The Encyclopedia of Motorcycles

The motorcycle fuels the senses like no other form of transportation. Whether you like the romanticism of the early pioneering days, the Easy Rider lifestyle of the Harley-Davidson, the high-revving performance of the superbike, or the urban chic of the scooter, the wheeled machine has universal appeal. The very earliest motorcycles were steam driven. The oldest that survives is a French "boneshaker" from 1869, its steam engine mounted alarmingly under the saddle. It is a long way from today's global motorcycle market, dominated by Japanese makes. In between, an industry was born and motorcycles became a way of life, not just a mode of transportation.