Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Ropers steam-powered Motorcycle

Yankees Under Steam,  Edited by Austin N Stevens, Yankee Inc. 1970

If steam power counts, this likely was the first motorcycle. After building a steam powered velocipede, Sylvester Roper of New Hampshire went on to build this very motorcycle-like device in 1869. At the age of 72, while doing a demonstration ride in 1896, he suffered a heart attack and crashed.
 Sounds like a good way to go.

1 comment:

The Duke said...

So, he ran out of steam before his bike did!