History of Motorcycles
Early motorcycles were essentially motorized versions of the safety bike, a bicycle which has wheels of the same size. Several inventors tried their hands on creating their version of the motorized safety bike but none would be as significant as the one invented by German inventors Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach in 1885.
Their bicycle was powered by a petroleum-fed engine. Later designs by other inventors chose to use the internal combustion engine which was a relatively new invention at the time. But not all early motorcycles were run by fossil-fuel-powered engines. In 1867, an American inventor Sylvester Howard Roper created a steam-driven engine. Another was by a Frenchman, Louis-Guillaume Perreaux created a motorcycle based on the same concept in 1868.
By the early 20th century, the race was on for the production of motorcycles. Different companies included motorcycles into their line of products such as Triumph which originally produced bicycles. As time developed, companies that specializes in manufacturing motorcycles are setup, a few of them went on to become to market leader in motorcycle production and designs. The Indian Motorcycle Company was the largest motorcycle maker up until the First World War, with the production volume of more than 20,000 bikes per year. They are however replaced by Harley Davidson by 1920 and then replaced again by DKW in 1928.
The use of motorcycles gained even more popularity after WWII when veteran soldiers rode these vehicles to give them the sense of adventure they felt during the war. Worldwide, the demand for motorcycle increases and many companies increase their production volume, with BSA Group, being the largest manufacturer of the time, producing 75,000 bikes per year.
After the 1960s, Japanese manufacturers Honda, Suzuki and Yamaha start to dominate the motorcycle market with their economical reliable and innovative designs. Although major brands like the Harley Davidson still command a solid loyalty among its fans. Between the years of 1960s and 1990s, small two-stroke motorcycles are the hot sellers of the market, with their practically and ease of use, they are still the major motorcycle types seen in South East Asia today.
In recent years, there has been a revival in the popularity of European and US brands which includes models manufactured by BMW, Triumph, Aprilia, KTM, MV Agusta and Ducati.
Their bicycle was powered by a petroleum-fed engine. Later designs by other inventors chose to use the internal combustion engine which was a relatively new invention at the time. But not all early motorcycles were run by fossil-fuel-powered engines. In 1867, an American inventor Sylvester Howard Roper created a steam-driven engine. Another was by a Frenchman, Louis-Guillaume Perreaux created a motorcycle based on the same concept in 1868.
By the early 20th century, the race was on for the production of motorcycles. Different companies included motorcycles into their line of products such as Triumph which originally produced bicycles. As time developed, companies that specializes in manufacturing motorcycles are setup, a few of them went on to become to market leader in motorcycle production and designs. The Indian Motorcycle Company was the largest motorcycle maker up until the First World War, with the production volume of more than 20,000 bikes per year. They are however replaced by Harley Davidson by 1920 and then replaced again by DKW in 1928.
The use of motorcycles gained even more popularity after WWII when veteran soldiers rode these vehicles to give them the sense of adventure they felt during the war. Worldwide, the demand for motorcycle increases and many companies increase their production volume, with BSA Group, being the largest manufacturer of the time, producing 75,000 bikes per year.
After the 1960s, Japanese manufacturers Honda, Suzuki and Yamaha start to dominate the motorcycle market with their economical reliable and innovative designs. Although major brands like the Harley Davidson still command a solid loyalty among its fans. Between the years of 1960s and 1990s, small two-stroke motorcycles are the hot sellers of the market, with their practically and ease of use, they are still the major motorcycle types seen in South East Asia today.
In recent years, there has been a revival in the popularity of European and US brands which includes models manufactured by BMW, Triumph, Aprilia, KTM, MV Agusta and Ducati.