The 1910s

The 1920s

The 1930s

The 1940s

The 1950s

The 1960s

The 1970s

The 1980s

The 1990s

Motoring cars vehicles

Motor-assisted bicycles already existed by the turn of the 19th century, almost certainly as a result of early cyclists’ unwillingness to overexert themselves; in this they were aided and abetted by enthusiastic engineers whose fascination with the internal combustion engine led them up many new avenues. In the case of powered bicycles, it was the quest for more speed than was possible from human legs that excited these men. Gottleib Daimler built a prototype motor cycle in 1885; by 1890 Messrs Hildebrand & Wolfmuller from Munich were offering the first series-produced machine to an eager public. Cycling began originally as something of a fashionable occupation amongst the monied classes; few others were able to afford or could see the use of such a device. Many early purchasers had not indulged in much physical effort (except for riding a horse) before needing to disport themselves on the latest fad in order to keep up appearances with their peers. Fatter, unfit and wealthier cyclists of the day probably mulled over the prospects offered by Nikolaus August Otto's four-stroke internal combustion engine as a possible source of motive power to assist or even supplant pedal-power. Unfortunately, Mr Otto’s internal combustion engine at that time was less than reliable or controllable. It weighed a lot, vibrated uncomfortably, had injurious rotating parts as well as becoming very hot and was in the habit of spraying the surroundings with oil, fuel and unpleasant gaseous emanations. An early motor cycle was a fearsome device, the courageous rider was in intimate physical contact with all the above and, more often than not, likely to be maimed by his mount without warning. In common with every great enthusiast, Carlo Guzzi was unable to find the ideal motorcycle, so he decided to build it himself. At the time, the panorama in the sector was little more than pioneering. Even starting up one of the early bikes was a feat. Riders lubricated the engine with a manual pump with devastating results for clothing and also damaging the uncovered chain drive. Riding a motorcycle was an act of heroism and the list of spare parts to take with you on a trip included practically all the components. The first motorcycle prototype was produced in 1919 in the Mandello del Lario workshop with the help of blacksmith Giorgio Ripamonti. Known as the G.P. (Guzzi-Parodi) from the initials of the two partners, it was a 500 cc single cylinder with four valve cylinder head and overheard camshaft. It delivered 12 hp and had a maximum speed of 100 km/h. The model drew heavily on aircraft engine technology, well known by the designer. Already revolutionary and well ahead of its time, the G.P. was modified several times, mainly due to the excessive production costs, before arriving at the definitive version. The name G.P. was abandoned as it could have been confused with Giorgio Parodi's initials and so the name "Moto Guzzi" was born, together with a contemporary icon, the eagle with outspread wings, chosen as the logo to commemorate the rider Giovanni Ravelli, who was to have been the third partner before being killed in a flying accident. In 1921, the Normale was born. This was the first model marketed, with 8 hp, a maximum speed of 80 km/h and consumption of 30 km per liter. The Normale was the first bike in the world to be fitted with a centre stand, a feature which would later be adopted by all other constructors. At the beginning of the century, the sophisticated publicity campaigns of today did not exist and the only way to make the performance of a motorcycle known was to enter it in a race. And indeed, it was its racing debut, another historic date, which eventually brought the Mandello del Lario company into the international limelight. The race was the tough Milan-Naples rally. Two Moto Guzzis took part and the final classification was not exactly thrilling as they ended up coming 20th and 22nd. But victory was just round the corner. Just 30 days later, on 25 September 1921, Moto Guzzi had its first win in the Targa Florio with Gino Finzi. This was the start of an extraordinary series of riding successes which continued without a break until 1957. The Triumph Bonneville is an undisputed modern classic, synonymous with British motorcycling and a byword for simple, original style. Today, it stands as the perfect blend of British heritage, design and glamour, backed by modern technology. Named in recognition of Johnny Allen’s 1950’s record breaking feats on a Triumph at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, the very first Bonneville, the T120, was showcased at the Earls Court Bike Show in 1958, with the machines available for sale to the general public the following year. An instant hit in both the UK and America, essentially the T120 was a high performance, twin carburettor version of Triumph’s T110 Tiger model. The combination of extra performance with a fine-handling, light weight chassis and attractive design proved a winning combination and the bike went on to become one of the most successful models of the era. The history of the motorcycle goes back over 100 years, when an American gentleman made a steam powered motor that would be small enough to fit onto his bicycle. Howard Roper from Roxbury, Massachusetts, got tired of pedaling his bicycle over long distances. Taking months and months to draw diagrams and thinking just how he could make a steam engine that would be small enough to relieve the pressure from his legs and feet as he traveled from place to place on dirt roads and paths. Finally in 1867, Roper succeeded; it was powered by burning coal to create the steam. This bike has been displayed in many fairs and circuses over the years. In 1885, Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach (later to be the founders of the Mercedes, the forerunner of the Mercedes Benz), produced the first petroleum powered motor bicycle. However, not until 1894 was a motorized two wheeled