Eloy Fire Cycles

Motor cycle, the two wheeled motor vehicle is one of the most affordable motorized transports in many parts of the world. Motorcycle is a very efficient traffic solution vehicle in places where traffic jam is an issue. The largest number of motorized two wheelers in the world is in India. China holds the second position.

Petroleum Reitwagen was the ancient internal combustion motorcycle which used petrol. Gottlieb and Wilhelm Mayback, both German investors, designed and built it in Bad Canstatt, Germany in 1855. They called it Reitwagen or riding car.

French Michaux-Perreaux steam bicycle manufactured in 1868 was the first two wheeled motor vehicle with steam propulsion. Later, American Roper steamed velocipede was made in 1869 by Sylvester Howard Roper from Massachusetts. He first demonstrated his craft in exhibitions and circuses using ten samples, in the Eastern part of US in 1867.

Hildebrand and Wolfmuller were the first to produce series motor bikes in 1894. Production of motors increased as the bicycle manufacturers used Hildebrand and Wolfmuller’s design as the basis of the latest internal combustion engine motor bikes.

India was the largest motorcycle producers in the world till the World War I, delivering more than 20,000 units per year. This honor was passed to Harley Davidson in 1920, with motorcycle distributors over 67 countries. DKW became the largest manufacturer by the late 1920’s and early 1930’s. BSA group became the pioneers in motor bike industry after the Second World War. They had produced 75,000 motorbikes every year in 1950’s. From 1955 to 1970’s, NSU, a German company was the biggest motorcycle manufacturer.

Today, the two wheeler industry is headed mainly by Japanese companies like Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha and Kawasaki. Harley Davidson and BMW are still in the market with minimal productions.. Others include Piaggio (Italy), KTM, Ducati and Triumph.