bikes, trikes and quads used in diffrerent places

[McColm]

I had an idea, one of those eukea moments.
What if the Royal Navy or any navy used a pedello as a means of communication, or search and rescue or even recconassiance. Its got stealth-if its well oiled you can't here it. Can't been seen on radar.
Those Top Gear chaps had the right idea when they went to Vietnam.
Motor bikes/cycles have been around for ages, steam, electric, petrol and diesel engines. even jet engines, still have the age old problem of how to slow down.
Pulling power- I have no idea what the limitations are. I've seen motor bikes pulling trailers, side cars. trikes pulling trailers. Never seen a motor bike pulling lets say a an artillary piece.
In fact I've never been on one or sat on one.

[Hobbes]

Motorbikes have seen military use, mainly for couriers, police work (convoy escorts) etc. And the occasional pillion rider with a bazooka.

Pulling power is limited by the weight on the driven wheels. On road you can probably pull a few hundred kg, off-road you'll soon lose traction. This led to the Kettenkraftrad (tracked rear with a motorbike front) which kind of defeats the point of having motorbike parts.

Bicycles would be an interesting variant for slightly-more-mobile infantry (not without precedent; I seem to remember WW2-era photos of Dutch army infantry on bicycles).

Pedello's are very slow (unless you get a hydrofoil, which is just about doable for short sprints). They wouldn't be able to keep up with moving ships, so applications would be limited. A pedal-powered submersible would make sense for a stealthy approach for covert ops, but fatigue would set in quickly and you don't want your SEALs exhausted before they hit the target.

[McColm]

or the SEAL team leaders attend Northwood Command Centre whilst the rest of them are on CNN.

[Mossie]

Bicycles would be an interesting variant for slightly-more-mobile infantry (not without precedent; I seem to remember WW2-era photos of Dutch army infantry on bicycles). 

Here you go:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicycle_infantry

[GTX]

Well, Quads for one have been quite heavily used in Afghanistan:






Regards,

Greg

[Jschmus]

I posted this one back in October, but it bears repeating:

http://photoblog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2010/10/21/5329457-if-al-shabab-held-a-photo-op-would-anyone-come

[McColm]

thanks,
Looks like something Q would issue Bond with on his next mission.