The following outline is provided as an overview of motorcycles and motorcycling:
Motorcycle — two-wheeled,[1] single-track motor vehicle.[2][3] Other names include: motorbike, bike, and cycle.
Motorcycling — act of riding a motorcycle, around which a variety of subcultures and lifestyles have built up.
Types of motorcycles The design of a motorcycle reflects the purpose for which it is to be used. The main types of motorcycle include:
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 in Germany on 10 November 1885.[21] However, several pioneering engineers and inventors preceded Daimler, mostly with steam engines powering their cycles. These include:
Many pioneering engineers and inventors followed Daimler in using internal combustion engines . These include:
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. Some of those museums are listed below:
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 races took over 66 kilometres (41 mi) of the island's roads and has continued since.[21] Motorcycle sport now takes many different forms, including:
Motorcycle racing – motorcycle sport involving racing motorcycles, on or off a track.
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.[21] Examples include:
Motorcycle club – group of individuals whose primary interest and activities involve motorcycles.
sportbike: a motorcycle designed for aggressive performance, especially cornering
Streetfighter -- Also known as a 'hooligan' cycle, this is a sports-bike stripped of all superfluous bodywork
streetfighter: a type of superbike customised for maximum speed and performance