Outline of motorcycles and motorcycling

The following outline is provided as an overview of motorcycles and motorcycling:

Motorcycle
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...

– single-track, engine-powered

Single-track vehicle

A single-track vehicle is a vehicle that leaves a single ground track as it moves forward. Single-track vehicles usually have little or no lateral stability when stationary but develop it when moving forward or controlled...

, two-wheeled motor vehicle

Motor vehicle

A motor vehicle or road vehicle is a self-propelled wheeled vehicle that does not operate on rails, such as trains or trolleys. The vehicle propulsion is provided by an engine or motor, usually by an internal combustion engine, or an electric motor, or some combination of the two, such as hybrid...

. It is also called a motorbike, bike, or cycle.

Motorcycling
Motorcycling
Motorcycling is the act of riding a motorcycle. A variety of subcultures and lifestyles have been built up around motorcycling.-Benefits:Robert M. Pirsig's book Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance was a paean celebrating motorcycling...

– act of riding a motorcycle, around which a variety of subcultures and lifestyles have built up.

Nature of motorcycles

Legal definition of motorcycle
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 and the more powerful, larger, vehicles known as motorcycles...

– a powered two-wheel motor vehicle. Most countries distinguish between mopeds up to 49 cc (scooters do not count as a separate category) and the more powerful, larger, vehicles known as motorcycle
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...

s. Many jurisdictions include some forms of three-wheelers as motorcycles.
Motorcycles can be described as all of the following:
- a component of transport
  Transport
  Transport or transportation is the movement of people, cattle, animals and goods from one location to another. Modes of transport include air, rail, road, water, cable, pipeline, and space. The field can be divided into infrastructure, vehicles, and operations...
  - a component of a mode of transport
    Mode of transport
    Mode of transport is a term used to distinguish substantially different ways to perform transport. The most dominant modes of transport are aviation, land transport, which includes rail, road and off-road transport, and ship transport...
    - a component of road transport
      Road transport
      Road transport or road transportation is transport on roads of passengers or goods. A hybrid of road transport and ship transport is the historic horse-drawn boat.-History:...
      - a type of vehicle
        Vehicle
        A vehicle is a device that is designed or used to transport people or cargo. Most often vehicles are manufactured, such as bicycles, cars, motorcycles, trains, ships, boats, and aircraft....
        
        a type of motor vehicle
        Motor vehicle
        A motor vehicle or road vehicle is a self-propelled wheeled vehicle that does not operate on rails, such as trains or trolleys. The vehicle propulsion is provided by an engine or motor, usually by an internal combustion engine, or an electric motor, or some combination of the two, such as hybrid...
- a type of machine
  Machine
  A machine manages power to accomplish a task, examples include, a mechanical system, a computing system, an electronic system, and a molecular machine. In common usage, the meaning is that of a device having parts that perform or assist in performing any type of work...
- Sports equipment

Types of motorcycles

Motorcycle design depends on the purpose for which they are used. The main types of motorcycle include:

Street motorcycle – designed for being ridden on paved roads. Features smooth tires with a light tread pattern and an engine generally in the 125 cc (7.6 cu in) and over range.
- Cruiser
  Cruiser (motorcycle)
  Cruiser is the term for motorcycles that mimic the design style of American machines from the 1930s to the early 1960s, including those made by Harley-Davidson, Indian, Excelsior and Henderson. The market for models evocative of the early cruisers has grown to embrace 60 percent of the U.S...
  
  – mimic 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
    Bobber (motorcycle)
    A bobber is a custom motorcycle that usually has had the front fender removed, the rear fender "bobbed" or made smaller, and all superfluous parts removed to make it lighter.- History :...
    
    – usually has had the front fender removed, the rear fender "bobbed" or made smaller and all superfluous items removed to make it lighter.
  - Chopper
    Chopper (motorcycle)
    A chopper is a type of motorcycle that was either modified from an original motorcycle design or built from scratch to have a hand-crafted appearance. The main features of a chopper that make it stand out are its longer frame design accompanied by a stretch front end...
    
    – 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
  Sport bike
  A sport bike, also written as sportbike, is a motorcycle optimized for speed, acceleration, braking, and cornering on paved roads, typically at the expense of comfort and fuel economy in comparison to less specialized motorcycles...
  
  – optimised for speed, acceleration, braking, and cornering on paved roads, typically at the expense of comfort and fuel economy in comparison to less specialised motorcycles.
  - Café racer
    Café racer
    A café racer is a type of motorcycle as well as a type of motorcyclist. Both meanings have their roots in the 1960s British counterculture group the Rockers, or the Ton-up boys, although they were also common in Italy, Germany, and other European countries...
    
    :
    1. a type of motorcycle that has been modified for speed and good handling rather than comfort. Cafe racers' bodywork and control layout typically mimick the style of Grand Prix roadracers of the 50's or 60's, featuring an elongated fuel tank and small, rearward mounted, humped seat.
    2. a type of motorcyclist for whom classic/vintage British, German, Italian, or Japanese motorbikes from the 50s-to late 1970s is his or her bike of choice. In the 50's and 60's the term referred to bike riders of the race track.
  - Streetfighter
    Streetfighter
    A streetfighter is a sport bike that is customized by removing the fairing, and making other changes that result in an overall more aggressive look. Beyond simply removing fairings, specific changes that exemplify the streetfighter look are a pair of large, round headlights, tall, upright...
    
    – a sport bike that is customised by removing the fairing, with other changes that result in an overall more aggressive look.
- Touring motorcycle
  Touring motorcycle
  A touring motorcycle is a type of motorcycle designed for touring. Although any motorcycle can be used to tour with, manufacturers have brought specific models designed to address the particular needs of these riders...
  
  – 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
    Sport touring
    A Sport touring motorcycle is a type of motorcycle that blends the performance of a sport bike with the long-distance capabilities of a touring motorcycle, while providing comfort and relative safety to the rider....
    
    – blends performance with long-distance capabilities while providing comfort and relative safety to the rider, and tend to include accessories, such as a trunk or saddlebags for storage, to enhance the touring experience.
- Standard motorcycle – versatile, general purpose street motorcycle, with an upright riding position.
  - Universal Japanese motorcycle – Japanese motorcycle with a transverse air-cooled four-cylinder engine in a conventional tube frame with a dual seat, mostly made in the 1970s and early 1980s.
Custom motorcycle
Custom motorcycle
A custom motorcycle is a motorcycle that is highly stylized or which treats aspects such as frame geometry, engine design, or paintwork in an unusual way compared to standard manufacturing. Custom motorcycles are unique or individually produced in a very limited quantity, as opposed to "stock"...

