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To me the Marks does NOT look like an 1896 motorcycle. Much too advanced for that date. Is there period evidence that it existed in that form in 1896?
The H&W may be the first production motorcycle. The other contender is Pennington's "The Motor Cycle" at Chicago c1892-93, but more so at Cleveland and Cortland, NY, in 1894, where a few were certainly built. But not in the numbers of the H&W, assuming they did build as many as stated.
But Pennington did beat H&W in the use of the word "motor-cycle" (not motorrad either) and that's for certain. Pennington popularized the term both in the USA and in England and that's how it came down to us. The German word "motorrad" had NOTHING to do with it in spite of what that link says.
The origin of the motorcycle in America was totally distinct and separate from European developments until the de Dion engine came along. We know that now.
The H&W may be the first production motorcycle. The other contender is Pennington's "The Motor Cycle" at Chicago c1892-93, but more so at Cleveland and Cortland, NY, in 1894, where a few were certainly built. But not in the numbers of the H&W, assuming they did build as many as stated.
But Pennington did beat H&W in the use of the word "motor-cycle" (not motorrad either) and that's for certain. Pennington popularized the term both in the USA and in England and that's how it came down to us. The German word "motorrad" had NOTHING to do with it in spite of what that link says.
The origin of the motorcycle in America was totally distinct and separate from European developments until the de Dion engine came along. We know that now.
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