Types of motorcycles

Models vary according to the specific needs of each user, such as standard, cruiser, touring, sports, off-road, dual-purpose, scooters, etc.

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 powered by electric motors are becoming more common, with firms like Harley-Davidson entering the market.

[6] 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.

[14] The riding position places the feet forward and the hands are up relatively high, so that the spine is erect or leaning back slightly.

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.

They typically have with upgraded brakes and suspensions, better ground clearance, and premium surface finishes, as well as more exotic or non-traditional styling.

[6] 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.

[6] 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.

There may be a long reach to the hand controls, which positions the body and center of gravity forward, above the fuel tank.

[6] Typically based on a dirt bike chassis, they have added lights, mirrors, signals, and instruments that allow them to be licensed for public roads.

[3] They are higher than other street bikes, with a high center of gravity and tall seat height, allowing good suspension travel for rough ground.

Most adventure motorcycles function well on graded dirt and gravel roads but are less than ideal on more difficult off-pavement terrain.

This increasingly popular type of motorcycle is often a dual-sport that has been fitted by the manufacturer with smaller rims and road tires.

Supermotos are quickly gaining popularity as street bikes due to their combination of light weight, durability, relatively low cost, and sporty handling.

[6] Being lighter, at 550–720 lb (250–330 kg) wet,[14] than a pure touring bike and often having racier engines, suspensions, and brakes, sport tourers corner better and are more at home being aggressively ridden on curvy canyon roads.

Scooters are a type of motorcycles[1] distinguished by their continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT)[14] and distinctive design.

Unlike traditional motorcycles, scooters feature an open frame structure, a seat, and a flat foot platform, allowing the rider to maintain an upright posture without straddling the engine.

[45][46] Underbones are small-displacement motorcycles with a step-through frame, descendants of the original Honda Super Cub.

In many places, mopeds are subject to less stringent licensing than bikes with larger engines and are popular as very cheap motorbikes, with the pedals seeing next to no use.

The Motocrotte (or cainette) was used in Paris to collect dog waste with vacuum suction in the 1980s and 1990s, and was still in use in other French cities as of 2016.

The Yamaha Niken is also a tilting three wheeler but has smaller track width such that it is considered a motorcycle by some authorities.