Military motorcycle models and makes

eaw46 said:

No one has mentioned the old and brand new still built Royal Enfield Military bike. You can buy a brand new one for about $5,500,00. It is 50s tech but parts are avail and it looks good just do a search for Royal Enfield it used to be a british bike but now make in India. I have one and its rough but reliable and cheap fun. Eddy

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Hey 46, thanks for the reply.

Nothing wrong with 50's tech: I used to ride an R50/2 (BMW) which was close to that vintage and nothing at all about that engineering was shabby. How many cc's was the Royal Enfield? Got a picture of yours?

And I like your signature "quote" (one hundred men); where's that from?

Another Ahab said:

Hey 46, thanks for the reply.

Nothing wrong with 50's tech: I used to ride an R50/2 (BMW) which was close to that vintage and nothing at all about that engineering was shabby. How many cc's was the Royal Enfield? Got a picture of yours?

And I like your signature "quote" (one hundred men); where's that from?

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1

This is not my bike but this one of what I am talking about. Its 500cc single cyl like an old Norton Matchless you have to be careful starting it and use the decompression lever or you can end up sitting on the ground in front of the bike with a very sore ankle. I am in AZ for the winter avoiding the weather at home so have no pics of my toy. They are still made today just like they were in the 50s. Eddy

Nice bike. Like the saddle.

It IS Norton-like.. Also reminds me of a Bultaco (sp?) one of my cousins used to have.

Oh, yeah: the "hundred man" thing; where's that from?

Quote

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...=6-WqgtXxZeDPJBNiwWJ37w&bvm=bv.59026428,d.cGU

42 WLA

Gnepig said:

42 WLA

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Lordy...

THAT is sweet.

That is SOOOO s-w-e-e-t ! ! !

Is the throttle conventional, in the right-hand grip?

And the throat: a regular Harley rumble?

eaw46 said:

Quote

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...=6-WqgtXxZeDPJBNiwWJ37w&bvm=bv.59026428,d.cGU

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Wow.

I am humbled and impressed. And so glad that you let me know this: thank you. Heraclitus: the Pre-Socratic Athenian. Wow.

Heraclitus: he's the guy who noted Panta Rei (everything changes), and remarked that "You never step twice into the same river" (i.e., the world is constantly changing itself; nothing stays the same). Heraclitus: the man was on the ball.

And this quote is saying something, because in the Athenian Democracy (THE template of ALL time, Brother), when there was a rumble, EVERYBODY suited up for the game. Game on: you (and everybody on your block, and on EVERY block) suited up to play.

Apparently the single most point-of-pride for Socrates (yeah: Socrates, THAT dude) was standing in the line at Marathon. He did his duty, and found lifetime satisfaction in that. Nevermind all his clear thinking, he didn't feel that was significant. To him, what was important was that he fought the fight at Marathon.

The Battle of Marathon: where a tiny band of citizen soldiers defeated a World Super Power, and forever more set history on a course of freeman over slave. It helped define everything we are here in the United States today.

Wow. Heraclitus. Neat.

I like your quote. Nice choice.

Another Ahab said:

Lordy...

THAT is sweet.

That is SOOOO s-w-e-e-t ! ! !

Is the throttle conventional, in the right-hand grip?

And the throat: a regular Harley rumble?

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Yes, the throttle is on the right hand, but the other twist grip on the left is for spark advance. The lever on the left handlebar is for the front brake, the clutch is operated with the left foot and you shift with your left hand on the left side of the tank. Operation of this bike is way tricky compared to how easy todays bikes work. It is real easy to forget and try to clutch with the front brake on the WLA. It is still good fun to ride tho.

Gnepig said:

Yes, the throttle is on the right hand, but the other twist grip on the left is for spark advance. The lever on the left handlebar is for the front brake, the clutch is operated with the left foot and you shift with your left hand on the left side of the tank. Operation of this bike is way tricky compared to how easy todays bikes work. It is real easy to forget and try to clutch with the front brake on the WLA. It is still good fun to ride tho.

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And the sound: all Harley?

Another Ahab said:

And the sound: all Harley?

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Um yeah, that good Harley sound but different, all flathead like. It's not loud but good, hard to explain.

Gnepig said:

Um yeah, that good Harley sound but different, all flathead like. It's not loud but good, hard to explain.

