A 3,200-lb. motorcycle with training wheels, a V8 engine and enough
copper tubing to provide every hillbilly in the Ozarks with a still, the
Scripps-Booth Bi-Autogo was the daft experiment of James Scripps-Booth,
an heir of the Scripps publishing fortune and a self-taught — or
untaught — auto engineer. The Bi-Autogo was essentially a two-wheeled
vehicle, carrying its considerable heft on 37-in. wooden wheels. At slow
speeds, the driver could lower small wheels on outriggers to stabilize
the vehicle so it wouldn't plop over. This is not a case of the
advantage of hindsight; this was obviously a crazy idea, even in 1913.
The Bi-Autogo does enjoy the historical distinction of being the first
V8-powered vehicle ever built in Detroit, so you could argue it is the
beginning of an even greater folly.
No comments:
Post a Comment