The Iron Horse Part Two

     Following World War I It seemed only natural that motorcycles would lead the way as a means of everyday transportation but in 1909 a man from a small town in Michigan named Henry Ford introduced his Model T automobile and offered it for sale to the world for $825.  At that time you could buy an Indian Twin for about $360, obviously a better deal right?  Well it was, except that Henry Ford then did something inconceivable, instead of raising his price for the Model T each year he started reducing it.
     In 1925 just six short years after its introduction Ford had improved his mass production process so radically that the price of his car had dropped to $395.  Motorcycles also went down in price but the gap had gotten much smaller, only about a $100 difference.  The fact that the cities, states, and counties had begun to build better roads helped to make it more attractive to own the more versatile automobile.  Sadly motorcycle companies began going out of business at a break neck pace and by the end of the 1920’s only a few American motorcycle manufactures were left.  Due to narrow streets and the price of fuel English and European companies made out a little better but the handwriting was on the wall and it said “the car is king.”

     The shame of it is that some of the most beautiful motorcycle designs ever to hit the streets rolled out during the period between World War I and World War II  but only exist now in pitifully small quantities.  1937 may have been the high

point for motorcycle designs like the iconic Indian Chief and the
Harley Davidson EL Knucklehead, and speaking of nice designs check out Dot Smith on her personal Knucklehead.  Dot was known as “The First Lady of Motorcycling” and along with her husband operated a HD dealership for about 40 years before retiring.  Dot and her husband then toured the country on their Harleys promoting motorcycling as they went.  Though there were many motorcycle designs that deserved praise, without a doubt the most striking was the BMW R7.  What a shame the R7 was never produced due to the poor economic climate and today only exists in a prototype a form.

     With the advent of World War II new motorcycle design stopped
completely as all the major manufactures produced models that suited military needs.  Even the Japanese used motorcycles for war as shown in the photo of the two Japanese soldiers riding a bike and sidecar with a machine gun mounted on it.  If the Rikou Type 97 motorcycle looks a little familiar to you that’s only natural since Harley had licensed the Japanese firm to make Japanese replica Harley’s in 1935.  “Holy Cow Batman!”, does that mean that Harley Davidson’s might have been the original “Rice Burner.”  Well probably not since I doubt that Rikou paid Harley any licensing fees
during the war.

     Following WWII the motorcycle companies had a pretty rough time of it with the
inevitable cooling of world economies coupled with the return of millions of veterans seeking jobs not hobbies.  Another little fact that contributed to slow sales was that the U.S. Government had a ton of surplus motorcycles that could be purchased for next to nothing.  Design also suffered after the war, when companies are not making money they don’t invest in untried designs.  A notable exception would be the 1948 Indian Chief, it seems that Indian felt that if they were going out of business then they would go out swinging.

     Another problem for sales
that began to rear its ugly head was the public image of motorcycling.  As with all wars most of the men who fight in it are able to readjust to civilian life while others find it hard to cope with order and peace after experiencing so much chaos.  Seeking an outlet for their rebellious natures these men and women began forming small clubs which seemed destined to attain notoriety.  Then three devastating events occurred that would damage the motorcycle image for many years to come.  First during an American Motorcycle Association rally held at Hollister, California the participants got carried away and turned rally into a party in the streets of Hollister.  Next writer Frank Rooney penned a story entitled “The Cyclists Raid” in 1951 which dramatized and exaggerated the event.  Lastly Hollywood (as it tends to do) capitalized on the fears of the public by creating that cinematic cult wonder called “The Wild One” starring Marlon Brando and Lee Marvin.

     Well that about did it, the public began perceiving the motorcycle as a tool of the devil, corrupting the youth of America and turning their virgin daughters into “Motorcycle Mammas.”  Of course the proportionate numbers of these outlaw gangs to the rest of the motorcycling community was minuscule, but law enforcement agencies and town governments were taking no chances that Marlon and his gang would ride roughshod over their neighborhoods.  If you’re looking for an example of the kind of depraved bunch they used to cast the movie look closely at the guy in the red circle on the “Wild One Poster.”  If he looks familiar he should, he’s Jerry Paris who went on to play the Rob Petrie’s neighbor and dentist Jerry Helper on the “Dick Van Dyke Show.” Ohhhhh!  If Rob had only know he had an biker outlaw dentist living next door to him I bet he would probably kept a better eye on Laura!

     Well that’s all for part two of this poor literary effort, next time we’ll look at how a diminutive self taught Japanese engineer and some very pretty British girls would change the worlds attitude towards motorcycles.