Specifications:
3.5hp, 442 cc single-cylinder engine

During the blossoming of American motorcycle manufacturing in the early 1900s, some 300 different companies tried their hand at attaching engines to what were essentially bicycle frames. Such was the case of the Wagner, which made the transition from cycle to motorcycle in 1901, just as the new century was embracing the internal combustion engine as a means of transportation and sport.

The Wagner was the first motorcycle built in Minnesota. George Wagner was the person behind the name on the gas tank, but it was his daughter Clara who brought fame to the motorcycle's place in history. In 1910, at the tender age of 18 and already a member of the Federation of American Motorcyclists (FAM), she earned a perfect score on one of her father's motorcycles while braving foul weather and potholed roads on the 360-mile FAM Chicago to Indianapolis endurance run. As a result she earned the title of the first documented female motorcycle rider. When officials took away her award because she was a woman, her fellow competitors responded by taking up a collection for a pendant honoring her achievement.

The Wagner benefited from George's bicycle design savvy; he recognized the quality of the diamond frame but also realized that a loop frame helped with weight distribution as well as increased strength. To that end, he designed a hybrid frame by grafting a forward loop onto a modified diamond frame. Another innovative feature was the routing of the exhaust through the frame's front downtube and then exiting the frame tube behind the engine. The merger produced a stout frame into which was mounted a 442 cc single-cylinder engine capable of carrying a rider (man or woman), to speeds of 40 miles per hour. Wagner Singles were available with a choice of battery or magneto ignition as well as either V-belt or flat-belt drive.

For the astute collector of American belt-drive machines, the 1911 Wagner seen here, richly appointed in its factory correct red paint, would make an invaluable acquisition. The Wagner, a true pioneer of the industry, was built from 1901 to 1914. This rare 1911 model was meticulously restored by Ojai, California master craftsman Jeff Slobodian and as such, remains in superb condition and period correct throughout. This is a truly wonderful example of prewar motorcycle history.