STEAM CYCLES AND HISTORY

The Roper Steam Velocipede of ca.1867

While we think of History as immutable and as reliably solid as the configuration of hydrogen atoms, the 'truth' of our past is constantly shifting, as our individual or collective attitudes move from established belief sets to new paradigms, in which the interpretation of history, and indeed the very 'facts' of events, are seen in totally a new light, and our historic priorities are re-ordered [1].

Patent drawing for the Michaux-Perreaux Steam Velocipede of 1869

A paradigm shift in our view of motorcycle history is imminent, as alternatives to the internal combustion engine come to the forefront of technology, grow into general use, and are understood as the logical, even moral alternative to the vast political/economic/military structure hardened around the discovery, ownership, and distribution of fossil fuels.  History may well view our current troubles in oil-producing lands the economic equivalent of the Crusades, with oil the motivating 'religion'; it is inconceivable to oil-hungry nations that unfriendly hands control the source... regime change and war are thus justified.

The Mission One electric sports motorcycle.

As electric and alt-energy vehicles -including motorcycles-  come into general usage, the importance of their historic forbears is greatly magnified, and the first attempts at powered travel are seen in a new light.  Thus it is with the Steam Cycle.  Dismissed as a vestigal dead-end, nearly irrelevant to the history of Motorcycling, the very first powered two-wheelers in history have not been give their proper place in the family tree.  Indeed, my copy of the Oxford English Dictionary defines a Motorcycle as having 'an internal combustion engine' [2], which is simply ridiculous, given the great strides in electric motorcycling the past few years, and the TTXGP highlighting the viability of sporting battery power.

The Roper Steam Velocipede

Using a more generous definition of a Motorcycle, 'two wheels with a motor', the very first Motorcycles (then called Velocipedes) were built ca.1867-9.  Tied for this distinction are two steam-engine two-wheelers, one built in the USA by Sylvester Roper, the other in France by Louis-Guillame Perreaux and Pierre Michaux [3]. The two machines were both built around contemporary-pattern 'bone shaker' chassis, although each machine appears to have used a purpose-built frame between the wheels to adapt the engine.  The Michaux-Perreaux used a steel frame with the engine above the rear wheel, the Roper used a forged iron frame, with the engine suspended beneath.  Each machine deserves its own post, so I will oblige with more details later, after visiting the velocipedes in person (the M-P lives in the Musée de l'Isle de France, just outside of Paris, the Roper is in the Smithsonian).

The Michaux-Perreaux Steam Velocipede

These are the true forbears of every Motorcycle, and each is a remarkable testament not only to the ingenuity of their inventors (these small, portable steam engines were among the very first of their kind), but as well, the impulse, as yet unnamed, to ride a motorcycle.  They knew it was going to be good, and they were absolutely right.

The last development of the Roper Steam Velocipede, 1895

While the Michaux-Perreaux appears to be unique as a two-wheeler (they did, in 1884, build a 3-wheel version), Sylvester Roper went on to build another Steam Velocipedes, developing and refining the concept, perfecting his portable steam engine, making changes to his chassis. His last design of 1895 (above), was sponsored by the Pope Manufacturing Co., and used a modified Pope 'Columbia' safety-bicycle frame, the old 'bone-shaker' bicycle design having been modernized with steel tubes and rubber tires - and wheels of equal size were far 'safer' than the 'penny farthing' bicycle. This last Roper Steam Velocipede survives, remarkably, in private hands, about which more in my next post.

The Michaux-Perreaux at the Guggenheim's Art of the Motorcycle exhibit.

The Michaux-Perreaux appeared on the floor of the Guggenheim Museum for the seminal 'Art of the Motorcycle' exhibit, the first motorcycle confronting viewers as they entered, and to the show's 300,000 visitors, the charming little vehicle was complete news. Kudos to the curators for bringing this machine to light, to New York, and to the public consciousness as the First Motorcycle.  It's my understanding  the Roper was also meant to occupy the entrance, but the Smithsonian wanted a very substantial cash bond for the loan of what it rightly considers a priceless artifact of human history... thus the M-P stole the floor show, and now occupies a greater part of popular opinion as The First.  Such is the whim of chance, altering History...again.


[1]: For more on the subject, see Thomas Kuhn's 'The Structure of Scientific Revolutions'.
[2]: Even Cycle World's esteemed Kevin Cameron has argued that only the I-C engine counts as the true root of modern motorcycling, as "History follows things that succeed, not things that fail" (the statement itself a highly debatable claim on History!), while LJK Setright preferred to use the term 'heat engines', which includes steam, but excludes electric motoring.  Recent and online versions of the OED use 'two wheels and a motor, without pedals' - which excludes most motorcycles of the 1900s-20s, which HAD pedals!
[3]: There is much debate about exact dates on each of these machines; for this article, I call a tie, not having time to search the records for my own opinoin.  M-P patented his velocipede in 1869, but Roper's machine seems to have appeared in 1867, although Roper never patented his steam vehicle designs.