– 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.
Dual-sport motorcycle – type of street-legal motorcycle designed for both on and off-road use.
- Enduro motorcycle
  Enduro motorcycle
  An Enduro motorcycle is a motorcycle specially made for the Enduro sport, with the long travel and medium-hard suspension of a motocross bike conjoined with features such as a headlight and quiet muffler to make the bike street-legal for parts of the track...
  
  – 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 –
- Supermoto motorcycle –
Off-road motorcycle –
- Motocross motorcycle –
- Track racing motorcycle – customised for track racing, with no brakes and fueled with methanol.
- Trials motorcycle
  Motorcycle Trials
  Motorcycle trials, also termed observed trials, is a non-speed event on specialized motorcycles. The sport is most popular in the United Kingdom and Spain, though there are participants around the globe....
  
  – an extremely lightweight design, that lacks seating (designed to be ridden standing up) and that has suspension travel that is short, relative to a motocross or enduro motorcycle.

Small class
- Minibike
  Minibike
  A minibike, sometimes called a mini moto or pocketbike, is a miniature motorcycle. Most minibikes use two-stroke engines and chain drive.- History :...
  
  – sometimes called a mini moto or pocketbike, it is a miniature motorcycle. Most traditional minibikes use a two stroke engine to turn the rear wheel via a chain.
- Mini chopper
  Mini chopper
  Mini choppers are scaled-down versions of custom-built motorcycles known as choppers and are generally constructed from 1" steel tubing or 3/4" steel black pipe...
  
  – mini choppers are scaled-down versions of choppers and are generally 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
  Moped
  Mopeds are a type of low-powered motorcycle designed to provide economical and relatively safe transport with minimal licensing requirements.Mopeds were once all equipped with bicycle-like pedals , but moped has been increasingly applied by governments to vehicles without pedals, based on their...
  
  – a type of low-powered motorcycle designed to provide economical and relatively safe transport with minimal licensing requirements.
- Pit bike
  Pit bike
  A pit bike is a small off-road/on-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...
  
  – 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
  Scooter (motorcycle)
  A scooter is a motorcycle with step-through frame and a platform for the operator's feet. Elements of scooter design have been present in some of the earliest motorcycles, and motorcycles identifiable as scooters have been made from 1914 or earlier...
  
  – a step-through motorcycle with a seat, a floorboard, and small or low wheels. Most modern scooter designs have swingarm-mounted engines.
- Underbone
  Underbone
  An underbone is a small motorcycle built on a frame consisting mostly of one large diameter tubular component.The stylistic difference between a motorcycle and an underbone is considerable and they are sometimes known as "step-throughs" or even marketed as scooters in the West.The fuel tank...
  
  – a step-through motorcycle with a structural downtube and conventionally-sized wheels, but without a floorboard.
Electric motorcycle
Electric motorcycles and scooters
Electric motorcycles and scooters are vehicles with two or three wheels that use electric motors to attain locomotion. Electric motorcycles, as distinguished from scooters, do not have a step-through frame....

– has an electric motor powered by one or more batteries or fuel cells.
- Electric dragbike
  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 high performance gasoline engines...
  
  –
- TTXGP race class –
- TT Zero race class
  TT Zero
  TT Zero a new event for the 2010 Isle of Man TT races replaced the TTXGP race for 1 lap of the Snaefell Mountain Course. The TT Zero event as an officially sanctioned Isle of Man TT race is for racing motorcycles where "The technical concept is for motorcycles to be powered without the use of...
  
  –
Utility motorcycle
- Motorcycle ambulance
  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...
  
  –
- Auto rickshaw
  Auto rickshaw
  An auto rickshaw or three-wheeler is a usually three-wheeled cabin cycle for private use and as a vehicle for hire. It is a motorized version of the traditional pulled rickshaw or cycle rickshaw...
  
  –
- Fire bike
  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...
  
  –
- Police motorcycle
  Police motorcycle
  A police motorcycle is a motorcycle used by various police forces and departments. 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...
  
  –
- Motorcycle taxi
  Motorcycle taxi
  A motorcycle taxi is a licensed form of transport in some countries. Typically, they will carry one passenger , who rides as the pillion, behind the motorcycle operator.-Cambodia:...
  
  –
Other designs and variations
- Derny
  Derny
  A Derny is a motorized bicycle for motor-paced cycling events such as during six-day and Keirin racing, or motor-paced road races. It is driven by a 98cc Zurcher two-stroke engine and by being pedalled through a fixed gear, typically of 70 teeth on the front chainring and 11 on the sprocket on the...
  
  – motorised bicycle for motor-paced cycling events
- Feet forwards motorcycle
  Feet forwards motorcycle
  A Feet First Motorcycle is a class of motorcycle design that seeks to look at the two-wheeled concept afresh, and create a new form of practical personal transport...
  
  – motorcycle on which the rider reclines with his feet positioned ahead of his body
- Cabin cycle
  Cabin cycle
  A cabin cycle is a form of land vehicle with a hull that wraps around the basic bicycle or motorcycle design. Unlike traditional designs, the chassis can be moulded to reduce drag when travelling at high speeds. Some 3-wheeled variants are commonly known as auto rickshaws or tuk-tuks. In Czech...
  
  – vehicle with a hull that wraps around the basic bicycle or motorcycle design
- Rat bike
  Rat bike
  Rat bikes are motorcycles that have fallen apart over time but been kept on the road and maintained for little or no cost by employing kludge fixes...
  
  – motorcycle maintained for at little or no cost by employing kludge fixes
- Motorised tricycle – motorcycle or scooter with three wheels

Motorcycle design

Motorcycle dynamics
Bicycle and 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 is a branch of classical mechanics, which in turn is a branch of physics. Bike motions of interest include balancing, steering, braking,...
- Shaft effect
  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 turn lifts the rider and the body of the bike,...
  
  –
Motorcycle geometry
Bicycle and motorcycle geometry
Bicycle and motorcycle geometry is the collection of key measurements that define a particular bike configuration. Primary among these are wheelbase, steering axis angle, fork offset, and trail...

–
Motorcycle testing and measurement
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 acceleration of the motorcycle. Most parameters are...

–

Parts of a motorcycle

Motorcycle brakes –
- Anti-lock braking system
  Anti-lock braking system
  An anti-lock braking system is a safety system that allows the wheels on a motor vehicle to continue interacting tractively with the road surface as directed by driver steering inputs while braking, preventing the wheels from locking up and therefore avoiding skidding.An ABS generally offers...
  
