A motorcycle is a two-wheeled motor vehicle steered by a handlebar from a saddle-style seat. Essentially, it’s the simplest form of motorised personal transport. All you need is an engine, two wheels, steering, and somewhere to sit. This is why they’re so versatile, able to be used for anything from bopping to work, or loading them up for a long road trip. But, even in its simplest form, there’s a lot of variety within the world of motorcycles, and that can make things confusing.
So, we’ve curated this little dictionary of motorcycle slang to help make sense of the many different types of bikes there are out there today. From the classic standard bike, which you’ll probably see a lot of, to the chopper or bobber (or both), there’s plenty to keep you fascinated by the world of motorcycles.
One of the most obvious benefits of motorcycles is that they’re much cheaper to run than cars, especially with the current petrol prices. They’re also lighter, which means they can accelerate faster and get to higher speeds. This is because they don’t have the weight of a passenger or the bulk of a car, which increases the amount of power needed to get up to speed.
Another benefit is that they’re very good at cornering and manoeuvring – they have a gyroscopic effect that allows riders to lean in turns without losing traction, and the tires are smaller and rounded to give them stability at high speeds.
