Okay, let’s hear that collective HUH? Thanks to a book by Mr. Ken Anderson of Olean, New York about his grandfather we can get at inside look at one of the most innovative pioneers of early American motorcycling, Norbert Schickel. I know you’ve never heard of him or his motorcycles, but there are probably parts on your brand new bike that can be traced back to Mr. Schickel.

At the Chicago Motorcycle Show in February of 1911 the Schickel Motorcycle company of Stamford, Connecticut debuted a revolutionary bike. It had the first American built 2-cycle engine with the first single forged driveshaft-flywheel-crankshaft. Other innovations were a rotating magneto spark advance and a compression release system. Some patented features of the bike were a 1 piece cast aluminum frame and gas tank (which had a tool compartment), a spring suspension front end and a hinged rear mud guard.