History of Motorcycles

Video Transcript

"Did you know the first motorcycle was invented in the late 1800s? Yep. That's right, late 1800s. I'm Jeff Jannett with South Side Choppers, St. Pete, Florida, Harley Davidson master technician. And today, we're going to be discussing the history of motorcycles. Motorcycles were invented as early as the late 1800s with the addition of an internal combustion engine to a bicycle. Harley Davidson Motor Company, which began in 1903, basically took that a step further- added fuel tanks, a belt drive system from the motor to the rear wheel, and carried it on forward into the 20th century. Numerous other companies have followed suit around the world. Companies such as BMW, Moto Guzzi out of Italy, all of the Japanese companies that everybody is well familiar with- Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha. And nowadays, if you ever look at any motorcycle dealership, you'll see motorcycles are as varied as the people who look for motorcycles. You have them broken down into several categories- sport bikes, such as the Buell that I'm sitting on; you have cruiser bikes, big baggers that have tour packs and saddle bag and luggage, adjustable windshields; you have mid-level riding bikes; you have choppers that are truly one-off custom bikes built to the owner's specifications. And the paint jobs that go on these bikes, as well as the performance packages on the engines. I would dare to say that all motorcycles are, again, as varied as the owners who ride them. Any further questions on specific histories of specific models of motorcycles, I recommend you consult the world wide web or the internet, and they will be able to give you a more detailed explanation on the history of that specific model, make, or manufacturer. I'm Jeff Jannett, South Side Choppers, St. Petersburg, Florida, Harley Davidson master technician. And that was the history of motorcycles."