The concept was patented in 1896 by engineer Karl Benz and should not be confused with the opposed-piston engine, in which each cylinder has a piston at both ends and no cylinder head.

The old Rocker wore his hair too long,
wore his trouser cuffs too tight.
Unfashionable to the end — drank his ale too light.
Death’s head belt buckle — yesterday’s dreams —
the transport caf’ prophet of doom.
Ringing no change in his double-sewn seams
in his post-war-babe gloom.

Now he’s too old to Rock’n'Roll but he’s too young to die.

He once owned a Harley Davidson and a Triumph Bonneville.
Counted his friends in burned-out spark plugs
and prays that he always will.
But he’s the last of the blue blood greaser boys
all of his mates are doing time:
married with three kids up by the ring road
sold their souls straight down the line.
And some of them own little sports cars
and meet at the tennis club do’s.
For drinks on a Sunday — work on Monday.
They’ve thrown away their blue suede shoes.

Now they’re too old to Rock’n'Roll and they’re too young to die.

So the old Rocker gets out his bike
to make a ton before he takes his leave.
Up on the A1 by Scotch Corner
just like it used to be.
And as he flies — tears in his eyes —
his wind-whipped words echo the final take
and he hits the trunk road doing around 120
with no room left to brake.

And he was too old to Rock’n'Roll but he was too young to die.
No, you’re never too old to Rock’n'Roll if you’re too young to die.

This 125cc Over Head Cam motorcycle set the tone for style in the 1950′s.

Top speed? 95 km/h…

NSU motorbike production restarted, in a completely destroyed plant, with pre-war designs like the Quick, OSL and Konsul motorbikes.

The first post-war model was the NSU Fox in 1949, available in a 2-stroke and a 4-stroke version.

In 1953 the NSU Max followed, a 250 cc motorbike with a unique overhead camdrive with connecting rods. All these new models had an innovative monocoque frame of pressed steel and a central rear suspension unit.

Albert Roder, the chief engineer behind the NSU line, led the company to become ( in 1955) the biggest motorcycle producer in the world.

NSU also holds 4 world records for speed: 1951, 1953, 1954, and 1955.

In August 1956 Wilhelm Herz at the Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah, became the first man to ride a motorcycle faster than 200 mph.

Motorbike production continued until 1968. NSU’s last production motorcycle was the Quick 50.

“It was the go-to place for movie stills, even for the studios. It was like a library,” according to the New York Daily News.

As proof, witness this elaborate set still of the Tin Man in 1939′s “The Wizard of Oz.”