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A Motorcycle
(also called a motorbike, bike, or cycle)
is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle powered by an engine.
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.
In many parts of the world, motorcycles are among the least expensive and most widespread forms of motorised transport
Types of motorcycles
Most motorcycles fall into one of three main categories - street, off-road, and dual-purpose - depending on the surface they are intended to be used on. A few specialty machines do not fall into one of these categories.
- Street bikes include cruisers, sportbikes, scooters and mopeds, and many other types.
- Off-road motorcycles include many types designed for dirt-oriented racing classes such as motocross and are not street legal in most areas.
- Dual purpose machines like the dual-sport style are made to go off-road but include features to make them legal and comfortable on the street as well.
Each configuration offers either specialised advantage or broad capability, and each design creates a different riding posture.
Motorcycle rider postures
The motorcyclist's riding position depends on rider body-geometry (anthropometry) combined with the geometry of the motorcycle itself - falling along a spectrum of three basic postures.
- Standard: In this position the rider sits roughly upright or leaning forwards slightly, knees lower than the hips, and feet roughly below the rider's centre of gravity. The rider benefits from the freedom of head-movement and good visibility in all directions, along with easier use of the feet while, for instance, moving through stationary traffic. However, high speeds in this position leads to strain on the wrists,
uneven roads lead to strain on the back, and extra exposure to the wind leads to both higher fuel consumption and a higher wind-chill factor.
- Sport: In this position the rider leans forward with the upper torso, supporting the upper-body weight with the back, stomach and leg muscles thereby keeping the forearms loose and relaxed providing smooth steering input/feedback at the handlebars. Knees are at hip height or below and squeezed against the tank to help support the upper body with the feet positioned on the balls of the foot on the footpegs. The
position offers the advantage of decreased wind resistance but an otherwise cramped position that may be difficult to sustain for longer periods (some hours). The Sport riding position offers good flat-footing.
- Cruiser: In this position the rider sits at a lower seat-height with the upper torso upright to slightly rearward. Knees are near hip height and legs extended forward. This position offers the advantage of comfortable circulation to the legs and ease of flat-footing - though with a lower field of visibility. In this position the rider may have difficulty lifting off the seat (when crossing an obstacle for example).
Important factors of a motorcycle's ergonomic geometry that determine the seating posture include the height, angle and location of footpegs, seat and handlebars. Likewise, factors in a rider's physical geometry that contribute to seating posture include torso, arm, thigh and leg length, and overall rider height.
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