Friday, January 8, 2010

Vintage Motorcycles: E. R. Thomas 'Auto-Bi' Motorcycle

The "E.R. Thomas Motor Company" located in Buffalo, New York, was founded by Erwin Ross Thomas in the late 1890s. The E.R. Thomas company began as a manufacturer of "Cleveland bicycles," but was one of the many companies that decided to diversify into the world of motor-driven bicycles, motorized tricycles, and automobiles that were becoming the latest fad at the turn of the century.
The E.R. Thomas Motor Company's "Auto-Bi" or "Auto-Bike" began production in 1901, making E.R. Thomas one of the first manufacturers in the United States to mass-produce motor driven cycles. The factory was located at 1202 Niagara Street, in Buffalo.

The E. R. Thomas Auto-Bi Company

The "Auto-Bi" was manufactured under the "Buffalo Automobile and Auto-Bi Company" which manufactured cars and motorbikes. The 1901 E.R. Thomas 'Auto-Bi' had a 442cc single cylinder motor, wood wheels and handlebars, and a leather belt drive.


E.R. Thomas Motor Company Links

Motoring Memories: 1907 Thomas Flyer by Bill Vance

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