What's this bike then?????

[Kiwi]

some sort of 45 isn't it late 30's by the tank decal

[johnnythunderpants]

I've no idea apart from it looking like a sidevalve but I really would like to borrow it friday and saturday night. Can anyone on here supply me the correct ammunition as well please.

[Limey_Dave]

I'd say combination of tail light,speedo'and tank decals would make it mid 36 to late 38.
As Kev says,drive is on right,maybe the angle,but the fins look wide for a 45" of that era.
I'm not convinced that is a gun,I'll take a punt at some kind of wildcat rig.

[MONTY]

Originally Posted by Limey_Dave

I'm not convinced that is a gun,I'll take a punt at some kind of wildcat rig.

Nah, i don't think it's a gun either. It would have to be recoiless for such a light chassis, but they didn't really start messing around with RCL guns until right at the end of the war, aside from which there doesn't look to be much in the way of provision for tilt or slew, so aiming would be a bit tricky ...!

My guess is that it's more likely to be a sectional radio mast, mounted on the bike/sidecar combo to provide easily portable long-range wireless com's for forward command posts. You probably slot the 4 smaller dia sections into the bigger dia main peice in the middle (a bit like a drain rodding set), then tilt it forward somehow off the front of the sidecar chassis to get into a vertical position, and then finally raise it some more with what looks like a cylinder (hydraulic? screw-jack?) above the main square body - i noticed the rod protruding from it is fixed to the main large diameter peice in the middle.

OK, that's my best guess - does anybody actually KNOW what it is?

[kevscrivener]

Originally Posted by Limey_Dave

but the fins look wide for a 45" of that era.

My thoughts too; both the colour of the heads and the fin size makes me think they're alloy.

The bike doesn't look like it's a brand new one though; offside tank decal looks well-worn as does the number plate. Could be it's an older model which has been fitted with ally heads later?

I might also have doubts as to whether this is an American photo. Front licence plates weren't that common in the States; the rear one looks very much like Dutch pattern registration but that's only a guess.

And is that some sort of pennant on the front fender tip?

Also agree with Limey Dave and Monty that it is unlikely to be a gun on the sidecar. Monty's guess makes more sense.

Long shot.... is it the first mobile speed camera?

[alan fxrt]

Kev, you can say w'ot you like, the cat's out the bag. that's a pic. of your bike with a ' shut up and go to bed warning device'.
After being kept awake at Ozz last year

[johnnythunderpants]

Now you've all spoilt it for me. I soooo wanted it to be a gun.

[kevscrivener]

Originally Posted by alan fxrt

that's a pic. of your bike with a ' shut up and go to bed warning device'.

I think you're confusing it with this one........

[BaZa®]

Here you go:

Polish Sokol CWS M100, a licence built Harley with a 37mm Cannon on board, would be good for hidden speed camera vans.

[MONTY]

Blimey. OK, i'm guessing again, but i bet it's not actually fired from the position it's in on the sidecar (for the reasons i said before), so presumably this is effectively a transportation system for a dissmantled field-peice rather than a kind of lightweight self-propelled gun, i.e. you take it off the chair and set it up somehow before use? Any more info?