What bike in WW2?

My Dad was in the 8th Army during the desert campaign of WW2, possibly Royal
Tank Regiment, around 1943 (sorry to be so vague, but he ain't around to
ask). He used to tell me of borrowing the unit's motorcycle to buzz into
Cairo for the weekend. I'm pretty sure he said it was a Matchless, 250 or
350, I think, and possibly a G3. Has anyone any idea if this is likely to
be correct, or am I retrospectively making it up? As you can tell, I don't
know much about classic British bikes.

If time allows, I'd quite like to track one down.

--
Rich B

1971 S2a
1995 XT600E
2006 GT1000
Oh, and a Ford

Take out the obvious to email me.

 

The Matchless 350 was the military bike of the time (my Dad, on the one
and only time he rode a motorcycle, managed to plant one into a flooded
Dutch landscape).

 

The message <>

Might have been a side-valve BSA, but more likely to have been the
Matchless, especially as you think he said it was.

Probably a Matchless G3. (350cc) I had a 1941 ex DR one, rigid rear and
girder forks (of course), in khaki drab. It was my first proper
motorcycle, and it was brand spanking new, having been in a crate since
it was made.

One of my mates went to the Govt. Surplus sale at Bicester and bid for a bike.

Got the lot for a fiver - but, when he went to the stores to collect it,
the storeman examined the docket and said: "No mate, you haven't. You
bought five..."

He kept one and sold the rest for a fiver each, and got a quid for each crate.

Took mine twice round the clock before it wore out. In those days you
could get a decent springer for around a fiver. 'Inflation' has taken
the same machines to at least £1.5K now...

 

Something like this?

http://www.olive-drab.com/idphoto/id_photos_matchless_3gl.php3

 

Most wartime Matchless were G3/L with tele forks
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matchless_G3/L

or BSA M20
http://home.quicknet.nl/qn/prive/ahum/


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platypus typed:

Well, I would love to be able to show him the photo and say "hey, was it one
of these?", but that ain't gonna happen :-(

But I am sure that it was something like that. If the choice is between
Matchless and BSA, then it was certainly Matchless. So, it's a G3L, then.
Many thanks for the replies, those what did.

Dad was never a biker as such (he only rode it to get to Cairo for what I
imagine were rest periods exploring the local area of "interest"), but I am,
and I would love to get one and get/keep it running, just for him.

Thanks to all who replied.

--
Rich B

1971 S2a
1995 XT600E
2006 GT1000
Oh, and a Ford

Take out the obvious to email me.

 

This really isn't a criticism, so please don't take it as one. But
I'm intrigued - why do you want to do this "for him". I could perhaps
understand if he were still around.

It's probably me, but I don't really get some of this stuff.
Yesterday I witnessed my gf and her brother having a big row over a
suitcase full of letters and photos from their father (who's been dead
30 years) and granparents (who've been dead longer). The suitcase has
been sat in an attic for 10 years, during which they've managed
without it. The whole row was utterly perplexing to me.

 

Thus spake Champ () unto the assembled multitudes:

This isn't a criticism of you, but c'mon, give the guy a break. He
presumably misses his presumably late dad, and would like something around
to remember him by or to provide a link to his past. I've got several
things around the house that belonged to my late dad and which are no
practical value to me at all, but I just can't bring myself to get rid of
them. There's nothing logical about sentimentality.

 

WW2 Military spec bikes fetch a premium if they include all the kit and
documented History
You would be looking at over £3k for a half-decent G3 or WM20 from a dealer.
http://www.milweb.net/classifieds.php?type=5
is a good place to find them.



-

 

I really tried to word it in an uncritical manner. And I realise that
I'm probably the one out of step here.

But his dad wasn't a biker, and rode the bike under discussion before
the OP was born (presumably)

'belonged to'. Unlike the bike under discussion.

No, but usually there can be some sort of rationale. I'm just asking
the OP what it is in his case.

 

Champ typed:

Not taken as criticism, no worries. I'm not sure I really can explain. Way
too personal for this forum.

It would please me, that's all.

--
Rich B

1971 S2a
1995 XT600E
2006 GT1000
Oh, and a Ford

Take out the obvious to email me.

 

Mark typed:

Thanks - will have a look.

--
Rich B

1971 S2a
1995 XT600E
2006 GT1000
Oh, and a Ford

Take out the obvious to email me.

 

I saw one of those, a few years in Cairo. Considering it was owned by
an Egyptian, it wasn't in too bad nick for a bike over 60 years old. If
I'd found the owner, I'd have bought it on the spot (believe me, I
asked around, but no one in the shops nearby knew the owner). It still
had the cover over the headlight, FFS.

 

The message <VDZuk.51494$>

Took so long loading I killed it.

 

Seconded.

 

Don't forget the final drive sprocket one tooth smaller...

 

Which, ultimately, is the only reason that counts.

 

Comes up in about a second for me. Have you got a veteran internet
connection?

 

No. 'Mobile' broadbean dongle.

Page opened quickly enough, but 'Loading data from ...' took an age -
and ran to over 10MB

 

Those things ain't broadband. Top speed on HSDPA is 1.8 Mbits/sec - that's
bits, not bytes - typical speed is likely to be less than half that.

Is that all?