The evolution of the motorbike: steam, gasoline and World War One

The Evolution of the Motorbike takes look at how the humble motorcycle has evolved over time, from the early concepts to the present, and what lies beyond. In the second edition of this nine part series, we uncover the infant motorbikes of the past, what technologies these astounding machines employed and the role the First World War in particular played on their development.

Last week we focused on the engine-less, pedal-powered predecessor of the motorbike — the bicycle — to gain a fundamental understanding of how this contraption shaped the future of its engined-cousin for years to come. This week, we delve a bit deeper into the history of the motorbike itself (petrolheads, rejoice!) and seek to understand the vast array of technologies that encapsulated the two-wheeled wonder.

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