History of Motorcycle

Motorcycles are now likely to be one of the most popular transportation tool in the world, especially in Indonesia. Will you pay attention on the road, so many motorcycles that pass or who are waiting in line when the red light is on.

Do you know where they come from motorcycles, nobody had a significant role in the development of motorcycles and motorcycle history to how to go to Indonesia?

There are three people who are recognized as the inventor of the motorcycle, Ernest Michaux (France), Edward Butler (UK) and Gottlieb Daimler (Germany). Motorcycles were first designed in 1868 by Ernest Michaux French nationality. At that time, the planned propulsion is steam engine, but the project was not successful. Then in 1885 Edward Butler tried to improve it by making the other vehicle uses three wheels and driven by the motor of the type of internal combustion engine.

In 1885 a German engineer Gottlieb Daimler and his partner, Wilhelm Maybach became the first motorcycle fabricators in the world. Daimler pair of small four-stroke engine on a wooden bicycle. Machine is placed in the middle (between the front and rear wheels) and connected by a chain to the rear wheel. Then the wooden bike engine was named Reitwagen (riding car).

At that time the vehicle type is not yet known to the public. Until the year 1892, Henry Hilderband of Munich, West Germany introduced a new model motorcycles. And was followed again by Werner Brothers in 1897. The first motorcycle sold to the public was made by the motorcycle factories Hildebrand und Wolfmüller in Munich, Germany in 1893. Motorcycle rear wheel is driven directly by the crankshaft (crankshaft).

In 1895 motorcycle first came to the United States, specifically to the city of New York. In the same year, a U.S. inventor, EJ Pennington, in Milwaukee, demonstrate self-designed motorcycle. Pennington eventually regarded as the first to introduce the term motorcycle (motorbike).

In the same year, Triumph, the British motorcycle manufacturer decided to make motorcycles. Four years later, 1902, the company produced the first motorcycle, but still using the machines from Belgium. Later in 1905, Triumph motorcycle produced its own intact.

In 1903, William S Harley and his friend Arthur Davidson, producing motorcycles in Milwaukee, United States, and named the Harley Davidson motorcycle. In 1904, another U.S. company, Indian Motorcycle Manufacturing Company, located in Springfield, Massachusetts, came to the Indian Motorcycle Single.

Then came World War I (1914-1918), the company became a motorcycle manufacturer with the largest production in the world. Indian Motorcycle Manufacturing Company closed in 1953 and the Indian brand was taken over by Royal Enfield.

After World War I until 1928, the company that manufactures the world's largest motorcycle is a Harley Davidson. In 1921, BMW motorcycle comes with rear-wheel driven using Koppel (shaft drive). In the 1930's there were about 80 motorcycle brands in the UK, including Norton, Triumph, AJS, and other brands that are not so famous, like New Gerrard, NUT, SOS, Chell and Whitwood.

The development of motorcycles in Europe, also sparked by World War II (1939-1945), where motorcycles are made for military purposes. After World War II, in 1946, Italian designers, Piaggio, Vespa scooter introduced and immediately attracted the attention of the world.

In 1949, Honda manufactures motorcycles with two stroke engines. However, the sound of two stroke engines are noisy and smelling smoke coming out of the exhaust makes Honda four-stroke engine develops.

In 1951, BSA Group (UK) bought Triumph Motorcycles and became the largest motorcycle manufacturer in the world. Then the BSA position was taken over by NSU (Germany) in 1955. However, since the 1970's until now, Honda noted as the largest motorcycle manufacturer in the world.

In 1952, Honda produces motorcycle known as a cub. Popularity duck type motorcycle is making a Japanese motorcycle companies such as Kawasaki, Yamaha, and Suzuki motorcycles modeled this type of duck.

Interesting figure, a powerful engine and easy to maintain, as well as competitive prices make Japanese motorcycles, the Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha, and Kawasaki, very popular and until now dominate the world motorcycle market. However, the names of Harley Davidson motorcycles remains a popular, especially in the United States. Likewise, BMW, Triumph and Ducati.

Motorcycles first entered Indonesia in 1893. The motorcycle was purchased by John C. Potter, a machinist first sugar mill Oemboel, Probolinggo, East Java. He ordered himself a motorcycle it directly to the manufacturer in Munich.