Many of the "MOTORCYCLING" front covers on the wartime issues had military motor cycle themes,mainly the earlier ones, some with photos others drawings,many of them were Nortons on the earlier ones 40/41.















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Brilliant stuff - can anyone identify the significance of the painted badges etc on the photo of the SWD Big 4 with the bren gun supposedly in action and the box of bren gun magazines lay on the road? Thanks.

Aren't they nice.

Keith, the Big4 sidecar has the UK Southern Command formation sign on the front of the sidecar, rectangular as a vehicle marking, shield shaped as a cloth badge, the background colours varying depending on which Corps the vehicle is attached.

"493" could be from block 460-519 on black?, there is a mention in Hodges & Taylor under Higher Formation serials page 104-5 but the only clue as to the units is "X(?)" so they didn't know either.

Rob

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Lovely illustrations but I couldn't help feeling something important was missing...:laughing: ...Not a Motorcycling magazine cover though...Ian

email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com

Thanks Steve, some nice covers in there that I hadn't seen before.

Here's one for Ian....BSA paid for advertising and Temple Press put a photo of Matchlesses on the cover :grinning:



Rob, In the Home Forces 1941 listing that I have, 450 to 499 on red were reserved for Infantry battalions but only nine of them had been recorded as allocated (with gaps)as at June 1941.

It's the Dunlop Sports tyre which the MEE recommended for rear fitment on all WD motorycles but it was compromised for road use. Scrambles tyres do wear horribly on the road and outfits cut them up even more of course.

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It seems that Norton used an artist for at least 8 drawings for the front covers "LONGLEYS", but only on the early issues, Enfield also used an artist as well for some, got some later issues 43/44/45 some with military themes, but can't find an Ariel cover, they used the square four for a lot of their wartime cover advertising.

Looking at the "LONGLEYS" drawings I wonder if they used photos to copy, the detail looks good for instance on the Tobruk cover the front upright mudguard stay is different to the other solo motorcycles drawn, also one of the big four combos has the spare tyre at the front, which seems that they copied an individual illustration for each drawing.

I was given a Motor Cycle magazine a couple of years ago this is the front cover.

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They probably are based on original photographs, this cartoon M20 has a correct census number C4197782 for WM20 22270.



Another Enfield with a RN number, not sure if its a well known picture?

Rob

email (option): robmiller11(a)yahoo.co.uk

It's a WD/G Rob. Ron

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Norton certainly re-worked photographic images.

Were they seriously suggesting/inferring that the 16H was the 'worlds best road holder'...?...:laughing: ...Ian

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Ian, it's a case off the famous British sense of humor.

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Now we all know why the trade descriptions act was needed...:laughing: ....'This cart horse has racing heritage'....Ian

email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com

I took my WD M.20 to Brighton to attend the Ardingly Rally in 1975 I think complete with blackout mask etc. We left early enough to arrive in daylight BUT the inner side damper plate sheared and the unrestrained bounce on the main spring meant speed had to be substantially reduced and it was more like trying to control a wayward pogo stick. I think I drove the bike like that for the last 15 miles - utterly exhausted and in 1975 I was but a whipper snapper and pretty fit to boot.

The Norton side damper and rebound springs were a far better solution in my very humble opinion.

I agree, the M20 damper set up is some kind of comedy design...It doesn't work well when in perfect condition and that 'ideal' state is extremely temporary when the bike is used, soon deteriorating to ineffectiveness....

I've often thought of fitting check springs to help the problem even though they aren't a standard feature...Thankfully I don't believe BSA were brave enough to make any rash claims in that regard...'Worlds Best Roadholder' at the time?...Probably BMW...Ian

email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com

Steve S, thanks for starting this thread, some great front covers.
One of my Triumph front covers, this one from Feb 45 (sorry about camera flash!)

Mark that must be the back end of a 3HW and the front of a Speedtwin/Tiger 100? Ron

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'Worlds Best Roadholder' at the time?...Probably BMW...Ian

You'd be put against the wall and shot for saying something like that in war time :-D

email (option): horror@blueyonder.co.uk

And Ariel !

No Beezas on the covers as they were all in the workshop for repair/revision……

Cheers,
Sven

I like the 'blood bank' Norton picture. Shows a proper field overpaint with desert paint. The main bits of tin are painted, but a lot of the more fiddley areas left in the factory green paint.

email (option): richardpurkiss@hotmail.com

and one from the 'Blue Un'

['No Beezas on the covers as they were all in the workshop for repair/revision…… ']

More a case of a great product 'sells itself'....:laughing: ....Ian

email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com