CHAPTER 1 – INTRODUCTION

Motorcycle
A motorcycle often called a bike, motorbike, or cycle is a two or three-wheeled motor vehicle.
Motorcycle design varies greatly to suit a range of different purposes: long distance travel,
commuting, cruising, sport including racing, and off-road riding. Motorcycling is riding a
motorcycle and related social activity such as joining a motorcycle club and attending
motorcycle rallies.

In 1894, Hildebrand & Wolfmüller became the first series production motorcycle, and the first to
be called a motorcycle. In 2014, the three top motorcycle producers globally by volume were
Honda, Yamaha (both from Japan), and Hero MotoCorp (India).

In developing countries, motorcycles are overwhelmingly utilitarian due to lower prices and
greater fuel economy. Of all the motorcycles in the world, 58% are in the Asia-Pacific and
Southern and Eastern Asia regions, excluding car-centric Japan.According to the United States
Department of Transportation the number of fatalities per vehicle mile traveled was 37 times
higher for motorcycles than for cars.

History
The history of the motorcycle begins in the second half of the 19th century. Motorcycles are
descended from the "safety bicycle," a bicycle with front and rear wheels of the same size and a
pedal crank mechanism to drive the rear wheel. Despite some early landmarks in its
development, the motorcycle lacks a rigid pedigree that can be traced back to a single idea or
machine. Instead, the idea seems to have occurred to numerous engineers and inventors around
Europe at around the same time.

Early steam-powered cycles

In the 1860s Pierre Michaux, a blacksmith in Paris, founded 'Michaux et Cie' ("Michaux and
company"), the first company to construct bicycles with pedals called a velocipede at the time, or
"Michauline". The first steam powered motorcycle, the Michaux-Perreaux steam velocipede, can
be traced to 1867, when Pierre's son Ernest Michaux fitted a small steam engine to one of the
'velocipedes'.

The design went to America when Pierre Lallement, a Michaux employee who also claimed to
have developed the prototype in 1863, filed for the first bicycle patent with the US patent office
in 1866. In 1868 an American, Sylvester H. Roper of Roxbury, Massachusetts developed a twin-
cylinder steam velocipede, with a coal-fired boiler between the wheels. Roper's contribution to
motorcycle development ended suddenly when he died demonstrating one of his machines in
Cambridge, Massachusetts on June 1, 1896.

Also in 1868, a French engineer Louis-Guillaume Perreaux patented a similar steam powered
single cylinder machine, the Michaux-Perreaux steam velocipede, with an alcohol burner and
twin belt drives, which was possibly invented independently of Roper's. Although the patent is
dated 1868, nothing indicates the invention had been operable before 1871.

In 1881, Lucius Copeland of Phoenix, Arizona designed a much smaller steam boiler which
could drive the large rear wheel of an American Star high-wheeler at 12 mph. In 1887 Copeland
formed the Northrop Manufacturing Co. to produce the first successful 'Moto-Cycle' (actually a
three-wheeler).

Experimentation and invention

The first internal combustion, petroleum fueled motorcycle was the Daimler Reitwagen. It was
designed and built by the German inventors Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach in Bad
Cannstatt, Germany in 1885. This vehicle was unlike either the safety bicycles or the boneshaker
bicycles of the era in that it had zero degrees of steering axis angle and no fork offset, and thus
did not use the principles of bicycle and motorcycle dynamics developed nearly 70 years earlier.
Instead, it relied on two outrigger wheels to remain upright while turning.

The inventors called their invention the Reitwagen ("riding car"). It was designed as an expedient
testbed for their new engine, rather than a true prototype vehicle.

The first commercial design for a self-propelled cycle was a three-wheel design called the Butler
Petrol Cycle, conceived of Edward Butler in England in 1884. He exhibited his plans for the
vehicle at the Stanley Cycle Show in London in 1884. The vehicle was built by the
Merryweather Fire Engine company in Greenwich, in 1888.

The Butler Petrol Cycle was a three-wheeled vehicle, with the rear wheel directly driven by a
5/8hp (466W) 600 cc (40 in3; 2¼×5-inch {57×127-mm}) flat twin four stroke engine (with
magneto ignition replaced by coil and battery) equipped with rotary valves and a float-fed
carburettor (five years before Maybach) and Ackermann steering, all of which were state of the
art at the time. Starting was by compressed air. The engine was liquid-cooled, with a radiator
over the rear driving wheel. Speed was controlled by means of a throttle valve lever. No braking
system was fitted; the vehicle was stopped by raising and lowering the rear driving wheel using a
foot-operated lever; the weight of the machine was then borne by two small castor wheels. The
driver was seated between the front wheels. It wasn't, however, a success, as Butler failed to find
sufficient financial backing.

