Henri Fournier’s ‘Informal Machines’
On a cold winter day, in November 1898, a man was riding a motor bicycle on Fifth Avenue, New York. This may seem like a bland statement today, but in the Big Apple of then, the fastest way to travel was by bicycle or horse and cart; motorised transport was never seen. On seeing this unusual contraption travelling at a fast pace, a policeman tried to stop the rider, but had to give chase. On seeing the policeman, the motor cyclist "supposed the policeman wanted a race, and putting on about 25 miles speed, left the policeman behind at once: · Unable to keep up, the lawman tracked the felon to his hotel where he was arrested; the machine was confiscated though the suspect released. The 'criminal's' name was Henri Fournier, a Frent:hman who had recently arrived in New York with various petroleum powered machines.
Born in Le Mans on April 14, 1871, Fournier was one of three brothers who learned about mechanics from their father, who ran a workshop. At a young age, Henri caught the racing bug - an early photo of him in La Vie au Grand Air, a French sports journal, shows a 14 year old Fournier posed with his high wheeler. He heavily engaged in cycle racing ; by the age of 21 he broke the hour record at the Buffalo track outside Paris, on August 14, 1892. Fournier covered 24 miles, 763 yards in the hour, adding more than half a mile to the previous record held by British rider R L Ede.
With this background in engineering and cycle sport, it's no wonder Henri took to the invention of the motorcycle with such vigour. One earl y account of Fournier on a motorcycle was made by Charles Jarrott (a British sporting gentleman who deserves his own article), who in the spring of 1897
