The Japanese Navy's Harley Davidsons

The Imperial Japanese Navy's use of motorcycles first began in the early Showa Era (1926-1989). In 1927 as a response to growing unrest along the Yangtze River from Chiang Kai-shek’s Northern Expedition, the 1st Expeditionary Fleet temporarily stationed Naval Landing Forces in Shanghai and Hankow. The two Naval Landing Forces were greatly reduced in size towards the end of the year as tensions momentarily cooled, but nonetheless in spring of the following year an effort would be launched to modernize what remained of the two units. Part of this effort included the implementation of foreign-made motorcycles and armored cars.

The Imperial Japanese Navy first purchased a number of Harley Davidson motorcycles from Sankyo Co. Ltd.—the exclusive distributor for the American company in Japan. The first 10 of these motorcycles were delivered to the Shanghai Naval Landing Force in late February of 1928, eight of which were transferred to the Hankow Naval Landing Force soon after.¹ These initial motorcycles all appear to have been Harley Davidson's 1928 JD28 1200CC model. Each was fitted with a sidecar carrying a mounted 6.5mm Type 11 light machine gun and 480 rounds of ammunition.

The Shanghai Naval Landing Force later received additional Harley Davidson motorcycles and formed a dedicated Motorcycle Unit as part of its Armored Company. Prior to the outbreak of the January 28th Incident in 1932, the unit had a total of 11 sidecar motorcycles under the command of Lieutenant Sasagawa Tohei.² These sidecar motorcycles saw action on the front-lines during the early hours of January 29th, but it appears as the incident progressed they became preferred for non-combat duties such as communication between units. Special Naval Landing Force battalions rushed to reinforce Shanghai brought their own Harley Davidson motorcycles as well, including some of which were the newer 1931 model.

After the conclusion of the January 28th Incident it was determined the Shanghai Naval Landing Force would be stationed permanently in Shanghai and on June 1, 1932 was officially designated as the Shanghai Special Naval Landing Force (Shanghai SNLF). Once again efforts were reignited to modernize the unit and a number of new motorcycles would be purchased for the unit over the coming years.

The Road to Domestic Production

In 1932 the aforementioned Sankyo Co. Ltd. had secured rights from Harley Davidson to produce motorcycles in Japan and began working on domestic production in 1933 under the Harley Davidson name. They would later rebrand their domestic production line as Sankyo Nainenki (Sankyo Internal Combustion Engines) in 1936 and once again rebrand themselves as Rikuo Nainenki in 1937.³ During this period the Imperial Japanese Navy would continue to purchase Harley Davidson motorcycles from Sankyo for their Naval Landing Forces, namely the new 1934 model.⁴

In the meantime the Imperial Japanese Army began conducting its own trials for the adoption of a domestic sidecar motorcycle in 1933. Motorcycles from Nippon Nainenki and Shishido Motorcycle Manufacturing Plant were compared with each other and given improvements, but ultimately Nippon Nainenki's motorcycle would come out on top after their rival’s company suffered an untimely dissolution.

Nippon Nainenki's motorcycle was largely based on the Harley Davidson motorcycles already in use by the Army and Navy, but with a number of refinements made to the existing design. One visual difference that set it apart from the Harley Davidsons was the lack of tool box beneath the horn. The Japanese Army adopted this new motorcycle as the Kyusan-shiki Sokusha-tsuki Jido Nirinsha—Type 93 Two-Wheeled Motor Vehicle and Sidecar.⁵ For sake of simplicity, I will refer to it as the Type 93 Sidecar Motorcycle, or simply the Type 93. The Navy was quick to take notice of the Army’s new Type 93 Sidecar Motorcycle and began to purchase their own directly from the motorcycle’s manufacturer in 1934.

Not entirely satisfied with the Type 93’s performance, the Army conducted a new set of trials in 1935 and made further improvements to the existing design which resulted in the adoption of a new motorcycle known as the Type 95 Sidecar Motorcycle. The most striking differences between the two motorcycles was the tail end of the exhaust pipe on the Type 95 which extended upwards unlike the straight exhaust pipe on the Type 93, as well as three small indents on the front left end of the Type 95’s fuel tank. As with the Type 93, once again in 1936 the Navy began to acquire their own Type 95’s through the manufacturer.⁴

Later on the Imperial Japanese Army would return once more to the research and development of an improved motorcycle design, culminating in the well-known Type 97 Sidecar Motorcycle. However for reasons unknown—perhaps as a result of the Army’s unwillingness to allow manufacturers to supply the Navy with this new design or simply a lack of interest from the Navy itself—the Type 97 was never used by the Imperial Japanese Navy or its Naval Landing Forces.

Official Designations

Until 1936 the Imperial Japanese Navy did not have an official designation for each model of motorcycle in service. In an official capacity they were referred to as Sokusha-tsuki Jido Jitensha—Sidecar Motorcycle or Kijusha—Machine Gun Vehicle. The Army’s designations were not used by the Navy either, with documents from the Navy instead referring to the Type 93 and Type 95’s by their nickname “Kurogane.” Finally in September 1936 an effort was made by the Navy to assign proper classifications to their bicycles, although it was still not as clear as the Army’s designations.

Weapon Name Designation Change - September 5, 1936⁶

Former name: Sidecar Motorcycle

New name: Machine Gun Vehicle Model 1

Notes:

1. Motorcycles presently available, in storage, and in lease to units will all be given this new name.

2. A machine gun mount and high angle gun optic are attached to the newly named Machine Gun Vehicle Model 1.

Weapon Name Designation Change - September 17, 1936⁶

Former name: 1200CC Model 2 Kurogane Sidecar Motorcycle - Accessories: machine gun mount (and high angle gun optic)

New name: Machine Gun Vehicle Model 2

Notes:

Motorcycles of the former name in storage, presently available, in lease to units, and those that will be purchased in the future will all be given the new name.

In essence, Machine Gun Vehicle Model 1 referred to all of the motorcycles (Harley Davidson and Type 93) the Navy had obtained before their implementation of the Type 95. The Type 95—which is referred to as the “Model 2 Kurogane” in the above document—is the Machine Gun Vehicle Model 2. Another document from Tateyama Naval Gunnery School dated around 1944 offers a slightly different classification of the two models, as well as an additional revised model:⁷

1. Model 1 = Equivalent to the Army’s Type 93 Sidecar Motorcycle

2. Model 2 = Equivalent to the Army’s Type 95 Sidecar Motorcycle

3. Model 2 Revision 1 = Equivalent to the Army’s Type 95 Sidecar Motorcycle. Features an improved machine gun mount.

By 1944 the overall number of Harley Davidson motorcycles in use was rather insignificant in comparison to its Type 93 and Type 95 counterparts, so it appears whoever wrote the document omitted them from the explanation for the Model 1. Although the Model 2 Revision 1 has no date of introduction mentioned, there is photographic evidence of its use as early as 1939.

In summary, with the above following documentation it can be concluded the designations of Imperial Japanese Navy motorcycles are as follows:

Machine Gun Vehicle Model 1 = Type 93 “Kurogane” Sidecar Motorcycle and earlier Harley Davidson Sidecar Motorcycles

Machine Gun Vehicle Model 2 = Type 95 “Kurogane” Sidecar Motorcycle

Machine Gun Vehicle Model 2 Revision 1 = Type 95 “Kurogane” Sidecar Motorcycle with an improved machine gun mount.