The Daimler Reitwagen
This motorcycle is considered by many to be one of the first. Invented by Gottleib Daimler in 1886, (Yep! The same Gotteib Daimler that founded the company that created the Mercedes Benz) the Reitwagen, had a wooden frame, two training wheels on springs to make sure you would stay upright when you came to a stop and the seat resembled more one you would find on a horse than a motorbike. The whole bike weighed 198 lbs and had a top speed of 12km/hr. The thing was air cooled, had one cylinder and was steered by a twisty bit on the front. The best part was that this little machine put out an astounding half of a horse in power and ran at 700 rpm. Finally in keeping with the kind of horse and buggy theme, the thing was fitted with stagecoach-like wheels. Made of wood with iron bands to hold the whole thing together, they made sure you got the best ride possible. But, technically this wasn’t considered to be a true motorcycle as it had four wheels. Another thing to think about is that this “motorcycle” was never really developed as motorcycle. It was built to test the small combustion engine that powered it. That’s a little disappointing.
The Steam Velocipede
Now if Daimler’s invention didn’t count as the first motorcycle, maybe a French steam powered contraption would. The Steam Velocipede was invented sometime between 1867 and 1871 by Louis-Guillaume Perreaux. Perreaux’s patented steam engine was stuck in an iron framed bicycle, quite fittingly called the boneshaker, built by Pierre Michaux. Now, there is a bit of a debate on who actually crammed the engine onto the bicycle. Was it Pierre Michaux or was it his son Ernest? Whoever did it, the single cylinder, alcohol fueled engine, used twin flexible leather belts to drive the rear wheel. Combine the weight of that to the bicycle, and machine had a total weight of approximately 194 lbs. The Velocipede had a top speed of a whopping 28 km/h and no brakes. A June 14, 1871 addition to Perreaux’s patent included the removal of the cranks and pedals from the front wheel, and swapping out the straight downtube for an arched one to allow space for the engine. Although the steam velocipede was functional, it was not really a big hit with the public. Only one was ever made and by 1884, Perreaux exhibited at tricycle version at the Industrial Exhibition on the Champs-Élysées in Paris. So would a steam powered commercial flop qualify as the first motorcycle?
The Roper Steam Velocipede
One last entry for the “First Motorcycle” lottery is the Roper Steam Velocipede. Built in the US by inventor Sylvester H. Roper of Roxbury, Boston, Massachusetts sometime beween 1867 and 1869. Another steam powered bicycle invented between 1867 and 1869? The argument for this one is that the frame was built specifically to accommodate the steam powered engine, not crammed in to a ready-made frame like the Perreaux version. Although, as with all historical accounts, that’s up for debate as well. According to a few different sources, Roper either repurposed an iron velocipede frame with a hickory wood frame that was intended as a kinder, gentler version of the iron-framed boneshaker bicycle. This coal fired contraption had rigid forged iron forks and wooden grips on a straight handle bar that tilted forward to go faster and back to apply the spoon brake to the front wheel. It had two cylinders with bores of about 44cms and the water tank was used as the seat, all riding on wood and iron wheels. Sounds comfy doesn’t it? Mmmm not much of a difference from the French version.
In my opinion the first motorcycle would have to actually resemble the things that came after it. That would mean an internal combustion engine, powered by gas and riding “roughly” on two wheels(more or less). So by elimination that would mean the Reitwagen. So what if it had training wheels and it was never meant to be an actual motorcycle!? How many coal fired steam engines do you see in modern motorcycles?
What is your opinion on this?
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I dont see a ton of steam power engines but I am seeing a bunch of electric engines now a days. That may be our new future. I love the Daimler but wonder why they have the training wheels. I figure the engine may not have had the best balance.
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