  – fitted to many modern motorcycles
- Combined braking system
  Combined braking system
  A combined braking system , also called linked braking system , 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 rear brakes...
  
  – links front and rear brake operation
Motorcycle chassis – includes the frame and suspension, along with the front forks, of the vehicle.
- Motorcycle frame
  Motorcycle frame
  A motorcycle frame includes the head tube that holds the front fork and allows it to pivot. Some motorcycles include the engine as a load-bearing, stressed member. The rear suspension is an integral component in the design. Traditionally frames have been steel, but titanium, aluminium, magnesium,...
  
  – provides the strength and rigidity of the motorcycle; all other parts are attached directly or indirectly to the frame.
- Suspension
  Suspension (motorcycle)
  A motorcycle's suspension serves a dual purpose: contributing to the vehicle's handling and braking, and providing safety and comfort by keeping the vehicle's passengers comfortably isolated from road noise, bumps and vibrations....
  
  – 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
  Motorcycle fork
  A motorcycle fork connects a motorcycle's front wheel and axle to its frame, typically via a pair of triple clamps. It typically incorporates the front suspension and front brake, and allows the bike to be steered via handlebars attached to the top clamp....
  
  – acts as suspension for the front wheel and allows the motorcycle to be steered.
Motorcycle engine
Motorcycle engine
A motorcycle engine is an engine that powers a motorcycle.Motorcycle engines may be two-stroke or four-stroke, reciprocating or Wankel, single-cylinder or multicylinder , or single-rotor or twin-rotor . The engine typically drives the rear wheel, but some small bikes such as the Velosolex have a...

– provides the power to propel the motorcycle
Motorcycle transmission –
- Chain drive
  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...
  
  – the most common method of transferring power from the engine to the wheels
- Shaft drive – low-maintenance alternative to chain drive, favoured by certain manufacturers, such as BMW Motorrad
  BMW Motorrad
  BMW Motorrad is the motorcycle brand of the German company BMW, part of its Corporate and Brand Development division. The current General Director of the unit is Hendrik von Kuenheim....
  
  and Moto Guzzi
  Moto Guzzi
  Moto Guzzi is an Italian motorcycle manufacturer. It is one of seven brands owned by Piaggio.Established in 1921 in Mandello del Lario, Italy, the company is noted for its central historic role in Italy's motorcycling manufacture, its prominence worldwide in motorcycle racing, and a series of...
  
  , and also used on many large touring motorcycles.
- Belt drive
  Gilmer belt
  Gilmer belt is a trade name for a type of belt used for transferring power between axles in a machine. The belt itself has ribs on the inner side to engage special pulleys mounted to the axles....
  
  – low-maintenance alternative to chain drive, favoured by certain manufacturers, such as Harley-Davidson
  Harley-Davidson
  Harley-Davidson , often abbreviated H-D or Harley, is an American motorcycle manufacturer. Founded in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, during the first decade of the 20th century, it was one of two major American motorcycle manufacturers to survive the Great Depression...
  
  , and on many cruiser motorcycles
Motorcycle handlebar
Motorcycle handlebar
Motorcycle handlebar refers to the steering mechanism for motorcycles. Handlebars often support part of the rider's weight, and provide a mounting place for controls such as brake, throttle, clutch, horn, light switch, and rear view mirrors....

–
Instrument panel –
- Speedometer
  Speedometer
  A speedometer is a gauge that measures and displays the instantaneous speed of a land vehicle. Now universally fitted to motor vehicles, they started to be available as options in the 1900s, and as standard equipment from about 1910 onwards. Speedometers for other vehicles have specific names...
  
  – indicates the forward speed of the motorcycle.
- Odometer
  Odometer
  An odometer or odograph is an instrument that indicates distance traveled by a vehicle, such as a bicycle or automobile. The device may be electronic, mechanical, or a combination of the two. The word derives from the Greek words hodós and métron...
  
  – indicates the distance travelled by the motorcycle.
- Tachometer
  Tachometer
  A tachometer 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 on a calibrated analogue dial, but digital displays are increasingly common...
  
  – indicates the rotational speed of the crankshaft in the engine, often also shows an indicated safe limit called a redline
  Redline
  Redline refers to the maximum engine speed at which an internal combustion engine or traction motor and its components are designed to operate without causing damage to the components themselves or other parts of the engine...
  
  .
- Fuel gauge
  Fuel gauge
  A fuel gauge is an instrument used to indicate the level of fuel contained in a tank. Commonly used in cars, these may also be used for any tank including underground storage tanks.As used in cars, the gauge consists of two parts:...
  
  – indicates the amount of fuel in the tank relative to tank capacity.
Motorcycle saddle
Motorcycle saddle
A motorcycle saddle is a term for a motorcycle seat in some parts of the world. It is a seat for carrying a rider and, possibly, a passenger, and which is attached to a motorcycle often but not exclusively, behind the fuel tank....

–
Motorcycle tyres
Motorcycle tyres
Motorcycle tyres provide the only contact with the ground, via the contact patch under normal conditions, and so have a very large influence over motorcycle handling characteristics. Motorcycle tyres have a round cross section to facilitate the leaning necessary when a motorcycle turns...

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

–
- Motorcycle fairing
  Motorcycle fairing
  A motorcycle fairing is a shell placed over the frame of some motorcycles, especially racing motorcycles and sport bikes, with the primary purpose to reduce air drag. The secondary functions are the protection of the rider from airborne hazards and wind-induced hypothermia and of the engine...
  
  –
- Motorcycle headlamp modulator –
- Sidecar
  Sidecar
  A sidecar is a one-wheeled device attached to the side of a motorcycle, scooter, or bicycle, producing a three-wheeled vehicle.-History:A sidecar appeared in a cartoon by George Moore in the January 7, 1903, issue of the British newspaper Motor Cycling. Three weeks later, a provisional patent was...
  
  –
- Storage accessories
  - Pannier
    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 the Old French, from Classical Latin, word for bread basket....
    
    –
  - Saddlebags –
  - Motorcycle trailer
    Motorcycle trailer
    Motorcycle trailer is a term used to describe a trailer used either to carry motorcycles or to be pulled behind a motorcycle in order to carry additional gear.-For carrying motorcycles:...
    
    –

Motorcycle repair and maintenance

Motorcycle lift
Motorcycle lift
A motorcycle lift is a lift table that is designed to handle motorcycles. Many repair shops use such lifts to bring the vehicle off of the ground and up to a level so that the mechanic does not have to put any strain on his or her back or lay upon the ground to perform any kind of work upon the...

