Jessie The Jeep Posted November 11, 2005 Share Posted November 11, 2005 We've all seen the typical German soldier team in a Motorcycle and side car in war films etc. My question is, did the Allied forces use sidecars on motorcycles? I can't recall ever seeing one in a film, or in real life for that matter. Have I just had a sheltered life, and do they really exist? Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tyler Posted November 11, 2005 Share Posted November 11, 2005 There was a BSA M20 bike and sidecar combo, heres some pics of it, this one is for sale by a dealer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest matt Posted November 11, 2005 Share Posted November 11, 2005 The British army also used Nortons with a sidecar which had a powered wheel,and in Band of Brothers there is a Harley WLA with sidecar,don't know if it's an original set up though. Matt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted January 3, 2006 Share Posted January 3, 2006 Don't forget the russians, hers is a picture of my one that I had when we went to Normandy for the 60th. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Degsy Posted January 3, 2006 Share Posted January 3, 2006 Hi Steve There were 3 different Harley's fitted with sidecars used by US forces and also Indian made one model, some supplied to Britain. They were largely phased out when the Jeep became available. As well the 3x2 Nortons there were also some 3x1 Nortons built for the RAF. I've got model no's, engine details etc if you need them. Regards Degsy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted January 3, 2006 Author Share Posted January 3, 2006 I'd like to see some photo's of these if anyone has any wartime or restored vehicle pictures. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Degsy Posted January 3, 2006 Share Posted January 3, 2006 Sorry Steve,can't help you with pic's.As I have mentioned before on the forum there are pic's and all info in Vanderveen's Fighting Vehicles Directory WW11 if you can find a copy at a reasonable price. It seems to be accepted as "the bible" on all WW2 stuff. Regards Degsy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rlangham Posted January 30, 2006 Share Posted January 30, 2006 Theres a WW2 British motorbike (Not sure what it is, think it's a Norton) in the Coventry Transport Museum (partly closed until March 2006) with a sidecar, got some photos of it somewhere. Also have a Daimler mk I armoured car and one of Monty's Humber staff cars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
79x100 Posted February 8, 2006 Share Posted February 8, 2006 I believe that the only purpose built British military outfit was the Norton Big 4. Have a look at Rob van den Brink's excellent Website devoted to the Norton WD 16H and Big 4 - http://home.tiscali.nl/wd16h/ If you want to see what the rest of the industry was up to, you need a copy of Orchard & Madden's "British Forces Motorcycles 1925 - 45" The book is now out of print but there are rumours of a forthcoming revised edition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FWDTEXAS Posted November 30, 2008 Share Posted November 30, 2008 During the Punitive Expedition into Mexico (1916-17) and WW1 the US army used Indian's with side cars, some were even equiped with machine guns. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morris C8 Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 Here are 2 old photos that i sold on Ebay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stefano Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 Here are 2 old photos that i sold on Ebay. I will happily stand corrected, but the combination looks like a Royal Enfield KX 1140, presumably one of the four supplied to contract C11467 in September '41 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 I will happily stand corrected, but the combination looks like a Royal Enfield KX 1140, presumably one of the four supplied to contract C11467 in September '41 Hi Stefano, I would say with certainty, that the photo on the left, is of a Norton Big 4. You can see the Norton logo on the tank and their familiar timing cover. Also it is a vertical cylinder in the photo, where as a KX1140 was a V-twin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stefano Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 Richard, Ooops, The timing cover threw me, I thought it looked like another exhaust pipe... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 Ooops, The timing cover threw me, ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
No Signals Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 Seen a few years back. Also know I have seen an original pic in a period magazine of a whole parade of British sidecar outfits. This will probably take a year or two to track down leafing through the pile, once I find the right pile! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abn deuce Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 That must have been a post war or European converstion as the sidecar would be mounted on the right if made in the U.S.A. the bikes a Harley Davidson . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
No Signals Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 That must have been a post war or European converstion as the sidecar would be mounted on the right if made in the U.S.A. the bikes a Harley Davidson . Yes, I remember talking to the owner about this at the time but cannot remember the detail at all of what he told me I have no idea of the origin of the chassis and body or why he built it as a r/h outfit. Although I would speculate that it was to do with doing miles safely on UK roads. Certainly it is not a 'pukka' US WW2 restoration for that very reason, but it gives a good impression of what a military r/h chair might have looked like. Found this other outfit in the corner of another pic. this one is in the Malta museum. cannot recall the make and wouldnt like to commit myself based on the visible info. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ford 369 Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 I think you will find that is a bsa m20 combination Nigel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radek Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 I think you will find that is a bsa m20 combination Nigel I thing it is bigger!!! Norton?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willyslancs Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 mmmmmmmmmmm different.......:coffee: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ford 369 Posted January 11, 2009 Share Posted January 11, 2009 I thing it is bigger!!! Norton?! seeing the picture from this angle I agree with you Norton not bsa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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