The first purpose-built motorcycle is generally attributed to the Daimler Reitwagen, created by Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach in 1885. The Daimler Reitwagen, also known as the "riding car," was a pioneering design that featured many elements of what would later become standard in motorcycle construction.
The Daimler Reitwagen had a lightweight frame with a steerable front wheel and a rear wheel driven by a small internal combustion engine. The engine, a single-cylinder four-stroke design, was mounted horizontally in the frame, and its power was transmitted to the rear wheel through a belt drive system.
While there were earlier steam-powered and internal combustion engine-powered bicycles and tricycles, the Daimler Reitwagen is often considered the first motorcycle because it was specifically designed from the ground up as a self-propelled vehicle, rather than being a modification of an existing bicycle or carriage.
The Daimler Reitwagen laid the foundation for subsequent motorcycle designs, and its creation marked a significant milestone in the development of the modern motorcycle.