–
Motorcycle oil
Motorcycle oil
Motorcycle Oils are a range of lubricants, including engine oils, which are specifically developed and marketed for use in the internal combustion engines and transmissions of motorcycles and may also be recommended for use in vehicles utilizing drive-trains similar to those of motorcycles, such as...

–
Motorcycle shelter –

History of motorcycles

Motorcycle land speed record
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. These are special or modified motorcycles, distinct from the fastest production motorcycles. The...
- List of fastest production motorcycles
History of electric motorcycles and scooters
History of electric motorcycles and scooters
* Late 1860s: Earliest references to electric motorcycles can be found in patents.* 1911: Electric motorcycle available according to early Popular Mechanics article....

Motorcycle pioneers

First motorcycle ride – it is generally accepted that the first motorcycle ride was by Gottlieb Daimler's

Gottlieb Daimler

Gottlieb Daimler was an engineer, industrial designer and industrialist born in Schorndorf , in what is now Germany. He was a pioneer of internal-combustion engines and automobile development...

son Paul on a new machine called 'Einspur' (One track) near Stuttgart

Stuttgart

Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....

in Germany

Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

on 10 November 1885. Daimler followed many pioneering engineers and inventors, and many more followed him, including:

Siegfried Bettmann
Siegfried Bettmann
Siegfried Bettmann 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 Triumph became one of the most famous motorcycle trade-names of the world.-Early life:Born in...

– founder of the Triumph Motorcycle Company
George Brough
George Brough
George Brough , , 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 first superbikes...

– world record holding motorcycle racer and founder of Brough Superior
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. They were dubbed the "Rolls-Royce of Motorcycles" by H. D. Teague of The Motor Cycle newspaper. Approximately 3,048 of 19 models...

motorcycles which were the first superbikes
Lucius Copeland
Lucius Copeland
Lucius Day Copeland was a pioneering 19th-century engineer and inventor from Phoenix, Arizona who demonstrated one of the first motorcycles, a steam-powered "Star" penny-farthing high-wheeled bicycle at the first Maricopa County Fair in 1884. Copeland also invented the first successfully...

– 19th-century engineer
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...

and inventor
Invention
An invention is a novel composition, device, or process. An invention may be derived from a pre-existing model or idea, or it could be independently conceived, in which case it may be a radical breakthrough. In addition, there is cultural invention, which is an innovative set of useful social...

from Phoenix
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...

who demonstrated one of the first motorcycles in 1884
Arthur Davidson
Arthur Davidson (Harley-Davidson founder)
Arthur Davidson was one of the four original founders of the Harley-Davidson Motor Company. One of Arthur's favorite pastimes was fishing in the beautiful Wisconsin wilderness, which inspired him to create a motorcycle that would "take the hard work out of pedaling a bicycle".Arthur was a natural...

– co-founder of the Harley-Davidson Motor Company
Harley-Davidson
Harley-Davidson , often abbreviated H-D or Harley, is an American motorcycle manufacturer. Founded in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, during the first decade of the 20th century, it was one of two major American motorcycle manufacturers to survive the Great Depression...
Walter Davidson, Sr. – co-founder of the Harley-Davidson Motor Company
Max Friz
Max Friz
Max Friz 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 in 1917.-Early life:...

– German mechanical engineer and contributor of engine design that led to the founding of BMW
BMW
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company founded in 1916. It also owns and produces the Mini marque, and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. BMW produces motorcycles under BMW Motorrad and Husqvarna brands...

in 1917
Eugene Goodman
Eugene Goodman
Eugene Goodman, was the co founder of the Velocette motorcycle company with his father John Goodman.Eugene was born in Birmingham. His father had a small shop in Great Hampton street in Birmingham selling and making bicycles and fittings....

– co founder of the Velocette
Velocette
Velocette is the name given to motorcycles that were made by Veloce Ltd, in Hall Green, Birmingham, England. One of several motorcycle manufacturers in Birmingham, Velocette was a small, family-owned firm, selling far fewer hand-built motorcycles than the giant BSA, Norton or Triumph concerns...

motorcycle company with his father John Goodman in 1913
William S. Harley
William S. Harley
William Sylvester Harley was a co-founder of the Harley-Davidson Motor Company. He was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1880, and received a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 1907.He co-founded Harley-Davidson with Arthur Davidson in 1903 and served as...

– co-founder of the Harley-Davidson Motor Company
Ernst Jakob Henne
Ernst Jakob Henne
Ernst Jakob Henne was a distinguished German motorcycle racer and racecar driver.Henne was born in the village of Weiler, near Wangen im Allgäu. His father was a saddlemaker. In 1919 Henne was apprenticed to a become a motor vehicle mechanic. He started racing in 1923 in Mühldorf, and in 1925 he...

– a German motorcycle racer in the 1920s
Bert Hopwood
Bert Hopwood
Herbert "Bert" Hopwood was a British motorcycle designer. He helped with some of the most influential designs for the British motorcycle industry and worked for Ariel, Norton, BSA and Triumph.-Motorcycle design career:...

– a British motorcycle design
Motorcycle design
Motorcycle design can be described as activities that define the appearance, function and engineering of motorcycles.Professionally it is a branch of industrial design, similar to automotive design using identical techniques and methodology, but confined by a set of conventions about what is...

er who influenced development of the British motorcycle industry and worked for Ariel
Ariel Motorcycles
Ariel Motorcycles was a British motorcycle manufacturer based in Bournbrook, Birmingham. It was one of the leading innovators in British motorcycling, and was part of the Ariel marque. The company was sold to BSA in 1944 and the name was discontinued in 1970...

, Norton, BSA and Triumph
Frantisek Janeček
František Janeček
František Janeček was the founder of Jawa motorcycles and an important figure in the development of the Czech motorcycle industry. He died on 4 June 1941.-Early life:...

– founder of the Czech Jawa Motors
Jawa Motors
Jawa is a motorcycle manufacturer in the Czech republic, formerly Czechoslovakia. The name was created after its founder, Frantisek Janecek, bought the motorcycle division of Wanderer in 1929 , by concatenating the first letters of Janeček and Wanderer...
James Lansdowne Norton
James Lansdowne Norton
James Lansdowne Norton was a motorcycle designer, inventor and manufacturer of the Norton motorcycles. One of the pioneers of the British motorcycle industry, he died in 1925.-Early life:James Lansdowne Norton was born in Birmingham in 1869...

– motorcycle designer, inventor and manufacturer of the Norton motorcycles
Val Page
Val Page
Valentine Page was a British motorcycle designer born in 1892. Described as Britain's greatest motorcycle designer, he worked for most of the leading marques, including Ariel, Triumph, and BSA. He died in 1978.-J.A Prestwich:...

