British Paratrooper Motorcycle

Ran across this bike a while back. A big time milsurp guy had it on display. It is what is known as a Welbike and was made by the Excelsior Bike Company from 1942 through 1945.

Immediately I made an offer on it, which the owner promptly refused. Not because my number was low. Actually according to Freeze, I was as market value. The real issue was, the owner’s 10-year-old-inner-child wasn’t going to sell his favorite “mini-bike” to my 10-year-old-inner-child.

Yes it has been repainted. Hurts value dramatically in some collector circles.

And I don’t blame him one bit. Pretty sure Freeze’s grandkids would have a ball on one. So..the search continues.

Maker’s brass plate. This enables us to ID the exact year the bike was made.

Marky
www.John1911.com
“Shooting Guns & Having Fun”

Marky Mark

Marky Mark

Writer at John1911.com
Writer for john1911.com. Co-Host of the John1911 Podcast. Video content provider for John1911-TV.

Areas of focus: Defense and National Security, Modern Light Weapons, Analysis of the Geo-political / Military Relationship in the Context of Strategic Goals.
Marky Mark

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  • Mikial

    Great item!

    It is one of the most fascinating times in history to me. The various belligerents were doing their best to be innovative and find some way to offset each other’s advantages with the very limited technology at their disposals. Bicycle troops, collapsible motorbikes (you couldn’t really call them motorcycles), and the first SMGs all had an impact on the battles and tactical/strategic situations. The German use of SMGs in seizing the bridges in Holland and their use of engineer units in capturing Eben-Emael were innovations no one had ever thought of before.

    I find the period of 1930 through 1945 to be one of the most interesting in military history and this motorbike is an excellent example of the thinking of the day..

    • It’s a fact that many defense contractors don’t like to talk about: during times of war, new technologies get developed very quickly and very economically. Where as the same tech drags on for years and years in peacetime procurement.

      Even in the computer age of today, that axiom still holds true. Look at all the innovative development 3-5-8 years after 9-11.

      Marky

      P.S. Good to see you back, Mikial.