What fuel source powered the revolutionary single-cylinder engine used in the 1885 Daimler Reitwagen?
Answer
Petroleum spirit
The engine developed by Daimler and Maybach for the Reitwagen was a purpose-built, single-cylinder, four-stroke design that operated using petroleum spirit. This fuel choice was crucial as it powered what is often cited as the first practical gasoline engine. This contrasts sharply with earlier attempts, such as the approximately 1867 steam cycles which relied on water vapor for motion. The shift to a compact, liquid-fueled engine defined the path forward for the motorcycle industry.
Related Questions
What year do historians widely converge upon for the creation of the Daimler Reitwagen, considered the first true motorcycle?Which two individuals are credited with designing and building the definitive 1885 motorcycle prototype, the Reitwagen?What fuel source powered the revolutionary single-cylinder engine used in the 1885 Daimler Reitwagen?What characteristic of the 1885 Daimler Reitwagen earned it the nickname Holrad?Which machine, introduced several years after the Reitwagen, is often recognized as the first commercially produced motorcycle?How did the primary engineering challenge shift when moving from steam power to the gasoline engine in the Reitwagen era?What did the steam-powered two-wheelers around 1867 prove conceptually, despite their impracticality?What milestone does the year 1890 often represent in the conflicting timelines of motor bike development?What was the main function of the Daimler Reitwagen when it was first built in 1885?According to the design evolution observed after 1885, what material replaced the wooden frame of the Reitwagen in subsequent developments?