Motorcycle history begins in the late 1800s. Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Replica of Daimler-Maybach Reitwagen

Download high resolution version (1520x1474, 409 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (1520x1474, 409 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ...

First attempt

The inspiration for the earliest dirt bike, and arguably the first motorcycle, was designed and built by the German inventors Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach in Bad Cannstatt (since 1905 a city district of Stuttgart) in 1885. The first petroleum-powered vehicle, it was essentially a motorized bicycle, although the inventors called their invention the Reitwagen ("riding car"). They had not set out to create a vehicle form but to build a simple carriage for the engine, which was the focus of their endeavours. Mika Kallios KTM125 racing motorcycle A motorcycle, also called a motorbike or just a bike, is a single-track, two-wheeled vehicle powered by an engine. ... Gottlieb Daimler Gottlieb Wilhelm Daimler (March 17, 1834 - March 6, 1900) was an engineer, industrial designer and industrialist, born in Schorndorf in what is now Germany. ... Wilhelm Maybach Wilhelm Maybach (February 9, 1846 – December 29, 1929), was an early German engine designer and industrialist. ... For other uses, see Stuttgart (disambiguation). ... Coordinates: Time zone: CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2) Administration Country: Germany State: Baden-Württemberg Administrative region: Stuttgart District: Urban district City subdivisions: 23 districts Lord Mayor: Wolfgang Schuster (CDU) Basic Statistics Area: 207. ... 1885 (MDCCCLXXXV) is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... Pracsamp 07:34, 16 February 2007 (UTC)— Pumpjack pumping an oil well near Sarnia, Ontario Ignacy Łukasiewicz - inventor of the refining of kerosene from crude oil. ... Velo redirects here. ...

Steam power

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. But there is no patent existing and nothing proves it was working. 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 "boneshaker" bike. In 1868, the French engineer Louis-Guillaume Perreaux patented a similar steam-powered motorcycle, probably invented independent of Roper. In his case a patent exists (dated 1868), but nothing indicates his invention had moved before 1871. 1867 (MDCCCLXVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... 1869 (MDCCCLXIX) is a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Sunday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ... Boneshaker is a name used from about 1869 up to the present time, to refer to the first type of true bicycle with pedals, which was called velocipede (from the Latin for fast foot) by its manufacturers. ... 1868 (MDCCCLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a leap year starting on Friday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ...

First commercial product

In 1894, the Hildebrand & Wolfmüller became the first motorcycle available for purchase. 1894 (MDCCCXCIV) was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... In 1894, the Hildebrand & Wolfmüller was the first motorcycle that was available for purchase. ...

1923-1926 BMW R32

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 increased. Image File history File linksMetadata R32-pn. ... Image File history File linksMetadata R32-pn. ... The internal combustion engine is an engine in which the burning of a fuel occurs in a confined space called a combustion chamber. ...

Before WWI

Until the First World War, the largest motorcycle manufacturer was Indian. After that, this honour went to Harley-Davidson, until 1928 when DKW took over as the largest manufacturer. BMW motorcycles came on the scene in 1923 with shaft drive and an opposed-twin or "boxer" engine enclosed with the transmission in a single aluminum housing (photo right). Ypres, 1917, in the vicinity of the Battle of Passchendaele. ... Logo on a 2003 Harley Davidson The Harley-Davidson Motor Company (NYSE: HDI) is a manufacturer of motorcycles based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. ... Year 1928 (MCMXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar). ... DKW Auto Union logotype Dampf-Kraft Wagen (German: steam-powered vehicle) or DKW is an historic car and motorcycle marque. ... BMW began as an aeroplane engine manufacturer. ... 1923 (MCMXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar). ... BMW motorcycle powered by a flat-twin engine A flat-twin is a two cylinder internal combustion engine where the cylinders are arranged in a flat configuration. ...

After WWII

After the Second World War, the BSA Group purchased Triumph Motorcycles in 1951 to become the largest producer of motorcycles in the world claiming "one in four". The German NSU was the largest manufacturer from 1955 until the 1970s when Honda became the largest manufacturer -- a title now claimed by Indian bike firm Hero Honda which specialises in small motorcycles for the Indian and similar markets. British manufacturers (Triumph, BSA, Norton) retained a dominant position in some markets until the rise of the Japanese manufacturers (led by Honda) in the late 1960s and early 1970s, who were able to produce designs more quickly, more cheaply, and of better quality than their competitors. The British manufacturers became defunct as mass-market producers. Mushroom cloud from the nuclear explosion over Nagasaki rising 18 km into the air. ... The Birmingham Small Arms Company (BSA) was a British manufacturer of vehicles, firearms, and military equipment, and still exists as an airgun sport manufacturer and distributor. ... Triumph Motorcycles is an English motorcycle manufacturer, originally based in Coventry. ... 1951 (MCMLI) was a common year starting on Monday; see its calendar. ... Logo of the Company NSU, 1951 NSU Motorenwerke AG (normally just NSU) was a German manufacturer of cars and motorcycles and a predecessor to what is now Audi. ... 1955 (MCMLV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1970 calendar). ... Hero Honda Motorcycles Limited is an Indian manufacturer of motorcycles and scooters. ... Norton 850 Commando Norton is a British motorcycle marque from Birmingham and founded in 1898. ... The 1960s decade refers to the years from January 1, 1960 to December 31, 1969, inclusive. ... The 1970s decade refers to the years from 1970 to 1979, inclusive. ...

A motor officer patrolling in Arizona on a BMW "motor"

Image File history File links Motor-officer. ... Image File history File links Motor-officer. ...

Present

Police officers have used motorcycles — primarily for the enforcement of traffic laws — from the the early 20th century. Called motor officers in the United States, these officers call their vehicles simply "motors."'. For the band, see The Police. ...

Today the Japanese manufacturers, Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, and Yamaha dominate the large motorcycle industry, although Harley-Davidson still maintains a high degree of popularity in the United States. Recent years have also seen a resurgence in the popularity of many other brands including BMW, Triumph and Ducati, and the emergence of Victory as a second successful mass-builder of big-twin American cruisers. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. ... Suzuki Motor Corporation is a Japanese multinational corporation company producing a range of automobiles (especially Keicars), a full range of motorcycles, outboard motors, and a variety of other small combustion-powered engine products. ... Yamaha Motor Corporation (ヤマハ発動機株式会社) is a motorized vehicle-producing company, initially part of the Yamaha Corporation. ... Logo on a 2003 Harley Davidson The Harley-Davidson Motor Company (NYSE: HDI) is a manufacturer of motorcycles based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. ... BMW began as an aeroplane engine manufacturer. ... Triumph Motorcycles is an English motorcycle manufacturer, originally based in Coventry. ... Ducati Motor Holding is an Italian motorcycle manufacturer. ... Victory Motorcycles is an American motorcycle manufacturer based in Minnesota. ...

The largest motorcycle market is small machines for the developing world, hence the claim from Indian Hero Honda to be the world's biggest bike firm. India is also the home to Enfield India, Royal Enfield since 1995, where it still makes updated versions of 1950s British Royal Enfield motorcycles. Hero Honda Motorcycles Limited is an Indian manufacturer of motorcycles and scooters. ... Royal Enfield was the brand of the Enfield Cycle Company, an English engineering company. ...

There is a large demand for small, cheap motorcycles in the ‘developing world’. Many of the firms meeting that demand now compete in ‘developed’ markets, such as China's Hongdou [[1]] which makes a version of Honda's venerable CG 125. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... A 1997 BR-T model Honda CG125 The Honda CG125 is a commuter bike made by Honda of Japan. ...

See also

• Motorcycle
• Motorcycle fork