World Racing League 1875

In 1839, a brilliant young engineer working for the Great Western Railway was permitted to show a whimsical device of his creation to a young Queen Victoria.  A bizarre combination of a miniature steam engine and an odd German invention called the mistmashine (an early bicycle), this clattering device gently propelled itself around a courtyard and greatly amused the Queen, who gave the young engineer a personal commission and some funding to develop the machine further.  In 1842, the MacFarlane Engine Works began selling its first commercial "locomotive bicycles", nearly going out of business before Her Majesty purchased a dozen for the use of royal couriers and one for herself.  In 1843 they were a status symbol, in 1845 they were a fad, and by 1848 there were enough "motor-cycles" on the roads of England that racing was inevitable.

In 1850 the Royal Racing Commission was founded, and it changed the world.

Today, at the start of the 1875 racing season, the World Racing League is the true empire on which the sun never sets, with nations around the globe sponsoring cross-country races and teams of riders.  Countless fans attend races, fortunes are won and lost at the betting parlors, and even the kingly sport of war has gone somewhat by the wayside in favor of the equally-exciting but less costly delights of the WRL.  Steam motorcycles and their tripetroline fuel can be found all around the world, and innumerable youngsters dream of getting their hands on one and riding their way to glory.  Still others use the WRL as the means to eliminate rivals, avoid justice, or fund their criminal empires.

It's a world of fast machines and high adventure.  Are you ready to ride?

The WRL - an overview of the World Racing League, its rules, its races, how it makes its money, and the minor leagues that lead up to it.

The Nations of the WRL - a snapshot of the world of WRL 1875 and how its nations differ from our own.

The Steam Motorcycle - an overview of the modern racing motorcycle, a listing of common models, and some of the technobabble.