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Private company

Herdtle & Bruneau

French motorcycle company

Herdtle & Bruneau was a French maker of motorcycles. In 1905 they introduced motorized roller skates to the public. Each skate contained a 1 hp motor; controls could then be affixed to the skater's belt, and would be linked via flexible cables to the skates.2 It ceased to exist in 1914.1 Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0

Last updated Oct 21, 2026.

Overview

1902Founded1
  • HeadquartersParis1

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Herdtle-Bruneau 1 hp 1903
Photo: Yesterdays Antique Motorcycles, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons3

Herdtle & Bruneau was a French maker of motorcycles. In 1905 they introduced motorized roller skates to the public. Each skate contained a 1 hp motor; controls could then be affixed to the skater's belt, and would be linked via flexible cables to the skates. Top speed for the contraption was said to be a brakeless 66 km/h (41 mph). Unsurprisingly, the idea did not catch on, and the line of motorized skates was discontinued by the end of the year.2

Timeline

  1. 1914Dissolved Dissolved1
  2. 1902Founded Founded1

Sources

The numbers on this page point here. Each one links to the record it came from.

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