Perfect
for "liberated" congac, tent halves and C-rations, the motorcycle
trailer has a time-honored place in the history of mechanized warfare.
Or, maybe not. The image above was created in Adobe PhotoShop. My thanks to Gavin Birch's book Images of War, Motorcycles at War,
for the original picture. Here we see an M10 tank destroyer grinding
through a motorcycle traffic control post in Percy, France, on Aug. 2,
1944.
Not in Liberated France on that day in 1944 was the Inder trailer sold by Classic Motorworks for Royal Enfield motorcycles. I added it to the picture.
I
am probably not the first person who has thought what a wonderful
addition the Inder would make to a Royal Enfield Military model. Paint
it olive drab (using a broom for a brush), stencil on a white star or a
British Army style C (for "Census") number, and you're all set.
The
only question then is what you put in it. I had the opportunity to see
an Inder trailer at Classic Motorworks recently and was impressed by how
really small they are. Much less room than you get in the overhead
compartment of any airline. This is not luggage for two, the way my wife
packs, at least. The Inder I saw was red (above) but apparently they
are being sold only in black, so far.
For
comparison's sake, I took a close look at the luggage compartment of
the Ural sidecars shown at the International Motorcycle Show in
Minneapolis Feb. 14. They are maybe a bit roomier.
But,
still, there is the question of what you put in there. The Ural was
shown with an old-fashioned tire pump, the perfect thing for a military
motorcycle in my opinion. Of course, the Ural also can come with a spare
tire mounted on the sidecar -- a bit obsessive about punctures, I'd
say, but a great look. Hey, wouldn't the Inder look great with a
sidemounted spare for its little wheel?
