Harley-Davidson had been building motorcycles since 1906. BMW got a much later start, around 1921; but by the time WW2 rolled around, BMW's design & engineering was already world-class. In the 1930s BMW had mastered the emerging production method of electric arc welding, and were able to create incredibly strong joints. This practice was borne of necessity: sidecars were popular in Germany. Sidecars placed a lot of stress on a motorcycle frame. But in thrifty Germany, with one passenger in the sidecar and another behind the driver, a sidecar-equipped motorcycle was an economical way to transport three people. BMW made their frames strong enough to handle that load. Read More: Military Motorcycles, Part 2: WWII and BMW - Core77
Is there a reason you are displaying a HD in your first photo? It was a small run and never widely accepted, but that is a Harley, not a BMW.
The Jeep truly "killed" both the H-D and Indian adventures into this area. The "Jeep" was easier to train people to drive, easier to modify, and much more stable as a vehicle than any motorcycle could ever be. Sidecar or no. Goto: Harley-Davidson XA
Sorry 'bout that chief, I didn't read the whole thing before I posted. But it did spur me onto finding that photo and story on the Indian prototype to add to the discussion. I agree it was the Jeep that really dealt the motorcycle its death blow in the Alllied Armies. There were still uses for the bikes, but it's role became less inclusive because of the Jeep. Again, sorry I posted before fully reading the whole thing.
No problem. I had to read it twice to understand the comparison. That was interesting reading on the link you provided. :cheers: