MotorcycleIn 1885, the world's first motorcycle, designed by Gottlieb Daimler, made its first significant test-run. Daimler's 17-year-old son, Paul, travelled from Cannstatt to Unterturkheim and back. Their “Reitwagen” had a wooden frame and wheels. A leather drive belt ran between the engine and large brass gears on the rear wheel. With no suspension on the wheels, the leather saddle gave a very uncomfortable ride, at a speed up to 12 km/hr. The single cylinder engine had a bore of 58mm, stroke of 100mm and a displacement of 264cc's. The engine gave 0.5hp at 700 rpm. Two very much smaller, spring-mounted outrigger wheels provided some stability. This was built as an experimental vehicle to test the new Daimler engine in a proof of concept, which was to power Daimler's first motorized carriage the following year. |