Despite technological revolutions in many other spheres of life, motorcycles are relatively the same since Nicolaus August Otto invented the four-stroke engine, John Wheeler argues.
Trawling through the annals of history and fallible memory,it's fascinating to see how much of what today's manufacturers present as vast strides in motorcycle technology first saw the light of day decades ago. Indeed, from around the 1920s onwards there is precious little new in the technology stakes. Much of what we have seen since is refinement, improved performance and cosmetics.
By way of random examples as distinct from the complete history of the motorcycle: the disk brake appeared in 1901 on the Imperial and not, as many suppose on Honda's 1969 CB 750 . . . by 1903 the Minneapolis had telescopic forks . . . in the same year Raglan offered a 3-speed gearbox . . . a year later the four-cylinder FN appeared with shaft drive.
Nicolaus August Otto invented the four-stroke internal combustion engine in 1876 and Daimler patented it in 1884, going into commercial production in partnership with Maybach in 1896.
Pedal cycle makers, dealers and repairers saw in this power plant an opportunity to give the bicycle a new lease of life. The first commercial available "motorcycle" was built by Hildebrand in 1896.
All manner of motorcycles - essentially pedal cycles - appeared from hundreds of builders large and small with the engine mounted all over the frame. In one instance the engine was a trailer which pushed the bicycle. Some of these innovative designs mercifully failed quickly.
By around 1900 the motorcycle had evolved into something like its present form - in other words, with the engine slung low between the two wheels. Refinement and development continued apace notably in the US at first. By the end of the first World War the development lead had passed to France and shortly afterwards to Britain.
The year 1905 was an important one; Curtis offered a V-twin engine; Nelk had liquid cooling, a wet sump, overhead camshaft and rubber engine mounts; and Howard had fuel-injection.
The now universal twistgrip was introduced by Indian in 1906, JAP engines appeared with overhead valves and the Druid had spring forks. Foot-gear change was seen on the 1907 New Era and ASL provided pneumatic front and rear suspension.
In 1911 Dayton offered front-wheel drive, Rudge introduced variable transmission and Militaire had reverse gear. In 1913 Rova-Kent had 4 valves per cylinder and Peugeot had twin overhead camshafts.
In 1914 the Indian twin had become a very "modern" machine. It boasted electric starting and electric lights and even came equipped with panniers as standard. In 1921 SAR used oil as the engine coolant and Neracar introduced hub-centre steering.
The 1928 Harley J series came with a front brake, a year after Velocette had positive stop foot gear change. Since then the relatively few innovations, such as CDI ignition and catalytic converters have become common, all borrowed from the motor car.
It's interesting is to note how long it took some of today's manufacturers to adopt tried and tested ideas. Harley Davidson, a redoubtable and "conservative" manufacturer which, unlike all the innovators, had remained in existence throughout this epoch, did not offer foot gear change until 1952, electric starting until 1965, front disk brakes until 1972 and fuel injection until 1996.
Features which were almost industry standard in the 1900s, such as belt-drive, discarded in favour of chain and shaft drive for the next 60 or so years, came around again with Harley Davidson's FXB Sturgis in 1980 and, more recently with BMW's F 650 Scarver.
It seems unlikely, however, that the 7-cylinder rotary engine pioneered by the Dufax brothers in 1908 will re-emerge.