The following

outline Outline or outlining may refer to: * Outline (list), a document summary, in hierarchical list format * Code folding, a method of hiding or collapsing code or text to see content in outline form * Outline drawing, a sketch depicting the outer edge ...

is provided as an overview of motorcycles and motorcycling:

Motorcycle A motorcycle (motorbike, bike, or trike (if three-wheeled)) is a two or three-wheeled motor vehicle steered by a handlebar. Motorcycle design varies greatly to suit a range of different purposes: long-distance travel, commuting, cruising ...

— two-wheeled, single-track

motor vehicle A motor vehicle, also known as motorized vehicle or automotive vehicle, is a self-propelled land vehicle, commonly wheeled, that does not operate on Track (rail transport), rails (such as trains or trams) and is used for the transportation of pe ...

. 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 The legal definition of a motorcycle for the purposes of registration, taxation and rider licensing in most countries is a ''powered two-wheel motor vehicle''. Most countries distinguish between mopeds up to 49 cc (scooters do not count as a se ...

– a 'powered two-wheel motor vehicle'. Most countries distinguish between

mopeds A moped ( ) is a type of small motorcycle, generally having a less stringent licensing requirement than full motorcycles or automobiles. The term used to mean a similar vehicle except with both bicycle pedals and a motorcycle engine. Mopeds typi ...

up to and the more powerful, larger, vehicles known as

motorcycle A motorcycle (motorbike, bike, or trike (if three-wheeled)) is a two or three-wheeled motor vehicle steered by a handlebar. Motorcycle design varies greatly to suit a range of different purposes: long-distance travel, commuting, cruising ...

s. 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 tricycle A motorized tricycle, motor trike, or motortrycle is a three-wheeled vehicle based on the same technology as a bicycle or motorcycle, and powered by an electric motor, motorcycle engine, motorcycle, scooter or car engine. Classification Dependi ...

s 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. * Motorcycles can be described as all of the following: ** a component of

transport Transport (in British English), or transportation (in American English), is the intentional movement of humans, animals, and goods from one location to another. Modes of transport include air, land ( rail and road), water, cable, pipelin ...

** a component of a

mode of transport Mode of transport is a term used to distinguish between different ways of transportation or transporting people or goods. The different modes of transport are air, water, and land transport, which includes rails or railways, road and off-road ...

** a component of road transport ** a type of

vehicle A vehicle (from la, vehiculum) is a machine that transports people or cargo. Vehicles include wagons, bicycles, motor vehicles (motorcycles, cars, trucks, buses, mobility scooters for disabled people), railed vehicles (trains, trams), ...

** a type of

machine A machine is a physical system using Power (physics), power to apply Force, forces and control Motion, movement to perform an action. The term is commonly applied to artificial devices, such as those employing engines or motors, but also to na ...

sports equipment Sports equipment, sporting equipment, also called sporting goods, are the tools, materials, apparel, and gear used to compete in a sport and varies depending on the sport. The equipment ranges from balls, nets, and protective gear like helmets. ...

Types

Types of motorcycles The six main types of motorcycles are generally recognized as ''standard'', ''cruiser'', ''touring'', ''sports'', ''off-road'', and ''dual-purpose''. ''Sport touring'' is sometimes recognized as a seventh category or integrated with the ''touring' ...

The design of a motorcycle reflects the purpose for which it is to be used. The main types of motorcycle include: 1969 Harley-Davidson Easy Rider chopper (1993 replica) (1) - The Art of the Motorcycle - Memphis

1969 Harley-Davidson Easy Rider chopper (1993 replica) (1) - The Art of the Motorcycle - Memphis

*Street motorcycle – designed for riding on paved roads; features smooth tyres with a light tread pattern and at least engine. **

Cruiser A cruiser is a type of warship. Modern cruisers are generally the largest ships in a fleet after aircraft carriers and amphibious assault ships, and can usually perform several roles. The term "cruiser", which has been in use for several hu ...

– 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 lighter *** 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 A sport bike (sports motorcycle, or sports bike) is a motorcycle designed and optimized for speed, acceleration, braking, and cornering on asphalt concrete race tracks and roads. They are mainly designed for performance at the expense of comfor ...

– 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 coffeehouse, coffee shop, or café is an establishment that primarily serves coffee of various types, notably espresso, latte, and cappuccino. Some coffeehouses may serve cold drinks, such as iced coffee and iced tea, as well as other non-caf ...

– 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 streetfighter, muscle bike, or super naked is a motorcycle of high displacement and horsepower. It is typically a super bike with the fairings and windscreen removed. Beyond simply removing fairings, specific changes that exemplify the street ...

– a sport bike that is customised by removing the fairing, with other changes that result in an overall more aggressive look **

Touring motorcycle A touring motorcycle is a type of motorcycle designed for touring. Although almost any motorcycle can be used for this purpose, manufacturers have developed specific models designed to address the particular needs of these riders. Touring motorc ...

– 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 The six main types of motorcycles are generally recognized as ''standard'', ''cruiser'', ''touring'', ''sports'', ''off-road'', and ''dual-purpose''. ''Sport touring'' is sometimes recognized as a seventh category or integrated with the ''touring' ...

– versatile, general purpose street motorcycle, with an upright riding position. ***

Universal Japanese Motorcycle Universal Japanese Motorcycle (UJM) is a US motorcycling media term for a general-purpose style of Japanese standard motorcycle that revolutionized the industry and made motorcycling in America more accessible during the 1970s and 1980s. By aro ...

– 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 Rat bikes are motorcycles that have fallen apart over time and have been kept on the road and maintained for little or no cost by employing kludge A kludge or kluge () is a workaround or quick-and-dirty solution that is clumsy, inelegant, in ...

– motorcycle maintained at little to no cost, or often of a deliberately exaggerated state of disrepair *

Dual-sport motorcycle A dual-sport motorcycle is a type of street-legal motorcycle that is designed for both on and off-road use. The terms ''all-road,'' ''on/off road,'' and ''dual-purpose'' are also used for this class of motorcycles. Dual-sports are equipped with ...

– type of street-legal motorcycle designed for both on and off-road use **

Enduro motorcycle An enduro motorcycle is an off-road racing motorcycle used in enduros, which are long-distance cross-country, Trails, time trial competitions. Types and features of enduro motorcycles Enduro motorcycles closely resemble motocross, or "MX" bikes (u ...

– 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 headlight and quiet muffler to make the bike street-legal for parts of the track ** Motocross motorcycle – a light weight, high power, off-road competition race bike ** Supermoto motorcycle – a dual purpose, single cylinder, light weight bike fitted with equipment better suited to street riding or racing such as 18 inch front wheel and road tyres *Off-road motorcycle ** Motocross motorcycle ** 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 Greencub

*Small class **

Minibike A minibike is a two-wheeled, motorized, off-highway recreational vehicle popularized in the 1960s and 1970s, but available continuously from a wide variety of manufacturers since 1959. Their off-highway nature and (in many countries) typically enti ...

– 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 custom-built motorcycles known as choppers. Commercially available Mini Choppers are available from various retailers, some utilizing similar production methods to Minibikes, while others use Scooter, Mop ...

– 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 moped ( ) is a type of small motorcycle, generally having a less stringent licensing requirement than full motorcycles or automobiles. The term used to mean a similar vehicle except with both bicycle pedals and a motorcycle engine. Mopeds typ ...

