Art, obsession, and identity
Ever since the first Daimler Reitwagen was unveiled to an incredulous public in 1885, the motorcycle has sparked the passion of millions around the world for its speed, design, and the freedom two wheels affords. In the early 20th century, the motorcycle was evolving into one of the most practical and stylish vehicles ever invented. By the 1920s and '30s, technology was allowing designers to draw up blueprints that would serve as templates for the machines we ride today. Along this road traveled some of the most iconic motorcycles ever built, bikes that epitomized form and function and remain classic examples of their era. So, can you name these vintage two-wheel wonders?
On August 30, 1885, German engineer Gottlieb Daimler and fellow countryman Wilhelm Maybach, an engine designer, unveiled the Daimler Reitwagen, generally considered to be the first true motorcycle. Both men would later become famous for their car brands.
The world's first production motorcycle, however, was the Hildebrand & Wolfmüller. This petrol-driven motor bicycle was patented in 1894 by Heinrich and Wilhelm Hildebrand and Alois Wolfmüller, and manufactured in Munich, Germany.
Technology advanced so swiftly that by 1905 the world's first production inline-4 motorcycle had been introduced, the FN 4. Built by Fabrique Nationale in Liège, Belgium, the bike's four-cylinder piston engine produced a smooth and almost vibrationless riding experience.
Royal Enfield was founded in Redditch, England, in 1901. In the same year, the company's first motorcycle appeared. In 1914, the first two-stroke engined bikes were unveiled. But it would be a four-stroke model released in 1931 that would guarantee the company its place in motorcycle history.
The motorcycle was by now regarded as a simple way to produce motorized transport cheaper than a four-wheeled car, and in 1923 the first motorcycle produced by BMW under the BMW name was launched, the R32.
In 1924, a motorcycle designed and built by George Brough in Nottingham, England, was unveiled, the Brough Superior SS100. Brough pioneered the earliest British Super Sport bikes, and this machine was the first production bike to achieve 160 km/h (100 mph).
In 1931, the previously mentioned Royal Enfield introduced the Bullet, a motorcycle that has shot to fame as enjoying the world's longest production run. The 1955 model remains almost unchanged, though the bike is now manufactured in India.
BMW, meanwhile, had begun engineering motorcycles to include hydraulically damped telescopic forks, a design feature that first appeared on the R12 in 1935. It's a configuration that still remains the most common and capable method of controlling the front wheel of a motorcycle.
Indian Motorcycles was founded in the United States in 1901. One of its most important models was the Indian Scout. Designed by Irishman Charles Franklin and built from 1920 through 1949, the Scout is credited with saving the company from bankruptcy.
Launched at the 1938 Earls Court Motor Show in London, the Triumph Speed Twin effectively became the template for every other major British motorcycle manufacturer, a testament indeed to designer Edward Turner's introduction of the 500 cc Speed Twin engine.
As its name implies, BSA—Birmingham Small Arms Company—originally manufactured guns by machinery. But BSA is also a cherished British motorcycle marque. In 1937, the BSA Gold Star was born. Production ran through 1963, during which time the bike earned a reputation for being one of the fastest machines of the 1950s.
But the quickest bike off the block in the 1950s was the Vincent Black Shadow. Launched in England in 1948, the Black Shadow could reach a top speed of 200 km/h (125 mph). It stands with the Brough Superior SS100 as one of the most iconic motorcycles to emerge from Britain during that era.
If the Indian Scout was quick, light, and agile, the Indian Chief was its "big twin"—larger and more powerful but still affording a comfortable riding position and super responsive to handling. The first Chief emerged in 1922, with the model still in production today. The example pictured is an Indian Chief Roadmaster from 1953.
The Bonneville in the 1950s and 1960s enjoyed cool celebrity status: Marlon Brando and James Dean owned one, as did Steve McQueen (though it was a disguised Triumph TR6 that was used by the actor and stuntman Bud Ekins in the 1963 movie 'The Great Escape'). Pictured is a 1959 Triumph Bonneville T120.
Harley-Davidson is one of the legendary motorcycle manufacturers. Founded in 1903, it's an iconic brand with a loyal, global following. In 1957, Harley-Davidson launched the Sportster—a line produced continuously since and one that provokes passion and patriotism in equal measure.
The following year on the other side of the world in Japan, the launch took place of what remains the biggest selling motor vehicle in history—the Honda Super Club. According to Autoweek, 100 million Honda Super Cubs have been purchased, making this funky little two-wheel wonder a global consumer phenomenon.
Norton is another great name synonymous with classic British motorcycles. Founded in 1898, by 1908 the company was fitting its range with its own engines. Of all its bikes, the Norton Commando is perhaps the best loved. Produced from 1967 to 1977, the Commando quickly became popular all over the world, admired for its styling and ease of handling.
