(II) Motorcycle Development from 1905 to the 1920's:
From Experimentation to Functional Machines:
After the early 1900's, motorcycle development grew at an increasing rate. Engines became more reliable, easier to run, and produced much more power. These are relative terms when comparing motorcycles of this period to a modern machine, but for post 1905, bikes actually grew much more usable. Every year there were so many advancements that the numbers of riders began to increase greatly. For the first time, the motorcycle became more practical than a horse (except for the farmer who could use his horse in the field).
Some of the great names from this period were the Excelsior, Henderson, the Flying Merkel, the Cyclone, Douglas, Scott, and the Zenith.
Motorcycle Racing comes into it's own!
Flat track "board" racing becomes a major attraction in the US beginning in 1910. Board racing gets big during the 1920's, but by the 1930's declines. Racing motorcycles during this era could exceed 100+mph and gave the desired levels of excitement to attract crowds. Many riders were really hurt if there bikes went down and they slid on the wood for 100+ feet. Wood was used because it was inexpensive to construct and there was an abundant supply. Brooklands (in Surry England) opens in 1907 and becomes a major "international" track for half a century.
The 1910 Harley, pictured below, was a modern machine at the time.
By 1910, harley Davidson was a significant manufacturer. Below is a Model 7. It was a 494cc single producing just over 4hp. Top speed was around 45mph. Harley's first V-Twin was offered in 1911. The V-twin was an 810cc engine producing a claimed 6.5hp and could reach 60mph for a short period of time.
Below is a 1912 Henderson "in-line" four.
Henderson was known for advanced machines with high speed capabilities for the day. Numerous manufacturers built "fours" which were known for having the back cylinders run hot.
Indian was a dominant manufacturer during this time period!
Indian made the first "dominant" V-Twin in 1911 (the Power Plus). Curtis had a V-Twin as early as 1908. The Indian Power Plus was a powerful, reliable, and modern engine in it's day. The first "twins" had crank and oil circulation problems.
An Overview of Motorcycles during this timeperiod:
1. by the mid teens, the basic format for motorcycle design had been set;
2. many builders were becoming significant manufacturers like Indian in the US and Triumph in England. Many of the smaller start up builders were going out of business while the larger ones were finding success;
3. by the early 1900's, America was the leader in motorcycle design (this is not to say that England and Germany were not also advancing);
4. automotive technology was being being passed along to the bike builders;
5. In 1913, Ford developed the "assembly line" production system (used to build the Model T). This was quickly copied by many motorcycle manufacturers;
6. the US began developing larger motorcycles (V-Twins and in line fours). Europe still focused on the single and Germany's BMW developed the flat twin;
7. carburation and transmission development made the motorcycle much more powerful and faster on the road;
8. Europe found the motorcycle to be a basic form of transportation while in the US, the automobile became dominant. In the US, the motorcycle was more sporty and intended for those wanting excitment. In the US, a car (model "T"'s sold for as little as $395) could be purchased for just a little more than a motorcycle so those looking for transportation generally found the automobile to be more practical.
9. Carlo Guzzi builds the first Moto Guzzi;
10.after 1911, kickstarters become more common;
11.the first gas station opens in St Louis in 1905, some say Oregon in 1910, others say they were not at all common till the late teens; gasoline was sold in 5 gallon cans from hardware stores or livery stables.
Below ia an Indian Power Plus dated 1916.