vehicle (Hildebrand & Wolfmuller) made available for the transportation market. As engines became too powerful for just a bicycle, and the designs changed very quickly, the leading manufacturer of motorcycles, (the Indian brand), had already produced well over 20,000 motorcycles a year until World War I. The National Motorcycle Museum By the 1920’s, Harley Davidson took this lead away from the Indian Company as the Harley Davidson Company had acquired many dealers in as many as 67 countries throughout the world. By the end of World War II, BSA bikes took the title away from Harley Davidson, and until the 1950’s had produced 75,000 bikes a year. Through the 1990’s, there had been extensive work done on two stroke bike engines due to Walter Kaaden’s work in the 50’s in East Germany. Although Harley Davidson is still the leading bike manufacturer for the motorcycle market, Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, and Kawasaki are also doing very well with their developments of a durable and elegant looking street bike. The National Motorcycle Museum is a British institution and one of the most vital venues in the British Isles today for a whole number of reasons. It has extensive conference venues / rooms and facilities for businesses, but it offers excellent facilities for the average person as well. In fact, it is fair to say that it is one of the most fascinating UK historical venues that you could choose to visit! The National Motorcycle Museum is the biggest and the best motorcycle museum not only in Europe but also in the world today. There is no other to rival it anywhere else, which may be why people travel from all over the world to see the displays in all their glory year after year. The artefacts on display have been collected over a number of years and so this is easily the most comprehensive collection of motorcycles and accessories in the world today. As a result of continuing contributions, it will undoubtedly get bigger and better in the future. This is why it is a must for all fans of both history and of the motorcycle. In actual fact, the focus of The National Motorcycle Museum has not changed in all the years since it has been open. It was initially designed to draw the attention of the public to the great British motorcycle industry that dominated the world between the 1930s and 1960s. At that point in time, no other country could rival the motorcycles that were made there. As such, the vast collection that was originally displayed paid homage to the makers of the motorcycle. It still does that to this day. In fact, it does it better than any other institution or museum. Although the displays have been updated and the works of other countries are now on display, no other collection can rival the British golden era of motorcycles. The National Motorcycle Museum is a place where nostalgia can run riot for the older generations whilst the displays can capture the imagination of younger visitors. The chronology of the motorcycle is here for all to come and see. This is why The National Motorcycle Museum is a place that you can spend all day in. With a restaurant and gift shop available to visitors during opening hours, you can take your time looking at what is on offer and take a piece of history home with you. There is much to be learned and much to see so spend your time marvelling at the wonders of technology and transport in just one place! Norton is a British motorcycle marque, originally from Birmingham, founded in 1898 as a manufacturer of fittings and parts for the two-wheel trade. By 1902, they had begun manufacturing motorcycles with bought in engines. In 1908, a Norton-built engine was added to the range. This began a long series of production of single and eventually twin-cylinder motorcycles. When major shareholders started to leave Norton in 1953, the company went bankrupt and Associated Motor Cycles bought the shares. In late 2008, Stuart Garner, a UK businessman, bought the rights to Norton and relaunched Norton in its Midlands home at Donington Park where it will develop the NRV588 racer, a machine styled after the Norton Commando, and a new range of Norton motorcycles, with options including 1200 cc Superbike, and 750 cc Supersport variants. Designed by Walter Moore, the Norton CS1 engine appeared in 1927, based closely on the ES2 pushrod engine and using many of its parts. On his departure to NSU in 1930, an entirely new OHC engine was designed by Arthur Carroll, which was the basis for all later OHC and DOHC Norton singles. That decade spawned the Norton racing legend. Of the nine Isle of Man Senior TTs (500 cc) between 1931 and 1939 Norton won seven. Until 1934, Norton bought Sturmey-Archer gearboxes and clutches. When Sturmey discontinued production Norton bought the design rights and had them made by Burman, a manufacturer of proprietary gearboxes. Nortons also appealed to ordinary motorcyclists who enjoyed the reliability and performance offered by single-cylinder engines with separate gearboxes. The marque withdrew their teams from racing in 1938, but between 1937 and 1945 nearly a quarter (over 100,000) of all British military motorcycles were Nortons, basically the WD 16H (solo) and WD Big Four outfit with driven sidecar wheel. Norton struggled to reclaim its pre-WWII racing dominance, since the single cylinder machine was facing fierce competition from the multi-cylinder Italians, and AJS at home. In the 1949 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season, the first year of the world championship, Norton only made fifth place, and AJS won. That was before the Featherbed frame appeared, developed for Norton by the McCandless brothers of Belfast in January, 1950, used in the legendary Manx Norton, and raced by riders including Geoff Duke, John Surtees and Derek Minter. Overnight the featherbed frame was the benchmark by which all other frames were judged. Nortons were winners again. Norton also experimented with engine placement, and discovered that moving the engine slightly up/down, forward/back, or even right/left, could deliver a "sweet spot" in terms of handling. In the The Victory: The Making of the New American Motorcycle (1999, Motorbooks International), the designers of the Victory motorcycle cited Norton in experimenting with various engine placements and finding one that was noticeably better than the others. Started in 1946 by Soichiro Honda who wanted to produce cheap transportation for the people after the second world war. Today Honda has become the largest motorcycle manufacturer in the world.Honda started by using old army engines but later developed their own 50cc engine. The first real Honda bike was produced in 1949 called the Model D (Dream) which was followed due to the success of the ‘D’ by model J Benly.Honda started to make an international name for itself with the introduction of the CB models. Started by a CB72 (250cc) and the CB77 (305cc). However the first series used the old press steel frames and the better road handling came with the introduction of the steel tubular frames in the CB92. The CB77 (super hawk) was excellent reliable motorcycle which out preformed many similar English models. Honda introduced in 1958 the C100 Super Club motorcycle as a sports, leisure, easy going, convenient and reliable bike with a great marketing campaign (you meet nice people on a Honda) that blasted the C100 to a best selling bike of all times. And it was only a humble scooter styled motorcycle.Honda started building bigger engine bikes with the first model CB450 in 1965. The black bomber / black hawk was an attack to the dominating English bikes in this area. Although the CB450 didn’t match the British motorcycles (yet) the competition had begun.One step up from the 450 was the introduction of the CB750 in 1969. Which was beyond it’s class at the time. A smooth operating mass produced 4 cylinder bike with excellent handling. It dominated the market at the time and sold very well world wide. Honda didn’t upgrade the CB750 over the years so despite is success it started to loose popularity towards the end 70’s.Honda did change the model line of the CB750 to include smaller models like the CB500 (1971) and the CB400 (1975). Both bikes were very successful mainly due to the fact of weight reduction of the big brother CB750 which gave them huge maneuverability advantage.As the modern day cruiser the Honda Gold Wing (Interstate – usa, de luxe – Europe) was introduced in 1980 and has stayed in production ever since. You actually like or hate the Wing but fact of the matter is that world wide no other model has such a high fan base. The full fairing Gold Wing was developed on the GL1000 Gold Wing of 1975.Two years later in 1982 the new model Gold Wing was released called the Aspencade. Also a big hit with improved luxury features including backrest, music system, adjustment computer and much more). In 1988 the GL1500 Gold Wing was launched and was the biggest most complex bike of its time. Only to be surpassed by the GL1800 Gold Wing. Honda developed a really cool looking street bike called the CBX1000 in 1978. It was a pure big bike with a streetlook and chrome pipes. The looks, power and even effortless drive didn’t make this model to be a success. Honda adjusted it to a modest sports tour bike called the CBX-B. Honda produced a series of specialized bikes for racing and engineering goals. A few examples being the CB1100R making a most powerful four cylinder unit yet. And the turbo charged CX500 – CX650 turbo. Or the NR500 a super expensive, beautiful designed superbike. The cafe racer is a motorcycle that has been modified for speed and good handling rather than comfort. Cafe racers' bodywork and control layout typically mimicked the style of contemporary Grand Prix roadracers, featuring an elongated fuel tank and small, rearward mounted, humped seat. A signature trait were low, narrow handlebars that provided more precise control at high speeds and allowed the rider to "tuck in" to lessen wind resistance. These are referred to as either "clip-ons" (two-piece bars that bolt directly to each fork tube) or "clubmans" (one piece bars that attach to the stock mounting location but drop down and forward). The ergonomics resulting from low bars and the rearward seat often required "rearsets," or rear-set footrests and foot controls, again typical of racing motorcycles of the era. Distinctive half or full race-style fairings were sometimes mounted to the forks or frame. The bikes had a raw, utilitarian and stripped-down appearance while the engines were tuned for maximum speed. These motorcycles were lean, light and handled road surfaces well. The most defining machine of its heyday was the homemade Norton Featherbed framed and Triumph Bonneville engined machine called "The Triton". It used the most common and fastest racing engine combined with the best handling frame of its day, the Featherbed frame by Norton Motorcycles. Those with less money could opt for a "Tribsa" - the Triumph engine in a BSA frame. Grand Prix motorcycle racing is the premier championship of motorcycle road racing, which has been divided into three classes since 1990; 125cc, 250cc and MotoGP. Former classes that are now discontinued include 350cc, 50cc and sidecars. The premier class is MotoGP, which was formerly known as the 500cc class. The Grand Prix Road-Racing World Championship was established in 1949 by the sport's governing body the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM), and is the oldest motorsport World Championship in existence. The motorcycles used in MotoGP are purpose built for the sport, and are unavailable for purchase by the general public: they cannot be legally ridden on public roads. MotoGP, the premier class of GP motorcycle racing, has changed dramatically in recent years. From the mid-1970s until 2002 the top class of GP racing allowed 500cc with a maximum of four cylinders, regardless of whether the engine was a two-stroke or four-stroke. In 2002, rule changes were introduced to facilitate the phasing out of two-stroke engines. Giacomo Agostini has won the most titles, he won eight during his career, which included a record seven titles in a from 1966 to 1972. Freddie Spencer is the youngest champion, he was 21 years and 258 days old when he won the championship in 1983. Italian riders have won the most titles, with 19 titles between six drivers. Great Britain is second; six riders have won a total of 17 championships. The United States is third with 15 titles won by seven drivers. Valentino Rossi of the Yamaha Motor Racing team is the current champion. Giacomo Agostini made his motorcycle racing debut in 1961 at the age of nineteen and dominated the motorcycle racing World Championship from 1966 to 1975.  