Canadian Military Motorcycles, the Machines and Man

[Grant McCullough]

No worries Peter, I remember you, thankfully you found new homes for the lights.
Yes I have lots of nuts, er I mean ex CDN Army Motorcycles tucked away waiting for fine folks, like yourself to view them. Pictures of the motorcycles will be posted here, when I dig them out.

Grant

[Robin Craig]

For anyone like Grant or myself who are motorbike barmy, the two books that one naturally buys are these. Both are hardbound and 8 1/2" by 11".

The Winged Wheel Patch by Messenger and Burns and The Canadian Military Motorcycle by Clive Law.

These books are getting pricey to buy these days and you will have to be lucky to find them and you will pay large through Abe Books.

If you are after post war bike information they are great up to and including the TRW. From there the last three in regular service bikes the Bombardier Canam 250, the Armstrong MT500 and the Kawasaki KLR250 are only given lip service when you compare the number of pages dedicated to he other types.

there are pictures supplied by MLU regulars whose names you will recognise, Like Ed Storey and John Cameron.

It is not a criticism it is an observation. If like myself, those are your focus you will be left feeling jipped on details.

However with folks like Grant involved I think there is a good possibility, that perhaps there can be an addendum booklet done by someone now the bikes are well out of service and some are available as reference machines. This suggested by Jason Ginn who has been quite helpful to me in tracking some of the Ottawa area Canams and their disposition.

I look forward to visiting Grant one day.

[Grant McCullough]

Robin thank you for sharing both of those well known and iconic Canadian Military Motorcycle books.

Here is another book, written by Greg Williams, close family friend to J.B “BERNY” Nicholson. Berny was an Instructor of inststructors, to Canadian Military Motorcycle Riders, and the mechanics, here in Canada during the war.

J.B Nicholson also wrote THE BOOK on motorcycle repair first edition 1942. Titled “Modern Motorcycle Mechanics” which is still in print.

Greg Williams book is titled “ Prairie Dust,Motorcycles and a typewriter” The life story of J.B. Nicholson.

Both books are available here:
https://modernmotorcyclemechanics.com/


Since the Canadian Military used so many British motorcycles, I would be remiss in not sharing what is probably the best written book on the subject.

British Forces Motorcycles 1925-1945 by Chris Orchard and Stan Madden
https://www.amazon.ca/British-Forces.../dp/075094451X