– a type of low-powered motorcycle designed to provide economical and relatively safe transport with minimal licensing requirements ***

Sport moped A sport moped is a moped that resembles a sport bike and often performs better than standard mopeds. They were created to circumvent UK legislation, called the "Sixteeners Laws", aimed at taking young motorcycle riders off the road. The new laws, ...

– a type of moped that resembles a

sport bike A sport bike (sports motorcycle, or sports bike) is a motorcycle designed and optimized for speed, acceleration, braking, and cornering on asphalt concrete race tracks and roads. They are mainly designed for performance at the expense of comfor ...

Pit bike A pit bike is a small recreation, stunt or motocross racing motorcycle. Usually defined as having a horizontal air cooled engine and an open cradle frame. Pit bike history The pit bike evolved from the use of custom-built motorized two wheeled m ...

– 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 An underbone is a type of motorcycle that uses structural tube framing with an overlay of plastic or non-structural body panels and contrasts with monocoque or unibody designs where pressed steel serves both as the vehicle's structure and body ...

– a step-through motorcycle with a structural down-tube and conventionally sized wheels, but without a floorboard *

Electric motorcycle Electric motorcycles and scooters are plug-in electric vehicles with two or three wheels. Power is supplied by a rechargeable battery which drives one or more electric motors. Electric scooters are distinguished from motorcycles by having a st ...

– has an electric motor powered by one or more batteries or fuel cells **

Electric dragbike An electric dragbike is an electric motorcycle used for drag racing. Electric dragsters have come of age with new developments in battery and motor technology. Electric motors powered by lithium cells can deliver power-to-weight ratios similar to ...

** TTXGP race class ** TT Zero race class *Enclosed motorcycle **

Cabin motorcycle A cabin motorcycle is a fully or semi-enclosed motorcycle. They first appeared in the 1920s In parts of Eastern Europe, they are known as dalniks. These fully enclosed non-production motorcycles used for land-speed record-breaking attempts, su ...

** Streamliner motorcycle *Utility motorcycle **

Derny A Derny is a motorized bicycle for motor-paced cycling events such as during six-day and Keirin racing and motor-paced road races. Some riders train behind a derny on the road. The Derny is so-called as it was originally produced by the Fren ...

– motorised bicycle for motor-paced cycling events **

Blood bike A blood bike is a motorcycle used to courier urgent and emergency medical items including blood, X-rays, samples, drugs, and documentation between hospitals and other healthcare facilities. In the United Kingdom and Ireland, a network of largely ...

Fire bike A fire bike is a motorcycle used by a fire department. Several countries around the world use fire bikes, often to beat traffic congestion, and the equipment carried ranges from simple extinguishers to jet guns with hose rigs. Firefighters also us ...

Motocrotte The Motocrotte, officially called Caninette and informally chiraclette was a small motorized vehicle designed to vacuum up dog faeces in Paris and other French cities. Introduced in 1982 by Jacques Chirac (then Mayor of Paris), the idea was to p ...

– Parisian sanitation motorcycle **

Motorcycle ambulance Motorcycle ambulances are a type of emergency vehicle which either carries a solo paramedic or first responder to a patient; or is used with a trailer or sidecar for transporting patients. Because of its size and performance, a motorcycle ambul ...

Motorcycle taxi A motorcycle taxi, or cart bike or bike taxi, is a licensed form of transport in some countries. The taxi typically carries one passenger, who "rides pillion" behind the motorcycle operator. Multiple passengers are common in some countries. Bra ...

Police motorcycle A police motorcycle is a motorcycle used by police and law enforcement. They may be custom designed to meet the requirements unique of a particular use. A police motorcycle is often called a "motor" by police officers in the United States. Units t ...

*Other designs and variations **

Feet forwards motorcycle A feet first (FF) motorcycle is a class of motorcycle design which positions the rider with their feet ahead, like a car, rather than below and astride, as with conventional bikes. As there are other types of motorcycle (e.g. choppers) that have a ...

– motorcycle on which the rider reclines with his feet positioned ahead of his body *Related three-wheeled vehicles **

Auto rickshaw An auto rickshaw is a motorized version of the pulled rickshaw or cycle rickshaw. Most have three wheels and do not tilt. They are known by many terms in various countries including auto, auto rickshaw, baby taxi, mototaxi, pigeon, jonnybee, bajaj ...

** Motorcycle combination **

Tilting three-wheeler A tilting three-wheeler, tilting trike, leaning trike, or even just tilter, is a three-wheeled vehicle and usually a narrow-track vehicle whose body and or wheels tilt in the direction of a turn. Such vehicles can corner without rolling over ...

Design

Motorcycle design *

Motorcycle dynamics Bicycle and motorcycle dynamics is the science of the motion of bicycles and motorcycles and their components, due to the forces acting on them. Dynamics falls under a branch of physics known as classical mechanics. Bike motions of interest in ...

Shaft effect The shaft effect, also known as elevator effect or shaft jacking, is a phenomenon occurring in shaft-drive motorcycles. This effect occurs because the acceleration being applied to the rear wheel creates a reactive force on the drive shaft. This in ...

* Motorcycle geometry *

Motorcycle testing and measurement Motorcycle testing and measurement includes a range of more than two dozen statistics giving the specifications of the motorcycle, and the actual performance, expressed by such things as the output of the engine, and the top speed or accelerati ...

Major component parts

Motorcycle components *

Motorcycle brakes Motorcycle braking systems have varied throughout time, as motorcycles evolved from bicycles with an engine attached, to the prototype motorcycles seen racing in MotoGP. Most systems work by converting kinetic energy into thermal energy (heat) b ...

** Anti-lock braking system – fitted to many modern motorcycles **

Combined braking system A combined braking system (CBS), also called linked braking system (LBS), is a system for linking front and rear brakes on a motorcycle or scooter. In this system, the rider's action of depressing one of the brake levers applies both front and re ...

– links front and rear brake operation *Motorcycle chassis – includes the frame and suspension, along with the front forks, of the vehicle. **

Motorcycle frame A motorcycle frame is a motorcycle's core structure. It supports the engine, provides a location for the steering and rear suspension, and supports the rider and any passenger or luggage. Also attached to the frame are the fuel tank and battery. A ...

– provides the strength and rigidity of the motorcycle; all other parts are attached directly or indirectly to the frame **

Suspension Suspension or suspended may refer to: Science and engineering * Suspension (topology), in mathematics * Suspension (dynamical systems), in mathematics * Suspension of a ring, in mathematics * Suspension (chemistry), small solid particles suspende ...

– 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 A motorcycle engine is an engine that powers a motorcycle. Motorcycle engines are typically two-stroke or four-stroke internal combustion engines, but other engine types, such as Wankels and electric motors, have been used. Although some moped ...

– provides the power to propel the motorcycle ** Forced induction in motorcycles –

turbocharger In an internal combustion engine, a turbocharger (often called a turbo) is a forced induction device that is powered by the flow of exhaust gases. It uses this energy to compress the intake gas, forcing more air into the engine in order to pro ...

or supercharger for greater power per unit displacement *

Motorcycle transmission A motorcycle transmission is a transmission created specifically for motorcycle applications. They may also be found in use on other light vehicles such as motor tricycles and quadbikes, go-karts, offroad buggies, auto rickshaws, mowers, and ot ...

