The 1898 Orient-Aster First USA production motorcycle
Established in Waltham, Massachusetts in 1898, the Orient was the first American firm to mass produce motorcycles.
VIDEOS
Initially, motorcycles were built on strengthened bicycle frames. The earliest models used a French Aster engine and were known as Orient-Asters, although later designs incorporated domestically manufactured power units, and Aster was dropped from the name. This motorcycle's one-cylinder engine, a U.S.-built unit, generated 2.5 horsepower and was fitted with copper fins, an early refinement that improved engine cooling.
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Established in Waltham, Massachusetts in 1898, the Orient was the first American firm to mass produce motorcycles.
VIDEOS
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The 1898 Orient-Aster motorcycle |
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The 1898 Orient-Aster motorcycle |
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The 1898 Orient-Aster motorcycle |
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The 1898 Orient-Aster motorcycle |
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The 1898 Orient-Aster motorcycle |