While the French Michaux-Perreaux steam velocipede is sometimes considered the very first motorcycle, the second motorcycle was built by Americans. This vehicle, the Roper steam velocipede, was built between 1867 and 1869 by Sylvester H. Roper in Roxbury, Massachusetts. He showed off his amazing invention around various fairs and other events, and it became quite popular.
There is some argument, actually, over whether the Michaux-Perreaux velocipede or the Roper velocipede was created first, although the majority believe the French vehicle was finished slightly ahead of Roper's due to a patent filed in 1869. However, a number of historians actually claim the Daimler Reitwagen, built in 1885, was the first true motorcycle because it was not powered by steam, unlike the two velocipedes.
The first velocipede built by Roper featured a frame built just for the vehicle instead of adding an engine to an existing frame, although some historians disagree about this. It features two 34 inch diameter wheels ,a forged iron fork, and a solid handlebar with a wooden grip. While today's twist grip features a grip on one side that rotates around the handlebar, the entire bar rotated. It took both hands to do this, but there was actually a reason for this: when it was turned forward, the throttle opened, and when it was rotated backwards, it activated a spoon brake on the front wheel.
Riders sat on a seat that doubled as the water tank. They used a hand pump to move water to the boiler, where it was heated to provide the steam that moved the bike forward. The boiler was heated by a firebox that was located between the wheels.
There were at least ten versions of the Roper steam velocipede created, and one of them was later donated to the Smithsonian Institute, where it is the oldest self-propelled road vehicle on display.