Chain drive Chain drive is a way of transmitting mechanical power from one place to another. It is often used to convey power to the wheels of a vehicle, particularly bicycles and motorcycles. It is also used in a wide variety of machines besides vehicles. ...

– the most common method of transferring power from the engine to the wheels **

Shaft drive A drive shaft, driveshaft, driving shaft, tailshaft (Australian English), propeller shaft (prop shaft), or Cardan shaft (after Girolamo Cardano) is a component for transmitting mechanical power and torque and rotation, usually used to connect ...

– low-maintenance alternative to chain drive, favoured by certain manufacturers, such as

BMW Motorrad BMW Motorrad is the motorcycle brand of BMW, part of its Corporate and Brand Development division. It has produced motorcycles since 1923, and achieved record sales for the fifth year in succession in 2015. With a total of 136,963 vehicles sold i ...

and

Moto Guzzi Moto Guzzi is an Italian motorcycle manufacturer and the oldest European manufacturer in continuous motorcycle production. Established in 1921 in Mandello del Lario, Italy, the company is noted for its historic role in Italy's motorcycling ma ...

, and also used on many large touring motorcycles ** Belt drive – low-maintenance alternative to chain drive, favoured by certain manufacturers, such as

Harley-Davidson Harley-Davidson, Inc. (H-D, or simply Harley) is an American motorcycle manufacturer headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1903, it is one of two major American motorcycle manufacturers to survive the Great Depressi ...

, and on many cruiser motorcycles *

Motorcycle handlebar A motorcycle handlebar is a tubular component of a motorcycle's steering mechanism. Handlebars provide a mounting place for controls such as brake, throttle, clutch, horn, light switches and rear view mirrors; and they help to support part of the ...

* Instrument panel ** Speedometer – indicates the forward speed of the motorcycle **

Odometer An odometer or odograph is an instrument used for measuring the distance traveled by a vehicle, such as a bicycle or car. The device may be electronic, mechanical, or a combination of the two (electromechanical). The noun derives from ancient Gr ...

– records and indicates the total distance travelled by the motorcycle **

Tachometer A tachometer (revolution-counter, tach, rev-counter, RPM gauge) is an instrument measuring the rotation speed of a shaft or disk, as in a motor or other machine. The device usually displays the revolutions per minute (RPM) on a calibrated analo ...

– indicates the rotational speed of the crankshaft in the engine, often also shows an indicated safe limit called a redline **

Fuel gauge In automotive and aerospace engineering, a fuel gauge is an instrument used to indicate the amount of fuel in a fuel tank. In electrical engineering, the term is used for ICs determining the current State of Charge of accumulators. Motor vehi ...

– indicates the amount of fuel in the tank relative to tank capacity *

Motorcycle saddle A motorcycle seat (sometimes saddle) is where rider sits, and may also accommodate a passenger. The most common type of motorcycle seat is a dual saddle or bench seat, which runs along the top of the chassis and is long enough for a passenger to ...

* Motorcycle tyres – have a round cross section to facilitate the leaning necessary when a motorcycle turns * Motorcycle wheels *

Motorcycle accessories Motorcycle accessories are features and accessories selected by a motorcycle owner to enhance safety, performance, or comfort, and may include anything from mobile electronics to sidecars and trailers. An accessory may be added at the factory by t ...

Motorcycle fairing A motorcycle fairing is a shell placed over the frame of a motorcycle, especially racing motorcycles and sport bikes, to deflect wind and reduce air drag. The secondary functions are the protection of the rider from airborne hazards and wind-induc ...

Motorcycle headlamp modulator A motorcycle headlamp modulator (or simply headlamp modulator) is an accessory device that oscillates the intensity of a motorcycle headlamp at 240 ±40 cycles per minute (~4 Hz) between approximately 20% and 100% of full intensity. The headl ...

Sidecar A sidecar is a one-wheeled device attached to the side of a motorcycle, scooter, or bicycle, making the whole a three-wheeled vehicle. A motorcycle with a sidecar is sometimes called a ''combination'', an ''outfit'', a ''rig'' or a ''hack''. ...

**Storage accessories ***

Pannier A pannier is a basket, bag, box, or similar container, carried in pairs either slung over the back of a beast of burden, or attached to the sides of a bicycle or motorcycle. The term derives from a Middle English borrowing of the Old French '' ...

*** Saddlebags ***

Motorcycle trailer A motorcycle trailer is either a trailer used to carry motorcycles or one to be pulled by a motorcycle in order to carry additional gear. Motorcycle carrying trailers Motorcycle carrying trailers may be open or enclosed. They may be wide, for ...

*** Trunk

Models

* :Lists of motorcycles * :Lists of motorcycles of the United Kingdom * List of Grand Prix motorcycles

Manufacturers

List of motorcycle manufacturers The following is a list of motorcycle manufacturers worldwide, sorted by extant/extinct status and by country. These are producers whose motorcycles are available to the public, including both street legal as well as racetrack-only or off-road-o ...

History

Motorcycle history *

Motorcycle land speed record The motorcycle land-speed record is the fastest speed achieved by a motorcycle on land. It is standardized as the speed over a course of fixed length, averaged over two runs in opposite directions. AMA National Land Speed Records requires 2 passes ...

List of fastest production motorcycles The fastest production motorcycle for a given year is the unmodified motorcycle with the highest tested top speed that was manufactured in series and available for purchase by the general public. Modified or specially produced motorcycles are a dif ...

* 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 Stuttgart (; Swabian: ; ) is the capital and largest city of the German state of Baden-Württemberg. It is located on the Neckar river in a fertile valley known as the ''Stuttgarter Kessel'' (Stuttgart Cauldron) and lies an hour from the ...

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

on 10 November 1885. However, several pioneering engineers and inventors preceded Daimler, mostly with steam engines powering their cycles. These include: *

Lucius Copeland Lucius Day Copeland was a pioneering 19th-century engineer and inventor from Phoenix, Arizona who demonstrated one of the first motorcycles, the Copeland steam bicycle, a steam-powered A steam engine is a heat engine that performs me ...

– 19th-century

engineer Engineers, as practitioners of engineering, are professionals who invent, design, analyze, build and test machines, complex systems, structures, gadgets and materials to fulfill functional objectives and requirements while considering the l ...

and

inventor An invention is a unique or novel device, method, composition, idea or process. An invention may be an improvement upon a machine, product, or process for increasing efficiency or lowering cost. It may also be an entirely new concept. If an ...

from

Phoenix Phoenix most often refers to: * Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore * Phoenix, Arizona, a city in the United States Phoenix may also refer to: Mythology Greek mythological figures * Phoenix (son of Amyntor), a ...

who demonstrated one of the first motorcycles in 1884 *

Louis-Guillaume Perreaux Louis-Guillaume Perreaux (19 February 1816 – 5 April 1889) was a French inventor and engineer who submitted one of the first patents for a working motorcycle in 1869. Early life Perreaux was born in the village of Almenêches, in Normandy, Fran ...

– French inventor and engineer who submitted one of the first patents for a working motorcycle in 1869, the

Michaux-Perreaux steam velocipede The Michaux-Perreaux steam velocipede was a steam powered velocipede made in France sometime from 1867 to 1871, when a small Louis-Guillaume Perreaux commercial steam engine was attached to a Pierre Michaux manufactured iron framed pedal bicycle ...

