The Flying Merkel

Joseph Merkel produced his first motorcycle in Milwaukee in 1900, forging his reputation on quality. Not cheap, Merkel motorcycles featured innovations for durability as well as speed. Joseph Merkel insisted on ball bearings for the connecting rods instead of the typical bronze bushings. He pioneered the loop frame that was almost immediately adopted by the fledgling Harley-Davidson. He engineered an automatic drip-oil lubrication system based on throttle position that nearly eliminated the need for the rider to pump the oil… read more >