Motorcycle
A motorcycle,
often called a bike, motorbike, or cycle,
is a two- or three-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycle
design varies greatly to suit a range of different purposes: long distance travel, commuting, cruising, sport including racing, and off-road riding. Motorcycling is
riding a motorcycle and related social activity such as joining a motorcycle club and
attending motorcycle
rallies.
In 1894, Hildebrand & Wolfmüller became the first
series production motorcycle, and the first to be called a motorcycle. In 2014,
the three top motorcycle producers globally by volume were Honda, Yamaha (both
from Japan), and Hero
MotoCorp (India).
In developing
countries, motorcycles are considered utilitarian due to lower prices and
greater fuel
economy. Of all the motorcycles in the world, 58% are in the
Asia-Pacific and Southern and Eastern Asia regions, excluding car-centric
Japan.
According to the US
Department of Transportation the number of fatalities per vehicle mile traveled
was 37 times higher for motorcycles than for cars.
Types
The term motorcycle
has different legal definitions depending on jurisdiction (see #Legal definitions and
restrictions).
There are three
major types of motorcycle: street, off-road, and dual purpose. Within these
types, there are many sub-types of motorcycles for different purposes. There is
often a racing counterpart
to each type, such as road
racing and street bikes, or motocross and
dirt bikes.
Street bikes
include cruisers, sportbikes, scooters and mopeds, and many other types. Off-road
motorcycles include many types designed for dirt-oriented racing classes such
as motocross and
are not street legal in most areas. Dual purpose machines like the dual-sport style
are made to go off-road but include features to make them legal and comfortable
on the street as well.
Each configuration
offers either specialised advantage or broad capability, and each design
creates a different riding posture.
In some countries
the use of pillions (rear
seats) is restricted.
History
The first internal combustion, petroleum fueled
motorcycle was the Daimler Reitwagen.
It was designed and built by the German inventors Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach in Bad Cannstatt,
Germany in 1885. This vehicle was unlike either the safety bicycles or
the boneshaker bicycles
of the era in that it had zero degrees of steering axis angle and no fork offset, and thus did not use the principles
of bicycle and motorcycle dynamics developed nearly
70 years earlier. Instead, it relied on two outrigger wheels to remain upright
while turning.
The inventors
called their invention the Reitwagen ("riding car").
It was designed as an expedient testbed for their new engine, rather than a
true prototype vehicle.
The first
commercial design for a self-propelled cycle was a three-wheel design called
the Butler Petrol Cycle, conceived of Edward Butler in England in
1884. He exhibited his plans for the vehicle at the Stanley
Cycle Show in London in 1884. The vehicle was built by
the Merryweather Fire Engine company in Greenwich,
in 1888.
The Butler Petrol
Cycle was a three-wheeled vehicle, with the rear wheel directly driven by
a 5⁄8 hp
(0.47 kW), 40 cc (2.4 cu in) displacement, 2 1⁄4 in
× 5 in (57 mm × 127 mm) bore × stroke, flat twin four-stroke
engine (with magneto ignition replaced
by coil and battery) equipped with rotary valves and
a float-fed carburettor (five
years before Maybach)
and Ackermann steering, all of which were state of the
art at the time. Starting was by compressed air. The engine was liquid-cooled,
with a radiator over
the rear driving wheel. Speed was controlled by means of a throttle valve
lever. No braking system was fitted; the vehicle was stopped by raising and
lowering the rear driving wheel using a foot-operated lever; the weight of the
machine was then borne by two small castor wheels. The driver was seated
between the front wheels. It wasn't, however, a success, as Butler failed to
find sufficient financial backing.
Many authorities
have excluded steam
powered, electric
motorcycles or diesel-powered two-wheelers from the definition
of a 'motorcycle', and credit the Daimler Reitwagen as the
world's first motorcycle. Given the rapid rise in use of electric
motorcycles worldwide, defining only internal-combustion powered
two-wheelers as 'motorcycles' is increasingly problematic.
