The early 1900s were a wild west for motorcycle engineering, with manufacturers popping up constantly, experimenting with layouts, materials, fuel delivery, and frame design. Some companies survived. Most didn’t. But nearly all of them contributed something to the DNA of the bikes we ride today.
Let’s check out some vintage motorcycles that truly changed the game as they introduced new technologies, shattered speed records that experts claimed were impossible, and shaped motorcycle culture and history forever.
1903 Harley-Davidson Model 1
Long before Harley-Davidson became an American icon, it all started with a humble single-cylinder machine built in a wooden shed in Milwaukee. The Harley-Davidson Model 1 made just 3 horsepower from its 405cc engine, but it established the blueprint Harley would follow for the next century: simple, durable, torquey engines designed to survive anything.
It wasn’t fast, and it certainly wasn’t glamorous, but the Model 1 is the spark that lit the fire. Without it, there would be no Knucklehead, Panhead, Shovelhead… nothing. Although it’s a single-cylinder, this is where American V-twin motorcycle culture began.
1909 Harley-Davidson Model 5D
Harley didn’t become “Harley” until this bike rolled out of Milwaukee. The 5D was the brand’s first-ever V-twin-powered bike, and that was a huge engineering leap that gave riders nearly twice the power of the earlier singles.
It should be said that the 5D’s 811cc V-twin engine was far from perfect, and reliability was questionable, but it planted the seed for everything that came later, and it is the ancestor of every Harley V-twin ever built.
1910 Indian Single
Indian’s early singles weren’t glamorous, but they were weapons on the racetrack. The 1910 model featured a chain drive, innovative leaf-spring fork, and rock-solid reliability, and that’s exactly what racers needed during the brutal, no-rules world of early American motorsport.
These bikes helped Indian dominate years before the Scout arrived. They might not be as famous today, but they played a critical role in establishing Indian as America’s premier performance motorcycle brand of the 1910s.
1911 Indian Big Twin
In 1911, Indian rolled out a 988cc Big Twin that pushed American motorcycles into a new era of torque and speed. The chain-driven V-twin had the grunt and durability riders needed for long-distance events and harsh racing conditions.
This is the machine that put Indian on the global map, launching them from being a strong domestic brand to a legitimate world contender, both in sales and on the track.
1912 Cyclone
Cyclone motorcycles were built by Minnesota-based Joerns Motor Manufacturing Company from 1912 through 1917. The Cyclone did very well on the race circuits, winning both board track and dirt track races well into the 1920s. In 1914, a Cyclone even set a record speed over a one-mile distance.
Cyclones were fitted with a 61 cubic-inch, or 996cc, 45-degree V-Twin engine producing 45 hp, making it capable of exceeding 100 mph. Most of these bikes were painted canary-yellow, but there were some dark blue ones, too.
1912 Flying Merkel
The Flying Merkel was produced from 1911 to 1915, but the company founder, Joe Merkel, got involved with motorcycles long before that, designing engines in 1902 and building his own bikes since 1903.
In 1910, he built his first two-cylinder engine, and in 1911, his company was taken over, and they changed the name of his bike from Merkel Light to Flying Merkel. Merkel wasn’t just good with engines, he also developed a “truss fork,” which was a predecessor of the telescopic fork. He also introduced an automatically dripping oil feeder, which was later copied by Harley-Davidson and Indian.
1913 Thor Model U
Thor was founded in 1901 and made parts and castings for brands like Flying Merkel and Harley-Davidson in addition to its own bikes. The Thor Model U debuted in 1913 with a 7 hp V-twin engine. In 1914, Thor increased the engine size from 61 to 76.25 cubic inches. Power was routed to the wheel via a chain drive with clutch.
By 1916, the Model U was considered the brand’s flagship model because of its 50-degree V-twin with mechanical valves, magneto ignition, and three-speed transmission at a time when most bikes used a single-cylinder engine, battery start, and single- or two-speed transmission.
1914 Pope Model L
The 1914 Pope Model L doesn’t get nearly the recognition it deserves, but historically, it’s one of the most important motorcycles ever built. This was the first mass-produced overhead-valve motorcycle, decades before OHV became the industry norm. In other words, Pope was doing in 1914 what most manufacturers wouldn’t adopt until the 1930s and ’40s.
Its advanced 998cc V-twin produced around 15 horsepower, which was huge for the time, giving the Model L a top speed near 70 mph. The engineering was so far ahead that contemporary tests often described it as “too powerful for ordinary roads.” Board-track racers praised the Pope for its breathing efficiency and high-rpm capability, thanks to that revolutionary OHV design. While Pope didn’t survive long-term as a manufacturer, the Model L proved that overhead valves were the future, and the entire motorcycle world eventually followed.
1915 Harley-Davidson Model 11F
In 1915, Harley-Davidson was only 12 years old, but already on its 11th motorcycle model — which is why it’s named Model 11F — and it saw some major improvements over its predecessor.
Nestled in its frame was a 61 cubic-inch V-Twin that sent its 11 hp to the rear wheel via a three-speed transmission. Harley-Davidson was actually the only motorcycle manufacturer to guarantee their bike’s quoted power claims in writing.
