The following outline is provided as an overview of motorcycles and motorcycling:
Motorcycle — two-wheeled, single-track motor vehicle.Note: Some definitions also include some forms of three-wheelers. Other names include: motorbike, bike, and cycle.
Motorcycling — act of riding a motorcycle, around which a variety of subcultures and lifestyles have built up.
Motorcycles Description Legal definition of motorcycle – a 'powered two-wheel motor vehicle'. Most countries distinguish between mopeds up to and the more powerful, larger, vehicles known as motorcycles. Scooters do not count as a separate category, and are deemed to be "motorcycles". Some motorcycles have paired front wheels, or paired rear wheels, three in all. Motorized tricycles and sidecar outfits are deemed "motorcycles". Most jurisdictions do not consider three-wheeled cars to be motorcycles; but some (including the UK) grant low tax and driving licence exemptions to such vehicles subject to, say, weight and power limits."Daily Telegraph" report on new limits Motorcycles can be described as all of the following: a component of transport a component of a mode of transport a component of road transport a type of vehicle a type of motor vehicle a type of machine sports equipment
Types
Types of motorcycles The design of a motorcycle reflects the purpose for which it is to be used. The main types of motorcycle include:
Street motorcycle – designed for riding on paved roads; features smooth tyres with a light tread pattern and at least engine. Cruiser – mimics the style of American machines from the 1930s to the early 1960s, including those made by Harley-Davidson, Indian, Excelsior and Henderson; models evocative of the early cruisers make up 60% of the U.S. market Bobber – usually has had the front fender removed, the rear fender 'bobbed' or made smaller, and all superfluous items removed to make it lighterArt of the Bobber by Spencer Drate, Judith Salavetz, Alex Mardikian - 2006 Chopper – has a longer frame design accompanied by a stretched front end (or rake). To achieve a longer front end, while the frame is being designed, the fabricator tilts the neck of the frame at less of an incline and installs a longer fork. Sport bike – optimised for speed, acceleration, braking, and cornering on paved roads, ("…a powerful, lightweight motorcycle, designed for optimal speed and handling" ) typically at the expense of comfort and fuel economy in comparison to less specialised motorcycles. Café racer – a type of motorcycle that has been modified for speed and good handling rather than comfort. Cafe racers' bodywork and control layout typically mimic the style of Grand Prix roadracers of the 1950s or 1960s with or without fairings. They tend to feature an elongated fuel tank, a small, rearward mounted and humped single seat, and low, race style handlebars mounted on the front forks. Streetfighter – a sport bike that is customised by removing the fairing, with other changes that result in an overall more aggressive look Touring motorcycle – designed for long-distance touring and heavy commuting; although any motorcycle can be ridden to tour or commute, manufacturers provide specific models designed to address these particular needs Sport touring motorcycle – blends performance with long-distance capabilities while providing comfort and relative safety to the rider, and tend to include accessories, such as a trunk or saddlebags for storage, to enhance the touring experience Standard motorcycle – versatile, general purpose street motorcycle, with an upright riding position. Universal Japanese Motorcycle – Japanese motorcycle with a transverse air-cooled four-cylinder engine in a conventional tube frame with a dual seat, mostly made in the 1970s and early 1980s Custom motorcycle – unique or individually produced in a very limited quantity, as opposed to stock bikes which are mass-produced. Is usually highly stylised or has an unusual frame geometry or engine design. Many styles including café racer, streetfighter, and chopper began as customized motorcycles before manufacturers mass-produced bikes styled after popular custom machines. Rat bike – motorcycle maintained at little to no cost, or often of a deliberately exaggerated state of disrepair Dual-sport motorcycle – type of street-legal motorcycle designed for both on and off-road use Adventure (ADV) – a dual-purpose bike with a bias toward street use. Supermoto motorcycle – a dual-purpose, single-cylinder, lightweight bike fitted with equipment better suited to street riding or racing such as 17-inch front wheel and road tyres Off-road motorcycle Motocross – a lightweight, high-power, off-road competition race bike typically with a close ratio gear box. Enduro motorcycle – motorcycle made specifically for the Enduro sport, with the long travel and medium-hard suspension of a motocross bike enhanced with motorcycle features such as a wide-ratio gear box, headlight and quiet muffler to make the bike street-legal for parts of the track Track racing motorcycle – customised for track racing, with no brakes and fueled with methanol Trials motorcycle – an extremely lightweight design, that lacks seating (designed to be ridden standing up) and that has suspension travel that is short, relative to a motocross or enduro motorcycle