This book's title refers to the 15 World Championship titles won by "Ago", including eight 500cc titles and seven in the 350cc class. Thirteen of those titles were won on MV Agusta motorcycles and two with Yamaha.  He won a total of 122 Grand Prix races and 18 Italian Championship titles.  No one, including Valentino Rossi, has done more and this isn't fully realized by many fans of modern MotoGP racing. Factors setting Indian Motorcycle apart are the legends and stories embedded in its past. For example, its first corporate sale was to the New York City Department of Police. Police in New York had a recurring need to capture horses that had gotten away from their owners; Indian motorcycles provided the solution with motorcycles that were quick enough to round up the horses. As the U.S. entered World War I, the military had a dire need for reliable and agile transportation. Indian Motorcycle agreed to suspend its production of consumer motorcycles to supply the defense department with over 41,000 motorcycles to meet the need. This sparked the firm’s reputation as a company committed to patriotism and sacrifice (even though they profited greatly from the military contract). Indian Motorcycle again received a Department of Defense contract in World War II, further reinforcing this image. A competency Indian Motorcycle gained during World War I was the ability to make extremely nimble and responsive cycles despite the reputation it later gained as a heavy, lethargic cruising motorcycle. Among its early models, however, the Indian Scout was noted for excellent handling. Stunt riders frequently chose the Scout as the preferred model for wall-of-death stunts where riders would ride horizontally in a large enclosed wooden cylinder. This wall-of-death stunt is still performed today at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota, the largest annual motorcycle rally in the U.S. Indian Motorcycle was the first company to mass produce motorcycles in the United States beginning in 1901, two years before current market leader Harley-Davidson Motor Company. Two bicycle racers, George Hendee and Oscar Hedström, founded the firm and in just three years Indian Motorcycle received the Gold Medal for Mechanical Excellence just as Harley-Davidson was getting off the ground. This was the same year Indian Motorcycle came out as the leader of Great Britain’s Reliability Trial, a 1,000-mile endurance race. By 1914, the firm had 3,000 employees producing over 32,000 motorcycles annually at its Massachusetts seven-mile long assembly plant commonly referred to as “the wigwam.” Although the original name of the firm was the Hendee Manufacturing Company, as model lines were expanded and eventually included motorcycles such as the Indian Chief, the Scout, the Warrior, and the Arrow, the firm took on the Indian Motorcycle name. While the firm had no direct connection to American Indian tribes, each new model name was an effort to be emblematic of U.S. heritage. In 1938, Hap Alzina, owner of an Indian Motorcycle distributor, narrowly missed beating Harley-Davidson’s land speed record at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah by only 1 mph (although Burt Munro set the record on an Indian in 1967). This slight miss in 1938 became prescient of Indian Motorcycle’s future. The firm’s profitability and liquidity began to unravel as competition from Harley-Davidson and other motorcycle manufacturers, together with the substitution threat from Henry Ford’s Model T automobile, resulted in pricing pressure within the industry. In addition, the Great Depression followed later by World War II hurt American consumers’ discretionary income reducing sales of nonessential consumer purchases. This combination of competition, substitute products, and reduction in consumer discretionary income magnified Indian Motorcycle’s liquidity and profitability problems. Welcome to Hells Angels MC World WebPortal The history of the Hells Angels is shrouded in mystery and controversy, due in part to the fact that various individuals have been solely attributed to its founding, and also due in part to a very strict code of secrecy and what can be construed as a practice of deliberate mythologizing by some members of the club. Members don't use last names, even with one another. They just use a first name, and, more often than not, a nickname. Due to its colorful history and the confirmed links of some of its members to organized crime, speculation and rumor about both the club's history and activities is rife. Do you have a memory of a local motorcyclist and his motorcycle, and how you wished you could be the owner of that fine metal steed?  Many of us look back with fond memories of motorcycles of days gone by, and remember how cool they looked, and how we wished we could own one at the time. Now we're older the bikes have moved on, but that doesn't mean we should forget all about those old motorbikes. In fact the opposite is true, now those bikes we looked at with awe and envy all those years gone by are becoming classics, and as such are worth saving from the scrapheap.  