In the market, there is a wide variety of types of motorcycles, each with unique characteristics and features. Models vary according to the specific needs of each user, such as standard, cruiser, touring, sports, off-road, dual-purpose, scooters, ' 'speedway' ', etc.Scooters are a type of motorcycle:
Often, some hybrid types like sport touring are considered as an additional category."Sports Tourers". Suzuki GSX1100F, Honda CBR1000F, Yamaha GTS1000. Motorcycle Sport, June 1995, pp.284-288. Accessed 28 May 2022
There is no universal system for classifying all types of motorcycles.The MAIDS report, using the OECD Road Transport Research Programme methodology, uses the following nine classifications for motorcycles, mopeds, and scooters, providing one illustration of each:
Conventional street example: Triumph Bonneville T100 Sport example: Triumph Daytona 955i Cruiser example: Suzuki Marauder Chopper example: a Harley-Davidson chopper in David Mann red Touring example: Honda Gold Wing GL1800 Scooter example: Vespa Granturismo 200 Step-through example: a moped Sport Touring example: Ducati ST4s Enduro example: KTM 950 Adventure S See:
However, some authors argue that there are generally six categories recognized by most motorcycle manufacturers and organizations, making clear distinctions between these six main types and other motorcycles. For example, scooters, mopeds, underbones, minibikes, pocket bikes, electric bikes such as Surrons or Talaria or even Stark Vargs, and three-wheeled motorcycles are often excluded from the main categories within these classifications, but other classification schemes may also include these types of motorcycles.
Nevertheless, there are strict classification systems enforced by competitive motorcycle sport sanctioning bodies, or legal definitions of a motorcycle established by certain legal jurisdictions for motorcycle registration, emissions, road traffic safety rules or motorcyclist licensing. There are also informal classifications or nicknames used by manufacturers, riders, and the motorcycling media. Some experts do not recognize sub-types, like naked bike, that "purport to be classified" outside the usual classes, because they fit within one of the main types and are recognizable only by cosmetic changes.
Street motorcycles are motorcycles designed for being ridden on paved roads. They have smooth tires with tread patterns and engines generally in the and over range. Typically, street motorcycles are capable of speeds up to , and many of speeds in excess of . Street motorcycles powered by electric motors are becoming more common, with firms like Harley-Davidson entering the market.
Standard
Standard motorcycles (also called naked bikes, or roadsters) are street motorcycles that conform to a stereotypical image of a motorcycle, with an exposed engine and fuel tank above it; fairings and windscreens are not available from the manufacturer (hence the modern usage naked bikes)."Naked bike" is a term that once referred to 1950s road racing bikes.TT '78 A Motor Cycle News special, EMAP publication, 1978. Hailwood's homecoming, pp. 57-61. Accessed June 18 2018.Motorcyclist Illustrated, October 1974, p. 13, "Bomber", Norton Commando John Player Special road test by Dave Minton (pp. 10-15). Accessed September 20, 2021. With handlebars that are set neither high nor low, and footpegs neither placed forward nor "rear-set", standards give an upright rider posture between the semi-recumbent cruiser and the forward crouch of a sport bike. A standard's relationship between footpegs, handlebars and seat gives the rider a comfortable and natural posture.
Beginning motorcyclists learn to ride on standard bikes due to their comfort, ease of control, and safety, and many experienced riders choose to continue riding standards.
Cruiser
Cruiser motorcycles (or simply cruisers) are styled after American motorcycles from the 1930s to the early 1960s, such as those made by Harley-Davidson, Indian, and Excelsior-Henderson. Harley-Davidsons largely define the cruiser category, and large-displacement V-twin engines are the norm, although other engine configurations and small to medium displacements also exist. Their engines are tuned for low-end torque, making them less demanding to ride because it is not necessary to shift as frequently to accelerate or maintain control.
The riding position places the feet forward and the hands are up relatively high, so that the spine is erect or leaning back slightly. At low to moderate speeds, cruisers are more comfortable than other styles, but riding for long periods at freeway speeds can lead to fatigue from pulling back on the handlebars to resist the force of the wind against the rider's chest. Cruisers have limited cornering ability due to a lack of ground clearance.
Choppers are a type of cruiser, so called because they are a "chopped", or cut-down, version of a production cruiser. Choppers are usually custom projects that result in a bike modified to suit the owner's ideals, and, as such, are a source of pride and accomplishment. Stereotypically, a chopper may have raked-out forks, small fuel tanks and high handlebars. Choppers were popularised in the Peter Fonda film Easy Rider. Being designed primarily for visual effect, choppers will rarely be suitable for lengthy cruising.
Related to the chopper motorcycle is the bobber, a solo bike which is created by "bobbing" a factory bike by removing superfluous weight and bodywork from a motorcycle to reduce mass and increase performance. A common element of these motorcycles is a shortened rear fender that creates a "bobbed" look.
