Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este Year Book 2011 - Historic Motorcycles
The first motorcycle was already running around Stuttgart in 1885 as a prototype powered by a small internal combustion engine. Munich-based Hildebrand & Wolfmüller was the first company to launch a series motorcycle in the marketplace in 1894. However, the key initiative for further development was provided by De Dion-Bouton in France with powerful engines that bicycle manufacturers throughout Europe and the USA were able to fit in their frames. Motorised bicycles still feature on our modern roads of today. The simplest form of powered travel has kept on blossoming whenever economies are booming in their early stages of development, whether after the world wars in Europe or today in the developing countries.
During the opening years of the 20th century, motorcycles were initially sporty and expensive luxury items. Gradually the development in engineering and design was uncoupled from the emergence of two-wheelers for everyday use and utility functions. Small manufacturers were the main drivers for pioneering developments, although their enthusiasm was rarely rewarded with sales successes. Design ideas which were supposed to change the outward profile of the motorcycle and involved new production methods were presented and discussed at exhibitions and in special-interest magazines. The motorcycle sector and automobile industry virtually developed in parallel as far as this aspect was concerned. However, the body is an integral element of a car, whereas the preference in motorcycles was to reveal technical components without any fairing.
In the early years, motorcycle brands based their prestige almost entirely on sporting successes, irrespective of whether they produced motorcycles as workhorses in large numbers or exclusive limited series and one-off models. Sporting prowess still plays a role, but the imagery of motorcycles has undergone a significant development in recent years. The diversity of the different motorcycle classes from light-weight off-road machines to fully-equipped luxury tourers covers a very wide range.
The very diverse nature of motorcycle history ensures that profiles focused on specific issues are continually revealing surprising discoveries. Although the focus for 2011 is unequivocally design, this is not immediately obvious from the motorcycles divided into five categories or classes. The varying approaches only become obvious when comparisons are made.
Order
- Prezzo (IVA inclusa):
- 40,- EUR
Choose your shipping region (Show shipping zones):
Please note that currently only credit card payments and payments via PayPal are possible.
Please note our privacy policy.