Many authorities have excluded steam powered, electric motorcycles or diesel-powered two-
wheelers from the definition of a 'motorcycle', and credit the Daimler Reitwagen as the world's
first motorcycle.Given the rapid rise in use of electric motorcycles worldwide,defining only
internal-combustion powered two-wheelers as 'motorcycles' is increasingly problematic.

If a two-wheeled vehicle with steam propulsion is considered a motorcycle, then the first
motorcycles built seem to be the French Michaux-Perreaux steam velocipede which patent
application was filled in December 1868, constructed around the same time as the American
Roper steam velocipede, built by Sylvester H. Roper Roxbury, Massachusetts. who demonstrated
his machine at fairs and circuses in the eastern U.S. in 1867, Roper built about 10 steam cars and
cycles from the 1860s until his death in 1896.

First commercial products

In the decade from the late 1880s, dozens of designs and machines emerged, particularly in
Germany and in England, and soon spread to America.During this early period of motorcycle
history there were many manufacturers, since bicycle makers were adapting their designs for the
new internal combustion engine.

In 1894 Hildebrand & Wolfmüller became the first series production motorcycle, and the first to
be called a "motorcycle" (German: Motorrad). However, only a few hundred examples of this
motorcycle were ever built. The first instance of the term "motor cycle" also appears in English
the same year in materials promoting machines developed by E.J. Pennington, although
Pennington's motorcycles never progressed past the prototype stage.

Excelsior Motor Company, originally a bicycle-manufacturing company based in Coventry in

Warwickshire (England), began production of their first motorcycle model in 1896, available for
purchase by the public. The first production motorcycle in the US was the Orient-Aster, built by
Charles Metz in 1898 at his factory in Waltham, Massachusetts.

In 1898, Peugeot Motocycles presents at the Paris Motorshow the first motorcyle equiped with a
Dion-Bouton motor. Peugeot Motocycles remains the oldest motorcycle manufacturer in the
world.

In the early period of motorcycle history, many producers of bicycles adapted their designs to
accommodate the new internal-combustion engine. As the engines became more powerful and
designs outgrew the bicycle origins, the number of motorcycle producers increased. Many of the
nineteenth-century inventors who worked on early motorcycles often moved on to other
inventions. Daimler and Roper, for example, both went on to develop automobiles.

At the turn of the 20th century the first major mass-production firms emerged.

A 1913 FN (Fabrique National), Belgium, 4 cylinders and shaft drive

In 1901 English quadricycle- and bicycle-maker Royal Enfield introduced its first motorcycle,
with a 239 cc engine mounted in the front and driving the rear wheel through a belt. In 1898
English bicycle-maker Triumph decided to extend its focus to include motorcycles, and by 1902
the company had produced its first motorcycle—a bicycle fitted with a Belgian-built engine. A
year later it was the largest motorcycle-manufacturer, with an annual production of over 500
units. Other British firms included Norton and Birmingham Small Arms Company who began
motorbike production in 1902 and 1910, respectively.

In 1901 the Indian Motocycle Manufacturing Company, which had been founded by two former
bicycle-racers, designed the so-called "diamond framed" Indian Single, whose engine was built
by the Aurora Firm in Illinois per Indian's specifications. The Single was made available in the
deep blue. Indian's production was up to over 500 bikes by 1902, and would rise to 32,000, its
best ever, in 1913. Indian produced over 20,000 bikes per year. The oldest surviving Russian-
manufactured motorcycle, the Rossiya, dates from 1902. The American company Harley-
Davidson started producing motorcycles in 1903.

During this period, experimentation and innovation were driven by the popular new sport of
motorcycle racing, with its powerful incentive to produce tough, fast, reliable machines. These
enhancements quickly found their way to the public's machines.

Chief August Vollmer of the Berkeley, California Police Department is credited with organizing
the first official police motorcycle-patrol in the United States in 1911. By 1914, motorcycles
were no longer just bicycles with engines; they had their own technologies, although many still
maintained bicycle elements, like the seats and suspension.

The First World War

Triumph Motorcycles Model H, was mass-produced for the war effort and notable for its
reliability.

