122 years ago the grandfather of real motorcycles was born (patented, that is). Daimler, the automotive pioneer usually associated with building the world’s first successful internal combustion engine (and, subsequently, the first automobile), staked his claim of priority in the two-wheeler world a year before developing his famous auto. What gives credibility to Daimler’s claim of developing the first “true” motorcycle is the fact that it was gasoline-driven. Roper’s post-Civil War hog, with a tiny two-cylinder engine, was powered by steam.

We don’t drive them today, they look very different today from what “grandpa” looked like, do you agree?

Anyway, today we should say: “Hats Off” to Gottlieb Daimler for his cool bit of technology.