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
/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.

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

See also

References