Flashes of Motorcycle's Beginning
The motorcycle we are enjoying now has simple beginning. It has
only developed into a powerful machine in time. Most of the
riders are not even aware of its past so let us bring back the
time and have a quick sojourn to rekindle motorcycle parts and
motorcycle per se history.
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....