Steam bike – Roper replica

Posted by jerry on January 9th, 2009 — Posted in Journal, Motorcycling, Steam

The Steam Car Club of Great Britain has a wonderful step-by-step article on how Paul Brodie of Flashback Fabrications built a couple of replicas of Sylvester Roper’s 1898 steam bike. The article gives details of boiler construction (pages 7-8), and the feed water pump (page 4) which is driven by an eccentric on the opposite side of the rear axle from the main drive. The throttle valve is covered on page 5, while the fire box is covered on page 10 – a modernised version could run a gas or pressurised kerosene burner in that space. The steam assembly is on page 13 showing how the power system comes together to make a complete bike.

Roper steam bike replica by Paul Brodie
The completed steam bike replica[photo adapted from Steam Car Club of Great Britain]

And here is a video showing the bike in action

This is a very detailed write-up and well worth visiting the Steam Car Club of Great Britain – and while you’re at it, why not join up too! The site, run by Jeff Theobold, has loads of information about steam cars and other steam bikes.

Cheers
Jerry

3 Comments

Comment by Tinplate

What? Roll along astride what might be politely termed as a steam-powered explosive device with only rudimentary brakes? Where do I sign up? This Steam bicycle is BRILLIANT!

Posted on January 19, 2009 at 7:38 am

Comment by jerry

LOL yeah it’s a bit like that – but then again a bunch of blokes went to the moon on top of a missile – sometimes you just have to risk it for the rush!

Posted on January 19, 2009 at 4:52 pm

Comment by Rex Yap

awesome LOL….

Posted on September 16, 2009 at 10:59 am

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