The Orient, the Marsh, and Metz

  The Orient that the Waltham Co. and Charles Metz debuted in 1900 was the first truly modern motorcycle. It had a 250cc engine, a flat leather belt drive with a tensioning lever, and separate gas and oil tanks mounted under the rider's seat. It was unveiled in July of that year at the Charles River race track at Boston.

  There at Boston, at the first recorded speed event for a modern motorcycle, it ran a 5 mile course in 7 minutes at an average speed of just under 43 mph (69 km/h). The following year in May of 1901, it came in 1st place in the first recorded head-to-head motorcycle race against three other riders, in Los Angeles, CA. The Orient covered 10 laps around a 1 mile long horse track in 18 minute and 30 seconds at an average speed of 32 mph (51 km/h).

  Once again, the public put their money down. Winning races = selling motorcycles. Metz was quick to seize the opportunity and promptly left the Waltham Manufacturing Company to build motorcycles exclusively as the Metz Motorcycle Company. 

  In 1905 Metz merged with the Marsh brothers of the Marsh Motorcycle Co. who themselves had built a 1 hp engine driven bicycle in 1899.

Together they formed the American Motorcycle Company and began to market motorcycles called the Marsh & Metz, or the M.M.

  Unlike other manufacturers, the Marsh brothers developed their own successful engine instead of importing them. By 1902 they had built a 6 horsepower racing model that reached nearly 60 mph (96 km/h). 

  Marsh & Metz was one of the earliest American motorcycle companies to market a production V-twin engine in around 1906, beginning with a 45° twin and then a 90° twin a couple years later that offered smoother running due to better engine balancing. 

  In the early years of the 20th century there were many manufacturers getting into the motorcycle business. Around 300 brands came and went in America before the Great Depression forced many of them under. There was strong competition from not only other motorcycle companies, but the ever growing automotive industry. 

  In 1913, amid stiff competition, the American Motorcycle Company closed it's doors, Charles Metz switched his attention to building autos, and the motorcycles that he helped create are now another piece of history.