Tuesday, August 8, 2017

Maurice Fournier and the 1903 Buchet motorcycle


No brakes that I can see, no clutch, no gears.  Two massive cylinders - if the head pops off so does yours.  That sprocket and chain is gonna tear off a leg sooner or later, and God help you if the chain breaks at speed.  Hit a bump and your chin bangs off of that frame bend.  I wonder if the tire technology was up to handling the torque that motor likely put out?  At least Fournier had an aerodynamic face.  He couldn't look any more French.


Dressed for church, and a view of the other side of the bike.  Fournier got this beast up to 75mph in 1903, a very fast speed for that time.   


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