Leon Bollee 1897

Leon Bollee 1897. Yesterdays motorcycles. Netherlands. ca 1897 Leon Bollee Tricar-Tricycle . Single cylinder ca 800cc 4-stroke engine Automatic/atmospheric inlet valve Hot tube ignition, so there is no spark plug used for the ignition. Instead of a spark plug ( not yet invented/perfected in 1897 ) there is a hollow tube outside the cylinder head as an extension of the combustion chamber. An external gasoline burner heats up the tube to red hot and this provides the heat/spark to ignite the compressed air/fuel mixture in the combustion chamber. There is a 3-speed gearbox which works remarkably well. Flat leather belt drive to rear wheel. Braking is by moving the complete rear wheel with drive pulley forward against the brake block. This also reduces the tension on the drive belt and the belt will run free on the front drive pulley. By moving the combined hand lever / gear change lever backwards the belt drive will be tightened ( clutch ) and one is on the move again.