Motorcycle dispatch riders have been around nearly from the start of the motorcycle era. They came into their own during the two World Wars carrying messages to and fro across the battlefield.
They rode a variety of bikes. Americans typically on Harleys and Indians, Brits on Triumphs and Enfield’s. Other bikes were used as well, Douglas, Matchless, FN, Mausers, BSA and BMW for example.
Wikipedia has a brief entry on Dispatch Riders but that article does not cover the training of those riders. The videos below show us some of the training that the riders underwent during the Second World War by US, British and Canadian soldiers. Well worth your viewing time if you are interested in this type of motorcycle history.
Motorcycle Dispatch Riders – ‘Texas Daredevils’ (1914-1918)
British Made – Testing Army Motorcycles (1915)
Military Police Motorcycle Training (1940)
U.S. Army motorcycle dispatch riders pass road test WWII
U.S. Army Trains Dispatch Riders 1943
1938 British Army Motorcycle Trials
American Motorcycle Corps Training
Canadian Army Newsreel – Dispatch Riders Train For Action
Canadian Army Motorcycle Training
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