Motorcycle & Scooter
Related: About this forumBMW on parade?
Thanks to Dipsydoodle for posting a link to a bunch of WW2 color photos.
Here's one, riding through Paris after the liberation.
That motorcycle looks like an opposed-twin cylinder engine, either a captured BMW, or there were a number of BMW clones built by Harley Davidson during the war. Either way, nice ride on a nice summer day.
tk2kewl
(18,133 posts)I had a similar '78 with a sidecar for a while. the gas tank looks most certainly like a BMW tank. Also the only American made boxer engine i can even think of was in the Chevy Corvair.
JustABozoOnThisBus
(23,738 posts)from wikipedia:
... The U.S. Army also asked Harley-Davidson to produce a new motorcycle with many of the features of BMW's side-valve and shaft-driven R71. Harley largely copied the BMW engine and drive train and produced the shaft-driven 750 cc 1942 Harley-Davidson XA. ... It remains the only shaft-driven Harley-Davidson ever made.
So I don't know if the soldier in the OP is driving a "liberated" Beemer or a limited edition Harley.
tk2kewl
(18,133 posts)but that tank is much more of a teardrop than the BMW
much later model but this was pretty much the general shape of a beemer tank for a very long time
the WWII pic even looks like there is a bit of an indent in the tank where the BMW badge would be attached.
Robb
(39,665 posts)Argh, can't seem to bring any of them over. Ah, well, here's the link:
Harley-Davidson's WLA - The Bike That Won the War
JustABozoOnThisBus
(23,738 posts)these were "normal" Harleys - 45 cu in, V-twin, chain-drive, flat-head.
Those BMW-looking boxster clones were a strange departure for harley engineering. Maybe that's why they never went to full production.
I'll take one of each, please. (Although, at my age, I'm beginning to appreciate an electric starter )