Best American Motorbikes ever
Americans have had a deep rooted passion for motorcycles for over a hundred years. The thrill of racing captured the attention of many riders and continues today. For some riders, nothing compares to the freedom of the open road and the hum of a powerful motorcycle.
In the early twentieth century there were many companies producing motorcycles, sadly, very few have managed to survive to see the modern generation of motorcycle enthusiasts. Even though some have been closed for years, there are still motorcycle companies worthy of special recognition.
The Indian Motocycle Company
You read that correctly, the name is "Motocycle", not "motorcycle". The company was born in 1901 (a full two years before Harley-Davidson) in Springfield, Massachusetts. Its creators were Oscar Hedstrom and George Hendee. Both were bicycle racers and self-taught engineers. The first motorbike was basically made by attaching Hedstrom's small engines to Hendee's bicycles. From there, the guy's ingenuity and creativity took over and the company took off. Indian provided fierce competition for newcomer Harley-Davidson for several years.
American production of the Indian motorcycleceasedin 1953 due to bad business decisions made by new owners. It really is sad that such a great idea and great products had to suffer at the hands of people who didn't really care about it.
In 2006, Indian Motocycle relocated under new ownership to King's Mountain, North Carolina. The company has began bike production once more.
Merkel Motorcycles
Joseph Merkel opened his shop in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1902. He made one cylinder motorcycles and in 1905, he began producing racing machines. Motorcycle racing was quite popular in America at this time. Merkel's machines set many racing records proving he was very innovative in the design of his motorcycles.
Unfortunately, after merging with other manufacturing companies twice, the production ofMerkelmotorcycles stopped in 1917 due to the War and mounting competition. By this time, Joseph Merkel had already left the business.
One thing that makes the Merkel motorcycle such a valuable collector item now is that the chances of getting the bike to start is shockingly high. The Merkel motorcycles were truly ahead of the times and can be coaxed to run almost as smoothly today as they did a hundred years ago! Not very many Merkels have survived the decades, but the ones that have are worth preserving.
Cushman
Cushman Motor Works began with cousins Everett and Clinton in 1901. The company incorporated in 1913 and produced farm engines. Motorbikes did not actually enter the picture until 1935 when a young man brought his scooter in to Cushman Motor Works for repair. The first Cushmanscooterhit the market one year later in 1936. Cushman produces scooters from1936-1966.
The big break came when Cushman was called upon to manufacture scooters for the Navy, Army and Air Forces during World War II. Cushman also made special scooters that were designed to be dropped by air, to soldiers behind enemy lines. Cushman's three wheeled delivery vehicles were in high demand by the military as well for industrial use.
Pierce Cycle Company
The George N. Pierce Company broke into the transportation market in 1891 with the production of bicycles. George's son Percy Pierce became the President of thePierce CycleCompany and began production of motorcycles in 1907.
The first Pierce motorcycle hit the market in 1909 for a hefty $325 price tag. This motorcycle was a four cylinder and a one cylinder was introduced a year later. Production continued through 1913 and the Pierce Cycle Company went bankrupt in 1914.
Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Company
No conversation about American motorcycles would be complete without mentioningHarley-Davidson. This company has been an icon in the motor vehicle world since 1903. Founded by William S. Harley and Walter and Arthur Davidson (brothers) in a small shed in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The small company incorporated in 1907 and was joined by William Davidson, a third brother to Arthur and Walter. To this day, direct descendants of the founding Davidson family oversee the daily business of the company.
Harley-Davidson motorcycles served the military forces in both World Wars and have a prestigious racing history. Aside from this notoriety, many avid bikers claim Harley as their ride of choice. For many motorcycle enthusiasts, Harley-Davidson is a true American success story, and after a century of continuous operation, they just might be right.
There is one last thing that makes all of these companies stand out, the early bikes are highly collectible. Not to mention that the bikes still look good going down the highway. The next time you are lucky enough to see one of these company´s bikes, be sure to tip your hat and show some American pride!
