When it comes to historically significant motorcycle brands, Orient isn’t at the top of many people’s lists. However, it was the first American marque to start series production as far back as 1899. Created using single-cylinder engines from French brands Aster and DeDion mounted in reinforced bicycle frames, the Orient’s popularity grew quickly, largely thanks to having no competition. But when competition inevitably came two years later, Orient unveiled a new prototype V-twin engine aimed at keeping the brand at the top of the heap.
Around the same time, speed-obsessed Glenn Curtiss built his first motorcycle in 1901, founded the G.H. Curtiss Manufacturing Company the following year, and put his first 347cc single-cylinder four-stroke motorcycle into production under the name Hercules. A year later, he was the first rider in America to reach a lightning speed of more than 100km/h.
In his search for more speed, Curtiss increased the displacement of his engine by mounting a second cylinder on a joint crankcase which led to the development of America’s first V-twin, a 42.3ci (694cc) 60-degree layout that weighed only 27kg and was just 40cm high. He finished it in 1903 and put it into production immediately, officially making it America’s first production V-twin. A few months later Orient’s V-twin
