The Spiral

[c.o.]

Here's a cool story that should interest the "early" bike nuts. The claim is it's the oldest made American bike. It looks like it has Orient beat by a couple years but is just a tad later than Pennington. Is anyone aware of what happened to this bike?

http://myclassicmotorcycle.blogspot....as-oldest.html

[silentgreyfello]

That bike looks to be about 10 years newer than their claim, in terms of technology, say 1906! Or maybe it was way ahead of it's time and the manufacturers didn't take notice. The Orient, by the way, was never deemed to be the first bike, just the first production American motorcycle. Anyway, thanks for posting. It would be interesting to study that thing up close, or at least see some detail photos.

[Chris Haynes]

What about the Marks California and Thomas that were introduced in 1896?

[c.o.]

The Orient, by the way, was never deemed to be the first bike, just the first production American motorcycle.

I was just sorta using Orient as a reference. I would agree that it looks kind of modern for the year it was claimed to be built.

What about the Marks California and Thomas that were introduced in 1896?

Right you are Chris...

[LouieMCman]

I remember seeing Harry and the Spiral at Harmony years ago, I think the census then was if the bike was that old it had been upgrade to early 1900 standards such as a more modern carburation. But truly a cool bike, you would have to see the spiral cut cylinder in person to appreciate it.

[silentgreyfello]

Well, to make the claim to be the oldest motorcycle built in the US, it should have some documentation from that era, like a picture in a newspaper from 1896, not 1934. Seems like that would have been a BIG deal in the days of horse and buggy. Would have been on the cover of major newspapers, I would think. Story always grows taller down the line. See Herb's book about HD. Not sayin' it aint a 1896, but if I was a bettin' man, NOPE. Show me the proof and I'll eat the crow pie.

[c.o.]

I knew that I had seen this bike prior to the blog article. It appears in Tod Rafferty's "Classic American Motorcycles" and the caption reads "Spiral (1896?-1902). It also appears as though this bike sort of evolved over a period time, so it looks like the consensus that you were a part of Louie sounds about right. "His first effort,with belt drive and bicycle frame,evolved to chain drive." It also states that the frame was replaced around 1901. It is pretty impressive for the time but it sounds like the story got a little twisted.

[EricOlson]

It is pretty impressive for the time but it sounds like the story got a little twisted.

More like it "spiraled" out of control a little.

[silentgreyfello]

More like it "spiraled" out of control a little.

Haha! good one.

[c.o.]

Haha! good one.

Agreed!!!!

[Bruce Williams]

I am not sure who got the Spiral, it was nicely done, Harry had some documentation as I remember, some newspaper articles about the teacher/machinist that made it. Made in North Jersey if memory is correct. I also agree as to upgrades thru its early years.

[Steve Slocombe]

I judged this bike once under the old rules: it would not be judged today as a prototype that did not go into production. The motor was the only part that could be 1896, and appeared to be machined out of billet. The frame looked to be around 1903/4 and it was clear there had been several later upgrades to the bike. It might have been some kind of college demonstrator of the internal combustion engine, later put in a frame. A nice piece of history, but doubtful as the first US motorcycle.

[tst]

I talked with Harry at Rhinebeck just a couple of years back and he had the bike with him, the story he told was interesting, do not how much truth was in it but it is a way cool bike and glad it was still around, because of Harry a lot of old iron was saved
Tim

[pete @ occhiolungo]

I"m not so sure about that 1896 date either. The high tension magneto was invented by Bosch in 1903. But I suppose the Spiral may have had a low tension device that was changed out later. Like when they changed the frame. Maybe the carb too. And George Washington's axe handle...