On this day in 1885, the first test ride of what is often considered the first modern motorcycle, the Daimler Reitwagen (“riding car”), occurred. At the controls was 17-year-old Paul Daimler, son of the bike’s inventor, Gottlieb Daimler. This journey effectively made Paul the world’s first biker.
Gottlieb and Wilhelm Maybach designed the motorcycle, the first example powered by a gasoline internal combustion engine. Multiple motorcycles built before this utilized steam power. This included the Perreaux and Roper, dating as early as 1867, and the 1884 Copeland. The other significance of the Daimler Reitwagen is that this was the forerunner of all vehicles, land, sea or air, to use an engine of this type, however, it was not the first. More on that in a minute.
Above: Daimler Rei...