All About The First Motorcycle Ever Used By The US Military

Since the country was founded, the United States has advanced and evolved its military from top to bottom. While human beings remain its main resource, all branches of the armed forces have implemented technology for different purposes. Some of these machines even first found root in the civilian sector, being retrofitted for wartime purposes. For example, after making waves with casual riders and daredevils alike on U.S streets, motorcycles made their way into the American military at the start of the 20th century.

With World War I raging, the U.S. sought to improve its technological capabilities on the battlefield. Thus, the decision was made to fully embrace bringing motorcycles to the warfront. The first of them was the Harley-Davidson Model J, heavily modified from its civilian counterpart to better suit the war effort. It featured a 61-cubic-inch F-head motor that packed 15 horsepower. It also had a three-speed hand-shift transmission, front suspension, and a gas-powered headlamp, and braked only in the rear.

Although the Model J was one of the most successful Harley-Davidson motorcycles in history, its tenure in the military didn't last long. By the next major conflict, it had been replaced by another model.

Before joining the fight in World War I, the Harley-Davidson Model J was used by America's military during its 1916 involvement in the Mexican Revolution, when it retaliated against revolutionary leader Pancho Villa for his attack on Columbus, New Mexico. Its speed of up to 60 mph and the addition of sidecars with machine guns made it a force to be reckoned with. However, it wasn't destined to be the U.S. military's main motorcycle forever. A little more than two decades after WWI came to an end, World War II began. Simultaneously, the U.S. ushered in a new era for its military motorcycles.

Come the late 1930s, the U.S. and Harley-Davidson were hard at work on what would become one of the most important motorcycles of WWII, the Model WLA. Much like with the J-Series, the WLA was based on an existing civilian motorcycle, the Harley-Davidson WL, again with extensive modifications. The frame was reinforced for the war zone, and it had both a 45-cubic-inch V-twin engine and a streamlined electrical system for quick maintenance. The Army placed the first order in 1939, and in the following years, hundreds more WLAs were produced for the sake of reconnaissance missions, delivery of messages, policiing, and other noncombat purposes.

Production on the WLA ultimately ceased with the war's end in 1945, and in the decades since, motorcycles have taken on a different role in the armed forces.

The earliest motorcycles used by the United States military remain the best-known. The Harley-Davidson Model J and WLA, which bowed out in 1929 and 1945, respectively, are still widely talked about by motorcycle and military enthusiasts. But why? 

Part of it is due to the circumstances of their use. Their adoption by the military was a pair of landmark historical moments, and beyond these wars, motorcycle use by the U.S. armed forces has scaled back. 

Still, that's not to say that motorcycles have disappeared from America's military arsenal. Even as more efficient, versitile technologies like ATVs have taken over jobs previously handled by motorcycles, two-wheeled transportation is still used for specific missions. For example, motorcycles used in recent decades for general military purposes and special operations have included the Kawasaki KLR650, the Christini AWD, and the Rokon Ranger. The U.S. Marine Corps has even used a special Kawasaki that runs on jet fuel, as well as an electric dirt bike, the Zero MMX, for recon, surveillance, and more. Therefore, it stands to reason that motorcycles won't be leaving the U.S. military any time soon.

Regardless of what the future holds for motorcycles in the U.S. military, the impact of the originals won't be diminished. The Harley-Davidson Model J and WLA will endure as influential and historic military tools.