of a rarity. In UK Triumph had a go with an armoured version of the 350cc 3SW in 1940. Carrying a Bren gun it had armour on one side only which may seem a bit daft. The idea seems to be that the armour would be used as a shield when firing the Bren while the machine was stationary. Sweden also produced several prototype armoured sidecar outfits from 1930 to 1932. The first, Landsverk-190fm/30, would not have looked out of place on a WW1 battlefield. Two years later the Improved Landsverk-210 had sloped armour all round and a Madsen machine gun. The "improvement" was a reduction in total weight to 650kg - earlier versions were too heavy to steer easily. Records show that none were sold until in 1938 Baron Friedrich Karl Johannes von Schlebrügge purchased one. (Fun fact: his granddaughter is the actress Uma Thurman.)

[@TheHistoryEngine]

Great knowledge there, Henry!

[@richardlindquistjr]

Great video hope you are well!

[@TheHistoryEngine]

Thanks Frank, all good here and glad you liked the video!

[@indianfred]

At 10:37 the "Harley" with a side car is in fact a 1916-1917 Indian Powerplus.

[@cloudstrifelv]

Could you do a video on Meguro motorcycles from japan? They have ties to keeping harley alive during the depression

[@onerider808]

The KLR 650 is the only bike that has a current US military part number (NSN), and sees active use by special operations. Seems like a big oversight to show old, useless bikes and skip active, performing bikes. Still, an interesting episode..thanks!

[@armedhippie]

Useless old bikes ? You smoke too much crack.

[@72chickensoup]

A Vespa with a recoil-less pazuka that could be fired while in motion. That I would like to see. I'd probably fall around the place laughing after seeing it happen. Madness.

[@janwoodworth5072]

Hi paul mike here are you still with craig you didnt fall out with him did you mate life is to short for that brother, be nice to see you in the shed again bro stay safe brother cheers mike, ;-)

[@SwingEzzZZ]

What about Zundapp? Oh he mentioned near the end of the video that Zundapp will be in the future video. Thanks for sharing this video. There were some BMW knock off made in Japan as well I don't remember the name of those.

[@obelic71]

I know that BMW knock offs were made in China in the early 30's and are still being made there. Japan i didn't know. makes it very odd that those met each other on the battlefield in China.

[@SwingEzzZZ]

@@obelic71 Oh I just found the book. The Japanese one was not made during WW II. It was a "Marusho Magnum 500". I guess it was made around the '80's. The picture of this bike is on page 130 of a book by Bruce Preston titled " BMW The Complete Story". Published by The Crowood Press. Funny thing is I bought this book when I was in Tokyo May 1991.

[@SwingEzzZZ]

Here is a Marusho Magnum 500. kzbin.info/www/bejne/fnTOanmApL1rp8k

[@SwingEzzZZ]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/mobWiH-mndJjeNE Another example of the Marusho.

[@SwingEzzZZ]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/iIDOlKqbfM2qhc0 A 250?

[@wuttmodel3232]

So nice sir

[@alancsalt]

Rikuo and Kurogane "Harleys" were used in the Pacific in WW2.

[@takagifukugiflathead]

ZUNDAPP,BMW,HARLEY DAVIDSON, INDIAN MOTORCYCLE,URAL,VESPA,JAWA , NORTON ,BSA,MOTO GUZZI ARE ICONIC MILITARY MOTORCYCLES

[@peroduanippa]

I have an interesting military bike, a Moto Guzzi Superalce, 500cc single with rear handlebars.

[@darrinwright6758]

I would love to see a picture of it. I love the Guzzi. That was one of my most favorite bikes.

[@Gizmomadug]

@@darrinwright6758 I think the bike is related to the famed Italian tanks of WWII, that had one forward gear and five reverse...

[@goodnightcharly5135]

Lucky man moto fuzzies are pride and Joy's every last one

[@SebastianSikano]

@John Barber are 2 handles in the form of a handlebar, to allow the passenger on the rear seat not to cling to the driver

[@peroduanippa]

@@SebastianSikano Check out Moto Guzzi Superalce on youtube.

[@Eclispestar]

I vote for the development of the Honda Valkyrie. And Gold wing

[@napadaanlng69]

of all the mentioned motorcycles, do they ever use headlight visor or fairings?

[@therealrobertbirchall]

My grandad, a dispatch rider in the North Staffs during ww2 said the Beezzers (M20s) were over rated. He preferred the matchless G3/L, it was more reliable as fast as as a 350 used less gasoline and was lighter for x country work.

[@nunyabeeswax3936]

Did Indian Norton or Triumph ever do any such? Thanks....

[@ffrankenstein3]

Imz m72 was a side valve right ? You have mentioned ohv

[@ericdoe2318]

yeh a ride a vespa, but it does have a ati-tank gun sticking out the knee shield.

[@tappedout300xc]

The great sport of Motocross was born from the WW1 Dispatch riders.

[@663rainmaker]

Makes my 1984 Honda GL1200 look 👀 super Modern

[@unfortunately_fortunate2000]

Paul Ayers super modern obsolescent machinery*, rather! However yes, compared to what they had, you may as well be a the proud owner of a hover bike!!! However I think you’d be surprised just how good these early dirt bikes/motocross bike were and still are, if you were to upgrade the power plant to something more modern and, of course, efficient in its power production, incredibly capable today. They’d keep up with a lot of the 100-125cc motocross bikes out there today, shit, they’d probably best a lot of the more economic motocross bikes out there!!! And goddamn do they look Great War good! Idk what it is, something about that era of motor vehicles just looks awesome. Same with the artillery of the era, it just looks better than today’s howitzer cannons and guns. Plus they’re sucksqueeze bangblow rather than the engulfing four strokes of today. ;) Ahhhh, ahhhhh!?!? See what I did there??!??!?!??

[@EpicAdamMotovlogs]

I've been offered a test ride on the military electric motorcycles. They charge them on the back of lorries & use them for recon missions. Top speed is only 50mph though

[@TheHistoryEngine]

Nice! Is that the one's made by Zero?

[@EpicAdamMotovlogs]

@@TheHistoryEngine I have no idea tbh. I haven't seen them yet & I was given little information.

[@bryn494]

The military version includes IR lighting and, probably, other stuff we don't know about. The police version, however, is street legal. They do up to 90 mph and if you can get your hands on one you'd get an awfully large number of dollars for it. The following article's 2 years old... :D www.armytimes.com/news/your-army/2018/06/01/this-silent-all-electric-dirt-bike-could-soon-drive-special-operators-into-battle/

[@thetreblerebel]

Flying Fleas...YEEEEES!!!

[@tinkertime7165]

What about the Bombardier, or was it the Armstrong? Used in the UK army, maybe still being used. I think the KLR 650 took over.

[@curatorartium]

Like it or not, the 350 Matchless G3LS had the best front fork in the business.

[@johnmargetts5431]

BSA M21 for me. Ultimate beauty. In a house fire would I save the missis or the Beeza - mmmm?