. Many pioneering engineers and inventors followed Daimler in using

internal combustion engine An internal combustion engine (ICE or IC engine) is a heat engine in which the combustion of a fuel occurs with an oxidizer (usually air) in a combustion chamber that is an integral part of the working fluid flow circuit. In an internal combus ...

s . These include: *

Siegfried Bettmann Siegfried Bettmann (18 April 1863 - 23 September 1951) was a bicycle, motorcycle and car manufacturer and initiator of the Triumph Motorcycle Company. In 1914 he established the Annie Bettmann Foundation to help young people start businesses. Tr ...

– founder of the Triumph Motorcycle Company * Oscar Hedstrom – designer and engineer who designed the

Indian motorcycle Indian Motorcycle (or ''Indian'') is an American brand of motorcycles owned and produced by American automotive manufacturer Polaris Inc.Edward Pennington – pioneering motorcycle inventor credited with having invented the word 'motorcycle' and using the term as early as 1893 *

Alfred Angas Scott Alfred Angas Scott (1875–1923) was a British motorcycle designer, inventor and founder of the Scott Motorcycle Company. A prolific inventor, he took out over 50 patents between 1897 and 1920, mostly concerning two-stroke engines and road vehic ...

– motorcycle designer, inventor and founder of the Scott Motorcycle Company

Innovators

Max Friz Max Friz (October 1, 1883 – June 9, 1966) was a German mechanical engineer specializing in engine design. He was the key contributor of engine design and innovation that led to the founding of Bayerische Motoren Werke AG (BMW) in 1917. Early ...

– 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

* 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 John Kenton Britten (1 August 1950 – 5 September 1995) was a New Zealand mechanical engineer who designed a world-record-setting motorcycle with innovative features and materials. Biography John Britten was born to Bruce and Ruvae Britten in C ...

– New Zealand mechanical engineer who designed a world-record-setting motorcycle with innovative features and materials * Mike Tomkinson - motorcycle engineer whose

Bol d'Or The Bol d’Or is a 24-hour endurance race for motorcycles, held annually in France. The riding of each bike is now shared by a team of three riders. History The Bol d’Or, first organized by Eugene Mauve, in 1922, was a race for motorcycles ...

endurance racers incorporated numerous innovative features. *

David Garside David W. Garside is an inventor and former project engineer at BSA's Umberslade Hall research facility. He is notable for having developed an air-cooled twin-rotor Wankel motorcycle engine which powered the Norton Classic road bike. Although th ...

- BSA engineer who developed the F&S

Wankel Wankel may refer to: * Wankel engine, a type of internal combustion engine using an eccentric rotary design instead of reciprocating pistons * Wankel AG, a German company that produces Wankel engines for ultralight aircraft and racing cars People ...

into a powerful

Norton Norton may refer to: Places Norton, meaning 'north settlement' in Old English, is a common place name. Places named Norton include: Canada * Rural Municipality of Norton No. 69, Saskatchewan *Norton Parish, New Brunswick **Norton, New Brunswick, a ...

motorcycle engine A motorcycle engine is an engine that powers a motorcycle. Motorcycle engines are typically two-stroke or four-stroke internal combustion engines, but other engine types, such as Wankels and electric motors, have been used. Although some moped ...

Industrialists

George Brough George Brough ( ) (21 April 1890 – 12 January 1970), was a motorcycle racer, world record holding motorcycle and automobile manufacturer, and showman. He was known for his powerful and expensive Brough Superior motorcycles which were the fi ...

– world record holding

motorcycle racer Motorcycle racing (also called moto racing and motorbike racing) is the motorcycle sport of racing motorcycles. Major varieties include motorcycle road racing and off-road racing, both either on circuits or open courses, and track racing. Ot ...

and founder of

Brough Superior Brough Superior ( ) motorcycles, sidecars, and motor cars were made by George Brough in his Brough Superior works on Haydn Road in Nottingham, England, from 1919 to 1940. The motorcycles were dubbed the "Rolls-Royce of Motorcycles" by H. D. ...

motorcycles * Arthur Davidson – co-founder of the

Harley-Davidson Motor Company Harley-Davidson, Inc. (H-D, or simply Harley) is an American motorcycle manufacturer headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1903, it is one of two major American motorcycle manufacturers to survive the Great Depressi ...

* Eugene Goodman – co founder of the

Velocette Velocette is a line of motorcycles made by Veloce Ltd, in Hall Green, Birmingham, England. One of several motorcycle manufacturers in Birmingham, Velocette was a small, family-owned firm, selling almost as many hand-built motorcycles during i ...

motorcycle company with his father

John Goodman John Stephen Goodman (born June 20, 1952) is an American actor. He gained national fame for his role as the family patriarch Dan Conner in the American Broadcasting Company, ABC comedy series ''Roseanne'' (1988–1997; 2018), for which he rec ...

in 1913 * William S. Harley – co-founder of the Harley-Davidson Motor Company *

Soichiro Honda was a Japanese engineer and industrialist. In 1948, he established Honda Motor Co., Ltd. and oversaw its expansion from a wooden shack manufacturing bicycle motors to a multinational automobile and motorcycle manufacturer. Early years Honda ...

– founder of the Honda Motor Company *

Bert Hopwood Herbert Hopwood (1908 – 17 October 1996) was a British motorcycle designer. He was, at least, partly responsible for some of the most influential designs for the British motorcycle industry and worked for Ariel, Norton, BSA and Triumph. ...

– a British motorcycle designer who influenced development of the British motorcycle industry and worked for

Ariel Ariel may refer to: Film and television *Ariel Award, a Mexican Academy of Film award * ''Ariel'' (film), a 1988 Finnish film by Aki Kaurismäki * ''ARIEL Visual'' and ''ARIEL Deluxe'', 1989 and 1991 anime video series based on the novel series ...

, BSA and

Triumph The Roman triumph (Latin triumphus) was a celebration for a victorious military commander in ancient Rome. For later imitations, in life or in art, see Trionfo. Numerous later uses of the term, up to the present, are derived directly or indirectl ...

* Frantisek Janeček – founder of the Czech

Jawa Motors () is a motorcycle and moped manufacturer founded in Prague, Czechoslovakia in 1929 by František Janeček,Jawa ...

James Lansdowne Norton James Lansdowne Norton (1869 – 21 April 1925) was an English motorcycle designer, inventor and manufacturer of the Norton motorcycles. One of the pioneers of the British motorcycle industry. Early life James Lansdowne Norton was born in Birmi ...

– motorcycle designer, inventor and manufacturer of the

Norton motorcycles The Norton Motorcycle Company (formerly Norton Motors, Ltd.) is a brand of motorcycles, originally based in Birmingham, England. For some years around 1990, the rights to use the name on motorcycles was owned by North American financiers. From ...

Val Page Valentine Page (1891–1978)Ariel Ariel may refer to: Film and television *Ariel Award, a Mexican Academy of Film award * ''Ariel'' (film), a 1988 Finnish film by Aki Kaurismäki * ''ARIEL Visual'' and ''ARIEL Deluxe'', 1989 and 1991 anime video series based on the novel series ...

and BSA *

Jack Sangster John Young Sangster (29 May 1896 – 26 March 1977) was a British industrialist and philanthropist. He was an important figure in the British motorcycle industry, where he was involved with Ariel, BSA and Triumph. Early life Sangster was born ...