During the First World War, motorbike production was greatly ramped up for the war effort to
supply effective communications with front line troops. Messengers on horses were replaced
with dispatch riders on motorcycles carrying messages, performing reconnaissance personnel
and acting as a military police. American company Harley-Davidson was devoting over 50% of
its factory output toward military contract by the end of the war. The British company Triumph
Motorcycles sold more than 30,000 of its Triumph Type H model to allied forces during the war.
With the rear wheel driven by a belt, the Model H was fitted with a 499 cc air-cooled four-stroke
single-cylinder engine. It was also the first Triumph not to be fitted with pedals, so was a true
motorcycle.
The Model H in particular, is regarded by many as having been the first "modern motorcycle".
Introduced in 1915 it had a 550cc side-valve four-stroke engine with a three-speed gearbox and
belt transmission. It was so popular with its users that it was nicknamed the "Trusty Triumph."

Postwar
By 1920, Harley-Davidson became the largest manufacturer, with their motorcycles being sold
by dealers in 67 countries. By the late 1920s or early 1930s, DKW in Germany took over as the
largest manufacturer. BMW motorcycles came on the scene in 1923 with a shaft drive and an
opposed-twin or "boxer" engine enclosed with the transmission in a single aluminum housing.

By 1931, Indian and Harley-Davidson were the only two American manufacturers producing
commercial motorcycles. This two-company rivalry in the United States remained until 1953,
when the Indian Motorcycle factory in Springfield, Massachusetts closed and Royal Enfield took
over the Indian name.

There were over 80 different makes of motorcycle available in Britain in the 1930s, from the
familiar marques like Norton, Triumph and AJS to the obscure, with names like New Gerrard,
NUT, SOS, Chell and Whitwood, about twice as many motorcycle makes competing in the
world market during the early 21st century.

In 1937, Joe Petrali set a new land speed record of 136.183 mph (219.165 km/h) on a modified
Harley-Davidson 61 cubic inch (1,000 cc) overhead valve-driven motorcycle. The same day,
Petrali also broke the speed record for 45 cubic inch (737 cc) engine motorcycles.

In Europe, production demands, driven by the buildup to World War II, included motorcycles for
military use, and BSA supplied 126,000 BSA M20 motorcycles to the British armed forces,
starting in 1937 and continuing until 1950. Royal Enfield also produced motorcycles for the
military, including a 125 cc lightweight motorcycle that could be dropped (in a parachute-fitted
tube cage) from an aircraft.
After World War II
After the World War II, some American veterans found a replacement for the camaraderie,
excitement, danger and speed of life at war in motorcycles. Grouped into loosely organized
clubs, motorcycle riders in the US created a new social institution—the motorcyclists or
"bikers"—which was later skewed by the "outlaw" persona Marlon Brando portrayed in the 1953
film The Wild One.

In Europe, on the other hand, post-war motorcycle producers were more concerned with
designing practical, economical transportation than the social aspects, or "biker" image. Italian
designer Piaggio introduced the Vespa in 1946, which experienced immediate and widespread
popularity. Imports from the UK, Italy and Germany, thus found a niche in US markets that
American bikes did not fill.

The BSA Group purchased Triumph Motorcycles in 1951 to become the largest producer of
motorcycles in the world claiming "one in four".[citation needed] The German NSU was the
largest manufacturer from 1955[citation needed] until 1959 when Honda became the largest
manufacturer.A 1962 Triumph Bonneville represents the popularity of British motorcycles at that
time.

British manufacturers Triumph, BSA, and Norton retained a dominant position in some markets
until the rise of the Japanese manufacturers, led by Honda, in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The
role of the motorcycle shifted in the 1960s, from the tool of a life to a toy of a lifestyle. It became
part of an image, of status, a cultural icon for individualism, a prop in Hollywood B-movies.

The motorcycle also became a recreational machine for sport and leisure, a vehicle for carefree
youth, not essential transportation for the mature family man or woman, and the Japanese were
able to produce modern designs more quickly, more cheaply, and of better quality than their
competitors. Their motorbikes were more stylish and more reliable, so the British manufacturers
fell behind as mass-market producers.

Honda, which was officially founded in Japan on September 24, 1948, introduced their SOHC
inline-four engine CB750 in 1969, which was inexpensive and immediately successful.[citation
needed] It established the across-the-frame-four engine configuration as a design with huge
potential for power and performance. Shortly after the introduction of the SOHC, Kawasaki
demonstrated the potential of the four-stroke four-cylinder engine with the introduction of the
KZ900.

Suzuki, Kawasaki and the Yamaha each started producing motorcycles in the 1950s. Meanwhile,
the sun was setting on British dominion over the big-displacement motorbike market.

Japanese dominance
The excellence of Japanese motorcycles caused similar effects in all Western markets: many
Italian bike firms either went bust or only just managed to survive. As a result, BMW's
worldwide sales sagged in the 1960s, but came back strongly with the introduction of a
completely redesigned "slash-5" series for model year 1970.