Small class Minibike – sometimes called a mini-moto or pocket-bike, it is a considerably smaller motorcycle; most traditional minibikes use a two stroke engine to turn the rear wheel via a chain Mini chopper – mini choppers are scaled-down versions of choppers, and are usually constructed from 1" steel tubing or 3/4" steel black pipe; the tube or pipe is bent and then welded together to get the desired angles and shapes of the frame, which is usually custom made Moped – a type of low-powered motorcycle designed to provide economical and relatively safe transport with minimal licensing requirements Sport moped – a type of moped that resembles a sport bike Pit bike – a small off-road motorcycle originally used for riding around the pits or staging area of a motocross race; since the early 2000s, pit bike racing, a sport similar to motocross, has become popular in the United States, especially in Southern California Scooter – a step-through motorcycle with a seat, a floorboard, and small or low wheels. Most modern scooter designs have swingarm-mounted engines Underbone – a step-through motorcycle with a structural down-tube and conventionally sized wheels, but without a floorboard Electric motorcycle – has an electric motor powered by one or more batteries or fuel cells Electric dragbike TTXGP race class TT Zero race class Enclosed motorcycle Cabin motorcycle Streamliner motorcycle Utility motorcycle Derny – motorised bicycle for motor-paced cycling events Blood bike Fire bike Motocrotte – Parisian sanitation motorcycle Motorcycle ambulance Motorcycle taxi Police motorcycle Other designs and variations Feet forwards motorcycle – motorcycle on which the rider reclines with his feet positioned ahead of his body Related three-wheeled vehicles Auto rickshaw Motorcycle combination Motorized tricycle Tilting three-wheeler
Design
Motorcycle design Motorcycle dynamics Shaft effect Motorcycle geometry Motorcycle testing and measurement
Major component parts
Motorcycle components Motorcycle brakes Anti-lock braking system – fitted to many modern motorcycles Combined braking system – links front and rear brake operation Motorcycle chassis – includes the frame and suspension, along with the front forks, of the vehicle. Motorcycle frame – provides the strength and rigidity of the motorcycle; all other parts are attached directly or indirectly to the frame Suspension – controls the ride and handling of the motorcycle by controlling the rate and distance of the movement of the wheels relative to the frame Motorcycle fork – acts as suspension for the front wheel and allows the motorcycle to be steered Motorcycle engine – provides the power to propel the motorcycle Forced induction in motorcycles – turbocharger or supercharger for greater power per unit displacement Motorcycle transmission Chain drive – the most common method of transferring power from the engine to the wheels Shaft drive – low-maintenance alternative to chain drive, favoured by certain manufacturers, such as BMW Motorrad and Moto Guzzi, and also used on many large touring motorcycles Belt drive – low-maintenance alternative to chain drive, favoured by certain manufacturers, such as Harley-Davidson, and on many cruiser motorcycles Motorcycle handlebar Instrument panel Speedometer – indicates the forward speed of the motorcycle Odometer – records and indicates the total distance travelled by the motorcycle Tachometer – indicates the rotational speed of the crankshaft in the engine, often also shows an indicated safe limit called a redline Fuel gauge – indicates the amount of fuel in the tank relative to tank capacity Motorcycle saddle Motorcycle tyres – have a round cross section to facilitate the leaning necessary when a motorcycle turns Motorcycle wheels Motorcycle accessories Motorcycle fairing Motorcycle headlamp modulator Sidecar Storage accessories Pannier Saddlebags Motorcycle trailer Trunk
Models :Category:Lists of motorcycles :Category:Lists of motorcycles of the United Kingdom List of Grand Prix motorcycles
Manufacturers List of motorcycle manufacturers
History
Motorcycle history Motorcycle land speed record List of fastest production motorcycles History of electric motorcycles and scooters
Pioneers
First motorcycle ride – it is generally accepted that the first motorcycle ride was by Gottlieb Daimler's son Paul on a new machine called Einspur ('one track') near Stuttgart in Germany on 10 November 1885. However, several pioneering engineers and inventors preceded Daimler, mostly with steam engines powering their cycles. These include: Lucius Copeland – 19th-century engineer and inventor from Phoenix who demonstrated one of the first motorcycles in 1884 Louis-Guillaume Perreaux – French inventor and engineer who submitted one of the first patents for a working motorcycle in 1869, the Michaux-Perreaux steam velocipede.
Many pioneering engineers and inventors followed Daimler in using internal combustion engines . These include: Siegfried Bettmann – founder of the Triumph Motorcycle Company Oscar Hedstrom – designer and engineer who designed the Indian motorcycle, one of the first motorcycles manufactured in the United States Edward Pennington – pioneering motorcycle inventor credited with having invented the word 'motorcycle' and using the term as early as 1893 Alfred Angas Scott – motorcycle designer, inventor and founder of the Scott Motorcycle Company
Innovators Max Friz – German mechanical engineer and contributor of engine design that led to the founding of BMW in 1917 Harry Ricardo – pioneering motorcycle engine designer influential in the early years of the development of the internal combustion engine Edward Turner – motorcycle designer and General Manager of Triumph where he led the development of many important technical ideas found on motorcycles today John Britten – New Zealand mechanical engineer who designed a world-record-setting motorcycle with innovative features and materials Mike Tomkinson - motorcycle engineer whose Bol d'Or endurance racers incorporated numerous innovative features. David Garside - BSA engineer who developed the F&S Wankel into a powerful Norton motorcycle engine.
Industrialists George Brough – world record holding motorcycle racer and founder of Brough Superior motorcycles Arthur Davidson – co-founder of the Harley-Davidson Motor Company Eugene Goodman – co founder of the Velocette motorcycle company with his father John Goodman in 1913 William S. Harley – co-founder of the Harley-Davidson Motor Company Soichiro Honda – founder of the Honda Motor Company