These enhancements soon found their way to the public s machines. The war dampened development considerably, however. The armed forces of both sides demanded reliability and durability more than speed and innovation. Armed forces purchased thousands of bikes - a powerful economic incentive for manufacturers to be conservative. The output for public markets dwindled or ceased altogether.
Many small companies didn t make it through the war years, closing their doors for good.
World War One did a great deal to develop the British and European motorcycle industries. It forced manufacturers to work hard to both meet production demands and to develop better, stronger machines. A strong entrepreneurial spirit drove the industries there. In the USA, which did not enter the war until 1917, car manufacturers got a head start on the market. By 1920, the 200 American manufacturers that began the war were reduced to less than 40.