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"Better" motorcycles?


Sabrejet
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This is a spin-off from my other thread which discusses the relative merits of WW2 German and US helmets. The same quote also states that (in the author's opinion) German motorcycles were superior to US types. Do you agree....or not? Harley vs BMW...Indian vs Zundapp.

 

This quote is from US Army Talks magazine, May 10th, 1944:

" Where they have one we have ten. We have more of everything and, by and large, our stuff is better. I'd say their mess-kit, motorcycles and helmets are better than ours. But so far none of us has been eaten, run over or crowned by the Jerries, so we can take them....but good!"

 

WLA3quarters.JPGid_ks750_700_01.jpg

 

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hbtcoveralls

As a former WLA owner and restorer I can say that the German motorcycles were, on balance, far better than the US motorcycles for military purposes. However, no WWII motorcycle could hold a candle to....the Jeep which largely replaced the mototcycle in the US Army. By the end of production a Jeep cost less than a WLA to produce and was far simpler to maintain. German bikes were just about bulletproof but again very expensive of both material and labor to create and then to maintain. If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then the German bike was better becuse both Indian and Harley built experimental designs at least partially based on German motorcycle technology.

Tom Bowers

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Hello,

 

I can't comment that just because I know next to nothing about the quality of US and german motorcycles ... but the fact is that the germans troops made a wide use of motorcycles and side cars, and I don't feel US troops did the same.

 

regards, E

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WLA's were used heavy in WWII in Europe more than a person would think?but not much history has been wrote about them or shown in war movies.

 

Johan's web site the WLA Liberator you will see great history researched by him and others like me.

 

The Russian's used WLA's much as the Germans used their bikes and they had side cars on their WLA's for mortar teams against the German and worked great

 

The German motorcycle may have been a better bike but those WLA's were easier to work on in my opinion in the field. The Germans over engineered some of its war material to the point the guy using it couldn't do the repairs in the field and some stuff was awesome like the MG 34 and 42

 

Craig

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I agree with the comments about German bikes being "over-engineered"...like so many of their other vehicles. Their motorcycle-combos were an integral part of their motorised divisions, especially in the early war period, and being all-wheel drive they could pretty much go anywhere off-road. The Soviets reverse engineered the German BMW R71 which led to their M72 , perhaps better known as the "Cossack" bikes of the post-war years. The M72 was also licence-built in large numbers in communist China. Thus, many "German" motorcycle combos used by reenactors today are actually Russian/Chinese machines with suitable paint jobs and added accessories.

 

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With regard to the over-engineered claim...here's a classic example...the Kettenkraftrad. Is it a bike, or is it a track?! Either way, a pretty nifty bit of kit!

 

 

 

 

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Ian

 

Harley Davidison and Indian were work horses :D Perhaps much easer to work on in the field but it seems a lot of people loved them and still collect the war models. Everyone has a fav no matter what :D

Great pictures, thanks for posting them

 

Tony

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As a former WLA owner and restorer I can say that the German motorcycles were, on balance, far better than the US motorcycles for military purposes. However, no WWII motorcycle could hold a candle to....the Jeep which largely replaced the mototcycle in the US Army. By the end of production a Jeep cost less than a WLA to produce and was far simpler to maintain. German bikes were just about bulletproof but again very expensive of both material and labor to create and then to maintain. If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then the German bike was better becuse both Indian and Harley built experimental designs at least partially based on German motorcycle technology.

Tom Bowers

 

 

Tom

 

I was thinking the same thing.Harley had the XA 1000.A basic copy of the BMW.Some were developed with solid center wheel I believe for desert warefare.I have seen about 6 of them over the years and had the chance to buy one in 1985 that had been restored.

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The Harley XA's never saw any combat in WWII in the ETO or PTO other than they all stay state side and did their training. They sell for more than the history making WLA's and WLC's just because they are rare and not because of their battle field history! just odd?

 

Craig

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subsystem4

Hello,

 

I can't comment that just because I know next to nothing about the quality of US and german motorcycles ... but the fact is that the germans troops made a wide use of motorcycles and side cars, and I don't feel US troops did the same.

 

regards, E

 

They didn't have to. They had Jeeps.

 

If I was given the choice to own any WWII motorcycle, but only one, I would be hard pressed to pick one or the other. Both US and German bikes were great but each for different reasons.

 

-Jay

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They didn't have to. They had Jeeps.

 

If I was given the choice to own any WWII motorcycle, but only one, I would be hard pressed to pick one or the other. Both US and German bikes were great but each for different reasons.

 

-Jay

 

Hi, you're right ... the jeep is far more versatile and easy to maintain, and has a significant load capacity compared to a motorcycle, even with a side car B)

 

E

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Yep, the jeep replace the motorcycle but a jeep can't go some places a motorcycle can go (credit to the WLA Liberator web site)

 

Craig

post-7997-0-93653300-1401846337.jpg

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the harley dealer in sacramento used to have an XA on display years ago when i was still riding bikes. it was neat to see up close.

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I helped with this BMW and I would have a to agree they are over engineered but with its 2 range gearbox giving it 7 speeds froward and 2 in reverse and the sidecar wheel is driven also , it easily pulls the French canon we have used for re-enactments. Its has alot of attachments for gear and machine guns.Having owned Indians and Harleys as troublesome as they can be at times, I wouldn't want the BMW to break down too often.

Regards,Mitch

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post-592-0-45895700-1402108439.jpg

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