If a two-wheeled
vehicle with steam propulsion is considered a motorcycle, then the first
motorcycles built seem to be the French Michaux-Perreaux steam velocipede which patent
application was filled in December 1868, constructed around the same time
as the American Roper steam velocipede, built by Sylvester
H. Roper Roxbury, Massachusetts. who demonstrated his
machine at fairs and circuses in the eastern U.S. in 1867,[4] Roper
built about 10 steam cars and cycles from the 1860s until his death in 1896.
Summary of early
inventions
|
Year
|
Vehicle
|
Number of wheels
|
Inventor
|
Engine type
|
Notes
|
|
1867–1868
|
2
|
Pierre Michaux
Louis-Guillaume Perreaux |
Steam
|
·
One made
|
|
|
1867–1868
|
2
|
Sylvester Roper
|
Steam
|
·
One made
|
|
|
1885
|
2 (plus 2 outriggers)
|
Gottlieb Daimler
Wilhelm Maybach |
Petroleum internal-combustion
|
·
One made
|
|
|
1887
|
3 (plus 2 castors)
|
Edward Butler
|
Petroleum internal-combustion
|
||
|
1894
|
2
|
Heinrich Hidebrand
Wilhelm Hidebrand Alois Wolfmüller |
Petroleum internal-combustion
|
·
Modern configuration
·
First mass-produced motorcycle
·
First machine to be called
"motorcycle"
|
First motorcycle
companies
In 1894, Hildebrand & Wolfmüller became the first
series production motorcycle, and the first to be called a motorcycle (German: Motorrad). Excelsior Motor Company, originally a bicycle
manufacturing company based in Coventry, England, began
production of their first motorcycle model in 1896. The first production
motorcycle in the US was the Orient-Aster, built by Charles Metz in
1898 at his factory in Waltham, Massachusetts.
In the early period
of motorcycle history, many producers of bicycles adapted
their designs to accommodate the new internal combustion engine. As the engines
became more powerful and designs outgrew the bicycle origins, the number of
motorcycle producers increased. Many of the nineteenth century inventors who
worked on early motorcycles often moved on to other inventions. Daimler and
Roper, for example, both went on to develop automobiles.
At the turn of the
19th century the first major mass-production firms were set up. In 1898, Triumph
Motorcycles in England began producing motorbikes, and by 1903
it was producing over 500 bikes. Other British firms were Royal Enfield, Norton and Birmingham Small Arms Company who began
motorbike production in 1899, 1902 and 1910, respectively. Indian began
production in 1901 and Harley-Davidson was
established two years later. By the outbreak of World War I, the largest
motorcycle manufacturer in the world was Indian, producing over 20,000
bikes per year.
First World War
During the First
World War, motorbike production was greatly ramped up for the war effort to
supply effective communications with front line troops. Messengers on horses
were replaced with despatch
riders on motorcycles carrying messages, performing
reconnaissance and acting as a military police. American company
Harley-Davidson was devoting over 50% of its factory output toward military
contract by the end of the war. The British company Triumph Motorcycles sold
more than 30,000 of its Triumph Type H model
to allied
forces during the war. With the rear wheel driven by a belt,
the Model H was fitted with a 499 cc (30.5 cu in)
air-cooled four-stroke single-cylinder
engine. It was also the first Triumph without pedals.
The Model H in
particular, is regarded by many as having been the first "modern
motorcycle". Introduced in 1915 it had a 550 cc side-valve
four-stroke engine with a three-speed gearbox and belt transmission. It was so
popular with its users that it was nicknamed the "Trusty Triumph."
Postwar
By 1920,
Harley-Davidson was the largest manufacturer, with their motorcycles being
sold by dealers in 67 countries. By the late 1920s or early 1930s, DKW in Germany took over as the largest
manufacturer.
In the 1950s,
streamlining began to play an increasing part in the development of racing
motorcycles and the "dustbin fairing" held out the possibility of
radical changes to motorcycle design. NSU and Moto Guzzi were
in the vanguard of this development, both producing very radical designs well
ahead of their time. NSU produced the most advanced design, but after the
deaths of four NSU riders in the 1954–1956 seasons, they abandoned further
development and quit Grand Prix motorcycle racing.
