
American, Sylvester Howard Roper
(1823-1896) invented a two-cylinder, steam-engine motorcycle (powered by coal)
in 1867. This can be considered the first motorcycle, if you allow your
description of a motorcycle to include a steam engine. Howard Roper also
invented a steam engine car.
German, Gottlieb Daimler invented the first gas-engined motorcycle in 1885,
which was an engine attached to a wooden bike. That marked the moment in history
when the dual development of a viable gas-powered engine and the modern bicycle
collided. Gottlieb Daimler used a new engine invented by engineer, Nicolaus
August Otto. Otto invented the first "Four-Stroke Internal-Combustion Engine" in
1876. He called it the "Otto Cycle Engine" As soon as he completed his engine,
Daimler (a former Otto employee) built it into a motorcycle