Early Enclosed Motorcycles

Many people may think fully enclosed motorcycles such as modern sports bike are a recent development. Covering motorcycles existed long before the creation of today's crotch rockets. Here are some early examples that must have been ahead of their own time. 

The Moto Guzzi V8 racer was probably the coolest example of the "dustbin" gran prix bikes of the mid 50's. These bikes were banned in 1957 because of safety hazards.

The 1954 Vincent Black Knight was one of the earliest examples of a touring bike. It was one of Vincent's D series models which feature a shell that enclosed the bike. Most buyers of the bike removed the shells to expose the beautiful Vincent V twin.

Triumph experimented with shroud in the mid 60's. These models were known as "bathtub" models. They were critizide for resembling large scooters.

Gran Prix bikes of the 60's and 70's began to form what we think of as modern sports fairings.

Finally one fully faired motorcycle that never took off was the Honda Pacific Coast (PC). Like the Vincent and Triumph the public veiwed the machine as an oversized scooter. Dispite being a fine motorcycle the PC eventually faded away.