From the 1960s through the 1990s, small two-stroke motorcycles were popular worldwide, partly
as a result of the pioneering work of the East German Daniel Zimmermann (rotary disc valve)
and MZ's Walter Kaaden who developed the two-stroke expansion chamber in the 1950s. These
ideas were taken up by Suzuki when Ernst Degner, the MZ engineer and rider, defected to the
West on 13 September 1961 after retiring from the 125cc Swedish Grand Prix at Kristianstad.
Degner, an excellent engineer, immediately joined Suzuki and his knowledge became their
technology springboard.

Harley-Davidson in the US at the time suffered from the same problems as the European firms,
but its unique product range, American tariff laws and nationalism-driven customer loyalty
allowed it to survive. One alleged flaw, however, was retaining the characteristic Harley-
Davidson 45° engine vee-angle, which causes excess vibration as well as the loping Harley-
Davidson sound.

A factory full fairing was introduced by BMW motorcycle in the R100RS of 1977, the first
factory fairing produced in quantity.In 1980, BMW stimulated the "adventure touring" category
of motorcycling with its dual-sport model, the R80G/S. In 1988, BMW was the first motorcycle
manufacturer to introduce anti-lock-brakes (ABS) on its sporting K100RS-SE and K1 models
The present
Today the Japanese manufacturers, Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, and Yamaha dominate the large
motorcycle industry, although Harley-Davidson still maintains a high degree of popularity,
particularly in the United States.

Recent years have seen a resurgence in the popularity around the world of many other
motorcycle brands, including BMW, Triumph and Ducati, and the emergence of Victory as a
second successful mass-builder of big-twin American cruisers.

In November 2006, the Dutch company E.V.A. Products BV Holland announced that the first
commercially available diesel-powered motorcycle, its Track T-800CDI, achieved production
status. The Track T-800CDI uses an 800 cc three-cylinder Daimler Chrysler diesel engine.
However, other manufacturers, including Royal Enfield, had been producing diesel-powered
bikes since at least 1965.

In the developing world

There is a large demand for small, cheap motorcycles in the developing world, and many of the
firms meeting that demand now also compete in mature markets, such as China's Hongdou which
makes a version of Honda's venerable CG125.

Motorcycle taxis are commonplace in the developing world. Scooters, mopeds and motorcycles
offer a fast, cheap and risky way around snarled traffic and scarce mass transit, as they can easily
squeeze through jams.

The first ethanol flex fuel motorcycle in the world was launched to the Brazilian market by
Honda in March 2009, the CG 150 Titan Mix. During the first eight months after its market
launch the CG 150 Titan Mix had captured a 10.6% market share, and ranking second in sales of
new motorcycles in the Brazilian market in 2009. In September 2009, Honda launched a second
flexible-fuel motorcycle, and by December 2010 both Honda flexible-fuel motorcycles had
reached cumulative production of 515,726 units, representing an 18.1% market share of the
Brazilian new motorcycle sales in that year. As of January 2011 there were four flex-fuel
motorcycle models available in the market, and production reached the one million milestone in
June 2011
Types
There are many systems for classifying types of motorcycles, describing how the motorcycles are
put to use, or the designer's intent, or some combination of the two.Six main categories are
widely recognized: cruiser, sport, touring, standard, dual-purpose, and dirt bike.Sometimes sport
touring motorcycles are recognized as a seventh category. Strong lines are sometimes drawn
between motorcycles and their smaller cousins, mopeds, scooters, and underbones,but other
classification schemes include these as types of motorcycles.

There is no universal system for classifying all types of motorcycles. There are strict
classification systems enforced by competitive motorcycle sport sanctioning bodies, or legal
definitions of a motorcycle established by certain legal jurisdictions for motorcycle registration,
emissions, road traffic safety rules or motorcyclist licensing. There are also informal
classifications or nicknames used by manufacturers, riders, and the motorcycling media. Some
experts do not recognize sub-types, like naked bike, that "purport to be classified" outside the six
usual classes, because they fit within one of the main types and are recognizable only by
cosmetic changes.

Street
Street motorcycles are motorcycles designed for being ridden on paved roads. They have smooth
tires with a light tread pattern and engines generally in the 125 cc (7.6 cu in) and over range.
Most are capable of speeds up to 100 mph (160 km/h), and many of speeds in excess of 125 mph
(201 km/h).