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Yeah, I hear you; my mom (a war bride, lived in Paris throughout the whole German Occupation), she said it was a strong noise and a sound of authority, see Post #17.

She liked that sound (and always would).

Thanks for the word.

45 degree common crankpin twins all sound the same, allowing for little differences caused by stuff like flathead chamber shape and low comperssion ratios. That's why Harley failed when they tried to patent the sound back in the 80s. An Indian, anything with a V-twin JAP (like a Brough or a 3-wheel Morgan) all have the same beat (which a V-Rod hasn't, btw). Willie G wants you to believe in his secret sauce, but its just physics and it's the same for everybody.

steelypip said:

45 degree common crankpin twins all sound the same, allowing for little differences caused by stuff like flathead chamber shape and low comperssion ratios. That's why Harley failed when they tried to patent the sound back in the 80s. An Indian, anything with a V-twin JAP (like a Brough or a 3-wheel Morgan) all have the same beat (which a V-Rod hasn't, btw). Willie G wants you to believe in his secret sauce, but its just physics and it's the same for everybody.

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No kidding; they tried to cover the sound by a Patent? It meant money to them, so I guess you can't blame them for trying. It's kind of funny.

And you sound like you know your stuff, steelypip: just how would they define the sound (for the sake of the patent)? By the physics of it (engine displacement/ pipe diameters, etc)? I mean I wonder what their case was?

It's been a while and my memory is fuzzy. If I were writing it up, I'd make note of the periodicity of the exhaust pulses, which is unique to this type of engine, at least, if not to HD.

Basically, one cylinder fires, then 45 degrees later the other cylinder fires, then nothing happens for 675 degrees, then it repeats. It's about as odd-fire as you can get.

steelypip said:

It's been a while and my memory is fuzzy. If I were writing it up, I'd make note of the periodicity of the exhaust pulses, which is unique to this type of engine, at least, if not to HD.

Basically, one cylinder fires, then 45 degrees later the other cylinder fires, then nothing happens for 675 degrees, then it repeats. It's about as odd-fire as you can get.

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Simply put= Potato.. Potato.. Potato..

steelypip said:

It's been a while and my memory is fuzzy. If I were writing it up, I'd make note of the periodicity of the exhaust pulses, which is unique to this type of engine, at least, if not to HD.

Basically, one cylinder fires, then 45 degrees later the other cylinder fires, then nothing happens for 675 degrees, then it repeats. It's about as odd-fire as you can get.

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Gnepig said:

Simply put= Potato.. Potato.. Potato..

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I get it. Sweet.

I bet that's a NICE noise.

Another Ahab said:

My mother used to comment about the American Harleys. She was a French war bride. My father romanced here in France, and then they married here in DC after the war.

She lived in Paris, and also through four years of German Occupation (1940-1944, the Hunger Years she called them). And she would tell us all, growing up, how that roar of the American Harleys was always a sweet sound to her.

She had lived through the sound of all the various German machines coursing everywhere throughout Paris during the Occupation (including what I'm guessing were BMW bikes, shaft-driven, and pretty quiet). She could speak fluent German (because of those war years), but she never really enjoyed hearing it spoken.

And then when the Americans finally showed up in August 1944 she said that the sound of those Big Harleys coming through was forever after to her the sweetest sound she knew. It was the sound of freedom, deliverance, liberation, and just plain Good.

For her the sound of those Harleys was a happy memory.

So I'm kind of interested to know more about them. Many around?

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Found these photos. Kind of neat:

Ruppster said:

I recently bought a 1986 KLR250 that was used by the USMC. The military bought more of them around 1991 and called them a M1030. A few years later they upgraded to the KLR650 and called them a M1030B1. The bikes differ very little from their civilian counterparts so it wouldn't take much to convert a civilian bike in to a military clone. Right after I got the military KLR250 I came across a civilian model KLR650 and I plan on doing it up as a military clone.

Also, the link below gives a breakdown of some of the different military bikes. Honda XR250's were used also and would be easy to convert a civilian version to a military clone too.


MILITARY MOTORCYCLES AND SCOOTERS


As far as trying to search the internet sometimes you have to try different words. Might try "military klr650", "military Harley", "army klr650", or "army bike".

Ruppster

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Anyone make their own hand guards of find a source for the m1030b1 hand guards?

I have a couple of them send me an email or PM.