Ukraine’s Off-Road Advantage - Learning from US Military Motorcycle Tactics
What good are motorcycles in the Ukrainian military? Let’s kick-start this sucker and find out.
I come from a motorcycle family. My father, now elderly, still rides his Harley Davidson every chance he gets.
His brother, my uncle, rides off-road dirt bikes for fun. And his sons, my cousins, compete semi-professionally in high-speed superbike moto racing.
I used to fantasize about owning the Kawasaki Ninja motorcycle in high school, as I’d flip through a brochure secretly in class. One of the key benefits of joining the Army (or so I thought at the time) was that I’d finally have enough money to buy a bike.
But like anything with wheels and an engine, I would learn that there are military applications for motorcycles.
In Ukraine, there is certainly no shortage of war machines on the battlefield - and the motorcycle is having a moment.
Unlike Russia, which has lost around 14,000 armored vehicles and has resorted to using Mad Max-style motorcycles to assault fortified positions, Ukraine plans to use motorcycles in a completely different way.
But first, where is Ukraine getting its bikes?
A few months ago, Austria donated an unspecified number of KTM 450 scrambler-style motorcycles to the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU).
The AFU also has various other models from both allied donations and home-grown manufacturing.
Austria’s KTM 450 EXC is a cross-country (enduro) motorcycle that is a benchmark among dirt bike enthusiasts. The motorcycle has been constantly improved based on rider feedback.
It’s lightweight at only 230 lbs. and boasts a 450 cc, 48-horsepower gasoline engine.
As far as dirt bikes go, this one is not exactly cheap. New KTM 450s go for about 20,000 AUD or about $14,000.
So, if Russia is using motorcycles as a necessity in the absence of armored vehicles, how might Ukraine’s use be different?
The use of motorcycles in war dates back to the early 20th century, with the first significant military application occurring during the Mexican Border War when General Pershing used Harley-Davidson motorcycles to pursue Pancho Villa.
The troops were fond of their speed and agility for scouting and messenger duties.
This paved the way for widespread motorcycle use in World War I and beyond, where they were primarily used for reconnaissance, delivering messages, and as mobile gun platforms by various armies, including the British with their Triumph motorcycles and the Americans with Harley-Davidsons and Indian models.
But one of the biggest advantages is actually their ability to traverse rough terrain (and be a much smaller target than an MRAP or tank.)
US military motorcycle use
Today, each branch of the US military employs motorcycles for various missions, but the way they use them varies widely.
By and large, in the US military, motorcycles are reserved for special operations forces (SOF).
While Russia has been seen performing frontal assaults on makeshift motorcycles, the US has a more strategic approach.
Unsurprisingly, Ukraine's motorcycle use mirrors US military use.
For US special operators, motorcycles offer quick movement over rough terrain, allowing operators to zip around obstacles or support any number of mission-critical tasks.
These bikes aren't just off-the-shelf models; they are purpose-built or heavily modified versions of commercially available motorcycles.
They can be easily transported in helicopters or other military vehicles and are designed to perform in the harshest environments.
The lack of keyed ignitions and the use of camouflage paint based on the operational terrain are just a couple of the ways these bikes are tailored for SOF use.
Historically, American-made motorcycles like the 1942 WLA Harley Davidson or the Indian 841 were the standard during World War II. But today, the majority of the bikes in the US SOF arsenal are from our allies in Japan, primarily Kawasaki, though other manufacturers contribute.
Introduced in 1991, the Kawasaki KLR 250-D8 has seen action with the US Air Force, Marine Corps, and SOF units. It may be a dual-sport bike that’s street-legal in the US, but the military version includes key modifications like the removal of the ignition key for quicker deployment.
Units like the Marine Expeditionary and Air Force Combat Controllers use the KLR 250-D8 for fast personnel movement, reconnaissance, and message delivery.
Members of the Army's 75th Ranger Regiment also rely on this bike for scouting missions and passing messages. Like all military motorcycles, this one isn’t armed—except for whatever weapons the rider might be carrying.
While the KLR 250 is still in service, it has largely been replaced by the Kawasaki KLR 650. Modified for military use, this bike can run on JP-8 diesel, the standard fuel used by the US military, making it incredibly fuel-efficient at 96 miles per gallon.
Known by military nomenclature as the “Hayes M1030”, it’s been further adapted by Hayes Diversified Technologies to include a smaller engine that delivers 28 hp, propelling the bike to speeds of 85 mph.
With a range of 400 miles, it’s a logistical dream for operators who need to cover long distances without frequent refueling.
