I tend to agree, although it’s far from being a flawless assault tactic (but after all, which one is such, in this war?), having lots of things that can go wrong. I will bring four accounts from Ukrainian (the first) and Russian sources (the others) on this issue that I found interesting. Translation via DeepL, my additions between [square brackets].
This Ukrainian officer urges not to ridicule these new attack methods, which can be risky for defenders in case they are caught unprepared.
It is noticeable how the fa***ts are very afraid of our FPV drones, and their tactics of warfare are changing accordingly. Don’t laugh at golfers and bikers, they are used much more often because they are more maneuverable than any armor, they have more chances to escape from drones and it sometimes works because they often use the factor of surprise - we sometimes do not have time to react.
In some areas, tanks and armored personnel carriers have been pulled back 10-15 kilometers from the front line, with the exception of tanks with Tsar Magnates [the “turtle-tanks”], but there are not many of them, because 1-2 are used to break through.
https://t.me/officer_alex33/2727
And a distinction should be made between when the motorcycles are used for assaults and when they are used for bringing supplies as well as for CASEVAC (they are used for both, although, according to what Russians claim, mostly for the latters).
REGIMENTS AND BRIGADES ARE LIKELY TO HAVE SEPARATE MOTORIZED [on motorcycles] UNITS
Perhaps such a unit will be a motorized squad. According to my information, even such a new (what a new) military specialty is being introduced. And on October 1 of this year they start training people in DOSAAF (we’ll get ready for winter🫣) [I think he means that such organization will start training men as motorcyclists for war purposes].
In the 5th [Motorized] Brigade of the 1st AC [Army Corps] of the 8th OA [CAA] of the South Military District of the Defense Ministry of the Russian Federation an experimental motorcycle platoon (its equipment is pictured). This is in addition to the combat motorcyclists in the battalions. The task: shuttling between the rear and the front line, delivery of the necessary cargo and evacuation of the wounded.
https://t.me/Sladkov_plus/10769
A text listing the main advantages and disadvantages of this was published this morning.
Motorcycles and crossers in the SMO area. According to the warfighters, the use of motorcycles in the SMO is primarily for logistical purposes. They can be used to accomplish a task quickly.
Pros:
- Speed of travel.
- Camouflage - a motorcycle is harder to spot while moving, and the small size allows for camouflage in positions.
- Dispersal of personnel - when moving the enemy will have to use a large number of means of defeat.
- Low cost - unlike other equipment, a motorcycle can be purchased at an affordable price for every soldier.
- Maneuverability, ease of maintenance, weight, insignificant fuel consumption, size.
Minuses:
- Insufficient visibility - there is a high probability of hitting a mine, not being able to brake in time.
- Small load capacity - there is no possibility to carry more than one fighter or lying down.
- Little space for cargo - it is impossible to deliver supplies, provisions, water for fighters to hard-to-reach places.
- Motorcycle is inferior to other equipment in passability - after rain it is almost impossible to drive on the path.
- Repair - often motorcycles break down, and if the fighter does not understand the technique, it is necessary to find a specialist.
- Safety - many do not know how to operate a vehicle. Also in the case of a fly-in there is no protection from shrapnel.
ATVs. Are convenient in operation. Let’s deal with the example of a quadricycle “four”. There is no need to take a lot of things with you. It is enough to put everything you need in a backpack. To the disadvantages can be attributed the lack of an extreme unit [unclear what they mean here]. Sitting behind the wheel of the quadricycle, you need to turn back to look around the territory. There is no possibility to fire.
https://t.me/rusich_army/15957
Lastly, an account on the use of motorcycles for reconnaissance missions along the Dnipro River - I find the mention of the use of electric motorcycles very interesting.
🗣️ Greetings! As long as there is internet, I want to share my experience of application and algorithm of action of so-called motorcycle or, as we call them, “cavalry” groups on the Kherson direction. Our 28th [Motorized] Regiment [of the 70th Motorized Division of the 18th CAA] holds the line of defense along the Dnipro, and the tactics of using motorcycles helps us a lot for reconnaissance missions.
- Since the enemy controls the sky, moving to a sentry post somewhere on the edge of a wooded area from a safe place is fraught with FPV drone arrivals. We use electric motorcycles for a silent and fast way to move personnel from point A to point B. The movement is done in compliance with all thermal and radio cloaking regulations.
- Such delivery of personnel is much less noticeable and dangerous, because the probability of FPV arrival by motorcycle is much lower than by jeep, not to mention a truck or APC. The only thing is that there were cases when we were sent in the daytime to try to dislodge enemy special forces groups from the coastline. Such attempts are fraught with you know what: without minimum armor and fire suppression capability we simply cannot reach the landing point.
- Everything has to be tried and implemented by trial and error. The tactics of such a group will depend on the terrain, weather conditions, enemy level and, of course, the commanders' understanding of such tactics.