– motorcycle designer and worked for most of the leading marques, including Ariel
Ariel Motorcycles
Ariel Motorcycles was a British motorcycle manufacturer based in Bournbrook, Birmingham. It was one of the leading innovators in British motorcycling, and was part of the Ariel marque. The company was sold to BSA in 1944 and the name was discontinued in 1970...

, Triumph and BSA
Edward Pennington
E. J. Pennington
Edward Joel Pennington was an inventor and promoter of many mechanical devices, including airships, motorcycles, and automobiles...

– pioneering motorcycle inventor credited with having invented the word "motorcycle" and using the term as early as 1893
Louis-Guillaume Perreaux
Louis-Guillaume Perreaux
Louis-Guillaume Perreaux was born in a village called Almenêches, in Normandy, France on 19 February 1816 was a French inventor and engineer who submitted one of the first patents for a working motorcycle in 1869...

– French
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...

inventor and engineer who submitted one of the first patents for a working motorcycle in 1869, the Michaux-Perreaux steam velocipede
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...
Harry Ricardo
Harry Ricardo
Sir Harry Ricardo was one of the foremost engine designers and researchers in the early years of the development of the internal combustion engine....

– pioneering motorcycle engine designer influential in the early years of the development of the internal combustion engine
Internal combustion engine
The internal combustion engine is an engine in which the combustion of a fuel occurs with an oxidizer in a combustion chamber. In an internal combustion engine, the expansion of the high-temperature and high -pressure gases produced by combustion apply direct force to some component of the engine...
Jack Sangster
Jack Sangster
John Young Sangster was an industrialist who became an important figure in the history of the British motorcycle industry. He is more commonly known as Jack Sangster.-Early life:...

– industrialist who became an important figure in the history of the British motorcycle industry
Alfred Angas Scott
Alfred Angas Scott
Alfred Angas Scott was a 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 vehicles. Scott was a keen potholer and the second president of the Gritstone club...

– motorcycle designer, inventor and founder of the Scott Motorcycle Company
The Scott Motorcycle Company
The Scott Motorcycle Company was owned by Scott Motors Limited, Shipley, West Yorkshire, England and was a well known producer of motorcycles and light engines for industry...
Edward Turner
Edward Turner
Edward Turner was a British motorcycle designer. He was born in Camberwell in the London Borough of Southwark, on the day King Edward VII was proclaimed King....

– motorcycle designer and General Manager of Triumph where he led the development of many important technical ideas found on motorcycles today
Phil Vincent
Phil Vincent
Philip Conrad Vincent was a British motorcycle designer and manufacturer. Founder of Vincent Motorcycles, his designs influenced the development of motorcycles around the world.-Early life:...

– Founder of Vincent Motorcycles
Vincent Motorcycles
Vincent Motorcycles was a British manufacturer of motorcycles from 1928 to 1955. Their 1948 Black Shadow was at the time the world's fastest production motorcycle...

, his designs influenced the development of motorcycles around the world.

Motorcycle museums and exhibitions

There are a number of museums which feature collections of motorcycles, either as part of a larger exhibition of vehicles, or dedicated entirely to motorcycles as in the list below:

Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum
Barber Motorsports Park
The Barber Motorsports Park is a multi-purpose racing facility located on the eastern fringes of Birmingham, Alabama, USA near Leeds. The facility was the vision of George Barber, and includes the Barber Vintage Motorsport Museum. In July 2009 officials announced that Barber will be the site of...

–
Deutsches Zweirad- und NSU-Museum
Deutsches Zweirad- und NSU-Museum
The Deutsche Zweirad- und NSU-Museum in Neckarsulm, Germany has a collection of historic motorcycles and bicycles in a five-story split-level building dating to 13th Century...

–
Harley-Davidson Museum
Harley-Davidson Museum
The Harley-Davidson Museum is a North American museum near downtown, 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 Harley-Davidson motorcycles and hundreds of...

–
Irbit State Motorcycle Museum
Irbit State Motorcycle Museum
The Irbit State Motorcycle Museum was created as a State Museum of the Russian Federation to protect the former IMZ Factory Museum from sale and dispersal. The museum was officially opened on June 25, 2004 as the Irbit Motorcycle Museum. The keystone of the museum was the collection of the Design...

–
Motorcycle Hall of Fame
Motorcycle Hall of Fame
The Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum is an offshoot of the American Motorcyclist Association that recognizes individuals who have contributed to motorcycle sport, motorcycle construction and motorcycling in general. It displays motorcycles and riding gear and memoribilia. The museum is located in...

–
National Motorcycle Museum (Anamosa, IA)
National Motorcycle Museum (Anamosa, IA)
The National Motorcycle Museum located at 102 Chamber Drive in Anamosa, Iowa is a non-profit museum, 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, documents and actual vintage bikes...

–
National Motorcycle Museum (UK)
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 site has conference facilities...

–
Sammy Miller Motorcycle Museum
Sammy Miller Motorcycle museum
The Sammy Miller Motorcycle Museum was set up in 1964, after the former championship winning trials rider Sammy Miller set up a parts business in New Milton, Hampshire, England....

–
The Art of the Motorcycle
The Art of the Motorcycle
The Art of the Motorcycle was an exhibition that presented 114 motorcycles chosen for their historic importance or design excellence in a display designed by Frank Gehry in the curved rotunda of the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York City, running for three months...

–

Motorcycle lists

Category:Lists of motorcycles
Category:Motorcycle sport lists

List of motorcycle manufacturers

List of British motorcycles by marque

Motorcycling

Motorcycling advocacy –
Motorcycle lane
Motorcycle lane
Motorcycle lane is a main term for special lane for small vehicles such as motorcycles, scooters, bicycles, trishaw and many more.- Malaysia :...

–

Motorcycle safety

Countersteering
Countersteering
Countersteering is the technique 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...

–
Hurt Report
Hurt Report
The Hurt Report was a motorcycle safety study conducted in the United States, initiated in 1976 and published in 1981. The report is named after its primary author, Professor Harry Hurt.Noted motorcycle journalist David L...

–
Lane splitting
Lane splitting
Lane splitting refers to a two-wheeled vehicle moving between lanes of vehicles that are proceeding in the same direction. More narrowly, it refers to passing stopped or slower moving traffic between lanes at a speed greater than surrounding traffic....

–
MAIDS report
MAIDS report
The MAIDS report is a large-scale, comprehensive study of Powered Two Wheelers accidents carried out across five European countries, using both accident and exposure cases, as was done in the Hurt Report, and following the standards of OECD...