1915 Indian 8-Valve Board Track Racer
Indian’s 8-valve V-twin was decades ahead of its time. It routinely hit 120+ mph on wooden velodromes with no brakes, making it the deadliest, fastest, and most legendary board-track racer ever built. Add the fact that racers didn’t have any protective gear, and you’ll see why this was a sport for only the bravest daredevils.
This Indian dominated races so completely that rivals struggled just to keep them in sight, and if you want the single most important competition bike of the board-track era, this is it!
1915 Excelsior 7-C / OHC Board Track Racer
If you mention Indian’s 8-valve, you must include its arch-enemy, as they both had a share in shaping America’s earliest racing technology. Excelsior’s 7-C, often called Excelsior OHC Board Track Racer, was the brand’s answer to the Indian 8-valve, and it packed advanced overhead-cam tech in a powerhouse V-twin.
The 7-C was a monster that hit terrifying speeds on the steep wooden tracks and helped create one of the most intense rivalries in early motorsport as it forced Indian and Harley to evolve — fast.
1917 Henderson Model G
In the 1910s, most motorcycles used single or twin-cylinder engines, but from 1912 until 1931, Henderson built four-cylinder bikes. There are no prizes for guessing these were among the largest and fastest motorcycles of that era.
Henderson’s bikes were a hit among daredevils and the police alike, and the Model G set multiple speed records with Alan Bedell in the saddle. In 1917, he set a new transcontinental long-distance record when he rode from Los Angeles to New York in seven days, sixteen hours, and fifteen minutes.
1920 Indian Scout
The Scout, introduced in 1920, initially had a 37 cubic-inch, or 606cc, V-twin engine, but its displacement was increased to 45 cubic inches in 1927, as a response to the Excelsior Super X.
It was an innovative bike, making it an instant sales success. Even the police liked them, and later models with the larger engines were also sold as a Police Special.
1921 Harley-Davidson JD
The JD is arguably the greatest Harley of the pre-Knucklehead era. Featuring a 1200cc “F-head” V-twin, a circulating oil system, and a strong frame, it became a favorite among racers, police, and long-distance riders.
Most famously, Erwin “Cannonball” Baker used a JD to set several cross-country records, proving that Harley’s engineering had evolved into genuine long-distance capability.
1923 BMW R32
This is BMW Motorrad Genesis. After making engines for the German air force during WWI, BMW restructured and released the R32 motorcycle in 1923.
Just like many of the BMW motorcycles of today, the BMW R32 had a boxer-twin engine that sent its power to the rear wheel via a shaft final drive. With 494cc, it managed a top speed in the 60 mph region.
1924 Brough Superior SS100
Every Brough Superior SS100 was built specifically to the buyer’s request and needs, and due to the level of craftsmanship, it was marketed as “the Rolls-Royce of motorcycles” — with the luxury carmaker’s permission.
The SS100 was powered by a 990cc air-cooled V-Twin engine producing 48 hp, and it came with a signed certificate signed guaranteeing its top speed would exceed 100 mph. By 1928, the Brough Superior SS100 even reached 130 mph in the standing kilometer. T.E. Lawrence, better known as Lawrence of Arabia, owned several Broughs, and died due to head injuries sustained after crashing one.
1925 Excelsior Super X
Excelsior Motor Manufacturing & Supply Company built the Super X from 1925 to 1931. This was the first American motorcycle featuring a 45 cubic inch, or 750cc, engine.
The engine was designed by Arthur “Connie” Constantine, Harley-Davidson’s Assistant Chief Engineer, to compete against the Indian Scout, but Walter Davidson reprimanded him and said he wasted the company’s time. Constantine resigned and went to Excelsior, and the Super X became a hit on both the road and track. It was even competitive when racing against bikes with bigger engines.
1928 Indian 101 Scout
The 101 Scout wasn’t the fastest, but with razor-sharp steering and rock-solid stability, it was the best-handling American motorcycle ever built before WWII.
Nestled in its frame was a a torquey V-twin that made it a hit among flat trackers, hill-climbers, stunt riders, in fact, practically everyone loved it. Today, the 101 Scout is often considered the 101 the holy grail of vintage Indian performance.
1936 Harley-Davidson E Knucklehead
Harley-Davidson has made many desirable bikes over the years, but few are as sought-after as the 1936 Knucklehead. This bike is one of the most significant in American motorcycle history.
Its 61 cubic-inch V-Twin was the first overhead-valve engine by Harley-Davidson, and the Knucklehead name comes from the rocker covers that resemble knuckles. This was also the first H-D engine to recirculate the engine oil, and it was a significant improvement over its predecessors.
1948 Vincent Black Shadow
Long before anyone had heard of superbikes, the Vincent Black Shadow was the world’s fastest production motorcycle. It was built from 1948 until 1955, and the 998 cc V-Twin engine was mounted to the frame as a stressed member, eliminating the need for a downtube cradle. With 55 hp, the Black Shadow managed to reach a 125 mph top speed.
Hunter S. Thompson refers to the Vincent Black Shadow several times in his book Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. He wrote, “If you rode the Black Shadow at top speed for any length of time, you would almost certainly die. That is why there are not many life members of the Vincent Black Shadow Society.”
