Canadian firm NorthForge is creating the Dispatch, an all-new electric motorcycle tailored for 21st-century military dispatch roles. Designed for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, it minimizes detection risks from drones through its electric powertrain. The company plans to release specifications in May.
The NorthForge Dispatch revives the concept of military dispatch motorcycles, first used widely in World War I with models like the Triumph Model H and Harley-Davidson Model J. These bikes historically carried messages, scouted terrain, and replaced horses before four-wheeled vehicles and radios reduced their roles. Recent conflicts, such as in Ukraine, highlight vulnerabilities of internal combustion engine vehicles to drone surveillance due to heat signatures, prompting a shift to electric alternatives for stealthier operations. NorthForge addresses this with silent electric propulsion that reduces acoustic and infrared detectability. Intended for ISR missions, the Dispatch operates in Arctic conditions from −35°C to +45°C, supports air-mobile deployment, offers a 10-year service life with modular, field-repairable construction, and includes a submersible capability proven in Canadian Coast Guard tests. Its battery system is 100% Canadian-made, ensuring a sovereign supply chain free of far-east components—a key factor amid geopolitical tensions. NorthForge, a spin-off of an existing e-mobility company with experienced automotive and financial experts, confirms the design is original, not derived from bikes like the Yamaha TW200. Based in Canada, initial production will occur there, with plans to assist client nations in local manufacturing. The firm is in discussions with multiple countries' militaries, meeting demand for purpose-built EV motorcycles beyond off-the-shelf models.