Classic motorcycle restoration isn't all about locking yourself away in a garage and becoming an expert on which grade of chrome was used to plate the headlamp retaining bolt. Motorcycle restoration is a fun hobby for everyone, from the DIY mechanic to those who just want to ride a motorcycle they never could afford when they were younger. You don't even need to have a lot of spare money as some classic motorbikes can be picked up quite cheaply in various states of repair. Some motorbikes can, with a little attention, be ridden almost immediately and yet still not hit your wallet too hard. Another thing worth thinking about is the investment factor of classic motorcycle restoration. You can pick up a cheap bike, do some small repairs and cosmetic tidying, and already it's started to increase in value. It doesn't need to be a complete nuts and bolts restoration to increase the value, with some extra care even as you enjoy riding it over a few years, a classic bikes value can increase greatly, and could mean you can make a tidy profit if you decide to sell it later.  It may take some time to restore a classic motorcycle, but it doesn't need to be done all at once. Some vintage motorcycles are ridden when possible, and worked on between rides. My own motorcycle is always left in a usable state between work being carried out. All it means is you don't have a perfect bike straight away. You don't even need to be riding the bike to take your time over the resoration, a lot of classic motorcycles are left in bits for a long while as the owners can't afford to buy the parts they need all at once.  There are plenty of classic motorcycles out there still to choose from, and your own teenage favorites could well be just waiting for you to pick them up and give them a home. Imagine living out that teenage fantasy of owning the motorcycle of your dreams, it doesn't matter that it's 20 years on you can still enjoy owning that dream motorbike. Only now instead of being called a teenage hoodlum, you'd be a respected classic motorcycle owner. Engineering ingenuity being what it was in the late Victorian era, refinements to motors came not a moment too soon for the pioneers of motor cycling. Engines gradually became more compact, less leaky (though incontinent machinery would remain a great British tradition well into the 1960’s) and power output per pound weight rose dramatically. Cycle frames and wheels had to become stronger and heavier in order to cope with the violence visited upon them by ever-more powerful engines. Drive to the rear wheel often entailed a long, flapping and incredibly dangerous leather belt arrangement, almost guaranteeing the removal of any clothing coming into contact with it whilst in motion. Chains became an alternative, dirtier and slightly more positive means of power transmission, so now the motor-cycle rider had a choice of injuries; friction burns, abrasions and divestment from a broken belt or cuts and bruises from errant chains. Brakes were at best of little use, being simply a direct development of the cycle wheel rim-brake, but then there was little traffic around in those days and at worst a rider could get kicked by the horse he had just run into. 1970. BMW introduced the “slash five” which was probably the most overall upgrade improvement of the BMW bike to date, including the boxer twin engine. These included the 500, 600 and 750 displacement R50/5, R60/5, R75/5. All engines had the same stroke, with different bores resulting in differing displacements. All had point ignitions. The 500 and 600 had Bing slide type carbs similar to the /2 models. The 750 had a new style Constant Velocity (CV) Bing which was a big technology step for its day. All had 4 speed transmissions, telescopic forks with a mechanical friction steering damper fitted, swing arm rear suspension, and drum brakes front and rear. All models had exactly the same chassis, gear boxes and rear drive units except the rear drives had different ratios. The excellence of Japanese motorcycles caused similar effects in all "Western" markets: many Italian bike firms either went bust or only just managed to survive. As a result BMW's worldwide sales sagged in the 1960s, but came back strongly with the introduction of a completely redesigned "slash-5" series for model year 1970. From the 1960s through the 1990s, small two-stroke motorcycles were popular worldwide, partly as a result of the East German Walter Kaaden's engine work in the 1950s, later acquired by Suzuki via stolen plans supplied by MZ rider Ernst Degner, who defected to the West on 13th September 1961 after retiring from the 125cc Swedish Grand Prix at Kristianstad. Harley-Davidson (HD) in the U.S. at the time suffered from the same problems as the European firms, but its unique product range, American tariff laws and nationalism-driven customer loyalty allowed it to survive. One alleged flaw, however, was retaining the characteristic HD 45 engine vee-angle, which causes excess vibration as well as the loping HD sound. A factory full fairing was introduced by BMW motorcycles in the R100RS of 1977, the first factory fairing produced in quantity. In 1980, BMW stimulated the "adventure touring" category of motorcycling with its R80G/S. In 1988, BMW was the first motorcycle manufacturer to introduce anti-lock-brakes (ABS) on its sporting K100RS-SE and K1 models. Today the Japanese manufacturers, Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, and Yamaha dominate the large motorcycle industry, although Harley-Davidson still maintains a high degree of popularity, particularly in the United States. Recent years have seen a resurgence in the popularity around the world of many other motorcycle brands, including BMW, Triumph and Ducati, and the emergence of Victory as a second successful mass-builder of big-twin American cruisers. In November 2006, the Dutch company E.V.A. Products BV Holland announced that the first commercially available diesel-powered motorcycle, its Track T-800CDI, achieved production status. The Track T-800CDI uses a 800 cc three-cylinder Daimler Chrysler diesel engine. However, other manufacturers, including Royal Enfield, had been producing diesel-powered bikes since at least 1965. When it comes to the motorcycle, the Harley Davidson is the gold standard. It is the royalty of this two-cycled motor vehicle industry. But its prominence and position at the top was not achieved overnight. It took a lot of hard