| History of Motorcycles | | | | engines due to Walter Kaaden's work in |
| The history of the motorcycle goes back | | | | the 50's in East Germany. |
| over 100 years, when an American | | | | Although Harley Davidson is still the |
| gentleman made a steam powered motor | | | | leading bike manufacturer for the |
| that would be small enough to fit onto | | | | motorcycle market, Honda, Yamaha, |
| his bicycle. Howard Roper from Roxbury, | | | | Suzuki, and Kawasaki are also doing very |
| Massachusetts, got tired of pedaling his | | | | well with their developments of a |
| bicycle over long distances. Taking | | | | durable and elegant looking street bike. |
| months and months to draw diagrams and | | | | Motorcycles have even gone into dirt |
| thinking just how he could make a steam | | | | bike track racing and cross-country |
| engine that would be small enough to | | | | racing. Several world records have been |
| relieve the pressure from his legs and | | | | made on dirt bikes and some bike names |
| feet as he traveled from place to place | | | | have ended up in the Guinness Book of |
| on dirt roads and paths. Finally in | | | | World Records. Motorcycles have a place |
| 1867, Roper succeeded; it was powered by | | | | in some of the Olympic Games as the |
| burning coal to create the steam. This | | | | advancements and the changes have been |
| bike has been displayed in many fairs | | | | changed to the extent of taking parts |
| and circuses over the years. | | | | off the original bike to make it |
| In 1885, Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm | | | | lighter. |
| Maybach (later to be the founders of the | | | | Motorcycles have jumped many cars, |
| Mercedes, the forerunner of the Mercedes | | | | trucks, and even the Grand Canyon. Today |
| Benz), produced the first petroleum | | | | riders are doing back flips, hand |
| powered motor bicycle. However, not | | | | stands, and various other daredevil |
| until 1894 was a motorized two wheeled | | | | stunts. |
| vehicle (Hildebrand & Wolfmuller) made | | | | Looking through EBay, you will be able |
| available for the transportation market. | | | | to find many different antique |
| As engines became too powerful for just | | | | motorcycles from the old Indian Frames |
| a bicycle, and the designs changed very | | | | to the Harley Davidson 1983 Wide Glide, |
| quickly, the leading manufacturer of | | | | a TR6 Triumph Trophy, and Suzuki DRZ |
| motorcycles, (the Indian brand), had | | | | 2003 and DRZ 250. Some of these bikes |
| already produced well over 20,000 | | | | have been Chromed Out and restored to a |
| motorcycles a year until World War I. | | | | very beautiful luster. |
| By the 1920's, Harley Davidson took this | | | | There is no better feeling than to be |
| lead away from the Indian Company as the | | | | riding down the road and being able to |
| Harley Davidson Company had acquired | | | | feel the wind in your face and the |
| many dealers in as many as 67 countries | | | | freedom you feel when you are riding a |
| throughout the world. By the end of | | | | motorcycle. Motorcycles are today |
| World War II, BSA bikes took the title | | | | becoming more and more popular due to |
| away from Harley Davidson, and until the | | | | the fuel crises all around the world. |
| 1950's had produced 75,000 bikes a year. | | | | With the smaller size engine and the |
| Through the 1990's, there had been | | | | less fuel consumption, motorcycles may |
| extensive work done on two stroke bike | | | | be the next thing we see for commuters. |