Getting to Know the Different Types of Motorcycles

If you’re planning on riding a motorcycle this spring, you’ll want to take some time to get familiar with the different types of bikes and the characteristics that distinguish them. The bike you choose will play a significant role in your safety and enjoyment of the sport, and you’ll want to make sure it meets your specific needs.

The first motorcycles were built in the mid- to late-19th century. They were developed from bicycles by adding gasoline-powered engines, and in many cases, they looked just like regular bikes. A few tinkerers, including William Harley and Arthur Davidson, would go on to establish the well-known Harley-Davidson line of motorcycles in 1903.

In the early 1900s, manufacturers were experimenting with new ideas for powering these self-propelled “bicycles.” Some of these experiments were incorporated into road trials races or endurance rides, which helped them improve their designs. The first successful production motorcycles were manufactured in 1894 at the Hildebrand and Wolfmuller factory in Germany, and these were the first vehicles to be called “motorcycles.”

Motorcycles have a lot of advantages over cars. They’re more agile and slim, which allows them to gain speed quickly and maneuver through traffic more easily. In fact, they can even fit into parking spaces that a car might not be able to. However, the small size of motorcycles can also make them more susceptible to crash damage. In fact, according to Highway Loss Data Institute statistics from 2019, motorcyclists are 29 times more likely to die in a crash than people who ride passenger cars.