Harley-Davidson rode out the '60s with the Electra-Glide. Introduced in 1969 and still considered the ultimate interstate cruiser, it was so named for its electric starter, which did away with the need for a heavy kick-start. The Electra-Glide immediately found fans, including Elvis Presley, whose very own machine is pictured here.
You may recognize this Harley-Davidson. It's the model Evel Knievel chose for his legendary stunts of the 1970s. Introduced at the beginning of the decade, the XR750 was not the fastest machine on the road, but it was the bike to beat on the dirt track.
While the Honda Super Cub motored along nicely, it was the CB750 that was Honda's first big "superbike" success. It arrived on the market in 1969, and evolved over several generations until 2007. The CB750 is the machine that put Honda on the global motorcycle map.
In 1971, private Italian motorcycle manufacturer MV Agusta introduced the MV Agusta 750S, a crowning achievement in what was already a long line of stunning and hugely successful bikes. Produced from 1970 through 1975, this landmark model is now a rare and prized collector's item.
Originally an engine manufacturer, Kawasaki began producing motorcycles in 1962. Ten years later the Z1 appeared, a four-cylinder street bike that seriously threatened Honda's then domination of the roads and gave the CB750 a run for its money.
Based out of Bologna in Italy, Ducati was founded in 1926 and produced its first "motorcycle," the Cucciolo, in fact a bicycle equipped with a clip-on engine, in 1950. The company can boast a long history of motorsport success and in 1974 unveiled the 750SS, the so-called "Green Frame" that was designed for the road. The 750SS was so successful that Ducati followed it up with the more powerful 900SS.
Moto Guzzi first tasted success back in 1921 with the Normale, the company's first production model. Its horizontal engine configuration influenced the design of its racing models, and in 1975 Moto Guzzi launched the 850 Le Mans. With its disc brakes and additional displacement, the 850 caught the imagination of the public and was voted one of the best road bikes of its era.
Also in 1975, the Honda Gold Wing made its debut. Introduced the previous year at the Cologne Motorcycle Show, the Gold Wing was Honda's first move into the over-750cc capacity market, and it struck, er, gold. Considered a landmark of Japanese automotive technology, the model has been included on numerous occasions on the Cycle World list of Ten Best bikes. Pictured in 2014 is the Honda Gold Wing F6C.
In 1980, BMW built what is probably its most important bike, the R80 G/S. What it lacked in looks it made up for in practicality. This was a maxi-travel bike that could be taken anywhere, and the first of the company's duel-sport motorcycles that instantly appealed to more adventurous riders.
Launched in 1985, the Yamaha VMAX cruiser won instant critical acclaim and was voted "Bike of the Year" by Cycle Guide. Known for its enormous V4 engine, this intimidating muscle bike combined the spirit of the drag strip with a discerning elegance and sold around the world before being discontinued in 2020.
The anomaly on this list but worthy of inclusion, the Britten V1000 was designed in 1991 by New Zealander John Britten and hand-built by a team of engineers in Christchurch. The bike went on to win the Battle of Twins at Daytona and set several world speed records. Just 10 of these machine were built, and all now either reside in private collections or museums.
Launched in 2015, the Kawasaki Ninja H2R went beyond anything the company had previously produced. Distinguished by its angular and aerodynamic bodywork, at the time this supercharged monster was one of the fastest, most powerful production motorcycles ever built, hitting 0-60 in just 2.6 second and reaching a whopping 386 km/h (240 mph).
The BMW R18 owes its design template to the BMW R5 of 1936. It represented BMW's attempt to tap into the market segment of heavy cruisers dominated by the likes of Harley-Davidson, Indian, and the Japanese Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, and Yamaha brands. The BMW R18 was launched virtually in 2020, presented to dealers online due to the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown.
Suzuki is mentioned for the first time on this list, with its most remarkable bike having been saved for last. Of course, Suzuki is known for such legendary motorcycles as the Suzuki GSX-R750 and the RG500. But with the Hayabusa, Suzuki took the motorcycle to a whole new level. Capable of a top speed of 321 km/h (200 mph) the Hayabusa, which translates into English as "peregrine falcon," has demolished old speed records and is one of the world's fastest production motorcycles.
Sources: (Bicycle History) (National Museum of American History) (Autoweek)
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Ever since the first Daimler Reitwagen was unveiled to an incredulous public in 1885, the motorcycle has sparked the passion of millions around the world for its speed, design, and the freedom two wheels affords. In the early 20th century, the motorcycle was evolving into one of the most practical and stylish vehicles ever invented. By the 1920s and '30s, technology was allowing designers to draw up blueprints that would serve as templates for the machines we ride today. Along this road traveled some of the most iconic motorcycles ever built, bikes that epitomized form and function and remain classic examples of their era. So, can you name these vintage two-wheel wonders?
Mount up and rev through this list of memorable motorcycles. Click on!