work and patience to reach the position in the industry that they have now. And it took decades to earn the respect of both consumers and friends in the industry. The Harley-Davidson Motor Company is based in Wisconsin. Along with Victory Motors, it is one of the two remaining mass producers of motorcycles in the United States. But what sets apart the Harley from other motorcycles that are being manufactured is its design and its sound, which made it an overnight sensation way back. Although neighborhood watchmen and people who love a nice and quiet night will not agree to this, the sheer loudness of the sound of a Harley Motorcycle is what consumers love about it. The company began in 1903 when a 21 year old enterprising young man dreamed of a small engine that will eventually replace the 7.07 cubic and four-inch flywheels. Its small size is actually meant to be put in a regular bicycle to make it faster. For two years, William Harley and his friend Arthur Davidson worked on the idea. With the help of Arthur's brother Walter, they finished their first prototype but when they tested it, they found that it was not strong enough to be used in climbing hills without the aid of pedals. So they worked on again and made some adjustments and improvements. Their next prototype has a bigger engine. This time, 24.74 with about 10 inch flywheels. The loop frame was actually quite similar to the very first real Harley motorcycle. Creating the model was a joint effort of the three along with outboard motor pioneer Ole Evinrude. By 1904, they completed the prototype and entered in a motorcycle race and by 1905, they introduced the engine to the market through a do it yourself trade. That year, more than a dozen harley-davidson motorcycles were made. With big dreams, Harley and the Davidsons built their first factory in Chestnut Street, which will later be Juneeau Avenue, where a special tribute to Harley-Davidson now stands. The first factory was not so big and it was made of wood. Yet, it managed to produce about 50 motorcycles that year alone. When William graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a degree in mechanical engineering, he used his knowledge to build the business. In 1907, they expanded their factory and began producing about 150 units. They even began selling wholesale to police departments and other government units. In September of that same year, the company became an 'incorporated. It was also in 1907 when another prototype was built. This time, the engine had dual cylinders called the V-Twin model. This model produces 7 horsepower, doubling the strength especially in climbing mountains. Speed was also increased to about 60 mph. The model was an instant hit, putting their production to about 450 motorcycles in 1908 and to a whopping 1200 in 1909. In 1911, a mechanically operated intake valves was introduced in the engine. Although the engine is actually smaller, the motor gave better performance. By 1913, the business grew, prompting the owners to build a new 5 story factory over the already built structure. By 1914, the company is leading the competition in the manufacturing of motorcycles all over the world. The most recent film starring the American icon, the Harley Davidson motorcycle, was called 'Wild Hogs'. Named after the nickname given to its riders in the 1970's, this family comedy with an all star cast including John Travolta didn't quite meet its hyped expectations. Falling flat in plot and more importantly, script, the movie was a disappointing attempt at capturing the lure of the Harley and the thrill of the open road. It should have been no surprise. Putting Disney together with Harley Davidson was a little like asking John Carpenter to do a remake of Bambi. " Nice death scene, but it didn't quite capture the mood of the original!" Hollywood however, has had a love hate relationship with this most unlikely of stars for more than half a century. It unwittingly threw the spotlight on what had been an American standard of industry, only to demonize the name to the extent that The Harley Davidson Motor Company nearly went bankrupt. As with most relationships though, time heals all. It would be the elevation into cult status of the very same movies that nearly destroyed the company, that would raise the phoenix of Harley Davidson from the fire, and turn it into the iconic symbol that it is today. As with the careers of most movie stars, early appearances and bit parts are mostly forgotten. You may catch a glimpse of a Harley in WWII movies. (The motorcycles were supplied to the army as utility transport during both World Wars until the Jeep took over as the main utility vehicle in 1942). The big break for the Harley Davidson came in 1953 when it was cast alongside, or should I say under, Marlon Brando in The Wild One. The movie, which told the story of Jonny, the bike gang rebel, reflected the tone of rebellion sweeping America at the time amongst the nations teenage youth. Unlike today however, 1950's society was not one driven by youth culture. The impact of the openly anti-establishment images that the genre portrayed did not spark a boom in sales for Harley Davidson as it would later achieve for such products as Ray-Ban sunglasses following the 1982 movie Top Gun. The effect in fact, was the opposite, leading the motorbike manufacturer into a period of declining sales. Conservative, middle America in the 50's was not willing to support what Harley Davidson had become and the youth generation that idolized the films and their stars were not yet in charge of the finances to supplement their dreams. Whilst commercially Harley Davidson was in trouble, its portrayal in movies continued to flourish. The notable peak in came in 1969 with themovie 'Easy Rider'. Once again cast as the bad boys favourite  mode of transportation, the Harley Davidson Chopper cruising the open highway, will always epitomize freedom and rebellion. Maybe it is this dichotomy of emotions, so fundamental to American history and the 'American Dream' that has been the backbone of the Harleys endurance. The nineties saw Mickey Rourke and Don Jonson take up the gauntlet, although in this film it was Mickey Rourke's character that bestowed the Name Harley Davidson to the title of the film. Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man once again cast the character of the rough neck to, yes you guessed it, Harley Davidson. As the nineties progressed, the teenagers that had idolized Marlon Brando and those early biker movies in the 50's were maturing into the wealth of America. Like an old friendship lost but never forgotten, it was these middle aged rebels of yester-year that would rekindle the corporate fortunes of Harley Davidson. they customized their bikes to stand out in a crowd and create for themselves a separate identity apart from the rest of the corporate clones. They were rebels that may have succumbed to the corporate ladder but now had the finances to relive the youth they could never afford. So, it is with somewhat of a saddened heart, that the movie that was to portray the story of this revival and tell the story of those 50's youth reborn, should have turn out to be such a damp squib. Maybe Harleys executives still feel the pinch of the bad boy image and this is why they turned to Disney to tell the story. Personally, I think they should have gone with Tarrentino, the guts and the glory, the true Harley Davidson.   Motorcycles are cheap to run, exciting to ride and a quick way to travel through traffic. Styles of motorcycles vary depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions. In many parts of the world, motorcycles are among the least expensive and most widespread forms of motorised transport. After the Second World War, the BSA Group became the largest producer of motorcycles in the world, producing up to 75,000 bikes a year in the 1950s. Almost all commercially available motorcycles are driven by conventional gasoline internal combustion engines, but some small scooter-type models use an electric motor , and a very small number of diesel models exist. Liquid-cooled motorcycles have a radiator (exactly like the radiator on a car) which is the primary way their heat is dispersed. Liquid cooled motorcycles have the potential for greater power at a given displacement, tighter tolerances, and longer operating life, whereas air cooled motorcycles are potentially cheaper to purchase, less mechanically complex and lighter weight. Only the largest touring motorcycles and a few models that are routinely used with a sidecar or converted to tricycle configuration are fitted with a reverse gear. At one time, motorcycles all used spoke wheels built up from separate components , but, except for dirtbikes, one-piece wheels are more common now. Brakes can either be drum or disc based, with disc brakes being more common on large, modern or more expensive motorcycles for their far superior stopping power, particularly in wet conditions. Modern designs have the two wheels of a motorcycle connected to the chassis by a suspension arrangement, however 'chopper' style motorcycles often elect to forgo rear suspension, using a rigid frame. As can be seen from the streamlined appearance of new performance motorcycles, there is much aerodynamic technology included in the design. Modern fairings on touring and sport-touring motorcycles dramatically improve a rider's comfort and attention on long rides by reducing the effect of the wind and rain on the body. BSA was founded in 1861 in the Gun Quarter, Birmingham, England by fourteen gunsmiths of the Birmingham Small Arms Trade Association, who had together supplied arms to the British government during the Crimean War. The company branched out as the gun trade declined; in the 1870s they manufactured the Otto Dicycle, in the 1880s the company began to manufacture bicycles and in 1903 the company's first experimental motorcycle was constructed. Their first prototype automobile was produced in 1907 and the next year the company sold 150 automobiles. By 1909 they were offering a number of motorcycles for sale and in 1910 BSA purchased the British Daimler Company for its automobile engines. Edward Turner conceived the Square Four engine in 1928. Turner would later go on to design the Triumph twin and become the the head of the Triumph Company, but at this time he was looking for work, taking drawings of his revolutionary engine around the motorcycle industry. The idea for the engine, which was comprised of a pair of 'across frame' parallel twins linked by a pair of gears, was adopted by Ariel, then very much a force in the British motorcycle industry. The engine had its problems but in theory was almost a perfect motor, compact and well balanced. The prototype was a 500 cc capacity engine, so well contained that it fit into the frame of the Ariel 250. The basic design was worked on and a modified version was released in 1930. It caused a massive stir, and as it was ideal for sidecar riders, an upgraded 600 cc version was released in 1932 specifically for this purpose. In 1937 the Square Four went through ac complete redesign. The old engine had been fitted with an overhead camshaft that had led to the engine's major weakness - a tendency to overheat around the cylinder head. The 1937 engine replaced the camshafts with pushrods and the crank and crankcase were completely changed. A 1000 cc option was added to the standard 600 cc for the first time. Production ceased during the war and afterwards only the 1000 cc model was built and offered with telescopic forks. In 1949 the engine became all alloy and the overall handling and acceleration improved. Scooters are two-wheeled vehicles powered by a small engine. Although it’s similar in concept to motorcycles, it has some important differences. The wheels of a scooter are fastened to the end of a short axle, rather than being mounted between a “fork” in the frame. The engine is usually concealed in a cowling of some kind, making them quieter and less likely to get oil or grease on the rider’s clothes. Scooters generally have less horsepower than motorcycles. The overall effect is a more “civilized” vehicle meant for practical daily use. Today, a scooter can be defined as a two-wheeled vehicle built on a monocoque frame with a 250 cubic centimeter (cc) engine or smaller. There are scooters with larger engines, but they essentially represent a subclass of vehicles in between scooters and motorcycles. Many jurisdictions legally consider them motorcycles. Indian motorcycle Oscar Hedstrom had mounted a single-cylinder De Dion engine on a tandem bicycle for the purpose of pacing then-popular bicycle races.  