What is Motorcycle?

A motorcycle (also known as motorbike) is a vehicle used to transport people from one place to another. It does not have 4 wheels like a car. It has 2 wheels like a bicycle. But it has a motor like a car. A motorcycle is normally driven by one person. A passenger can also ride on the back of the motorcycle. Some motorcycles have a sidecar that can carry another passenger.

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).

History of Motorcycle:-

1867(ish):-Sylvester Howard Roper unveils his “Steam Velocipede,” a 2-wheeled contraption powered by a steam engine. Though ground-breaking, his design did not catch on.

1885:-Gottlieb Daimler introduces the first motorcycle. Consisting of a single-cylinder internal combustion engine mounted on a wooden frame with iron-banded wooden wheels, it was called the “boneshaker” for its jarring ride.

1889:-John Boyd Dunlop smoothest the way for cars and motorcycles alike by inventing the first air-inflated pneumatic tire.

1895:-French automobile manufacturer DeDion-Buton introduces a lightweight, 4-stroke engine that makes mass-production of the motorcycle possible.

1899:-American entrepreneur and bicycle manufacturer Charles H. Metz creates America’s first production motorcycle.

1901:-Indian Motorcycle Company begins production of their motorcycle, with a 1.75hp engine based on the DeDion-Buton design. Indians were the world’s best-selling motorcycle up until WWI.

1903:-Iconic motorcycle brand Harley-Davidson is launched and starts producing bikes with their signature V-Twin engine.

1914:-World War I begins. American and European armies rely on motorbikes to gather reconnaissance and deliver messages.

1920s-1930s:-In the more motorized world following WWI, Americans and Europeans embrace the motorcycle, creating a boom in the 1920s. Renowned companies like BMW and Moto Gazzi enter the marketplace. However, the Great Depression forces many manufacturers out of business.

Post-WWII:-Motorcycles — especially European models — experience a post-war sales boom. Japanese companies create their own successful domestic market.

1953:-Classic biker films The Wild One, starring Marlon Brando as the leader of a motorcycle gang, is released. The motorcycle becomes a symbol of rebellion.

1955:-Rebel without a Cause is released, with James Dean in the role of a troubled teenager. Though James Dean did not ride motorcycles in any of his films, he is nonetheless associated with them and is said to have owned several, including a 1947 Czech Whizzer, an Indian Warrior TT, and a 1955 Triumph TR5 Trophy.

1958:-Yamaha enters the American market.

1960s-70s:-Baby boomers come of age and take up motorcycling, creating the biggest sales boom in motorcycle history.

1962:-Grey Advertising launches its iconic campaign, “You Meet the Nicest People on a Honda.” The wildly successful campaign positions motorcycles as a casual, everyday vehicle, rather than one associated with lawlessness and discontent. Motorcycle registrations soar.

1963:-The WWII movie The Great Escape is released and features Steve McQueen’s character famously jumping a 60-foot fence on a motorbike.

1968:-BELL Helmets introduces the first full-face motorcycle helmet, the Star.

1969:-Honda unveils the CB750. With its revolutionary 4-cylinder, single overhead cam engine, it is considered the first “superbike.”

Early 1908s:-Kawasaki and Honda debut the first motorcycles with electronic fuel injection systems, making fuel injection the norm.

1998:-California’s EMB, Inc. introduces the world’s first commercially produced electric motorbike, the Lectra.

2009:-The world’s first production hybrid motorcycle, Eco Vehicle’s ET-120, goes on sale in India.

Motorcycle safety tips:-

1. The most important thing you can do to stay safe on a motorcycle is wear a helmet.

2. Make sure anyone you carry on your bike has the right gear. Like you, they should wear sturdy shoes and protective clothes.

3. Riding a bike in the rain is much riskier than driving a car.

4. Distracted driving is a bad idea, but it worse when you're riding a bike.

5. Riding a motorcycle is a skill, and like all skills, it's something that you need to develop.

6. The right shoes are also important to riding safely.

7. In most states, if you're going to get a motorcycle license, you need to take a skills test and Take a Motorcycle Safety Course.

8. Never Use The Front Brake First.

9. Never ride while intoxicated.