–
Motorcycle training
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...

–

Motorcycle safety equipment

Motorcycle personal protective equipment
- Motorcycle helmet
  Motorcycle helmet
  A motorcycle helmet is a type of protective headgear used by motorcycle riders. The primary goal of a motorcycle helmet is motorcycle safety - to protect the rider's head during impact, thus preventing or reducing head injury or saving the rider's life...
  
  –
- Motorcycle boot
  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....
  
  s –
- Motorcycle armor
  Motorcycle armor
  Motorcycle armor comes in a variety of forms, from traditional yellow foam to high-tech compounds capable of absorbing large amounts of energy. In its basic form an armored jacket will include shoulder and elbow armor. Pants will include hip and knee protection.- Foam armor :This armor is the...
  
  –

Motorcycle accidents

Lowsider
Lowsider
The lowsider or lowside is a type of motorcycle crash usually occurring in a turn and caused by a loss of grip between the tires and the road surface. It is most often caused by either locking a wheel due to excessive braking or application of excessive power out of or through the turn...

–
Highsider
Highsider
A highsider or highside is a type of motorcycle accident characterized by sudden & violent rotation around the long axis of the motorcycle in the direction of travel...

–
Motorcycle deaths in U.S. by year
List of deaths by motorcycle accidents

Types of motorcycling

Motorcycle commuting
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:...

–
Courier service by motorcycle
Motorcycle courier
A motorcycle courier is a courier operating via a motorcycle or motor scooter. Motorcycle couriers are common in major urban centres, primarily in Europe, South America and Asia, but increasingly in North America.- History :...

–
Motorcycle rally
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 the end of the ride.-North America:Notable annual...

–
- Sweep
  Sweep (motorcycle)
  In motorcycle terms, the sweep is the rider last in line whose job is to ensure everyone else in the group ride arrives at the destination safely. The sweep is often the person with the most experience, not always the fastest, but certainly with a reliable motorcycle who is not going to be the...
  
  –
Trail riding
Trail riding
Trail riding sometimes called horse or pony trekking is riding outdoors on natural trails and roads as opposed to riding in an enclosed area such as a riding arena. The term may encompass those who travel on horses, on mountain bikes, or on motorcycles and other motorized all-terrain vehicles...

– riding outdoors on natural trails and roads.

Motorcycle sport

Riders have raced motorcycles for over a hundred years, with the first official competition recorded as the race from Paris

Paris

Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...

to Rouen

Rouen

Rouen , in northern France on the River Seine, is the capital of the Haute-Normandie region and the historic capital city of Normandy. Once one of the largest and most prosperous cities of medieval Europe , it was the seat of the Exchequer of Normandy in the Middle Ages...

in July 1894. This was quickly followed by races all over Europe and the US. In 1907 the Isle of Man TT

Isle of Man TT

The International Isle of Man TT Race is a motorcycle racing event held on the Isle of Man and was for many years the most prestigious motorcycle race in the world...

races took over 66 kilometres (41 mi) of the island's roads and has continued since. Motorcycle sport now takes many different forms, including:

Enduro
Enduro
Enduro is a form of motorcycle sport run on courses that are predominantly off-road. Enduro consists of many different obstacles and challenges...

–
Freestyle Motocross
Freestyle Motocross
Freestyle Motocross 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:...

–
Land speed – 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.
- Motorcycle land speed record
  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. These are special or modified motorcycles, distinct from the fastest production motorcycles. The...
  
  –
Motoball (Motorcycle Polo) – similar to football, but all players (except goalkeepers) ride motorcycles, and the ball is much bigger.
Motorcycle Trials
Motorcycle Trials
Motorcycle trials, also termed observed trials, is a non-speed event on specialized motorcycles. The sport is most popular in the United Kingdom and Spain, though there are participants around the globe....

–
Motorcycle stunt riding
Motorcycle stunt riding
Motorcycle stunt riding, sometimes referred to as simply stuntriding, 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 burnouts...
- Wheelie
  Wheelie
  In vehicle acrobatics, a wheelie is a vehicle maneuver in which the front wheel or wheels come off the ground due to extreme torque being applied to the rear wheel or wheels. Wheelies are usually associated with bicycles and motorcycles, but can be done with other vehicles such as cars, especially...
- Stoppie
  Stoppie
  The stoppie , is a motorcycle and bicycle trick in which the back wheel is lifted and the bike is ridden on the front wheel by carefully applying brake pressure. It is also sometimes called a front wheelie.-General description:...
- Burnout

Motorcycle racing

Motorcycle racing is a motorcycle sport involving racing

Racing

A sport race is a competition of speed, against an objective criterion, usually a clock or to a specific point. The competitors in a race try to complete a given task in the shortest amount of time...

motorcycles. Types of motorcycle racing include:

Motorcycle drag racing
Motorcycle drag racing
Motorcycle drag racing involves two participants lining up at a dragstrip with a signaled starting line. Upon the starting signal, the riders accelerate down a quarter mile long, two lane, straight paved track where their elapsed time and terminal speed are recorded. The rider to reach the finish...

–
- Pro Stock Motorcycle
  Pro Stock Motorcycle
  Pro Stock Motorcycle, formerly known as Pro Stock Bike is a drag racing class that is the two-wheeled equivalent of Pro Stock. It has been a feature of NHRA drag racing since the 1980s when it was added to the professional class structure and has since spread around the globe. Their 1st Points...
Grand Prix motorcycle racing
Grand Prix motorcycle racing
Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix is the premier championship of motorcycle road racing currently divided into three distinct classes: 125cc, Moto2 and MotoGP. The 125cc class uses a two-stroke engine while Moto2 and MotoGP use four-stroke engines. In 2010 the 250cc two-stroke was replaced...

–
Motorcycle Grasstrack
Grasstrack
Motorcycle Grasstrack is a form of motorcycle 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. Mountain and hillside tracks are also common in the UK, creating more technically demanding circuits...

–
Ice speedway
Ice speedway
Ice Speedway is a developed form of Speedway racing, featuring racing on frozen surfaces. The sport uses bikes enhanced for the terrain. Participants can compete at international level.- Outline :...

–
Isle of Man TT
Isle of Man TT
The International Isle of Man TT Race is a motorcycle racing event held on the Isle of Man and was for many years the most prestigious motorcycle race in the world...

–
Motocross
Motocross
Motocross is a form of motorcycle sport or all-terrain vehicle racing held on enclosed off road circuits. It evolved from trials, and was called scrambles, and later motocross, combining the French moto with cross-country...