Moto Guzzi produced
competitive race machines, and by 1957 nearly all the Grand Prix races were
being won by streamlined machines. The following year, 1958, full enclosure
fairings were banned from racing by the FIM in the light of the safety concerns.
From the 1960s
through the 1990s, small two-stroke motorcycles were popular worldwide, partly
as a result of East German MZs Walter Kaaden's engine work in the 1950s.
Today
In the 21st
century, the motorcycle industry is mainly dominated by the Chinese motorcycle industry and by Japanese
motorcycle companies. In addition to the large capacity motorcycles, there is a
large market in smaller capacity (less than 300 cc) motorcycles, mostly
concentrated in Asian and African countries and produced in China and India. A
Japanese example is the 1958 Honda Super Cub,
which went on to become the biggest selling vehicle of all time, with its 60
millionth unit produced in April 2008. Today, this area is dominated by
mostly Indian companies with Hero MotoCorp emerging
as the world's largest manufacturer of two wheelers. Its Splendor model
has sold more than 8.5 million to date. Other major producers
are Bajaj and TVS Motors.
Technical aspects
Construction
Motorcycle
construction is the engineering, manufacturing, and assembly of components and
systems for a motorcycle which results in the performance, cost, and aesthetics
desired by the designer. With some exceptions, construction of modern
mass-produced motorcycles has standardised on a steel or aluminium frame, telescopic forks holding
the front wheel, and disc
brakes. Some other body parts, designed for either aesthetic or
performance reasons may be added. A petrol powered engine typically
consisting of between one and four cylinders (and
less commonly, up to eight cylinders) coupled to a manual five-
or six-speed sequential
transmission drives the swingarm-mounted
rear wheel by a chain, driveshaft,
or belt.
Fuel economy
Motorcycle fuel
economy varies greatly with engine displacement and riding style. A
streamlined, fully faired Matzu Matsuzawa Honda XL125 achieved 470 mpg‑US (0.50 L/100 km;
560 mpg‑imp) in the Craig Vetter Fuel Economy Challenge "on
real highways – in real conditions." Due to low engine displacements
(100–200 cc (6.1–12.2 cu in)), and high power-to-mass ratios,
motorcycles offer good fuel economy. Under conditions of fuel scarcity like
1950s Britain and modern developing nations, motorcycles claim large shares of
the vehicle market.
Electric motorcycles
Very high fuel
economy equivalents are often derived by electric motorcycles. Electric
motorcycles are nearly silent, zero-emission electric
motor-driven vehicles. Operating range and top speed are limited by battery
technology. Fuel
cells and petroleum-electric hybrids are
also under development to extend the range and improve performance of the
electric drive system.
Reliability
A 2013 survey of
4,424 readers of the US Consumer Reports magazine
collected reliability data on 4,680 motorcycles purchased new from 2009 to
2012. The most common problem areas were accessories, brakes, electrical
(including starters, charging, ignition), and fuel systems, and
the types
of motorcycles with the greatest problems were touring, off-road/dual
sport, sport-touring, and cruisers. There were not enough sport bikes in
the survey for a statistically significant conclusion, though the
data hinted at reliability as good as cruisers. These results may be
partially explained by accessories including such equipment as fairings,
luggage, and auxiliary lighting, which are frequently added to touring,
adventure touring/dual sport and sport touring bikes. Trouble with fuel
systems is often the result of improper winter storage, and brake problems may
also be due to poor maintenance. Of the five brands with enough data to
draw conclusions, Honda, Kawasaki and Yamaha were statistically tied, with 11
to 14% of those bikes in the survey experiencing major repairs. Harley-Davidsons
had a rate of 24%, while BMWs did worst, with 30% of those needing major
repairs. There were not enough Triumph and Suzuki motorcycles surveyed for
a statistically sound conclusion, though it appeared Suzukis were as reliable
as the other three Japanese brands while Triumphs were comparable to
Harley-Davidson and BMW. Three fourths of the repairs in the survey cost
less than US$200 and two thirds of the motorcycles were repaired in less than
two days. In spite of their relatively worse reliability in this survey,
Harley-Davidson and BMW owners showed the greatest owner satisfaction, and
three fourths of them said they would buy the same bike again, followed by 72%
of Honda owners and 60 to 63% of Kawasaki and Yamaha owners.
