The Bi-Autogo was a
prototype
A prototype is an early sample, model, or release of a product built to test a concept or process. It is a term used in a variety of contexts, including semantics, design, electronics, and Software prototyping, software programming. A prototyp ...
American
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, pe ...
cyclecar
A cyclecar was a type of small, lightweight and inexpensive car manufactured in Europe and the United States between 1910 and the early 1920s. The purpose of cyclecars was to fill a gap in the market between the motorcycle and the car. A key c ...
, built from 1908 to 1912.
Designed and built by
Detroit
Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at th ...
artist & engineer
James Scripps Booth
James Scripps Booth (May 31, 1888 – September 13, 1954) was an artist and automotive engineer.
Biography
The eldest of George Gough Booth and Ellen Booth's five children, James was born on May 31, 1888 in Detroit, Michigan. He received his educ ...
,
[Clymer, p.115.] it had the usual two wheels (wooden-spoked, ), plus two pairs of smaller, retractable
outrigger
An outrigger is a projecting structure on a boat, with specific meaning depending on types of vessel. Outriggers may also refer to legs on a wheeled vehicle that are folded out when it needs stabilization, for example on a crane that lifts ...
wheels
in the three-seater body.
Fitted with wheel steering,
it had a 45 hp (33.5 kW)
V8 engine (, ),
the first of its kind from a Detroit company,
[''Time'' magazine online](_blank)
/ref> with an external copper tube radiator
Radiators are heat exchangers used to transfer thermal energy from one medium to another for the purpose of cooling and heating. The majority of radiators are constructed to function in cars, buildings, and electronics.
A radiator is always a ...
, and a weight of . Just one was built. It is in the collection of the Detroit Historical Society
The Detroit Historical Museum is located at 5401 Woodward Avenue in the city's Cultural Center Historic District in Midtown Detroit. It chronicles the history of the Detroit area from cobblestone streets, 19th century stores, the auto assembly lin ...
. The Bi-Autogo was restored in 2017 by Mobsteel in Detroit.
See also
* Gyrocar
A gyrocar is a two-wheeled automobile. The difference between a bicycle or motorcycle and a gyrocar is that in a bike, dynamic balance is provided by the rider, and in some cases by the geometry and mass distribution of the bike itself, and the g ...
* Cyclecar
A cyclecar was a type of small, lightweight and inexpensive car manufactured in Europe and the United States between 1910 and the early 1920s. The purpose of cyclecars was to fill a gap in the market between the motorcycle and the car. A key c ...
* List of motorcycles of the 1910s
List of motorcycles of the 1910s is a listing of motorcycles of the 1910s, including those on sale, introduced, or otherwise relevant in this period.
The 1910s has their share of expensive historic motorcycles sold at auction, especially the bra ...
* List of motorcycles by type of engine
List of motorcycles by type of engine is a list of motorcycles by the type of motorcycle engine used by the vehicle, such as by the number of cylinders or configuration.
A transverse engine is an engine mounted in a vehicle so that the engine's c ...
References
Cyclecars
Motorcycles of the United States
Defunct motorcycle manufacturers of the United States
Manufacturing companies based in Detroit
Motor vehicle manufacturers based in Michigan
Motorcycles introduced in the 1910s
Vehicles introduced in 1908
Eight-cylinder motorcycles
American companies established in 1908
Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 1908
Vehicle manufacturing companies disestablished in 1912
1908 establishments in Michigan
1912 disestablishments in Michigan
Defunct companies based in Michigan
Scripps family
{{motorcycle-stub
Brass Era vehicles