Difference between revisions of "Motorcycle"

However,if one counts two wheels with steam propulsion as being a motorcycle, then the first one may have been American. One such machine was demonstrated at fairs and circuses in the eastern US in 1867, built by Sylvester Howard Roper of Roxbury, Massachusetts. There is an existing example of a Roper machine, dated 1869. It's powered by a charcoal-fired two-cylinder engine, whose connecting rods directly drive a crank on the rear wheel. This machine predates the invention of the safety bicycle by many years, so its chassis is also based on the "bone-crusher" bike.  

However,if one counts two wheels with steam propulsion as being a motorcycle, then the first one may have been American. One such machine was demonstrated at fairs and circuses in the eastern US in 1867, built by Sylvester Howard Roper of Roxbury, Massachusetts. There is an existing example of a Roper machine, dated 1869. It's powered by a charcoal-fired two-cylinder engine, whose connecting rods directly drive a crank on the rear wheel. This machine predates the invention of the safety bicycle by many years, so its chassis is also based on the "bone-crusher" bike.  

In the early period of motorcycle history there were many manufacturers as producers of bicycles adapted their designs for the new [[internal combustion engine]]. As the engines became more powerful and designs outgrew the bicycle origins, the number of motorcycle producers reduced.  

In the early period of motorcycle history there were many manufacturers as producers of bicycles adapted their designs for the new [[internal combustion engine]]. As the engines became more powerful and designs outgrew the bicycle origins, the number of motorcycle producers reduced.