Motorcycles have come a long way since their inception. What started out as essentially a bicycle with an engine has aged gracefully into machines laden with tech, electronic wizardry, cameras, and even radars.

But how exactly did the journey of motorcycles even begin and, more importantly, when was the first motorcycle created? Well, that’s exactly what we’ll be addressing in this post, by diving into the timeline and the depths of the history of motorcycles.

When was the first motorcycle made?

If you Google “who invented the first motorcycle?”, there’s a 95 percent chance you’ll see the names Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach, who created the Petroleum Reitwagen, the first-ever gas-powered motorcycle, in 1885. The caveat here, though, is “gas-powered”.

However, long before it, the first motorcycle (which means a motorized bicycle) came courtesy of a guy called Sylvester Howard Roper. He had the idea of plonking a steam-powered engine into a bicycle chassis way back in 1869, thus creating the first ever motorcycle.

This is where things get even more interesting. You see, the motorcycle made by Roper, was basically a bicycle with a steam engine. It had only two wheels, and could only lean to the sides while turning, a key trait of all motorcycles as we know it. On the flip side, the motorcycle presented by Daimler and Maybach had four wheels, two big ones and two supporting wheels on the side, which restricted its lean angle, essentially making it a sort of four-wheeler.

Unlike Roper, Daimler and Maybach immediately used their design to create cars, trucks, and even boats based on their motorcycle but they never set foot in the commercial motorcycle market. All they did was use the bike as a base for their other gas-powered projects.

Why Was The First Motorcycle Created?

The answer here is simple: evolution. Roper probably created the motorcycle to make riding easier and effortless for himself, getting the idea of plonking an engine on a bicycle, and, well, basically succeeding.

However, Daimler and Maybach’s intent was a little different, as the two men weren’t actually planning on building motorcycles. Instead, they wanted to test their first ICE engine and find out whether ICE engines were viable for use in vehicles.

The Progression Of Motorcycles

Even though the first gas motorcycle plan came to life in 1885, it took several years for the successful commercialization of bikes. To be exact, the first commercialized motorcycle was created by two Germans, Hildebrand, and Wolfmuller, in 1894. They in fact beat some big names like Royal Enfield and Indian Motorcycles in doing so.

Once bikes went the commercial route, there was no stopping the industry from growing and constant evolution kept the ball rolling. Various kinds of engines (inline-four, inline-six, L-twin, and more) took shape. The types of materials employed in the construction got better, reliability improved, and the list keeps on going, ultimately bringing us to today when motorcycles are entering an all-new era of electrification.

The Future Of Motorcycles

Like it or hate it, the future of motorcycles is electric. Just like ICE bikes were refined and got better over time, electric motorcycles too are evolving fast and will soon be accessible. It’s just a matter of if not when they’ll take over. However, we’re pretty sure even if EVs take over, ICE motorcycles will forever hold a special place in the world, at least for true blue motorcyclists.

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