Not a bad idea, if there is enough gasstation.

The gas situation isn't as bad as that sounds. I think a motorcyle is the logical upgrade to bike troops. A single fillup of an M1 tank would probably run a motorcycle company for a month. Its not that I really think the U.S. would take this as a serious idea... I'm just having fun with the idea and imaging some of the battle drills on motorcycle. Breaking contact on a motorcyle sounds like it would be a lot of fun ;-)

"Breaking contact on a motorcycle sounds like it might be fun".Till you run through a barbed wire fence.That really,really hurts.

You are spoiling my motorcyle fun ;-) I've been the idiot that does the "body" breach on a wire obstacle.. having the whole company tromp across your back while face down in wire... So o.k. forget the motorcylces... its ruined now...

D*mn didn't mean to do that, just thought HD and yourself might do some brainstorming on what a fence guard might look like.Believe me,there would be civilian applications.

Now your talking.. a little civillian gizmo for wire snipping for 50$ A military version for a 10% mark up in the cost of the bike ;-)

The petrol situation: The country I had in mind was a baltic nation in the rural areas. I have seen pictures of motorcyckles strapped on to a UH-1 form 101st during the 1980'ies. They parked the helo on a reverse slope, sent the cross-country motorbikes forward to recognoiter.

I havent seen bicycle troops since the Belgians in the fields of the Flanders in August and September 1914.

The Finns are quite big on them - have been to cyprus as peacekeepers at one point. Another supposedly relic: Carrier Pidgeons! The danish forces abolished the financial support for them only some 20 years ago. With the radio-quality : Why not bring them back.

Chis: Here is a site with photos of elements of the Swiss Bicycle Bde. plus a history of bicycles in combat. Check it out. http://www.bicyclewire.com/opinion1029_01.html