First True Motorcycle

[Jerry]

From Wired's Day In Technology for Aug. 30. Back in 1885 Daimler produced the first gsoline-powered motorcycle. Link is here:

http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2007/08/dayintech_0830#

[JWSanders]

Watch out for splinters!! That seat is sure to give you an iron butt, too.


Intereasing reading on their links about the steam motorcycle guy, too.

"Roper reached the age of 73 in 1896. That June he showed up at a bicycle track near Harvard with a modified motorcycle. They clocked him at a remarkable forty miles an hour. Then the machine wobbled, and Roper fell off. He was dead when they found him. The autopsy showed he'd died, not from the fall, but of a heart attack."

What a way to go!

[olebiker]

Forty miles an hour in 1896 would have given most people a heart attack never mind crashing the thing.

[Geezer]

Actually that was more of a trike than a bike. I'm still holding out that Heidlebrand-Wolfmuller was the first true motorcycle...

Geezer

[GNEPIG]

Quote:
I'm still holding out that Heidlebrand-Wolfmuller was the first true motorcycle...

Wasn't the Heidlebrand-Wolfmuller the one that had the long connecting rod attached to the rear axel = the rear axel was the engines crank shaft?

[GNEPIG]

http://www.cybermotorcycle.com/euro/brands/hildebrand_wolfmuller.htm

(Oh yeah, my mind is not totaly gone yet) Geezer is correct, the Hildebrand-Wolfmuller is considered to be the worlds first production motorcycle. I think that I remember reading a long time ago that they made about 7 bikes total.

[Geezer]

As I recall Hildebrand-Wolfmuller isn't totally gone. It was one of the makes bought up/merged into the company that evolved into KTM.

If you really want to talk groundbreaking, HRD deserves an honorable mention...

Geezer

[GNEPIG]

KTM started making motorcycles in Austria in the early 50's, (powered by Sachs motors)they were called Penton's over here up until the mid 70's.

Howard Raymond Davies was a pilot in WW1 whom was shot down over Germany. While in captivity he made his plans to build motorcycles. He built a pretty fast one for the time. A few years later Philip Vincent purchased his plans and the name HRD and a legend was born.

[Geezer]

I'm familiar with Howard R Davies history. Back in the 1970's I managed to get my hands on parts of a 1926 HRD model 90. Unfortunately it was too butchered to restore.

Old Howard was the first to get the layout right and also greatly improved rider position. It's too bad the great depression of the 1930's wiped him out. He was a man ahead of is time. Then again so was Charlie Vincent...

Geezer