During the early years of World War I, motorcycles started to enter military service, replacing the mounted despatch rider and providing a means of mechanizing machine-gun and stretcher units. This fully illustrated book covers the lively history of the military motorcycle,highlighting the varied role motorcycles have played, as well as how the vehicles have evolved over time. It provides a country-by-country overview of military motorcycles in France, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Great Britain, the USA, the USSR and Japan. An expertly written volume, it provides enthusiasts with key information about the history of these diverse multi-tasking vehicles.

As the motorcycle approaches its centenary, this reference work reveals the vast scale of military production. A comprehensive illustrated history, it describes every type of machine within its historical and national context

In World War I the American motor vehicle industry was tested by the sudden appearance of vast transport challenges. The nation’s immense manufacturing capabilities and abundant natural resources combined with increased standardization and mass production to enable the industry to meet the military’s needs. Motor vehicles and aircraft were quickly cemented as the most influential military tools of the early twentieth century. This book both describes the development and use of a wide range of specialized motor vehicles during World War I and analyzes how their advent indelibly altered modern warfare and transportation.

Set your pulse racing with this stunning visual guide to over 1000 pin-up machines - iconic symbols of wanderlust, speed, and the open road. From Gottlieb Daimler's gas-powered "engine on a bicycle" which set fire to the seat on its first outing, to superbikes such as the Ducati 916, Motorcycle: The Definitive Visual History takes you on an enthralling tour of the bike's history. It shows you bikes that appeal to the head - practical forms of transport - and to the heart - a parade of classic pin-ups including cult machines such as the Honda RC30, the Triumph Bonneville, and the Harley-Davidson XR750. Motorcycle: The Definitive Visual History shows the brilliance and impracticality of different designs and features detailed cross-sections of engines such as the air-cooled two-stroke. It explains how the great marques such as the Royal Enfield, the "legendary" Indian Scout, Vespa, and Norton all became household names. Whether you are a hardcore enthusiast or looking forward to your first machine, this is one title you cannot be without.

"The right flank of the 13th has been badly turned. Most of our officers have been killed. Some companies of the K.O.S.B. are endeavouring to cover our retreat." Despatch, Battle of Mons W.H.L. Watson was a British Army, motorcycle despatch rider in World War I. He saw active service during the key battles of 1914 and early 1915. Watson and his colleagues formed part of the Royal Engineers Signal Service and these riders were originally volunteers, some of whom supplied their own machines. This amazing account details the experiences of these brave young men and provides a unique primary source account of life at the sharp end during the titanic struggles fought out in Northern France and Belgium. Richly illustrated with contemporary photographs and maps, this evocative description of the actions of the British Expeditionary Force is a key source and is essential reading for anyone interested in the history of the Great War. Highly detailed, but nonetheless accessible this superb volume is greatly recommended for serious enthusiasts and casual readers alike. Eye witness accounts of these early clashes are comparatively rare and Watson's wonderfully personal account provides a rare insight from an unusual perspective.