George Hendee, a bicycle manufacturer from Springfield, Massachusetts, saw the contraption at an event and proposed a cooperative effort to produce motorized bicycles commercially,  hedstrom agreed, and in 1901 the Indian Motorcycle Company was born. Most pre-1910 motorcycles look as though the manufacturer simply bolted an engine and its accessories onto a common bicycle frame -- which indeed was usually the case.  ut early Indians used the engine as a stressed frame member, effectively replacing the downtube beneath the seat. As with most motorcycles of the era, suspension was non- existent (save for the spring-mounted seat), and pedals were used to start the engine.  However, Indian used a direct-drive chain rather than the more common tensioned leather belt to turn the rear wheel, the chain being more positive in operation -- and more reliable. This 1904 'humpback' is little different than the first 1901 models. Producing just over two horsepower, the 13-cubic-inch single provided a top speed of around 25 mph.  Both the lubrication and ignition system were of the 'total loss' variety. Braking was accomplished by backpedaling, which activated a rear coaster brake. Dark blue was the color of choice until 1904, when black and vermillion became optional. The vermillion would later be known as 'Indian Red.' In 1946 Jawa introduced a 250cc two stroke single with dual exhausts which became a widespread utility motorcycle around the world, especially in countries allied to the communist block. Replicas of this original are produced in Chang Jiang Motorworks in China in the 21st century. A 350cc twin cylinder two stroke motorcycle was exported around the world and sold under numerous other brand names as well, including the Eaton's brand of Eaton's Road King, and a large single cylinder flathead motorcycle was sold in the 1960s by Sears of Canada. The CZ brand of motorcycle was merged with Jawa by the socialist economic planners after the Communist victory in 1948. CZ also made street motorcycles but was more well known for their motocross and enduro models. ISDT models for trials and enduro were produced under the Jawa and CZ nameplates. In 1926 three brothers, Adriano, Marcello and Bruno Ducati, founded Societa Scientifica Radio Brevetti Ducati in Bologna to produce tubes, condensers and other radio components, becoming successful enough by 1935 to construct a new factory in the Borgo Panigale area of the city. During the war, although the Ducati factory was a repeated target for Allied bombing, production was maintained. Meanwhile, at the small Turinese firm SIATA (Societa Italiana per Applicazioni Tecniche Auto-Aviatorie), Aldo Farinelli began developing a small pushrod engine for mounting on bicycles. Barely a month after the official liberation of Italy in 1944, SIATA announced its intention to sell this engine, called the "Cucciolo" (Italian for "puppy," in reference to the distinctive exhaust sound) to the public. The first Cucciolos were available alone, to be mounted on standard bicycles, by the buyer; however, businessmen soon bought the little engines in quantity, and offered complete motorized-bicycle units for sale. In 1950 (after more than 200,000 Cucciolos had been sold), in collaboration with SIATA, the Ducati firm finally offered its own Cucciolo-based motorcycle. This first Ducati motorcycle was a 60 cc bike weighing 98 pounds with a top speed of 40 mph (64 km/h) had a 15 mm carburetor giving just under 200 mpg (85 km/L). Ducati soon dropped the "Cucciolo" name in favor of "55M" and "65TL". Todays motorcycles are everywhere and there are lots of different classes or kinds of motorcycles as well. But the motorcycle, like the automobile, is a relative newcomer to the world stage. he first motorcycle ever assembled was built by the German inventors Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach in 1885 in Bad Cannstatt in Germany. They were actually focusing more on the motor that was installed to power the two-wheeled contraption and not so much on creating a new kind of vehicle, but the resulting impact on motorized travel would be tremendous. There were earlier versions of steam powered bicycles, but this was the first petroleum powered motorcycle. Not long afterward in 1894 the very first production motorcycle went on sale as the Hildebrand & Wolfmüller motorcycle. It wasn't long after that before several of the bicycle companies of that time got into the act and started selling versions of what was essentially motorized bicycles. However, as horsepower increased, the engines started to outgrow the bicycle frames that were used as their carriage. The most popular motorcycle company before World War 1 was Indian motorcycle. After the war, Harley Davidson took over the number one spot until 1928 when DKW became the leading motorcycle manufacturer in the world. For a few years after World War 2 BSA took over as the largest motorcycle producer until 1955 when NSU Motorworks who had started out as a knitting machine company in 1884 became the dominant manufacturer for the next couple of decades. Then in the 1970s the Japanese companies Honda, Kawasaki, Yamaha, and Suzuki made their entrance into this field, changed the face of the industry, and quickly became the dominant motorcycle suppliers to the world from then on. Since the 70s Honda has held the title of the world's largest motorcycle maker. Today, the big four motorcycle makers have penetrated practically every motorcycle market in the world, and they are highly regarded as makers of high quality motorcycle products.