Elmer did not have a motorcycle license. He was too young. He did not need one. Special motorcycle license’s had not been invented. A regular driving license was all that was needed, for those old enough to drive. Elmer was too young. He drove the scooter around town using side streets. Almost never on the main streets. He drove it to school once in a while. Shorty, the town cop, would catch him driving, take him home, tell his parents to keep him off the roads. But he was back on the roads about an hour later. This happened several times. Local police, back in the day, were friendly. Later, after Elmer was able to get a license, he drove all over. Sometimes driving it (150 miles) to visit and work on his Grandparents farm. The scooter would cruise right along at 60 MPH. However, the highway speed was 55 MPH. Yes, Elmer enjoyed riding.
The first internal combustion, petroleum fueled motorcycle was the Petroleum Reitwagen. It was designed and built by the German inventors Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach in Bad Cannstatt, Germany in 1885. It did not use the principles of bicycle and motorcycle dynamics developed nearly 70 years earlier. Instead, it relied on two outrigger wheels to remain upright while turning.
First motorcycle ride – it is generally accepted that the first motorcycle ride was by Gottlieb Daimler's son Paul on a new machine called 'Einspur' (One track) near Stuttgart in Germany on 10 November 1885
If a two-wheeled vehicle with steam propulsion is considered a motorcycle, then the first was the French Michaux-Perreaux steam velocipede of 1868. This was followed by the American Roper steam velocipede of 1869, built by Sylvester H. Roper Roxbury, Massachusetts.
After the period of experimental steam and internal combustion motorcycles, the uncertainty dissolves on the question of the first production motorcycle. The 1,489 cc (90.9 cu in) liquid cooled four-stroke Hildebrand & Wolfmüller of 1894 was the first motorcycle produced in quantity and sold commercially.
A custom motorcycle is a motorcycle that is highly stylized or which treats aspects such as frame geometry, engine design, or paintwork in an unusual way compared to standard manufacturing.Factory customs allow the buyer to select from a wide range of options, paint styles, engine sizes and accessories while still having the confidence, support, warranty and finance options that typically are associated with major production manufacturers. Factory customs typically do not offer the total individuality of a home built bike or a "one off custom", but they share much of the appeal that comes with a custom bike and many of the benefits of a factory production motorcycle. A chopper is a type of motorcycle that was either modified from an original motorcycle design ("chopped") or built from scratch to have a hand-crafted appearance. The main features of a chopper that make it stand out are its longer frame design accompanied by a stretch front end, or increased rake angle. Another unique aspect of a chopper design is that there is usually no rear suspension meaning the frame of the motorcycle will extend from the neck (or front of the frame) all the way to the rear wheel. Before there were choppers, there was the bobber, meaning a motorcycle that had been relieved of excess weight by removing parts, particularly the fenders, with the intent of making it lighter and thus faster, or at least making it look better in the eyes of a rider seeking a more minimalist ride. In the post-World War II United States, servicemen returning home from the war started removing all parts deemed too big, heavy, ugly, or not essential to the basic function of the motorcycle, such as fenders, turn indicators, and even front brakes. The large, spring-suspended saddles were also removed in order to sit as low as possible on the motorcycle's frame. While the decreased weight and lower seat position improved handling and performance, the main reason to build such a chopper was to show off and provoke others by riding a machine that was stripped and almost nude compared to the softer-styled stock Harley-Davidsons, let alone the oversized automobiles of that time.
The United States of America, where most custom choppers reside, is one of the few countries in the world that allow custom-built choppers to be licensed for highway use.
The concept of keeping a motorcycle in at least minimally operational condition without consideration for appearance has probably characterized motorcycle ownership since its earliest days. The essence of a rat bike is keeping a motorbike on the road for the maximum amount of time while spending as little as possible on it. This calls for adaptation of parts that were not designed to fit the model of bike in question.
(Fig 1) Elmer Phud went so far as to build his own Chopper.
(Fig 2) Elmer's current ride. A touring, fully “dressed” machine.No matter the type or horse power, there is a satisfying feeling when one swings a leg over, settles into the saddle (seat), the machine squads down with the weight and rumbles to life. You get a feeling of ‘go anywhere’ freedom. A feeling much like those old western cowboys must have felt each time they saddled their horse for a morning ride. The open road, wind in the face feeling. The ‘I am man, hear me roar feeling’. OMG, Elmer loves to ride.
These days, Elmer Phud does not ride a lot. His current status is to do old age as best as he can. But he does get out a couple of times a week for a short ride, when the weather is warm & it’s not raining. If you ride and see Elmer along the way, give a wave to an old biker. He will give a wave with a smile and a gleam in his eye. It will be greatly appreciated.
Happy Trails!