Standard

Standards, also called naked bikes or roadsters, are versatile, general-purpose street motorcycles.
They are recognized primarily by their upright riding position, partway between the reclining
rider posture of the cruisers and the forward leaning sport bikes. Footpegs are below the rider
and handlebars are high enough to not force the rider to reach too far forward, placing the
shoulders above the hips in a natural position. Because of their flexibility, lower costs, and
moderate engine output, standards are particularly suited to motorcycle beginners.

Standards usually do not come with fairings or windscreens, or if they have them, they are
relatively small. Standard is often a synonym for naked bike, a term that became popular in the
1990s in response to the proliferation of fully faired sport bikes. The standard seemed to have
disappeared, fueling nostalgia for the return of the Universal Japanese Motorcycle, which were
admired for their simplicity, quality, and versatility.

Muscle bike is a nickname for a motorcycle type, derived from either a standard or sport bike
design, that puts a disproportionately high priority on engine power.Roadster is equivalent to
standard or naked

Cruiser
A cruiser is a motorcycle in the style of American machines from the 1930s to the early 1960s,
including those made by Harley-Davidson, Indian, Excelsior and Henderson. The riding position
usually places the feet forward and the hands up, with the spine erect or leaning back slightly.
Typical cruiser engines emphasize easy rideability and shifting, with plenty of low-end torque
but not necessarily large amounts of horsepower, traditionally V-twins but inline engines have
become more common. Cruisers with greater performance than usual, including more
horsepower, stronger brakes and better suspension, are often called power cruisers.

Japanese companies began producing models evocative of the early cruisers in the mid-1980s,
and by 1997 the market had grown to nearly 60 percent of the US market, such that a number of
motorcycle manufacturers including BMW, Honda, Moto Guzzi, Yamaha, Suzuki, Triumph and
Victory have currently or have had important models evocative of the American cruiser.

Harley-Davidsons and other cruisers with extensive luggage for touring have been called,
sometimes disparagingly or jocularly, baggers, or full baggers, as well as dressers, full dressers,
or full dress tourers. These terms are no longer limited to cruisers, but may be used to refer to
any touring motorcycle.

Cruisers are often the basis for custom motorcycle projects that result in a bike modified to suit
the owner's ideals, and as such are a source of pride and accomplishment.

Power cruiser is a name used to distinguish bikes in the cruiser class that have higher levels of
power. They often come with upgraded brakes and suspensions, better ground clearance, and
premium surface finishes, as well as more exotic or modern muscular (non-traditional cruiser)
styling.
Many power cruisers and Japanese cruisers of the 1980s have more neutral riding positions.
While traditional cruisers have limited performance and turning ability due to a low-slung
design, power cruisers or similar performance-oriented cruisers can be leaned farther for better
cornering. Otherwise, customization can increase the bike's lean angle to enable cornering at
higher speeds.

Sportbike
A sportbike, or sports bike, is a motorcycle optimized for speed, acceleration, braking, and
cornering on paved roads, typically at the expense of comfort and fuel economy by comparison
with other motorcycles. Soichiro Honda wrote in the owner's manual of the 1959 Honda CB92
Benly Super Sport that, "Primarily, essentials of the motorcycle consists in the speed and the
thrill," while Cycle World's Kevin Cameron says that, "A sportbike is a motorcycle whose
enjoyment consists mainly from its ability to perform on all types of paved highway – its
cornering ability, its handling, its thrilling acceleration and braking power, even (dare I say it?)
its speed."

Motorcycles are versatile and may be put to many uses as the rider sees fit. In the past there were
few if any specialized types of motorcycles, but the number of types and sub-types has
proliferated, particularly in the period since the 1950s. The introduction of the Honda CB750 in
1969 marked a dramatic increase in the power and speed of practical and affordable sport bikes
available to the general public.

This was followed in the 1970s by improvements in suspension and braking commensurate with
the power of the large inline fours that had begun to dominate the sport bike world. In the 1980s
sport bikes again took a leap ahead, becoming almost indistinguishable from racing motorcycles.
Since the 1990s sport bikes have become more diverse, adding new variations like the naked
bike and streetfighter to the more familiar road racing style of sport bike

With the emphasis of a sport bike being on speed, acceleration, braking, and maneuverability,
there are certain design elements that most motorcycles of this type will share. Rider ergonomics
favor function. This generally means higher foot pegs that move the legs closer to the body and
more of a reach to a lower set of hand controls, such as clip on handlebars, which positions the
body and weight forward and over the tank. Sport bikes have comparatively high-performance
engines resting inside a lightweight frame. High tech and expensive materials are often used on
sport bikes to reduce weight.