–
- FIM Motocross World Championship –
Pit bike racing – competition sport similar to motocross, using pit bikes.
Motorcycle speedway
Motorcycle speedway
Motorcycle speedway, usually referred to as speedway, is a motorcycle sport involving four and sometimes up to six riders competing over four anti-clockwise laps of an oval circuit. Speedway motorcycles use only one gear and have no brakes and racing takes place on a flat oval track usually...

–
Superbike racing
Superbike racing
Superbike racing is a category of motorcycle racing that employs modified production motorcycles. Superbike World Championship is the international superbike championship, and national superbike championships are held in many countries as well, including the United Kingdom, the United States,...

–
Supercross –
TTXGP
TTXGP
The TTXGP, first conceived by Azhar Hussain in 2008, was a new event for the 2009 Isle of Man TT races. It was a one-lap, race for racing motorcycles "powered without the use of carbon based fuels and have zero toxic/noxious emissions." For 2010 the event was replaced by TT Zero, also created...

–

Motorcycle clubs and organisations

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:

Colors (motorcycling)
Colors (motorcycling)
Colors are the insignia, or "patches", worn by motorcycle club members on cut-offs to identify membership of their club and territorial location. Club patches have been worn by many different groups but, since the 1960s, have become largely synonymous with Outlaw bikers...

–

Motorcycling organisations

American Motorcyclist Association
American Motorcyclist Association
The American Motorcyclist Association is an American not-for-profit organization of more than 300,000 motorcyclists that organizes numerous motorcycling activities and campaigns for motorcyclists' legal rights...

–
British Motorcyclists Federation
British Motorcyclists Federation
The British Motorcyclists Federation 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 renamed itself the BMF in 1965.-Activities:The BMF...

– a UK-based campaigner and lobby group for motorcyclists' rights
Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme
Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme
The Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme is the governing body of motorcycle racing. It represents 103 national motorcycle federations that are divided into six regional continental unions....

– the worldwide body responsible for governing motorcycle sport
State motorcyclists' rights organizations
State motorcyclists' rights organizations
State motorcyclists' rights organizations exist in about 32 US states, 25 of which call themselves "ABATE of ," the rest going by various other names. SMROs advocate for a point of view in motorcycling that is, in general, hostile to mandatory helmet laws, required motorcycle safety inspections,...

– 32 organisations in the USA, 25 of which are known as ABATE, which were initially formed to fight motorcycle helmet
Motorcycle helmet
A motorcycle helmet is a type of protective headgear used by motorcycle riders. The primary goal of a motorcycle helmet is motorcycle safety - to protect the rider's head during impact, thus preventing or reducing head injury or saving the rider's life...

laws

Motorcycle clubs

Antique Motorcycle Club of America
Antique Motorcycle Club of America
The Antique Motorcycle Club of America 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 11,000 in the United States, Canada and Europe.-Aims:...

–
BMW Motorcycle Owners of America – a single marque club for owners of BMW motorcycles
BMW Motorrad
BMW Motorrad is the motorcycle brand of the German company BMW, part of its Corporate and Brand Development division. The current General Director of the unit is Hendrik von Kuenheim....
Freewheelers EVS
Freewheelers EVS
Freewheelers Emergency Voluntary Service is a registered charity based in South West England. The charity was founded in Weston-super-Mare in 1990....

– a UK-based club whose members volunteer to transport blood between hospitals
Harley Owners Group
Harley Owners Group
The Harley Owners Group 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 product, but a lifestyle...

– a worldwide club run by Harley-Davidson
Harley-Davidson
Harley-Davidson , often abbreviated H-D or Harley, is an American motorcycle manufacturer. Founded in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, during the first decade of the 20th century, it was one of two major American motorcycle manufacturers to survive the Great Depression...

for owners of its motorcycles
Hells Angels
Hells Angels
The Hells Angels Motorcycle Club is a worldwide one-percenter motorcycle gang and organized crime syndicate whose members typically ride Harley-Davidson motorcycles. In the United States and Canada, the Hells Angels are incorporated as the Hells Angels Motorcycle Corporation. Their primary motto...

– a worldwide outlaw motorcycle club
Outlaw motorcycle club
An outlaw motorcycle club is a type of motorcycle club that is part of a subculture with roots in the post-World War II USA, centered on cruiser motorcycles, particularly Harley-Davidsons and choppers, and a set of ideals celebrating freedom, nonconformity to mainstream culture, and loyalty to the...

founded in 1948
Patriot Guard Riders – formed in 2005 to provide an honour guard at the funerals of repatriated military personnel in the USA

Notable motorcyclists

Giacomo Agostini
Giacomo Agostini
-Non-riding career:Like John Surtees and Mike Hailwood before him, Agostini raced in Formula One cars. He competed in non-championship Formula One races in 1978. He competed in the European Formula 2 series in a Chevron B42-BMW and British Aurora Formula 1 with his own team and a Williams FW06...

–
Erwin Baker – a.k.a. "Cannonball" Baker, US promotional rider known for setting trans-continental speed records on motorcycles and in cars in the early 20th century
Geoff Duke
Geoff Duke
Geoffrey Ernest Duke OBE is a British multi-time motorcycle Grand Prix road racing world champion.Geoff Duke dominated motorcycle racing in the 1950s, winning six world championships and six Isle of Man TT races...

–
Joey Dunlop
Joey Dunlop
William Joseph "Joey" Dunlop, OBE , was a world champion motorcyclist from Ballymoney in Northern Ireland, best known for road racing. Referred to throughout the sport as "Joey", in 2005 he was voted the fifth greatest motorcycling icon ever by Motorcycle News...

–
Carl Fogarty
Carl Fogarty
Carl 'Foggy' Fogarty is the most successful World Superbike racer of all time in terms of the number of championships and number of race wins...

–
Mike Hailwood
Mike Hailwood
Stanley Michael Bailey Hailwood, MBE, GM was a British Grand Prix motorcycle road racer regarded by many as one of the greatest racers of all time. He was known as "Mike The Bike" because of his natural riding ability...

–
Walter Handley –
Valentino Rossi
Valentino Rossi
Valentino Rossi, , is an Italian professional motorcycle racer and multiple MotoGP World Champion. He is one of the most successful motorcycle racers of all time, with nine Grand Prix World Championships to his name – seven of which are in the premier class.Following his father, Graziano Rossi,...

–
Barry Sheene
Barry Sheene
Barry Stephen Frank Sheene MBE was a British World Champion Grand Prix motorcycle road racer.-Early life:...

