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Types of Motorcycles
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A classic styled motorcycle with an upright riding position. These motorcycles have little to no fairing and tend to be less powerful than sport bikes but more powerful than cruisers. |
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A term applied to light weight, high horsepower motorcycles
with designed with emphasis on acceleration, cornering
and stopping power. Sport Bikes have an aggressive riding
position with the rider's belly to the gas tank. Their
weight makes them easy to handle but the sensitive and
powerful accelerator can get an inexperienced rider
into trouble. These bikes are very popular with young
riders. |
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Touring bikes are large and heavy motorcycles designed for comfort on long rides and not for break neck speed. Usually, these motorcycles have spacious hard case luggage to give the rider room to pack for a trip. BMW makes a number of popular touring bikes. This style is most popular with older, conservative riders. |
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These motorcycles are not quite a big as true touring bikes and have scaled down luggage. This results in better handling than with touring motorcycles but many other attributes remain the same. Generally, these bikes are still designed more for comfort than speed and performance. |
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A motorcycle that has an extended front end with a greater angle than standard bikes. The term originates from the fact that early riders would cut away, or chop, unnecessary portions of the bike and frame to reduce weight. The raked front end makes for a motorcycle that is stable but not agile. Recently, these bikes have gain attention through the popularity of Jesse James of West Coast Choppers and the Tuttle family's Orange County Choppers, featured on the Discovery Channel. |
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Cruisers are low and long motorcycles including many
motorcycles in the Harley-Davidson lineup. They tend
to be big and heavy but usually have a pretty powerful
engine to match. |
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The term naked bike started out as slang term that has
gained mainstream acceptance over the years. It generally
refers to a motorcycle that has little, if any, fairing
and wind protection. The lack of body panels can lead
to a very dramatic styling. With no windscreen and a
totally exposed frame, the Ducati Monster is a prime
example of a naked bike. |
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These bikes are designed for use both on-road and off-road use. These motorcycles cover a large spectrum from basically dirt bikes with headlights and turn signals to a more traditional road bike with a suspension designed to soak up the bumps off road use has to offer. Dual Sport motorcycles tend to be tall, with a high center of gravity. The term Enduro can also be used to describe these motorcycles, though the expression has lost popularity in recent years. |
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These motorcycles include dirt bikes have big knobby tires and can tackle mud, sand, grass and just about anything else. Off-road bikes lack basic safety features such as headlights and turn signals so they are not street legal. |
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