Dynamics
Different types of
motorcycles have different dynamics and these play a role in how a motorcycle
performs in given conditions. For example, one with a longer wheelbase provides
the feeling of more stability by responding less to disturbances. Motorcycle tyres have
a large influence over handling.
Motorcycles must be
leaned in order to make turns. This lean is induced by the method known
as countersteering,
in which the rider momentarily steers the handlebars in the direction opposite
of the desired turn. This practice is counterintuitive and therefore often
confusing to novices – and even many experienced motorcyclists.
With such
short wheelbase, motorcycles can generate enough torque at
the rear wheel, and enough stopping force at the front wheel, to lift the
opposite wheel off the road. These actions, if performed on purpose, are known
as wheelies and stoppies (or
endos) respectively.
Accessories
Various features
and accessories may be attached to a motorcycle either as OEM (factory-fitted) or aftermarket. Such accessories are selected by the
owner to enhance the motorcycle's appearance, safety, performance, or comfort,
and may include anything from mobile electronics to sidecars and trailers.
Safety
Motorcycles have a
higher rate of fatal accidents than automobiles or trucks and buses. United States Department of Transportation data
for 2005 from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System show
that for passenger cars, 18.62 fatal crashes occur per 100,000 registered
vehicles. For motorcycles this figure is higher at 75.19 per 100,000 registered
vehicles – four times higher than for cars. The same data shows that
1.56 fatalities occur per 100 million vehicle miles travelled for passenger
cars, whereas for motorcycles the figure is 43.47 which is 28 times higher than
for cars (37 times more deaths per mile travelled in 2007). Furthermore,
for motorcycles the accident rates have increased significantly since the end
of the 1990s, while the rates have dropped for passenger cars.
The most common
configuration of motorcycle accidents in the United States is when a motorist
pulls out or turns in front of a motorcyclist, violating their right-of-way. This
is sometimes called a SMIDSY,
an acronym formed from the motorists' common response of "Sorry mate, I
didn't see you". Motorcyclists can anticipate and avoid some of these
crashes with proper training, increasing their visibility to other traffic,
keeping to the speed limits, and not consuming alcohol or
other drugs before
riding.
The United Kingdom
has several organisations dedicated to improving motorcycle safety by providing
advanced rider training beyond what is necessary to pass the basic motorcycle
licence test. These include the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) and
the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA).
Along with increased personal safety, riders with these advanced qualifications
may benefit from reduced insurance costs
In South Africa,
the Think Bike campaign
is dedicated to increasing both motorcycle safety and the awareness of
motorcycles on the country's roads. The campaign, while strongest in the
Gauteng province, has representation in Western Cape, KwaZulu Natal and the
Free State. It has dozens of trained marshals available for various events such
as cycle races and is deeply involved in numerous other projects such as the
annual Motorcycle Toy Run.
Motorcycle safety
education is offered throughout the United States by organisations ranging from
state agencies to non-profit organisations to corporations. Most states use the
courses designed by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF), while Oregon and
Idaho developed their own. All of the training programs include a Basic Rider
Course, an Intermediate Rider Course and an Advanced Rider Course.
In Ireland,
since 2010, in the UK and some Australian jurisdictions, such as Victoria, New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory, Tasmania and
the Northern
Territory, it is compulsory to complete a basic rider training
course before being issued a Learners Licence, after which they can ride on
public roads.
In Canada,
motorcycle rider training is compulsory in Quebec and Manitoba only,
but all provinces and territories have graduated licenceprograms which place restrictions on
new drivers until they have gained experience. Eligibility for a full
motorcycle licence or endorsement for completing a Motorcycle Safety course
varies by province. The Canada Safety Council, a non-profit safety
organisation, offers the Gearing Up program across Canada and is endorsed by the
Motorcycle and Moped Industry Council. Training course graduates may
qualify for reduced insurance premiums.
Motorcycle rider
postures
The motorcyclist's
riding position depends on rider body-geometry (anthropometry)
combined with the geometry of the motorcycle itself. These factors create a set
of three basic postures.
