WI: Wright Motorcycle Co.?

What if, rather than jumping on the bicycle craze bandwagon (or in addition to it) the Wright Bros. had become fascinated by examples of early motorcycles and developed their own design in the early 1890s?

Would profits have increased, decreased, or been roughly the same compared with OTL and is it feasible for their aviation development to have hastened considerably with the increased speed and improved motor provided by a motorcycle?

Might early airplanes have more resembled the motorcycle?

Discuss.
 
What if, rather than jumping on the bicycle craze bandwagon (or in addition to it) the Wright Bros. had become fascinated by examples of early motorcycles and developed their own design in the early 1890s?

Would profits have increased, decreased, or beevn roughly the same compared with OTL and is it feasible for their aviation development to have hastened considerably with the increased speed and improved motor provided by a motorcycle?

Might early airplanes have more resembled the motorcycle?

Discuss.

Errr.... OTL. Or is this supposed to be a dbwi? Where do you think they got the engine they used for the Flier?
 
You have perhaps traded identities between the Wrights and another aviation pioneer, Glenn Curtiss, who did possess better engines earlier, and eventually became the Curtiss of Curtiss-Wright fame, after the hate/love relationship mellowed. As to his aircraft resembling motorcycles, I'm certainly glad Alex Bell wasn't more persistant, although some early aircraft, and pre-WWII French bombers did share some resemblance to phone booths.

dsc09821_thumb.jpg
 
Errr.... OTL. Or is this supposed to be a dbwi? Where do you think they got the engine they used for the Flier?

You have perhaps traded identities between the Wrights and another aviation pioneer, Glenn Curtiss, who did possess better engines earlier, and eventually became the Curtiss of Curtiss-Wright fame, after the hate/love relationship mellowed. As to his aircraft resembling motorcycles, I'm certainly glad Alex Bell wasn't more persistant, although some early aircraft, and pre-WWII French bombers did share some resemblance to phone booths.
Hunh!

Youre (w)right, and Im wrong. Thank you for the correction.
I could have sworn that theyd built motorcycles and used those engines as a starting point, but a bit of research proves me wrong.
 
You have perhaps traded identities between the Wrights and another aviation pioneer, Glenn Curtiss, who did possess better engines earlier, and eventually became the Curtiss of Curtiss-Wright fame, after the hate/love relationship mellowed. As to his aircraft resembling motorcycles, I'm certainly glad Alex Bell wasn't more persistant, although some early aircraft, and pre-WWII French bombers did share some resemblance to phone booths.

How much earlier could we get successful powered flight? By 1899 or so? That's the goal...

Also, I don't get the Alex Bell reference. Alexander Graham Bell? I don't see the relevance... Elaborate?
 
How much earlier could we get successful powered flight? By 1899 or so? That's the goal...

Also, I don't get the Alex Bell reference. Alexander Graham Bell? I don't see the relevance... Elaborate?

Alex was a founding member of the AEA, Aerial Experiment Association, who associated with others, including Glenn Curtiss of motorcycle fame. Canada's first flight occured in the Siver Dart, an AEA machine. I built a model from coathanger and silkspan, among other things, but it was sadly damaged in transit.
 
Alex was a founding member of the AEA, Aerial Experiment Association, who associated with others, including Glenn Curtiss of motorcycle fame. Canada's first flight occured in the Siver Dart, an AEA machine. I built a model from coathanger and silkspan, among other things, but it was sadly damaged in transit.

Did any designs ever resemble early motorcycles?
 
Did any designs ever resemble early motorcycles?

There were wire wheels and tube steel frames in common, and early aviators and motorcyclists dressed in similar fashion. Motorcycle companies have built aircraft; aircraft companies have built motorcycles, and scooters. Companies have built both. No, I can't think of any aircraft that resembled a motorcycle. There was a bicycle with wings and rockets in one of those early aviation oddity films, but that didn't end well.
 
Top