Talk:Types of motorcycle

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Contents 1 Concept bikes 2 Acceleration 3 'standard' bike? 4 dodgy dates 5 motorized bicycle, steam tricycle, tricycle, quadracycle, timeline of motorized bicycle history 6 Merge 7 Title 8 Touring Motorcycles Are Cruisers? 9 Can I get a date? 10 Trikes ?

[edit] Concept bikes

Can anyone shed some light on this? I have a few web pages if they can help http://www.sportrider.com/bikes/146_01_honda_nas/

[edit] Acceleration

Changed the word New Kawasaki zx14 to 2006 Kawasaki zx14 as the term new was vague, only fair as the Addition of the term new kawasaki zx 14 was originaly made by me. I have also made an addition of the 0-62 mph (0-100) and quarter mile times on this page, these specs can be varified on following websites: (Fireblade 21:24, 28 March 2006 (UTC))

http://www.seastarsuperbikes.co.uk/zx142006detail.html http://www.motorcycle.com/mo/mckaw/06_ZX-14/index.motml http://www.topspeed.com/motorcycles/kawasaki/index165.html

[edit] 'standard' bike?

The term 'standard' bike seems unusual. I've worked in the industry for years & if somebody came to my shop asking about a 'standard' bike i wouldn't know what they're talking about. 'Street' bike or 'Commuter' are more common industry terms for this type of motorcycle & are not open to mis-interpretation. Veej 07:41, 4 December 2005 (UTC)

I'm not going to edit this because I haven't been involved in any of the discussion to date. The section "naked bike" starts off by saying they are also called naked bikes. Perhaps they are only called "standards" in the U.S. In any case, this term was likely derived from what we've referred to as the "UJM" or "Universal Japanese Motorcycle" from the 1960s and '70s, before the modern sport bike evolved. They are "standard" because they are just "plain motorcycles", not specialized. Other than "retro" bikes from Triumph, and those few Royal Enfields being sold, I don't really see any of these being sold here. I prefer the term "standard" for a motorcycle with handlebars rather than clip-ons, where the rider is slightly leaned forward, and their feet are below them, without regard to how modern the engine and suspension are. It seems like using ergonomics as a basis might make categorizing the styles easier.

In any case, if the consensus is that the subtitle should be "naked", then the "also" clause should contain the term "standard". --Alanlarue 20:51, 3 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] dodgy dates

Under ther heading 'sports bike', the dates given are inaccurate. the 'power wars' started well before the late '90s. GSXR1100 & ZZ-R1100 for example? Honda VF1000R/GPZ1000 RX? etc etc. Also the 300k/186mph "gentleman's agreement" had been agreed before the introduction of the ZZ-R1100C1 of 1990. Veej 08:00, 4 December 2005 (UTC)

[edit] motorized bicycle, steam tricycle, tricycle, quadracycle, timeline of motorized bicycle history

all the afformentioned links are a a type of motor cycle. Should they not be in the list? If added it will totally devaste the format, any proposition? --Pat 01:30, 9 December 2005 (UTC)

I don't think they're applicable. Looking at definitions of mororcycles;

motorcycle, bike -- (a motor vehicle with two wheels and a strong frame) [1].

Motorcycle (n.) A bicycle having a motor attached so as to be self-propelled. In Great Britain the term motor cycle is treated by statute (3 Ed VII. c. 36) as limited to motor cars (self-propelled vehicles) designed to travel on not more than three wheels, and weighing unladen (that is, without water, fuel, or accumulators necessary for propulsion) not more than three hundred weight (336 lbs.). [2].

Motorcycle: two-wheeled motor vehicle with a capacity greater than 125 cmE3. [3].

Motorcycles are technical creatures. Hence, obtaining a technical definition from a non-tecnical source, ie. a dictionary, will always be difficult. A good definition, that differentiates from scooter, moped & motortricycle could be;

A motorvehicle with two wheels positioned inline in a strong frame. The engine displacement should be over 50cc (below 50c is a moped). For motorvehicles with suspension, the engine must not form part of the "unsprung mass" (as scooters have the engine as part of the swingarm, ie. their engines travel up & down with the suspension). If a subframe with another wheel is attached to create a sidecar outfit, this third wheel must not be driven (as this would reclassify the vehicle as a motortricycle). Veej 15:15, 18 December 2005 (UTC)

Well I have a problem with the weight classifications mentioned before. 336lbs? Well then that excludes bikes as light as the R6 (Approx 388 lbs.) That number even excludes my Suzuki GS500E! (Dry weight 374lbs.) The only things that go under that weight are 250's and such.

I find it doubtful that ALL motorcycles have the engine as sprung mass. Given the near infinite permutations of these creatures I doubt that it is safe to assume as such.

What about the Aprillia 50's are those scooters? Doubtful, despite being only 50 cc's I believe that they should most certainly be classified as motorcycles.

