Motorcycles offer the thrill and fun of personal transportation at a fraction of the cost of cars, trucks and other passenger vehicles. But, they come with a few safety hazards that can be serious in the hands of an unskilled rider. The most common cause of multiple-vehicle motorcycle crashes is when other drivers fail to see them, particularly in blind spots or when changing lanes. Poor road conditions, such as oil spills and potholes can also impact traction and lead to accidents.
Inventors such as Sylvester Roper’s steam velocipede and the Michaux-Perreaux velocipede used gasoline engines to propel them, but it wasn’t until 1885 that true motorcycles were created. German inventors Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach combined their knowledge of bicycles with the four-stroke internal combustion engine. This invention would soon change the world.
In the post-World War II era, the motorcycle industry flourished. Fine-tuned manufacturing and engineering processes meant great performance, comfort and speed could be offered at very affordable prices. Manufacturers in Britain and Europe dominated the market until the late 1970’s when the Japanese swept in with a wave of innovation. The bikes that Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki and Suzuki produced were light, fast and easy to handle.
These bikes were often the choice of factory workers who could afford them – and with the addition of a sidecar, their wives and children could join them on weekends for country jaunts and holidays. The biker image was also bolstered by films such as Marlon Brando’s iconic role in The Wild One.