Power cruiser is a name used to distinguish bikes in the cruiser class that have significantly greater levels of power. They typically have with upgraded brakes and suspensions, better ground clearance, and premium surface finishes, as well as more exotic or non-traditional styling.2015 EICMA: Ducati reveals XDiavel power cruiser motorcycleFIRST LOOK: 2016 DUCATI XDIAVEL FROM EICMA 2015 | MOTORCYCLIST2009 Yamaha/Star Vmax Road Test | Rider Magazine | Rider Magazine2015 Ducati Diavel First Ride - Motorcycle USACOMPARISON TEST: Ducati Diavel Carbon vs. Honda Gold Wing Valkyrie vs. Star VMAX
Touring
Although any motorcycle can be equipped and used for touring, touring motorcycles are specifically designed to excel at covering long distances. They have large-displacement engines, fairings and screens that offer good weather and wind protection, large-capacity fuel tanks for long ranges between fill-ups, and a relaxed, upright seating position. Passenger accommodation is excellent and expansive luggage space is the norm for this class. Such bikes can have wet weights of and top fully loaded with a rider, passenger and gear.
Bagger, full dresser, full dress tourer, or dresser are various names for touring motorcycles, sometimes used disparagingly or jocularly, and originally referring to a Harley-Davidson or other cruisers with full sets of saddlebags. This can now refer to any touring motorcycle.
Sport
Sport bikes are road bikes that emphasize top speed, acceleration, braking, handling and grip, ("…a powerful, lightweight motorcycle, designed for optimal speed and handling" ) typically at the expense of comfort and fuel economy in comparison to other motorcycle types. Sport bikes have comparatively high performance engines supported within a lightweight frame. Inline-four engines dominate the sport bike category, with V-twins and parallel twins having a significant presence; and most other engine configurations appear in small numbers at times. High-performance braking systems may use upgraded brake pads, multi-piston calipers and larger vented rotors. Sports bike suspension systems may be more sophisticated, with greater adjustments for compression and rebound. Sport bikes have fairings to completely enclose the engine, along with windscreens that effectively deflect the air at high speeds away from the rider, thereby minimising overall drag.
Sport bikes may have footpegs that are both higher and set further back than on a standard bike, improving ground clearance when cornering and enabling a more prone position for the rider. There may be a long reach to the hand controls, which positions the body and center of gravity forward, above the fuel tank. The rider leans forward into the wind, the force of which may support the rider's weight at high speeds. However, at lower speeds a rider may experience excessive weight on the arms and wrists, causing fatigue.
is a nickname for a motorcycle type, derived from a sport bike design, that puts a disproportionately high priority on engine power.
Streetfighters are derived from sport bikes, originally being customized sport bikes with the fairings removed and higher handlebars replacing the low clip-on handlebars. Since the 1990s, factory streetfighters have been produced. As with naked bike and muscle bike (below), the name streetfighter is used to help clarify the middle ground occupied by designs that blend elements of both sport bikes and standards. Café racer originated among British motorcycle enthusiasts of the early 1960s in London. Café racers were initially just standard production bikes that were later modified by their owners and optimized for speed and handling for quick rides over drag racing strip or short distances.
Off-road
Off-road motorcycles, also known as dirt bikes, trailbikes or scramblers, are specially designed for off-road use. The term off-road refers to driving surfaces that are not conventionally paved. These are rough surfaces, often created naturally, such as sand, gravel, river beds and crossings, mud or snow. These types of terrain can best be traversed with bikes that are designed to better handle off-road conditions. Compared to road-going motorcycles, off-road machines are lighter and more flexible, typically have long travel suspension, high ground clearance, and are geared lower to provide more torque in off-road situations. Wheels may have knobby or hybrid dual-purpose tires, often clamped to the rim with a rim lock.
Many competitive events exist and have prompted the development of varied off-road motorcycle sports, for which a number of specialized motorcycles have been built: Motocross — Such bikes are raced on short, closed off-road tracks with a variety of obstacles. The motorcycles have a small fuel tank for lightness and compactness. Long-travel suspension allows riders to take jumps at high speed. Motocross engines are single-cylinder two-stroke or four-stroke units, which vary in size from 50cc up to about 500cc. At the professional level, bikes are split up into two levels based on their displacements: MX and MX Lite. The MX Lite class contains 125cc two-stroke engines and 250cc four-stroke engines, while the MX class pits 250cc two-stroke engines against 450cc four-stroke engines. The actual displacement for both four-strokes and two-strokes can be under what is listed for the different bikes. The differences in power, displacement, torque, and weight are all variables that balance the competition between two-stroke and four-stroke engines. Motocross sidecar outfits have bigger engines, usually four-stroke and often twin-cylinder. Motocross bikes are also used in freestyle motocross. Enduro — A modified off-road bike which is something between a dual-sport motorcycle and motocrosser, with some having the addition of a horn, lights, effective silencing and a number plate. Enduro riders compete over a longer course (which may include roads); and an enduro event may last between one day and six days (such as the International Six Days Enduro). Some enduro events (known as "multi-lappers") are held on rather shorter circuits somewhat like extended motocross tracks. "Multi-lappers" are especially popular with novice riders.