Military, flying and baby bikes: motorcycles yesterday, now and tomorrow
“The Americans had a tiny motorcycle that folded and stowed into a round tube like an aerial bomb. And dropped by parachute onto the battlefield. After that it unfolded. The seat pulled out, a small engine, small wheels. A fighter sat on it and rode somewhere according to his needs. A very interesting development,” Medvedkov noted.
But it turns out that the first to use something similar to a motorcycle in battle was the British engineer Frederick Richard Simms back in 1898. His invention consisted of four wheels, a bicycle frame and saddle, as well as a Maxima machine gun and an armored plate that protected the driver-gunner. The unit was called the Motor Scout. He could carry 450 kilograms of equipment. And the fuel in the tank was enough for 120 miles.
The motorcycle could be used in a variety of ways. For example, install a machine gun, transport shells and a wounded person, transport food. That is, it is such a universal unit. On top of that, it is very compact and quite low.
Where were motorcycles used during the war?
Attempts to create a full-fledged armored motorcycle for the army continued until the 50s of the 20th century. German military engineers achieved great success in this field. The so-called “mobile machine gun points” were successfully used by them already on the fronts of the First World War.
“It all started with the First World War, when Germany was actually banned from producing military equipment and was banned from producing aircraft engines. Then many manufacturers switched from aircraft engines, for example, to motorcycle engines,” said Alexey Zudochkin, head of the motorcycle museum.
Therefore, Germany approached World War II having accumulated significant experience in creating motorcycles. This is probably why the Third Reich relied on bikes. Even the Blitzkrieg "lightning war" strategy was based on the use of motorcycles.
“Motorcycles were needed in order to go around the enemy, quickly get to the rear, cut off all opportunities for the supply of ammunition or for retreat,” said Alexey Zudochkin.
The main advantage of bikes in war is that they can climb anywhere - in the forest or in the mountains, they don’t need good roads, and repairing them is easy. During the Great Patriotic War, the USSR successfully used a similar technique.
“A motorcycle with explosives in its cradle could be directed, for example, into an enemy tank. And a rather interesting tactical decision led to the explosion of the enemy tank. And at the same time, our soldiers did not suffer,” Medvedkov noted.
After the war in the USSR, all the guys dreamed of having their own bike. It was especially chic in the 60s and 70s. The “workhorses” served well in the countryside and drove off-road where no car could go.
Soviet bikes
Today, few people know that the Soviet Union ranked second in the world in motorcycle production.
“In the Soviet Union, it is clear that there were a lot of motorcycles. Many of them were copies of German cars, specifically pre-war ones. That is, take the same Kiev resident K1-B, M1-M. These motorcycles are small, not powerful - 25 cc, 100 cc. They just became more widespread. But again, this is the low cost of production and the fact that this cheap model could be distributed throughout the Soviet Union,” said Alexey Zudochkin.
Rockers on motorcycles
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There is something in common that closely unites playing the guitar and riding a motorcycle, isn't it? Many incredibly talented musicians enjoy the much-needed creative freedom that the road and motorcycle give them.
Musicians such as Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Alice Cooper, Gene Simmons, Willie Nelson, Duane Allman, Jimi Hendrix and Kid Rock used it regularly. Wind therapy is indispensable, especially for creative individuals, to break out of the boundaries of modern society and throw off the shackles of public opinion.
Many musicians rode motorcycles in their free time, but it had a huge impact on their professional work. They created songs about their motorcycle journeys (Born to be Wild, Steppenwolf), used images of motorcycles on album covers (Janis Joplin), in music videos and even in stage performances (Judas Priest).
Janis Joplin
Among the singers associated with the world of motorcycles, the name Janis Joplin is among the first. There is still lively debate as to whether she drove a motorcycle herself, but what is certain is that she rode as a passenger with her boyfriends, in particular musician Seth Morgan, and was involved in motorcycle accidents with them twice. In addition, she was friends with the Hells Angels and performed at various motorcycle shows.
Dave Grohl
The Foo Fighters frontman and former Nirvana drummer rides a Harley-Davidson Road Glide. He also owned a Yamaha V-Max motorcycle. “Besides, I also have a Harley Davidson Deuce. It’s so loud that when I drive, I leave a trail of cars with their alarms going off!”
Alice Cooper
The "Godfather" of shock rock is known for his heavy metal concerts interspersed with elements of gory horror films. Alice Cooper performed his creepy show at the 75th Annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in 2015. Photo – approximately 1974.
Bob Dylan
American folk singer Bob Dylan was famous for his rides on a Triumph T100 before his accident in 1966. Dylan blamed the incident on a gasoline spill. Fortunately, he escaped with only a vertebral fracture and a serious manifestation of “asphalt disease.” After that, he was seen driving a Harley Davidson 45.
David Lee Roth
Diamond Dave, lead singer of Van Halen, owned a 1972 Harley Davidson Low Rider with custom "Freaky Freddy" guards. This motorcycle appeared in the "Panama" music video along with a 1951 Mercury Convertible. It was sold at auction in 2001 with over 24,000 miles on it.
Led Zeppelin - Jimmy Page, John Bonham, Robert Plant
This 1972 photo shows members of Led Zeppelin on Suzuki motorcycles. There are also photographs of Robert Plant and his dog Strider on a motorcycle, believed to be a Scott Flying Squirrel or the 3.5 horsepower Phelon & Moore model used by the Royal Flying Corps in the First World War. Drummer John Bonham was also known for riding his motorcycle through the lobbies of the Continental Hyatt House and Andaz West Hollywood hotels.
More photos of Zeppelins on motorcycles in our other material.
Jimi Hendrix
Not much is known about Jimi's motorcycle rides, but what is certain is that he rode a 1964 Chopped Harley-Davidson Panhead decorated with daisies.
Jon Bon Jovi
The frontman of the American rock band Bon Jovi also periodically allowed his hair to be tousled by the free wind of the roads. In 1991, he took a two-week cross-country motorcycle trip. Other musicians in the group were also distinguished by their motorcycle passions: Alec John Such, the former bassist of Bon Jovi, owned a motorcycle workshop in New York.
Sid Vicious
Sid loved riding motorcycles so much that he appeared with his “horse” in the video “C'mon Everybody.” And later he asked to be buried in a leather jacket, jeans and motorcycle boots.
Windy Mick Jagger on an old Honda
An extremely atmospheric photo of John Lennon with his “friend”, taken on the road from Las Vegas to Los Angeles.
In 1965, Paul McCartney was involved in a minor motorcycle accident, in which he damaged his teeth and received a scar on his face. And two years later he already crashed his car, which gave rise to numerous gossip about his death.
Lemmy
“I've never owned a motorcycle [laughs]. I drink too much to own a fucking motorcycle,” Lemmy said more than once. But on a bike it looks very organic!
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