–
Ted Simon
Ted Simon
Ted Simon is a British journalist born in Germany in 1931, noted for circumnavigating the world twice by motorcycle. He was raised in London by a German mother and a Romanian father....

–
John Surtees
John Surtees
John Surtees, OBE is a British former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer and Formula One driver from England. He was 500cc motorcycle World Champion in 1956 and 1958–60, Formula One World Champion in 1964, and remains the only person to have won World Championships on both two and four wheels...

–

Motorcycling in the media

The Wild One
The Wild One
The Wild One is a 1953 outlaw biker film directed by László Benedek and produced by Stanley Kramer. It is famed for Marlon Brando's iconic portrayal of the gang leader Johnny Strabler.-Basis:...

– the influence of motorcycle movies can be traced to this movie starring Marlon Brando
Marlon Brando
Marlon Brando, Jr. was an American movie star and political activist. "Unchallenged as the most important actor in modern American Cinema" according to the St...

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:
Easy Rider
Easy Rider
Easy Rider is a 1969 American road movie written by Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper, and Terry Southern, produced by Fonda and directed by Hopper. It tells the story of two bikers who travel through the American Southwest and South with the aim of achieving freedom...
Electra Glide in Blue
Electra Glide in Blue
Electra Glide in Blue is a 1973 film starring Robert Blake as a motorcycle cop in Arizona and Billy Green Bush as his partner. The name stems from the Harley-Davidson Electra Glide motorcycle issued to traffic cops....
On Any Sunday
On Any Sunday
On Any Sunday is a 1971 American documentary feature about motorcycle sport, directed by Bruce Brown. It was nominated for a 1972 Academy Award for Documentary Feature....
Silver Dream Racer
Silver Dream Racer
Silver Dream Racer is a film starring David Essex and Beau Bridges. Essex stars as Nick Freeman, a motorcycle racer who, following the death of his brother, inherits a revolutionary prototype motorcycle, and is determined to race it at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone.The opening title scenes...
The Girl on a Motorcycle
The Girl on a Motorcycle
The Girl on a Motorcycle , also known as Naked Under Leather, is a 1968 British-French film starring Alain Delon, Marianne Faithfull, Roger Mutton, Marius Goring, and Catherine Jourdan. It was listed to compete at the 1968 Cannes Film Festival, but the festival was cancelled due to the events of...
The Great Escape
The Great Escape (film)
The Great Escape is a 1963 American film about an escape by Allied prisoners of war from a German POW camp during World War II, starring Steve McQueen, James Garner, and Richard Attenborough...
The Motorcycle Diaries
The Motorcycle Diaries (film)
At the end of the film, after his sojourn at the leper colony, Guevara confirms his nascent egalitarian, anti-authority impulses, while making a birthday toast, which is also his first political speech. In it he evokes a pan-Latin American identity that transcends both the arbitrary boundaries of...
The World's Fastest Indian
The World's Fastest Indian
The World's Fastest Indian is a 2005 New Zealand biographical film based on the Invercargill, New Zealand speed bike racer Burt Munro and his highly modified Indian Scout motorcycle...

Motorcycle television programmes, both drama and documentary, include:

American Chopper
American Chopper
American Chopper is a reality television series that airs on Discovery Channel, produced by Pilgrim Films & Television. The series centers on Paul Teutul, Sr. and his son Paul Teutul, Jr. , who manufacture custom motorcycles. Orange County Choppers is in Newburgh, New York...
CHiPs
CHiPs
CHiPs is an American television drama series produced by MGM Studios that originally aired on NBC from September 15, 1977, to July 17, 1983. CHiPs followed the lives of two motorcycle police officers of the California Highway Patrol...
Feasting on Asphalt
Feasting on Asphalt
Feasting on Asphalt is a television series starring Alton Brown of the Food Network programs Good Eats and Iron Chef America.Brown's third series, Feasting on Asphalt explores "road food" in the historical and present-day United States, with an emphasis on unique restaurants and regional cuisine...
Long Way Round
Long Way Round
Long Way Round is a documentary television series, DVD set and book documenting the journey of Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman from London to New York on motorcycles...

and Long Way Down
Long Way Down
"Long Way Down" is a single by the Goo Goo Dolls from their breakthrough album, 1995's A Boy Named Goo. This song is often overshadowed by the low-key ballad "Name", which launched the band to household names...
Sons of Anarchy
Sons of Anarchy
Sons of Anarchy is an American television drama series created by Kurt Sutter about the lives of a close-knit outlaw motorcycle club operating in Charming, a fictional town in Northern California...
Then Came Bronson
Then Came Bronson
Then Came Bronson is a short-lived adventure/drama television series that aired on NBC from 1969 to 1970, and was produced by MGM Television. The series, created by Denne Bart Petitclerc, began with a movie pilot on Monday, March 24, 1969. The series was greenlit for one year and began its first...

Notable books about motorcycling include:

Ghost Rider: Travels on the Healing Road by Neil Peart
Neil Peart
Neil Ellwood Peart , OC, is a Canadian musician and author. He is the drummer for the rock band Rush.Peart grew up in Port Dalhousie, Ontario . During adolescence, he floated from regional band to regional band in pursuit of a career as a full-time drummer...
Jupiter's Travels
Jupiter's Travels
Jupiter's Travels is a book by Ted Simon which narrates his four-year journey through 126,000 km across 45 countries on a Triumph Tiger 100 500 cc motorcycle from 1973 to 1977. His book was first published in English in 1979....

by Ted Simon
Ted Simon
Ted Simon is a British journalist born in Germany in 1931, noted for circumnavigating the world twice by motorcycle. He was raised in London by a German mother and a Romanian father....
The Motorcycle Diaries by Che Guevara
Che Guevara
Ernesto "Che" Guevara , commonly known as el Che or simply Che, was an Argentine Marxist revolutionary, physician, author, intellectual, guerrilla leader, diplomat and military theorist...
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry into Values is a 1974 philosophical novel, the first of Robert M. Pirsig's texts in which he explores his Metaphysics of Quality.The book sold 5 million copies worldwide...

by Robert M. Pirsig
Robert M. Pirsig
Robert Maynard Pirsig is an American writer and philosopher, and author of the philosophical novels Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry into Values and Lila: An Inquiry into Morals .-Background:...

Motorcycling lists

List of biker films
List of motocross World Championship results
List of AMA Motocross Champions
List of motorcycle trials champions
List of Trans-AMA motocross champions
List of Motocross riders
List of motorcycle clubs
- List of outlaw motorcycle clubs

Lists of motorcycle sports

External links

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