·
Sport – the
rider leans forward into the wind and the weight of the upper torso is
supported by the rider's core at low speed and air pressure at high speed
(e.g., above 50 mph (80 km/h)). The footpegs are below the rider or
to the rear. The reduced frontal area cuts wind resistance and allows higher
speeds. At low-speed this position throws the weight of the rider onto the
arms, which can tire the rider's wrists.
·
Standard – the
rider sits upright or leans forward slightly. The feet are below the rider.
These are motorcycles that are not specialised to one task, so they do not
excel in any particular area. The standard posture is used with touring and
commuting as well as dirt and dual-sport bikes, and may offer advantages for
beginners.
·
Cruiser – the
rider sits at a lower seat height with the upper torso upright or leaning
slightly rearward. Legs are extended forwards, sometimes out of reach of the
regular controls on cruiser pegs. The low seat height can be a consideration
for new or short riders. Handlebars tend to be high and wide. The emphasis is
on comfort, while compromising cornering ability because of low ground
clearance and the greater likelihood of scraping foot pegs, floor boards, or
other parts if turns are taken at the speeds other motorcycles can more readily
accomplish.
Factors of a motorcycle's ergonomic geometry
that determine the seating posture include the height, angle and location of
footpegs, seat and handlebars. Factors in a rider's physical geometry that
contribute to seating posture include torso, arm, thigh and leg length, and
overall rider height.
Legal definitions and
restrictions
A motorcycle is
broadly defined by law in most countries for the purposes of registration,
taxation and rider licensing as a powered two-wheel motor vehicle. Most
countries distinguish between mopeds of 49 cc and the more powerful,
larger vehicles (scooters do not count as a separate category). Many
jurisdictions include some forms of three-wheeled cars as
motorcycles.
Environmental impact
Motorcycles and
scooters' low fuel consumption has attracted interest in the United States from
environmentalists and those affected by increased fuel prices. Piaggio Group Americas supported this interest
with the launch of a "Vespanomics" website and platform, claiming
lower per-mile carbon emissions of 0.4 lb/mile (113 g/km) less than
the average car, a 65% reduction, and better fuel economy.
However, a
motorcycle's exhaust emissions may contain 10–20 times
more oxides
of nitrogen (NOx), carbon monoxide,
and unburned
hydrocarbons than exhaust from a similar-year passenger car or
SUV. This is because many motorcycles lack a catalytic
converter, and the emission standard is
much more permissive for motorcycles than for other vehicles. While
catalytic converters have been installed in most gasoline-powered cars and
trucks since 1975 in the United States, they can present fitment and heat
difficulties in motorcycle applications.
United States Environmental Protection Agency 2007
certification result reports for all vehicles versus on highway motorcycles
(which also includes scooters), the average certified emissions level for
12,327 vehicles tested was 0.734. The average "Nox+Co
End-Of-Useful-Life-Emissions" for 3,863 motorcycles tested was 0.8531. 54%
of the tested 2007-model motorcycles were equipped with a catalytic converter.
United States
emissions limits
The following table
shows maximum acceptable legal emissions of the combination of hydrocarbons,
oxides of nitrogen, and carbon monoxide for new motorcycles sold in the United
States with 280 cc or greater piston
displacement.
|
Tier
|
Model year
|
HC+NOx (g/km)
|
CO (g/km)
|
|
Tier 1
|
2006–2009
|
1.4
|
12.0
|
|
Tier 2
|
2010 and later
|
0.8
|
12.0
|
The maximum
acceptable legal emissions of hydrocarbon and carbon monoxide for new Class I
and II motorcycles (50 cc–169 cc and 170 cc–279 cc
respectively) sold in the United States are as follows:
|
Model year
|
HC (g/km)
|
CO (g/km)
|
|
2006 and later
|
1.0
|
12.0
|
Europe
European emission standards for motorcycles are
similar to those for cars. New motorcycles must meet Euro III standards, while
cars must meet Euro V standards. Motorcycle emission controls are being updated
and it has been proposed to update to Euro IV in 2012 and Euro V in 2015.
Source : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motorcycle