– industrialist who became an important figure in the history of the British motorcycle industry *

Phil Vincent Philip Conrad Vincent (14 March 1908 – 27 March 1979) was a British motorcycle designer and manufacturer. Founder of Vincent Motorcycles, his designs influenced the development of motorcycles around the world. Early life Philip Conrad Vince ...

– founder of

Vincent Motorcycles Vincent Motorcycles was a British manufacturer of motorcycles from 1928 to 1955. The business was established by Philip Vincent who bought an existing manufacturing name HRD, initially renaming it as ''Vincent HRD'', producing his own motorcyc ...

, his designs influenced the development of motorcycles around the world

Museums and exhibitions

There are a number of

museum A museum ( ; plural museums or, rarely, musea) is a building or institution that cares for and displays a collection of artifacts and other objects of artistic, cultural, historical, or scientific importance. Many public museums make these ...

s which feature collections of motorcycles, either as part of a larger exhibition of vehicles, or dedicated entirely to motorcycles. Some of those museums are listed below: * Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum * Deutsches Zweirad- und NSU-Museum *

Evel Knievel Museum The Evel Knievel Museum is a non-profit museum located in Topeka, Kansas, United States. The museum houses the largest collection of authentic Evel Knievel memorabilia in the world, including interactive experiences. It is and two stories. The mu ...

Harley-Davidson Museum The Harley-Davidson Museum is an American museum located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin celebrating the more than 100-year history of Harley-Davidson motorcycles. The three-building complex on along the Menomonee River bank contains more than 450 Har ...

Honda Collection Hall The Honda Collection Hall is a transport museum housing a collection of Honda consumer- and racing-oriented artifacts. It is on the grounds of the Twin Ring Motegi race track located at Motegi, Tochigi, Japan. It opened in 1998. It is operated by ...

* Irbit State Motorcycle Museum * Moto Guzzi Museum *

Motorcycle Hall of Fame The AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum is an offshoot of the American Motorcyclist Association, recognizing individuals who have contributed to motorcycle sport, motorcycle construction, or motorcycling in general. It also displays motorcycle ...

National Motorcycle Museum (Anamosa, IA) The National Motorcycle Museum is a non-profit museum located in Anamosa, Iowa. It was founded in 1989 by motorcycle builders, racers, and riders. Its purpose to maintain the experience of bikes past and present as well as motorcycle memorabilia, ...

National Motor Museum, Beaulieu The National Motor Museum (originally the Montagu Motor Museum) is a museum in the village of Beaulieu, set in the heart of the New Forest, in the English county of Hampshire. History The museum was founded in 1952 by Edward Douglas-Scot ...

List of motorcycles in the National Motor Museum, Beaulieu List of motorcycles in the National Motor Museum, Beaulieu in the U.K.. Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:National Motor Museum, Beaulieu Motorcycle museums in the United Kingdom Lists of motorcycles Technology collections ...

National Motorcycle Museum (UK) The National Motorcycle Museum occupies an site in Bickenhill, Solihull, England and holds the world's largest collection of British motorcycles. In addition to over 850 motorcycles, which cover a century of motorcycle manufacture, the museum h ...

* Sammy Miller Motorcycle Museum *

The Art of the Motorcycle The Art of the Motorcycle was an exhibition that presented 114 motorcycles chosen for their historic importance or design excellenceSawetz. "The Art of the Motorcycle is curated by Thomas Krens, Director of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, ...

List of motorcycles in The Art of the Motorcycle exhibition The Art of the Motorcycle was an exhibition held at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York City from June 26 to September 20, 1998. The exhibition's official catalog listed 95 motorcycles, plus some pre-20th century exhibits were included, ...

* List of motorcycles in the Smithsonian Institution

Motorcycling

Motorcycling *

Motorcycling advocacy Motorcycling advocacy is activism for motorcyclists seeking to establish and protect their rights, and to influence issues of interest to the motorcycling community. This includes lobbying organizations that work to influence laws, and groups or in ...

Motorcycle lane Motorcycle lane is a term used for the special lane on a roadway that is designated for small vehicles such as motorcycles, scooters, bicycles and trishaw. It's usually situated between the other lanes, marked by 2 parallel yellow lines. Due to t ...

Safety

Motorcycle safety Motorcycle safety is the study of the risks and dangers of motorcycling, and the approaches to mitigate that risk, focusing on motorcycle design, road design and traffic rules, rider training, and the cultural attitudes of motorcyclists and other r ...

Countersteering Countersteering is used by single-track vehicle operators, such as cyclists and motorcyclists, to initiate a turn toward a given direction by momentarily steering counter to the desired direction ("steer left to turn right"). To negotiate a turn ...

Hurt Report The Hurt Report, officially ''Motorcycle Accident Cause Factors and Identification of Countermeasures'', was a motorcycle safety study conducted in the United States, initiated in 1976 and published in 1981. The report is named after its primary ...

Lane splitting Lane splitting is riding a bicycle or motorcycle between lanes or rows of slow moving or stopped traffic moving in the same direction. It is sometimes called whitelining, or stripe-riding. This allows riders to save time, bypassing traffic conge ...

** MAIDS report **

Motorcycle training Motorcycle training teaches motorcycle riders the skills for riding on public roads. It is the equivalent of driver's education for car drivers. Training beyond basic qualification and licensing is available to those whose duty includes motorcyc ...

Equipment

Motorcycle personal protective equipment To improve motorcycle safety many countries mandate the wearing of personal protective equipment such as protective clothing and helmets. Protective clothing may include certain types of jackets, gloves, boots, and pants. Jackets meant for m ...

Motorcycle helmet A motorcycle helmet is a type of helmet used by motorcycle riders. Motorcycle helmets contribute to motorcycle safety by protecting the rider's head in the event of an impact. They reduce the risk of head injury by 69% and the risk of death by 42% ...

Motorcycle boot Motorcycle boots are associated with motorcycle riders and range from above ankle to below knee boots. They have an outside of a typical boot but a low heel to control the motorcycle. To improve motorcycle safety, motorcycle boots are generally ...

s ** Motorcycle armor

Accidents

Lowsider The lowsider or lowside is a type of motorcycle or bicycle crash usually occurring in a turn. It is caused when either the front or rear wheel slides out as a result of either too much braking into the corner, too much acceleration through or out ...

Highsider A highsider or highside is a type of motorcycle accident characterized by sudden and violent rotation of the bike around its long axis. This generally happens when the rear wheel loses traction, skids, and then suddenly regains traction, creating ...

* Motorcycle deaths in U.S. by year *

List of deaths by motorcycle accident This is a list of people with Wikipedia articles who died in motorcycle crashes. Road crashes The following people with biographies in Wikipedia died in road crashes involving motorcycles: Others said to have died in motorcycle crashes: B ...

Types

Motorcycle commuting Motorcycle commuting is a commuting alternative to buses, trains and cars. The term includes a number of two wheel motor vehicles including scooters, minibikes, monkey bikes and motorcycles. United Kingdom In London, England, powered two-wheele ...

* Courier service by motorcycle *

Motorcycle rally A motorcycle rally is a gathering of motorcycle enthusiasts. Rallies can be large or small, and one-time or recurring. Some rallies are ride-in events, whereas some like the Iron Butt Rally involve days of riding and an actual gathering only at t ...