Quadricycles? No. Not a motorcycle in the traditional sense (of course that is what we are trying to define here though eh?)

I think that trikes should be excluded and put into their own classification. I think motorcycle should pertain exclusively to vehicles that must be balanced by the operator while in transit.

Of course then we must address "scooters" I'd say that any time you can put your knees together it should be reffered to as a scooter. 24.182.62.190

You mention Aprilia 50. Which one? They've made loads. The RS50 is a motorcycle. It has the engine attached the frame & is independant of the swingarm. Whereas the SR50 is a scooter as it has the engine & swingarm incorporated into one unit which then pivots on the frame. The "knees together" definition isn't strong enough. You can't put your knee together on a Gilera DNA50 due to the styling, yet it it still essentially a scooter. It shares the engine, wheels etc with the Gilera Runner 50 which is styled as a scooter. Any useful definition should be engineering based. Veej 01:48, 30 May 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Merge

Shouldn't this be mereged, or at least referenced with "click here for full article"... with the article on sportbikes? And the article titled crotch rocket (which itself should probably be merged into sportbikes).

[edit] Title

I think the current title is a tad awkward, how about "Motorcycle Types" instead? --Hooperbloob 20:26, 8 August 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Touring Motorcycles Are Cruisers?

These seem a lot like cruisers since they are for long distance and comfort. What is the difference other than more conveniences? Zachorious 02:35, 13 September 2006 (UTC)

Unless i've missed something a cruiser is a ahrley type easy rider bike while a tourer is a BMW, goldwing type bike Pickle 12:09, 13 September 2006 (UTC)

'Touring' bikes tend to have specific features that aren't always present on 'cruisers.' Specifically, things like a full windscreen, integrated storage of some sort (typically hard saddlebags, often a topcase, and sometimes more), and often equipment to allow long-distance travel with additional comfort (for example, heated grips, or integrated radio/CD players, etc). Cruisers form the basis for some touring models (see Harley-Davidsons), but as noted above BMWs, (Honda) Goldwings and their like are touring bikes without being 'cruisers' (distinguishable both by somewhat different ergonomics, but also by differences in chassis layout). Finally, there's a whole separate breed of 'touring' motorcycles generally known as 'sport-tourers' (Ducati ST* series, Triumph Sprint ST, some BMWs, Yamaha FJR...), which have more in common with sportbikes than they do cruisers, but are still 'touring' bikes in the sense that they are made for long range travel. Saturn V 15:50, 13 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Can I get a date?

A bit more history of the development of the types would be welcome, since it doesn't appear to be in the main article. For instance, when was the first dirtbike? What company? Model? When did they first appear in racing, such as at the Dakar? MX/trials events? Also, a pet peeve: what is up with the clustering of photos? Trekphiler 13:21, 6 October 2006 (UTC)

OK, there only appears to be about half a dozen people on (the English) Wikipedia who know about "dirtbikes". We're generally busy developing our respective pages on stuff like MX, Trials, Enduro - no ones really doing SX, Grasstrack/speedway and I've barely started on motorcycle racing. A long term thing will be to get to articles like motorcycle and types of motorcycles although motorcycle club seams much more pressing (see its talk).

Despite the above I'll give it a go. In the begging they created some very early bikes, an early test of these (due to road (ie highway) competition being illegal in the UK, arguably the cradle of motorcycling) was to race them on closed course (ie hill climbs on country estate drives - eg goodwood, races on country estate roads eg donington) - the easiest thing to do was to do "reliability trials" (very similar to the current "trials"). This required minimal changes to machines (if at all). These events were taking place at least as early as post WW1, some club can trace event histories back to then, my club only goes as far back as the late 1920s, and the history wasn't recorded very well. Anyway right up until the 1960s a bike could be ridden in anything (generally speaking) - ie a Goldstar was an excellent Trials, Road Race, Grass Track and Scrambles (as MX was then known in the UK) bike, and riders did all of them (and then road the bike on the road to work the next day!). Thus its very hard to say what was the first dirtbike, as the term evolved gradually. Obviously bikes became more specialised and the sports fragmented leaving each discipline (and road legal bikes) on all very different types of machine as the technology progressed.

Give me some time and i may get round to having a serious go and editing that section, but I've many other projects on the go.

Pickle 14:46, 6 October 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Trikes ?

I see scooters, mopeds, FF's and sidecars .. but no trikes ? Guess I will have to work on adding that section .. any objections ? Low Sea 23:49, 29 November 2006 (UTC)

Overhere (UK) they are defintly considered motorcylces (but you don't *have* to wear a helmet, i think its the same DVLA class as a Robin Reliant).

Like Mopeds, Trikes, Cyclecars and even ATVs may be legislatively or colloquially defined as motorcycles in some jurisdictions. Should they be included? I believe so even if only as a short entry with a redirection to the major entry elsewhere. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by M-72 (talk • contribs) 07:25, 12 December 2006 (UTC).