Flashes of Motorcycle's Beginning

In 1867, Sylvester Howard Roper invented a two-cylinder, steam-engine motorcycle that is powered by coal whose connecting rods directly drive a crank on the rear wheel. Roper was also the one who invented the steam engine car. If steam engine would suffice the standard for a motorcycle then this can be treated as the very first motorcycle.

In 1885, Gottlieb Daimler invented the very first gas-engined motorcycle. It was an engine attached to a wooden bike. In 1876, Daimler used the new-engine called “Otto Cycle Engine” the first “Four-Stroke Internal-Combustion Engine” which was invented by his employer Nicolaus August Otto. Daimler later teamed up with Karl Benz. The two created the Daimler-Benz Corporation, which is responsible for the first motorcycle mostly made up of wood.

In 1892, Millet, a 5-cylinder engine was built. The cylinders of Millet rotated with the wheel and its crankshaft constituted the rear axle.

Two years after, Hildebrand & Wolfmueller was patented. It had a step-through frame, with its fuel tank mounted on the downtube. The engine was a parallel twin, mounted low on the frame, with its cylinders going fore-and-aft. The connecting rods connected directly to a crank on the rear axle. It used a pair of stout elastic bands, one on each side outboard of the cylinders, to help out on the compression strokes. It was water-cooled, and had a water tank/radiator built into the top of the rear fender.

After a year, DeDion-Buton built an engine that was used for the mass production. This engine was a small, light, high reviving four-stroke single which used battery and coil ignition.

In 1898, Orient-Aster, the very first US produced motorcycle was built by the Metz Company in Waltham, Massachusetts. This motorcycle used an Aster engine which was a French-built copy of DeDion-Buton.

In 1907, Harley-Davidson made their first V-twin bike - the very first off-road bike.. This version can climb hills. This was the start of more progressive models of motorcycles that up to this instant is still growing….

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