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JustABozoOnThisBus

(23,738 posts)
Mon Feb 13, 2012, 01:39 PM Feb 2012

BMW 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.

6 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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BMW on parade? (Original Post) JustABozoOnThisBus Feb 2012 OP
looks like a beemer to me tk2kewl Feb 2012 #1
Pic of a 1942 Harley Davidson XA JustABozoOnThisBus Feb 2012 #2
so they did have a boxer... cool tk2kewl Feb 2012 #3
+1 ge26252se Feb 2012 #4
Stumbled across these snaps this morning: Robb Mar 2012 #5
Yeah, they made a brazillion of the WLAs JustABozoOnThisBus Mar 2012 #6
 

tk2kewl

(18,133 posts)
1. looks like a beemer to me
Mon Feb 13, 2012, 02:22 PM
Feb 2012

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)
2. Pic of a 1942 Harley Davidson XA
Mon Feb 13, 2012, 03:02 PM
Feb 2012

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)
3. so they did have a boxer... cool
Mon Feb 13, 2012, 04:08 PM
Feb 2012

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.

JustABozoOnThisBus

(23,738 posts)
6. Yeah, they made a brazillion of the WLAs
Mon Mar 12, 2012, 11:24 AM
Mar 2012

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 )

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