8 manufacturers’ first-ever motorcycles

Honda
While 1946 saw Soichiro Honda fitting leftover two-stroke engines (once destined for portable generators to power military radios) to bicycle frames to meet demand for efficient mobility, Honda’s first true motorcycle came three years later. The 1949 Honda Model D, named after Honda described it becoming a reality as “a dream”, was powered by 98cc two-stroke single-cylinder engine capable of 3hp.

Triumph
Triumph’s first motorcycle appeared in 1902. Since the British firm started life as a bicycle manufacturer, the first Triumph motorcycle appeared when it mounted a 239cc Belgian-made Minerva engine into a bicycle frame which had been strengthened for the task. The Minerva engine was capable of 2.5hp at 1500rpm which gave the machine a top speed of 40km/h.

Suzuki
Like many others, Suzuki dabbled in motorised bicycles for a couple of years leading up to what many regard as the release of its first-ever motorcycle. Released under the Colleda name (which we understand translates loosely to ‘finding the one’) in May of 1954, it was powered by a 90cc single-cylinder four-stroke engine that was capable of 4hp. Shortly after its release, it was victorious in a hill climb event at Mount Fuji against 85 rivals.

Yamaha
The 1955 YA-1 was the first-ever Yamaha motorcycle and, like many other bikes at the time, took its inspiration from the DKW RT125. But unlike most other first-time motorcycle manufacturers, Yamaha produced the YA-1 at a rapid rate of 200 units per month thanks to its strong financial backing. Powered by a 123cc air-cooled, single-cylinder, two-stroke engine producing 5.5hp at 5000rpm, it used a four-speed manual transmission and rolled on 19-inch tyres.

MV Agusta
Five years before MV Agusta’s first four-cylinder racebike appeared in 1950 came the firm’s first – but far less glamorous – motorcycle. It was powered by a 98cc single-cylinder, two-stroke engine which, considered innovative for the era, featured piston-port induction. Dubbed the 98 Turismo, it made its debut in 1945, weighed 70kg and boasted a top speed of 65km/h. Approximately 1700 units were produced in the four years to the end of 1948.

Harley-Davidson
The first so-called Harley-Davidson is said to have materialised in 1903 as a result of three blokes: Bill Harley who designed it, Arthur Harley who made the patterns and Walter Davidson who built it. It was a 405cc single-cylinder weighing 84kg and used a clutch-less single-speed transmission. Very much a family affair, Davidson’s aunty is thought to have been responsible for the gold pin-striping as well as the hand-painted logo, which is vastly different to the bar-and-shield version of today. They sold one the first year, two the second and the rest, they say, is history.

Ducati
Ducati’s first ever powered two-wheeler was a bicycle with a clip-on 48cc engine produced under licence in 1946 and named the Cucciolo. But with its success, Ducati soon produced its first complete motorcycle which was an evolution of the original Cucciolo, dubbed the 60 Sport, which appeared in 1950. Unlike the original 48cc version, the 60 Sport boasted swingarm suspension and a telescopic fork and top speed of almost 65km/h.

BMW
Possibly the most well-known of any motorcycle to be the first to officially wear a brand’s badge is BMW’s R32. Like many of the German firm’s modern-day machines, the 1923 494cc machine used a horizontally opposed configuration which produced 8.5hp at 3200rpm and a claimed top-speed of 95km/h. Power was transferred to the ground through a shaft final drive and via a hand-operated three-speed gearbox.