Sweep Sweep or swept may refer to: Cleaning * Sweep, the action of using a brush to clean * Chimney sweep, a worker who clears ash and soot from chimneys * Street sweeper, a person's occupation, or a machine that cleans streets * Swept quartz, a cleani ...

Motorcycle touring Motorcycle touring is a format of tourism that involves a motorcycle. It has been a subject of note since at least 1915. Motorcycle touring involves special equipment and techniques. A touring motorcycle optimized for long range travel and lugga ...

Trail riding Trail riding is riding outdoors on trails, bridle paths, and forest roads, but not on roads regularly used by motorised traffic. A trail ride can be of any length, including a long distance, multi-day trip. It originated with horse riding, and ...

– riding outdoors on natural trails and roads.

Sport

Antonio Cairoli ITA FMI Yamaha FIM MX Mallory Park 2008 R6a

Motorcycle sport – broad field that encompasses all sporting aspects of motorcycling. The various disciplines are not all races or timed-speed events, as several disciplines test a competitor's various riding skills. Riders have raced motorcycles for over a hundred years, with the first official competition recorded as the Paris–Rouen race in July 1894. This was quickly followed by races all over Europe and the US. In 1907, the

Isle of Man TT The Isle of Man TT or Tourist Trophy races are an annual motorcycle racing event run on the Isle of Man in May/June of most years since its inaugural race in 1907. The event is often called one of the most dangerous racing events in the world ...

races took over of the island's roads and has continued since. Motorcycle sport now takes many different forms, including: *

Enduro Enduro is a form of motorcycle sport run on extended cross-country, off-road courses. Enduro consists of many different obstacles and challenges. The main type of enduro event, and the format to which the World Enduro Championship is run, is ...

Freestyle Motocross Freestyle motocross (also known as FMX) is a variation on the sport of motocross in which motorcycle riders attempt to impress judges with jumps and stunts. The two main types of freestyle events are: *Big air (also known as "best trick"), in whi ...

Land speed record The land speed record (or absolute land speed record) is the highest speed achieved by a person using a vehicle on land. There is no single body for validation and regulation; in practice the Category C ("Special Vehicles") flying start regula ...

– a single rider accelerates over a 1- to 3-mile (4.8 km) long straight track (usually on dry lake beds) and is timed for top speed through a trap at the end of the run. The rider must exceed the previous top speed record for that class or type of bike for their name to be placed on the record books. **

Motoball Motoball (also known as motorcycle polo) is a motorsport similar to association football, with the main differences being that all players (except goalkeepers) are riding motorcycles, and the ball is much bigger. Motorcycle polo first began as an ...

(Motorcycle Polo) – similar to football, but all players (except goalkeepers) ride motorcycles, and the ball is much bigger. *

Motorcycle trials Motorcycle trials, also known as observed trials, often called simply trial/s (with or without the plural "s"), is a non-speed event on specialized motorcycles. The sport is most popular in the United Kingdom and Spain, though there are participan ...

Motorcycle stunt riding Motorcycle stunt riding, often referred to as stunting, is a motorcycle sport characterized by stunts involving acrobatic maneuvering of the motorcycle and sometimes the rider. Common maneuvers in stunt riding include wheelies, stoppies, and ...

Wheelie In vehicle acrobatics, a wheelie, or wheelstand, is a vehicle maneuver in which the front wheel or wheels come off the ground due to sufficient torque being applied to the rear wheel or wheels, or rider motion relative to the vehicle. Whee ...

Stoppie The stoppie is a motorcycle and bicycle trick in which the back wheel is lifted by abruptly applying the front brake, then, by carefully reducing the brake pressure, the bike is ridden for a short distance on the front wheel. It is also called an ...

** Burnout * :Motorcycle sport lists

Racing

Motorcycle racing – motorcycle sport involving

racing In sport, racing is a competition of speed, in which competitors try to complete a given task in the shortest amount of time. Typically this involves traversing some distance, but it can be any other task involving speed to reach a specific goa ...

motorcycles, on or off a track. *

Motorcycle drag racing Motorcycle drag racing (also known as "sprints") involves two participants lining up at a dragstrip with a signaled starting line. Upon the starting signal, the riders accelerate down a or long, two lane, straight paved track where their elapsed t ...

** Pro Stock Motorcycle * Road racing ** Grand Prix motorcycle racing **

Superbike racing Superbike racing is a category of motorcycle racing that employs highly modified production motorcycles, as opposed to MotoGP in which purpose-built motorcycles are used. The Superbike World Championship is the official world championship series, t ...

TTXGP TTXGP are the official promoters of FIM eRoadRacing, an electric motorsport race series. Founded by Azhar Hussain MBE in 2008, TTXGP started life as the first zero-carbon, clean-emission race to take place at the Isle of Man TT as teams from aro ...

North West 200 The International North West 200 is a Northern Irish motorsport event established in 1929 for road racing motorcycles held on a street circuit known as ''the Triangle'' between the towns of Portstewart, Coleraine and Portrush in Causeway Coast ...

Ulster Grand Prix The Ulster Grand Prix is a motorcycle race that takes place on the Dundrod Circuit made up entirely of closed-off public roads near Belfast, Northern Ireland. The first races took place in 1922 and in 1935 and 1948 the Fédération Internatio ...

Motocross Motocross is a form of off-road motorcycle racing held on enclosed off-road circuits. The sport evolved from motorcycle trials competitions held in the United Kingdom. History Motocross first evolved in Britain from motorcycle trials competi ...

Motocross World Championship FIM Motocross World Championship is the premier championship of motocross racing, organized by the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM), divided into two distinct classes: MXGP and MX2. Race duration is 30 minutes plus two laps per ...

Motocross des Nations The Motocross des Nations (in French) is an annual team motocross race, where riders representing their country meet at what is billed as the "Olympics of Motocross". The event has been staged since 1947, where the team of Bill Nicholson, Fred Rist ...

AMA Motocross Championship The AMA Motocross Championship (commercially known as Lucas Oil Pro Motocross) is an American motorcycle racing series. The motocross race series was founded and sanctioned by the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) in 1972. The series is th ...

** Trans-AMA Motocross Championship **

AMA Supercross Championship The AMA Supercross Championship (commercially known as Monster Energy AMA Supercross) is an American motorcycle racing series. Founded by the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) in 1974, the AMA Supercross Championship races are held from J ...

* Pit bike racing – competition sport similar to motocross, using pit bikes *

Track racing Track racing is a form of motorcycle racing where teams or individuals race opponents around an unpaved oval track. There are differing variants, with each variant racing on a different surface type. The most common variant is Speedway which ha ...

Motorcycle speedway Motorcycle speedway, usually referred to simply as speedway, is a motorcycle sport involving four and sometimes up to six riders competing over four anti-clockwise laps of an oval circuit. The motorcycles are specialist machines that use only ...

Speedway Grand Prix Speedway Grand Prix are a series of stand-alone motorcycle speedway events over the course of a season used to determine the Speedway World Champion. The series started in 1995 replacing the previous format of a single event final. The first win ...

Speedway World Cup The Speedway World Cup is an annual speedway event held each year in different countries. The first edition of the competition in the current format was held in 2001 and replaced the old World Team Cup which ran from 1960 until 2000. The last ed ...