There is no universal authority defining the terminology of sport bikes or any other motorcycle
classes. Legal definitions are limited by local jurisdiction, and race sanctioning bodies like the
American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) and the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme
(FIM) set rules that only apply to those who choose to participate in their competitions.
Nonetheless, by present day standards in Europe, North America and the rest of the developed
world, sport bikes are usually divided into three, four, or five rough categories, reflecting
vaguely similar engine displacement, horsepower, price and intended use, with a good measure
of subjective opinion and simplification. Marketing messages about a model from the
manufacturer can diverge from the consensus of the motorcycling media and the public.
Sometimes the classes used in motorcycle racing are approximated in production models, often
but not always in connection with homologation.

The sport bike classes in common usage are:

Lightweight, also called entry level, small or beginner bikes. Some two strokes in this class
have dramatically higher performance than the four strokes, being likened to miniature
superbikes. Sport bikes with engine displacements of up to about 500 cc (31 cu in) are usually in
this class.

Middleweight, mid-sized, mid-level, or supersport. Some of the models in this range qualify
for racing in the classes AMA Supersport Championship, British Supersport Championship and
the Supersport World Championship, but many middleweights do not have a significant presence
in racing. Displacements of 600–750 cc (37–46 cu in) are typical.

Superbike,[13] liter-class, or literbike, i.e. 1,000 cc (61 cu in). As with supersport, many of the
models in this class compete in superbike racing.

Open class, hypersport or hyperbike, are terms sometimes used in lieu of superbike as a
catch-all for everything larger than middleweight.Alternatively, these terms mark a class above
the superbikes for the largest displacement sport bikes with the highest top speeds, with weights
somewhat greater than the superbike class.Hyperbike was in use by 1979.

The terms supersport and superbike are sometimes applied indiscriminately to all high-
performance motorcycles. Categorization by engine displacement alone is a crude measure,
particularly when comparing engines with different numbers of cylinders like inline or V fours
with parallel and V twins, not to mention the greater power for a given displacement of two-
stroke engines over four strokes.

In the less developed world, smaller engine sizes are the norm, and relative terms like small,
mid-sized and large displacement can have different meanings. For example, in India in 2002
there were about 37 million two-wheelers, but as of 2008, there were only about 3,000
motorcycles, or fewer than one in 12,000, of displacement 1,000 cc (61 cu in) or more. Similarly,
the perception of relative sizes has shifted over time in developed countries, from smaller to
larger displacements. When the original superbike, the Honda CB750, appeared in 1969, it was
called a "big four," while today an inline four of 736.5 cc (44.94 cu in) would be classed in the
middle range.

Besides having product lines that span from entry level through high end sport bikes, many
manufacturers add depth to that line by having pairs, or several pairs, of similar sport bikes
aimed at riders of different levels. These are designed to appeal to riders seeking more or less
extreme performance features. The more expensive model will be in the vein of a race replica,
offering the latest technology updated with frequent design revisions, while the lower cost model
typically relies on older technology, can have a more relaxed riding position, and is generally
more practical for non-road racing tasks such as urban commuting and carrying passengers or
baggage, and offering lower fuel, insurance and maintenance costs. Examples of these paired
models are Buell's Firebolt and Lightning, Ducati's 916/748 through 1198/848 paired series,
Honda's CBR600RR and F4i middleweights[4] and RC51 and CBR1000RR liter-class, several
different concurrent models in Kawasaki's Ninja line, and Yamaha's R6 and 600R

Braking systems combine higher performance brake pads and disc brakes with multi-piston
calipers that clamp onto oversized vented rotors. Suspension systems are advanced in terms of
adjustments and materials for increased stability and durability. Front and rear tires are larger
and wider than tires found on other types of motorcycles to allow higher cornering speeds and
greater lean angles. Fairings may or may not be used on a sport bike; when used, fairings are
shaped to reduce aerodynamic drag as much as possible and provide wind protection for the
rider.

The combination of rider position, location of the engine and other heavy components, and the
motorcycle's geometry help maintain structural integrity and chassis rigidity, and determine how
it will behave under acceleration, braking, and cornering. Correct front-to-rear weight
distribution is of particular importance to the handling of sport bikes, and the changing position
of the rider's body dynamically changes the handling of the motorcycle. Because of the
complexity of modeling all the possible movements of different sized riders, to approach perfect
tuning of a motorcycle's weight distribution and suspension is often only possible by having a
bike customized or at least adjusted to fit a specific rider. Generally, road racing style sport bikes
have shorter wheelbases than those intended for more comfortable touring, and the current trend
in sport bike design is towards shorter wheelbases, giving quicker turning at the expense of a
greater tendency for unintentional wheelies and stoppies under hard acceleration and braking,
respectively.
Sport touring motorcycles share many features of sport bikes, but they are generally considered a
class all their own. These are mid- to large-sized motorcycles that offer more carrying capacity,
more relaxed ergonomics, and more versatility than specialized sport bikes, while being lighter
and more agile than touring motorcycles.Some sport bikes are marketed as race replicas,
implying that the model sold to the public is identical to the one used in racing, or at least is
closer to the racing version than non-replica models. Suffixes R or RR applied to model codes
can be interpreted as standing for replica or race replica.

