Thanks to several readers, I have some more material on the Swiss ZfK-55 sniper rifle today. To start off, Beryl sent this vintage photo of a group of Swiss troops with a ZfK-55 (and a […]
The Swiss were the first country to adopt a bolt action repeating rifle with their Vetterli, and followed this by changing to a straight-pull design in the 1880s. The straight-pull Schmidt-Rubin system was quite good, […]
When SIG was developing the pistol that would ultimately be adopted as the m/49 by the Danish Army and the P49 by the Swiss Army (P210 commercially), they initially experimented with both single stack and […]
The Bike is 1920-1930’s English, judging from the right-handed shifter and the girder forks…I think either a Velocette or early Norton…but I could be wrong…
Don’t think is the Condor A-540. It had a lower headlight & didn’t have the large horn under the headlight. It also A-540 used a single cylinder MAG engine.
Condor, Motosacoche and Universal supplied motorcycles to the Swiss military. Most likely used over small bike also. Photos of Swiss WW2 bikes must be rare. My main book of WW2 military motorcycles has none for Swiss bikes.
FWIW, most euro military spec motorcycles of that era were spec to have hand shift.
I would say it’s an Ariel Red Hunter twinport. If you look at the tank you will see the letters RIE which is part of the A(RIE)L logo. these letters do not fit any other manufacturer.n the gear lever on the tank is an exact match as is the length and angle of the exhausts. Hope this helps…
Condor, looks like the A 540.
The Bike is 1920-1930’s English, judging from the right-handed shifter and the girder forks…I think either a Velocette or early Norton…but I could be wrong…
Verticle twin engine with compression release was typicle.
This bike looks to be a Motosacoche(MAG)MG3404.
http://cybermotorcycle.com/gallery/motosacoche/Motosacoche_mg_3404.htm
Don’t think is the Condor A-540. It had a lower headlight & didn’t have the large horn under the headlight. It also A-540 used a single cylinder MAG engine.
http://www.fam-amv.ch/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=1273&start=0&view=print
Condor, Motosacoche and Universal supplied motorcycles to the Swiss military. Most likely used over small bike also. Photos of Swiss WW2 bikes must be rare. My main book of WW2 military motorcycles has none for Swiss bikes.
FWIW, most euro military spec motorcycles of that era were spec to have hand shift.
http://www.benvanhelden.nl/Condorclub/condor/condorA540.JPG
Motosacoche is a good bid.
‘Motorradfahren in der Schweiz, Band 2, 1930-1959’ should have the answer.
I would say it’s an Ariel Red Hunter twinport. If you look at the tank you will see the letters RIE which is part of the A(RIE)L logo. these letters do not fit any other manufacturer.n the gear lever on the tank is an exact match as is the length and angle of the exhausts. Hope this helps…