The Antique Motorcycle Foundation is pleased to announce the
“Genius of Glenn Curtiss” seminar and show at the annual AMCA Wauseon National Meet this coming July 2026. This event will include the history of the Curtiss motorcycle by Curtiss scholar, Richard Leisenring, and a presentation of technical information by master builder, Dale Stoner. Furthermore, from around 9am to noon, there will be a showing of rare Curtiss motorcycles and related brands such as the Hercules, Marvel, and Erie motorcycle brands.
There would be few vintage motorcycle enthusiasts who would not be aware of the aeronautics and motorcycle innovator, Glenn Hammond Curtiss. Curtiss lived during the earliest years of the development of the motorcycle and had a significant impact on the industry. Being born in 1878, he was a young adult at the formation of the American motorcycle community and his innovations and speed records set in those early years continue to be significant. The importance of Mr. Curtiss within the motorcycle industry is profound, however his innovation goes far beyond the motorcycle.
Mr. Curtiss was so much more than just an innovator within the early field of motorcycle development. He was an early developer of engines, control systems, and above all, the airplane. Within the development of the motorcycle, he took the early French De Dion-Buton engine, which was the foundation of the early motorcycle in America and created a better version of the engine to produce more power and as a result broke many early speed records. Another little known Curtiss innovation, which I personally find interesting, was the 28 degree V belt which worked much better than the traditional and common flat type leather belt.
Mr. Curtiss also built one of the earliest V-twin engines in 1903 called the Hercules. His engines were sold in complete kit form and were copied by numerous manufacturers and individuals. My hunch is that the influence of this engine cannot be estimated as the complete record of those who copied this engine can only be estimated! Mr. Curtiss also made single cylinder engines, V-twin engines, a three-cylinder, a V-four, and of course the famous V-8 racer.
Without a doubt, Glenn Curtiss is best known in the motorcycle community for his Ormond Beach one-way speed record of 136.36 mph in January of 1907. Although many want to bring up questions about this speed run the fact is it was not only a monumental event, but one which inspired an entire industry. For over a century this single event has been an important bookmark within the history of the motorcycle. That picture of Glenn Curtiss on his V-8 motorcycle has had an impact which has become truly legendary.