Race Replica was used in the late 1970s UK where 250 cc models customized with full bodykits
providing race-styling in factory team colors themed to the top-level of sponsored riders of the
time were available marketed towards 'learner' riders who had not passed a driving test enabling
their progression to large-capacity machines. In 1982 Yamaha described their 1983 RD350
YPVS launched at the Cologne motorcycle show as "the nearest thing to a road going racer ever
produced".

The term race replica was then also used to distinguish the period of sport bike production from
Japan and Europe since the mid-1980s having integrated race-styled bodywork, representing an
evolution from the superbike period that began in 1969. The sport bike, or race replica, era began
with the 1983 Suzuki RG250 Gamma, the 1984 Honda VF750F and the 1985 Suzuki GSX-R750,
and had full fairings. Sport bikes with small or no fairings have proliferated since the mid-1990s.
These are called naked bikes or streetfighters, and they retain many of the performance features
of other sport bikes, but besides abbreviated bodywork, they give the rider a more upright
posture by using, for example, higher handlebars instead of clip ons. The streetfighter name,
associated with motorcycle stunt riding and perhaps hooliganism on public roads, can imply
higher performance than the sometimes more tame naked bike, which in some cases is a
synonym for a standard motorcycle. Others define naked bikes as equal in power and
performance to sport bikes, merely absent the bodywork.

The same period that saw the naked and streetfighter variants of the sport bike theme also had a
resurgence of the versatile standard in response to demand for a return of the Universal Japanese
Motorcycle. Supermoto-style street bikes, constructed with a completely different set of
priorities than a road racing style sport bike, have also entered the mainstream, offering another
option for riders seeking a spirited riding experience. The nickname muscle bike has been
applied to sport bikes that give engine output a disproportionate priority over braking, handling
or aerodynamics, harking back to the Japanese superbikes of the 1970s. A similar sensibility
drives the so-called power cruiser motorcycles, based on cruiser class machines but with
horsepower numbers in league with superbike
Touring
Although any motorcycle can be equipped and used for touring, touring motorcycles are
specifically designed to excel at covering long distances.[1] They have large-displacement
engines, fairings and screens that offer good weather and wind protection, large-capacity fuel
tanks for long ranges between fill-ups, and a relaxed, upright seating position.[1] Passenger
accommodation is excellent and expansive luggage space is the norm for this class.[1] Such
bikes can have wet weights of 850–900 lb (390–410 kg) and top 1,300–1,400 lb (590–640 kg)
fully loaded with a rider, passenger and gear.[12]

Bagger, full dresser, full dress tourer, or dresser are various names for touring motorcycles,
sometimes used disparagingly or jocularly, and originally referring to a Harley-Davidson or
other cruisers with full sets of saddlebags. This can now refer to any touring motorcycle

Dual-sport
Dual-sports, sometimes called dual-purpose or on/off-road motorcycles, are street legal machines
that are also designed to enter off-road situations. Typically based on a dirt bike chassis, they
have added lights, mirrors, signals, and instruments that allow them to be licensed for public
roads.[3] They are higher than other street bikes, with a high center of gravity and tall seat
height, allowing good suspension travel for rough ground.

Adventure motorcycles are motorcycles with touring capability on paved and unpaved roads. As
a dual-sport they have a significant on-pavement bias and perform well on pavement at higher
speeds unlike most dual-sports. Their size, weight and sometimes their tires, however, limits
their off-road capability. Most adventure motorcycles function well on graded dirt and gravel
roads but are less than ideal on more difficult off-pavement terrain.

Supermoto motorcycles were designed to compete on a single course that alternated between
three genres of motorcycle racing: road racing, track racing, and motocross. This increasingly
popular type of motorcycle is often a dual-sport that has been fitted by the manufacturer with
smaller rims and road tires. Supermotos are quickly gaining popularity as street bikes due to their
combination of light weight, durability, relatively low cost, and sporty handling.
Scooters, underbones and mopeds
Scooter engine sizes range smaller than motorcycles, 50–850 cc (3.1–51.9 cu in), and have all-
enclosing bodywork that makes them cleaner and quieter than motorcycles, as well as having
more built-in storage space. Automatic clutches and continuously variable transmissions (CVT)
make them easier to learn on and to ride.Scooters usually have smaller wheels than motorcycles.
Scooters usually have the engine as part of the swingarm, so that their engines travel up and
down with the suspension.