SGB Premiership The Speedway Great Britain (SGB) Premiership is the top division of speedway league competition in the United Kingdom, governed by the Speedway Control Bureau (SCB) in conjunction with the British Speedway Promoters' Association (BSPA). It was in ...

AMA Grand National Championship American Flat Track is an American motorcycle racing series. The racing series, founded and sanctioned by the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) in 1954, originally encompassed five distinct forms of competitions including mile dirt track r ...

Grasstrack Motorcycle Grasstrack is a form of track racing which typically, in its current form, takes place on a flat track consisting of two straights and two bends usually constructed in a field. It is one of the oldest types of motorcycle sports in the ...

Ice speedway Ice speedway is a developed form of motorcycle speedway racing, featuring racing on frozen surfaces. The sport uses bikes enhanced for the terrain. Participants can compete at international level. Outline The bikes race counterclockwise aro ...

World Enduro Championship The FIM Enduro World Championship, formerly known as the World Enduro Championship, is the world championship series for enduro, a popular form of off-road motorcycle sport. The championship currently features three classes (E1, E2 and E3), along ...

International Six Days Enduro The International Six Days Enduro (ISDE), formerly known as the International Six Days Trial (ISDT), is the oldest 'off-road' motorcycle event on the FIM Calendar. The ISDT was first held in 1913 at Carlisle, England. It has occurred annually, ...

Grand National Cross Country The Grand National Cross Country Series is an American motorcycle racing series. The off-road race series was founded by Dave Coombs in 1975 and is sanctioned by the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA). The competition is similar to motocro ...

Erzberg Rodeo The Erzberg Rodeo is an Austrian motorcycle enduro event started in 1995 and held annually in May or June, run on ore. It is the largest of its kind in Europe. The Erzberg Rodeo is part of the Red Bull Hard Enduro Series, together with Re ...

** Red Bull Romaniacs Hard Enduro Rallye **

Endurocross Indoor enduro or SuperEnduro which is also known by Endurocross shortened Enduro-X or EX, is a hybrid motorcycle competition, a mix of supercross and enduro racing held indoors over obstacles resembling a Motorcycle trials, trials track.Christne ...

FIM Trial World Championship The FIM Trial World Championship and FIM X-Trial World Championship are the most prestigious motorcycle trials tournaments of the world, organised by the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme. The outdoor championship is held since 1964 and ...

Motorcycle land-speed record The motorcycle land-speed record is the fastest speed achieved by a motorcycle on land. It is standardized as the speed over a course of fixed length, averaged over two runs in opposite directions. AMA National Land Speed Records requires 2 passes ...

- Encapsulating the sport of Motorcycle Land Speed Racing **

Bonneville Speedway Bonneville Speedway (also known as the Bonneville Salt Flats Race Track) is an area of the Bonneville Salt Flats northeast of Wendover, Utah, that is marked out for motor sports. It is particularly noted as the venue for numerous land speed rec ...

- Location of the

Southern California Timing Association Southern California Timing Association (SCTA) is a competition sanctioning body that maintains rules and record for Land Speed Racing events held at El Mirage Dry Lake, California and at the Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah. It is a non-profit, volunte ...

Speed Week, USFRA World of Speed and

Bonneville Motorcycle Speed Trials Bonneville Motorcycle Speed Trials (BMST) (AMA Land Speed Grand Championship) is a motorcycle land speed racing event, held annually at Bonneville Speedway, US. The event is sanctioned by American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) and Fédération I ...

El Mirage Lake El Mirage Lake is a dry lake bed in the northwestern Victor Valley of the central Mojave Desert, within San Bernardino County, California. The lake is located about west-northwest of the town of Adelanto and north of Highway 18 in San Bernar ...

San Bernardino County, California San Bernardino County (), officially the County of San Bernardino, is a county located in the southern portion of the U.S. state of California, and is located within the Inland Empire area. As of the 2020 U.S. Census, the population was 2,181, ...

Lake Gairdner Lake Gairdner is a large endorheic salt lake in the Australia, Australian state of South Australia, to the north of the Eyre Peninsula. When in flood, the lake is considered the third largest salt lake in Australia. Description Lake Gairdner i ...

- Australia

Organisations and clubs

Although motorcycling can be a solitary form of transport, there are clubs for almost every aspect; including charities, social clubs, criminal or outlaw clubs, lobby groups that guard against restrictive legislation, and specialist clubs for specific makes or types of motorcycle. Examples include:

Organisations

* American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) *

British Motorcyclists Federation The British Motorcyclists Federation (BMF) is a motorcycle riders' rights group in the United Kingdom. The BMF was founded in 1960 as the Federation of National One Make Motorcycle Clubs to counter accusations of "leather-jacketed hooligans". It ...

(BMF) – a UK-based campaigner and lobby group for motorcyclists' rights * Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) – the worldwide body responsible for governing motorcycle sport *

State motorcyclists' rights organizations State motorcyclists' rights organizations (SMROs) exist in about 32 US states, 25 of which call themselves "ABATE of (state name)," the rest going by various other names. SMROs advocate for the motorcycle rider and freedom on the road. In the mot ...

– 32 organisations in the U.S., 25 of which are known as ABATE, which were initially formed to fight

motorcycle helmet A motorcycle helmet is a type of helmet used by motorcycle riders. Motorcycle helmets contribute to motorcycle safety by protecting the rider's head in the event of an impact. They reduce the risk of head injury by 69% and the risk of death by 42% ...

laws

Motorcycle clubs

Motorcycle club A motorcycle club is a group of individuals whose primary interest and activities involve motorcycles. A motorcycle group can range as clubbed groups of different bikes or bikers who own same model of vehicle like the Harley Owners Group. Ther ...

– group of individuals whose primary interest and activities involve motorcycles. *

List of Motorcycle Club terms This is a glossary of motorcycling terms. ; advanced rider: In the UK, an advanced rider is either a police pursuit/surveillance rider or a civilian who has passed an advanced driving test via the British Motorcyclists Federation Blue Riband award ...

* List of motorcycle clubs – examples of motorcycle clubs include: **

Antique Motorcycle Club of America The Antique Motorcycle Club of America (AMCA) was founded in 1954 in New England and is now one of the largest organizations of antique motorcycle enthusiasts in the world, with membership of over 12,000 in the United States, Australia, Canada, E ...

** BMW Motorcycle Owners of America – a single marque club for owners of

BMW motorcycles BMW Motorrad is the motorcycle brand of BMW, part of its Corporate and Brand Development division. It has produced motorcycles since 1923, and achieved record sales for the fifth year in succession in 2015. With a total of 136,963 vehicles sold ...

Freewheelers EVS Freewheelers Emergency Voluntary Service (EVS) is a blood bike charity based in South West England. Founded in Weston-super-Mare in 1990, it is funded by public donations and staffed by unpaid volunteers. Association with other blood bike ch ...

– a UK-based club whose members volunteer to transport blood between hospitals **

Harley Owners Group The Harley Owners Group (HOG) is a sponsored community marketing club, operated by Harley-Davidson for enthusiasts of that brand's motorcycles. The HOG is "the grandaddy of all community-building efforts," serving to promote not just a consumer ...