When US forces entered Afghanistan, they quickly realized they needed a motorcycle capable of handling the region's mountainous, unforgiving terrain.
Enter the Christini AWD 450. Modified for SOF use, this all-wheel-drive bike became a staple for Navy SEALs and Army Special Forces.
For missions requiring more compact solutions, SOF units turn to the Kawasaki KLX110 minibike. Used extensively by Air Force Special Operations Command, these small but nimble bikes are airdropped and even strapped to the sides of helicopters.
But not every mission demands speed.
Some require raw power and the ability to navigate nearly impassable terrain. That’s where the Rokon Trail-Breaker comes in.
Nicknamed the "Mountain Goat of Off-Road," this bike can haul 2,000 pounds, climb a 60% grade, and even float on water thanks to its hollow drum wheels. It’s ideal for traversing snow, mud, and sand, making it perfect for Ukraine’s varied landscape.
In 2013, the Zero MMX was introduced as a potential game-changer for SOF units, offering near-silent operation thanks to its electric motor.
The electric engine’s low heat signature also offers protection against infrared sensors, giving riders an additional layer of stealth.
Whisper-quiet electric bikes are the future
As you can see, the US military is no stranger to using motorcycles in war. But the electric motorcycle is, at least to me, the most intriguing evolution of this tech on the battlefield.
As far back as May of 2022, shortly after the full-scale Russian invasion started, Ukrainian military leaders were already requesting electric motorbikes to quietly insert sniper teams.
As Howard Altman at The War Zone reported, Mamuka Mamulashvili, commander of the Georgian Legion said he needs a fast, quiet vehicle to get sniper teams to a location where they can fire off shots for about five to 10 minutes, then quickly get out before the Russians rain artillery down on their position.
But it goes beyond moving sniper teams quietly around the Ukrainian battlespace.
Ukraine has modified the bikes to carry next-generation light anti-tank weapons (NLAWS), with pictures on social media showing them “modified with a crate on the back and a huge missile launcher poking from the back.”
According to VICE, most of the e-bikes are ELEEK and Delfast brand bikes. The Delfast can reach 50 miles (80 kilometers) per hour, allowing soldiers with NLAWS to move into position, fire at a target, and flee within moments.
It’s also worth noting that I’ve seen the Atom Military electric motorbike in open-source imagery from Ukraine.
The silent, quick machines are also excellent for performing guard patrols without alerting enemy forces.
Electric motorcycles actually lead to a larger conversation about more lethal electric vehicles, like electric tanks, on the battlefield.
Although there are serious concerns about energy consumption on the modern battlefield that have thus far prevented the US from going “all in” on electric military vehicles.
We learned that the electrical demands from onboard power systems increased tenfold during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan—not to mention desirable new capabilities such as directed energy weapons or advanced RADAR systems.
So far, the energy for American warfighting has been provided by fossil fuels, because that’s the logistical infrastructure that the military is comfortable using – and we’re quite good at expeditionary (long-range) fighting under this system.
Until the benefits of electric war machines convince the generals that it’s worth restructuring the entire supply chain, we’re stuck with JP-8.
But that doesn’t mean that small units, like special forces, can’t take advantage of these quiet, nimble little E-bikes.
Ukraine is certainly realizing its benefit as it works to expel its invaders.
So, the difference between Russian and Ukrainian motorcycle use is night and day. Ukraine is smartly using these vehicles as nimble forms of transportation to strike fast and move to safety. While their opponents are using motorcycles in insane frontal assaults out of necessity because they are low on armored vehicles.
It’s an interesting contrast; one that gives confidence that Ukraine will ultimately win this war.
Слава Україні!
There is a pershing motorcycle restoration with armed sidecar in the New Mexico Military Academy (NMMA) which I was tipped off to while on a trip to NM. So glad this made your article!
Hey Wes, you're talkin' my language! I'm a long-time biker, and raced a few years in the early 2000's. I wasn't fast, but I did place 4th once in SV650 :) Then I worked for a few more years on the racing circuit and travelled all over the US. Best years of my life. I now ride a Ducati Hyperstrada, and will stop now, before I go off on one of those long, boring monologues of the truly obsessed.
Anyway, my first thoughts upon beginning your article were AWD and electric. Sure enough you dove into that. Up here in Québec where ice-racing is huge, I believe the Rokon was tried but it wheelied too much. Easy to understand why, and I believe flat surfaces like ice are not the best use for it. I can definitely see its potential for say, climbing rocky terrain. But electric really captures my attention. As you say, the "stealth" advantage added to a nimble, quick, and agile form of transport. I imagine it being used for something like sting operations - quick in-and-outs. Thanks for this very informative information.