first shaft drive

[88vmx12]

what was the first year ? model # and who made it? I found some older bike pictures and was amazed at what I saw. Not too sure if the pictures I have are the first shaft drives, but might be

Gannon

 

[Fire-medic]

Well Glenn Curtiss's self-designed/built/ridden V8 mcy had a shaft drive & that was before WW I when he was the fastest man on earth, on 2 wheels, 4 wheels, and in the air!

I think the Belgian FN mcy's were shaft drive around the time of WW I too.

 

[Fire-medic]

Here's a Smithsonian pic of Glenn Curtiss's V-8 bike. You can see the bevel-gear, shaft final drive on the left side.

 

[satariel666]

Zundapp from 1922 and some BMW's close those years...as far I know.

 

[dannymax]

Well Glenn Curtiss's self-designed/built/ridden V8 mcy had a shaft drive & that was before WW I when he was the fastest man on earth, on 2 wheels, 4 wheels, and in the air!

I think the Belgian FN mcy's were shaft drive around the time of WW I too.

FN as in Fabrique Nationale? I'll be darned....never knew they made mcy's.

 

[88vmx12]

Here's a Smithsonian pic of Glenn Curtiss's V-8 bike. You can see the bevel-gear, shaft final drive on the left side.

That is pretty sweet.. The one I did see has an actual pumpkin like a Vmax. 1923

 

[jcmem8]

Here's a Smithsonian pic of Glenn Curtiss's V-8 bike. You can see the bevel-gear, shaft final drive on the left side.

Wow that is one cool bike, though I think they forgot the brakes

 

[Fire-medic]

'Dannymax,' yes, as they did in firearms, FN was known for manufacture of high-quality mcy's.

As to forgetting the brakes, Ettore Bugatti was once questioned why he did not immediately adapt the Duesenberg brothers' idea of hydraulic brakes, which they introduced in ~1923/4, to his racing and street automobiles, widely considered to be the finest in the world (especially by his customers who paid out $$$$ for his works). Monsieur Bugatti sniffed at the mere mention of possible criticism of his product and replied, "I build my cars to go, not to stop!"

 

[jcmem8]

'Dannymax,' yes, as they did in firearms, FN was known for manufacture of high-quality mcy's.

As to forgetting the brakes, Ettore Bugatti was once questioned why he did not immediately adapt the Duesenberg brothers' idea of hydraulic brakes, which they introduced in ~1923/4, to his racing and street automobiles, widely considered to be the finest in the world (especially by his customers who paid out $$$$ for his works). Monsieur Bugatti sniffed at the mere mention of possible criticism of his product and replied, "I build my cars to go, not to stop!"

Don't take me the wrong way, I wasn't criticizing just making an observation.

 

[The Beekeeper]

Henry Ford was also slow in adopting juice brakes into his lineup, he still had his mechanical systems in place even into the late 30s when he finally relented at the urging of his engineers and the fact that most of his competors had made the switch to hyd brakes long by then.......................

 

[88vmx12]

Henry Ford was also slow in adopting juice brakes into his lineup, he still had his mechanical systems in place even into the late 30s when he finally relented at the urging of his engineers and the fact that most of his competors had made the switch to hyd brakes long by then.......................

And Ford brakes to this day SUCK! I have mostly ford except for a few vehicals. They are spongy even when they are new cars and suck to bleed!