– a worldwide club run by

for owners of its motorcycles **

Patriot Guard Riders The Patriot Guard Riders (PGR) is an organization based in the United States whose members attend the funerals of members of the U.S. military and first responders at the invitation of a decedent's family. The group forms a voluntary honor guar ...

– formed in 2005 to provide an honour guard at the funerals of repatriated military personnel in the U.S. **

List of outlaw motorcycle clubs This is an alphabetical list of outlaw motorcycle clubs. Outlaw motorcycle clubs See also * List of outlaw motorcycle club conflicts * List of motorcycle clubs * List of criminal enterprises, gangs and syndicates References {{Bike ...

***

Hells Angels The Hells Angels Motorcycle Club (HAMC) is a worldwide outlaw motorcycle club whose members typically ride Harley-Davidson motorcycles. In the United States and Canada, the Hells Angels are incorporated as the Hells Angels Motorcycle Corporati ...

– a worldwide

outlaw motorcycle club An outlaw motorcycle club is a motorcycle subculture generally centered on the use of cruiser motorcycles, particularly Harley-Davidsons and choppers, and a set of ideals that purport to celebrate freedom, nonconformity to mainstream culture, ...

founded in 1948

Notable motorcyclists

Sonny Barger Ralph Hubert "Sonny" Barger, Jr. (October 8, 1938 – June 29, 2022) was an American outlaw biker, author and actor who was a founding member of the Oakland, California chapter of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club in 1957. After forming the O ...

–

Hells Angel The Hells Angels Motorcycle Club (HAMC) is a worldwide outlaw motorcycle club whose members typically ride Harley-Davidson motorcycles. In the United States and Canada, the Hells Angels are incorporated as the Hells Angels Motorcycle Corporati ...

* Marlon Brando – actor * Peter Fonda – actor, star of ''

Easy Rider ''Easy Rider'' is a 1969 American independent drug culture road drama film written by Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper, and Terry Southern, produced by Fonda, and directed by Hopper. Fonda and Hopper play two bikers who travel through the American So ...

'' *

Malcolm Forbes Malcolm Stevenson Forbes (August 19, 1919 – February 24, 1990) was an American entrepreneur most prominently known as the publisher of ''Forbes'' magazine, founded by his father B. C. Forbes. He was known as an avid promoter of capitalis ...

– capitalist, leader of the first group of foreigners permitted to tour

Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...

by motorcycle *Che Guevara – revolutionary, inspired by witnessing peasants' living conditions during 8,000 km ride across South America *Harry Hurt – safety researcher and author of the

*T. E. Lawrence – Lawrence of Arabia *Jay Leno – talk show host, rare motorcycle collector *Ewan McGregor – actor, marathon international motorcycle trips *Steve McQueen – actor and motorcycle racer and collector *Ted Simon – British journalist known for circumnavigating the world by motorcycle and for documenting his journey in the book ''Jupiter's Travels'' *Bessie Stringfield – early black woman motorcyclist and long distance rider *Hunter S. Thompson – author and journalist *Van Buren sisters – first women to ride across the U.S. in 1916

Notable motorcycle sportspersons

*Giacomo Agostini – Grand Prix motorcycle racer, winner of fifteen World Championship titles and 122 Grand Prix race wins *Erwin Baker, Erwin 'Cannonball' Baker – US promotional rider known for setting transcontinental speed records on motorcycles and in cars in the early 20th century *Toni Bou – winner of thirteen trial World Championship titles *Ricky Carmichael – very successful motocross racer *Geoff Duke – Grand Prix motorcycle racer, winner of six World Championship titles, and the first racer to wear a one-piece leather racing suit *Joey Dunlop – motorcycle racer who won 26 races at the Isle of Man Tourist Trophy meets *Bud Ekins – stunt rider and stunt coordinator *Stefan Everts – winner of ten FIM Motocross World Championship titles *Carl Fogarty – superbike racer, four-time World Superbike champion *Mike Hailwood – Grand Prix motorcycle racer, winner of 9 World Championship titles and 14

races; first to win 3 races at one IoM TT, in 1961 (125 cc, 250 cc, and 500 cc) *Ernst Jakob Henne – a German motorcycle racer in the 1920s *Aleš Hlad, Slovenian supermoto racer, 2005 European Champion and winner of the 2007 Athens GP *Dougie Lampkin – winner of twelve trial World Championship titles *Mary McGee -first woman to officially race motorcycles *John McGuinness (motorcycle racer), John McGuinness successful road racer at the

, the

, the Macau Grand Prix and the

. *Guy Martin - an English People, English motorcycle racing, motorcycle racer and television personality. *Sammy Miller, MBE – motorcycle sportsperson, museum collector, patron of the National Association for Bikers with a Disability (NABD) *Evel Knievel – stunt rider known for jumping motorcycles over tall, long, or otherwise dangerous obstacles; and for multiple injuries from bad landings *Phil Read - motorcycle racer who successfully competed in MotoGPs, the

and in

endurance races. *Valentino Rossi – Grand Prix motorcycle racer, winner of nine World Championship titles and 111 Grand Prix races *Kenny Roberts – first American to win a motorcycle Grand Prix, winner of the AMA Grand Slam, racing team owner and safety advocate *Juha Salminen – winner of thirteen

titles *Barry Sheene – Grand Prix motorcycle racer, winner of three World Championship titles *John Surtees – Grand Prix motorcycle racer, winner of seven World Championship titles; the only racer to have won world championship titles on both two and four wheels *Mick Doohan – Grand Prix motorcycle racer, winner of five World Championship titles *Kari Tiainen – winner of seven

titles

Motocross riders

*List of Motocross riders

Motorcycling in the media

Film

*''The Wild One'' – the influence of motorcycle movies can be traced to this movie starring Marlon Brando in 1954 which helped to turn motorcycling into a rebellious lifestyle culture which US censor boards allowed 'with caution', but in the United Kingdom, the film was banned by the British Board of Film Censors for fourteen years. It finally got an 'X' certificate in November, 1967. Other influential motorcycle movies include: *''

'' *''Electra Glide in Blue'' *''On Any Sunday'' *''No Limit (1935 film), No Limit'' *''Silver Dream Racer'' *''The Girl on a Motorcycle'' *''The Great Escape (film), The Great Escape'' *''The Leather Boys'' *''The Motorcycle Diaries (film), The Motorcycle Diaries'' *''The World's Fastest Indian'' *''TT3D: Closer to the Edge'' *''Beyond the Law (1992 film), Beyond The Law''

Television programmes

*''American Chopper'' *''CHiPs'' *''Feasting on Asphalt'' *''Full Throttle Saloon'' *''Long Way Round'' and ''Long Way Down'' *''Sons of Anarchy'' *''Street Hawk'' *''Then Came Bronson''

Documentaries

*''Hard Miles'' and ''Hard Miles 2''

Books

*''Ghost Rider: Travels on the Healing Road'' by Neil Peart *''Hell's Angels: The Strange and Terrible Saga of the Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs'' by Hunter S. Thompson *''Jupiter's Travels'' by Ted Simon *''The Motorcycle Diaries (book), The Motorcycle Diaries'' by Che Guevara *''Three-Wheeling Through Africa'' by James Wilson (motorcyclist), James C. Wilson *''Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance'' by Robert M. Pirsig

Exhibitions

*''

'' Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and others

References

External links

Global motorcycle sales statistics
*
Inline motorcycles
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