Underbones are small-displacement motorcycles with a step-through frame, descendants of the

original Honda Super Cub. They are differentiated from scooters by their larger wheels and their
use of footpegs instead of a floorboard. They often have a gear shifter with an automatic clutch.

The moped used to be a hybrid of the bicycle and the motorcycle, equipped with a small engine
(usually a small two-stroke engine up to 50 cc, but occasionally an electric motor) and a bicycle
drivetrain, and motive power can be supplied by the engine, the rider, or both. There is also Sport
mopeds – a type of moped that resembles a sport bike.

In many places, mopeds are subject to less stringent licensing than bikes with larger engines and
are popular as very cheap motorbikes, with the pedals seeing next to no use. Mopeds were very
popular in the United States during the fuel-crisis of the late 1970s and early 1980s, but their
popularity has fallen off sharply since the mid-1980s. In response to rising fuel prices in the first
decade of the 2000s, U.S. scooter and moped ridership saw a resurgence. Sales of motorcycles
and scooters declined 43.2% in 2009, and continued to decrease in the first quarter of 2010, with
scooter sales doing worst, down 13.3% compared to a 4.6% drop for all two-wheelers.

Other types of small motorcycles include the monkey bike, Welbike, and minibike.

Off-road
There are various types of off-road motorcycles, also known as dirt bikes, specially designed for
off-road events. The term off-road refers to driving surfaces that are not conventionally paved.
These are rough surfaces, often created naturally, such as sand, gravel, a river, mud or snow.
These types of terrain can sometimes only be travelled on with vehicles designed for off-road
driving (such as SUVs, ATVs, snowmobiles and mountain bikes) or vehicles that have off-road
equipment. Compared to road-going motorcycles, off-road machines are simpler and lighter,
having long suspension travel, high ground clearance, and rugged construction with little
bodywork and no fairings for less damage in spills. Wheels (usually 21" front, 18" rear) have
knobby tires, often clamped to the rim with a rim lock.

There are specialized motorcycles for a variety of off-road motorcycle sports:

 Motocross — Such bikes (once called "scramblers") are raced on short, closed off-road
tracks with a variety of obstacles. The motorcycles have a small fuel tank for lightness
and compactness. Long-travel suspension allows riders to take jumps at high speed.
Motocross engines are usually single-cylinder two-stroke or four-stroke units, which vary
in size from 50cc up to about 650cc. Motocross sidecar outfits have bigger engines,
usually four-stroke and often twin-cylinder. Motocross bikes are also used in freestyle
motocross.
 Enduro — A modified and road-legal motocross bike, having the addition of a horn,
lights, effective silencing and a number plate. Enduro riders compete over a longer course
(which may include roads); and an enduro event may last between one day and six days
(such as the International Six Days Enduro). Some enduro events (known as "multi-
lappers") are held on rather shorter circuits, not unlike scramble tracks. "Multilappers"
are especially popular with novice riders.
 Rally raid, or "rallies" — A special type of enduro bike with a significantly larger fuel
tank for very long distance racing, typically through deserts (e.g. Paris-Dakar rally).
Engine capacities tend to be larger, usually between 450 cc and 750 cc.
 Trail — A trail bike is a dual-purpose bike, made for on-road and recreational off-road
riding. A trail bike may resemble an enduro bike, but since a trail bike is not intended to
be used for competition, it may be less rugged, and equipped with dual-purpose tires and
with more road legal equipment, such as indicators, mirrors and extra instruments.
 Trials — Trials riding is a specialized form of off-road competition testing balancing
skills and precision rather than speed. For a trials bike, low weight and crisp throttle
response power are the priorities, so trials bikes tend to have a small (125 cc to 300 cc)
engine, with two-strokes being common. During the trial, the rider stands on the
footpegs, so a trials bike will have only a vestigial seat, or no seat at all.[31] Fuel tanks are
very small, giving a very limited range.
 Track racing — High-speed oval racing, typically with no brakes, nor rear suspension.
The engines, fuelled by methanol, are long-stroke four-stroke singles, such as JAP and
Jawa. They have at most two gears. Some types, such as speedway, and grass-track bikes,
are designed to take left turns only.