The Roper
An unusual steam powered motorcycle
which pre-dated Daimler by almost 20 years. In 1869 Sylvester Howard Roper of
Roxbury, Massachusetts built a coal-burning steam powered machine using a
hickory framed boneshaker made by the Hanlon Bros. Roper's machine was capable
of a fair turn of speed for the cranks and pedals were removed from the front
wheel and simple footrests put in their place. He claimed that his steam
velocipede could be driven up any hill and could outspeed a horse. Roper may
have built as many as 10 steam powered cycles and he used to exhibit them at
fairs. He collapsed and died while exhibiting a steam cycle at Charles River
Track in Cambridge, Massachusetts, evidently from a heart attack after losing
control of his machine.
See also Austin.
Murray Barnard, Perth, Western Australia
© 1996 mbarnard