Hi all,
I am seriously considering building a motorcycle powered by steam. The rolling chassis is still under the shopping around stage. Hopefully, the car and truck will come later on.

Would like to pick fellow member's brains on some needed advice.
Basically this is a project that I would like see come to reality using knowledge and advice from others that have way more steam experience than I. So all advice is very much welcomed and appreciated.

I am a novice at steaming. Have steadily built up a collection of books and literature on the subject for the past 2 years. Looking foward to meeting and talking with others. Currently a member of SACA.

The powerplant is the main issue at the moment - I do not have one.
Finding an old engine is scarce enough - may have to resort to building one from plans. Anyone know of any obscure sources (I am familiar with eBay, Lindsay publications, abebooks.com) for such information?

I would imagine twenty horsepower would be sufficient for a 1000 - 1200lb (on the extreme heavy end) motorcycle (with rider, boiler, etc.). Or should I do better than twenty horses?

The package would have to be compressed in a 18" x 18" x 18" area ( this is an approx. guesstimate - will have to fabricate engine and boiler around the chosen chassis, not vice-versa.

On another note, I have quite a few doubles (and triples) of Light Steam Power magazines that I am looking to trade for same, in order to complete my collection.

Thanks in advance to all that respond,
Tom

Hi Tom,
Check out the for sale page on this site for Light Steam Power magazines. also contact Gerry Stoneman about a steam motorcycle, there is a link to his page from this site, hope this helps, Jeff.

To revive this thread here are a couple of sites devoted to the building of a very high class replica of the Roper steam bicycle and a video of it in action.

[www.flashbackfab.com]
[uk.youtube.com]

Mike

Hi,I'm
Richard Foisel
I have a pattern for boilers frame and bike.
You will need some one who can cast a brass
cylinder head, and machine a new set of fuel fittings.
If you can find this? I have the rest of the parts sourced and numbers for them,as well as supliers.
feel free to write me at FoiselRichard@yahoo.com

PS,
I have a spare block.

Spead sheat for the Cat pump that converts to the engine.
Keep in mind the original was to be from a mid 1980's Hotsy steam pressure washer unit, but this type of brass cylinder block, copper head, triplex pum is nolonger in use by hotsy, so the next best and better built unit of like kind is the Cat triplex pump.

Note the drawing of the Colman stove fitting for the burner unit, is shown here.
This simple modification alows for one burner per side using the same volume of fuel as a Twin burner Coleman stove with both burners lit, Rufly 17,000 btu.'s and a typical burn time of about 14 hours on one gallon of white fuel.

Here are some fuzy phone pictures of the blocks.

So now when you fellows look at my pattern at the least you will be able to see physicaly what it is that I'm working on, and what the preportions are, as well as it' size,form and that it come witha bras and copper top side, that will easly supply the metal to re-cast it' new head, even if one had need to ue a welding rig,or charcoal forge to melt it. This can be done with a steel crucible of 1/4 inch wall pipe welde with a cap at the bottom.

Like so,