What is Motorcycle: Definition and 161 Discussions

A motorcycle, often called a motorbike, bike, 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 being involved in other related social activity such as joining a motorcycle club and attending motorcycle rallies.
The 1885 Daimler Reitwagen made by Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach in Germany was the first internal combustion, petroleum-fueled motorcycle. In 1894, Hildebrand & Wolfmüller became the first series production motorcycle.In 2014, the three top motorcycle producers globally by volume were Honda (28%), Yamaha (17%) (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.

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  1. B

    Process of designing a hitch for my motorcycle

    I am in the process of designing a hitch for my motorcycle. Realistically it is strong enough unless i pull more weight than i really should. That said I still should make it stronger in case of the foreseen, like when i got rear ended. Before i get to the pictures, what I have now is...
  2. O

    Projectile motion motorcycle jump over cliff

    a motorcyclist jumps off a cliff inclined at 53.0 degrees over a river that is 40.0m wide. the far bank is 15.0m lower than the edge of the take off ramp. the river itself is 100m below the ramp. Ignore air resistance. What should his speed be at the top of the ramp to just make it to the edge...
  3. C

    Motorcycle Catches a Car-Kinematics Question

    Homework Statement A motorcycle is following a car that is traveling at constant speed on a straight highway. Initially, the car and the motorcycle are both traveling at the same speed of 47.0 mph, and the distance between them is 60.0 meters. After t1 = 4.00 seconds, the motorcycle starts...
  4. N

    Advice on regulating a 6V motorcycle alternator.

    I hope it is acceptable to ask for advice here. I am based in the UK and currently restoring a British 1964 Velocette LE motorcycle. It is fitted with electrical components made by the, now defunct, Miller Company (also British). The vehicle has a 6V 3 coil alternator with permanent magnets...
  5. C

    Unbelievable: Motorcycle T-bones Ford Expedition

    My wife was in a car accident her ford expedition was totaled by a motorcycle. Everyone is ok, the motorcycle guy jumped off the bike without breaking and slid on his leather about 200 feet. (he walked away without a scratch) The question I have is how fast was the motor cycle going? The...
  6. C

    Work and Energy of a motorcycle

    Homework Statement A motorcycle (mass of cycle plus rider = 250 kg) is traveling at a steady speed of 20 m/s. The force of air resistance acting on the cycle and rider is 200 N. Find the power necessary to sustain this speed if (a) the road is level and (b) the road is sloped upward ar...
  7. H

    Natural Frequency Of Space Frame & Motorcycle Frame

    Hi How do you calculate the natural frequency and vibrational response of a space frame and what is its damping characteristic? What are all the aspects to take into considerations and how do you analyse failure due to vibration? Thanx
  8. T

    Physics of riding a motorcycle

    my father recently took a motorcycle class he had to take in order to be able to legally ride one. he said we was told that, in order to turn at high speed, he was supposed to push on the side of the handlebar that he wanted to go. as in, he had to push with his left hand and pull with his right...
  9. G

    Rolling Motion of a motorcycle

    Homework Statement Assume that there is no slipping of the surfaces in contact during the rolling motion. A motorcycle accelerates uniformly from rest and reaches a linear speed of 22.0 m/s in a time of 9s. The radius of each tire is 0.280 meters. What is the magnitude of the angular...
  10. S

    Calculating Force of Jumping Motorcycle

    Hey guys, New to the forum but full of so many questions, of which I assume will be a cakewalk for many of you. I'm no physics expert as you will soon discover. Looking foward to your input and assistance. The first question is how do I calculate the force associated with a falling...
  11. N

    Comparing Motorcycle & Car Engines: Rpm vs. Torque

    Now, everyone knows that motorcycle engines work at much higher rpms than car engines. They also produce lesser torque than a car, because (and correct if I'm wrong) bikes don't have as much load on them as cars do. Can anybody tell me what goes in an engine that decides that when power is...
  12. Y

    Maximizing Motorcycle Jump Height: Solving for the Optimal Speed

    A daredevil on a motorcycle leaves the end of a ramp with a speed of 42.0 m/s as in the figure below. If his speed is 39.8 m/s when he reaches the peak of the path, what is the maximum height that he reaches? Ignore friction and air resistance. So v0=42.0m/s and vf=39.8m/s...what equation am...
  13. H

    Motorcycle Rotational problems

    Homework Statement 1) A 320 kg motorcycle includes two wheels, each of which is 52 cm in diameter and has rotational inertia 2.1 kg·m2. The cycle and its 73 kg rider are coasting at 82 km/h on a flat road when they encounter a hill. If the cycle rolls up the hill with no applied power and no...
  14. F

    Possibility of HUD in Motorcycle Helmet

    I was wondering if there was technology available that would allow for a rider to link with their bike and display a HUD (Heads Up Display) on the visor of the biker's helmet showing speed and other specs from the bike.
  15. O

    Motorcycle Wheelie (Angular Momentum)

    Homework Statement The distance between the centers of the wheels of a motorcycle is 155 cm. The center of mass of the motorcycle, including the biker, is 88.0 cm above the ground and halfway between the wheels. Assume the mass of each wheel is small compared with the body of the motorcycle...
  16. A

    Motorcycle vs Bicycle chain tension

    Trek recently released a belt driven bicycle (instead of chain drive) which led to a discussion among some cycling friends. Which led to discussion of torque, power output, etc. Anyway, I'm trying to compare the chain tension of a motorcycle vs the chain tension of a bicycle. I'm better with...
  17. L

    Daredevil motorcycle max height

    Homework Statement A daredevil on a motorcycle leaves the end of a ramp with a speed of 39.5 m/s as in Figure P5.23. If his speed is 38.0 m/s when he reaches the peak of the path, what is the maximum height that he reaches? Ignore friction and air resistance. Homework Equations Eo =...
  18. A

    Riding a motorcycle on inclined plane

    Homework Statement A motorcycle and a 60.0 kg rider accelerate at 3.0 m/s^2 up a ramp inclined 10 degrees above the horizontal. What is the magnitude of the force on the rider from the motorcycle? Homework Equations F=ma The Attempt at a Solution I'm not quite sure which forces...
  19. L

    Why Taking Torques About the CG Matters for Motorcycle Riders

    This is not really a homework problem per se, it's just a question I thought of when attempting a circular motion problem. Imagine a motorcycle rider negotiating a bend on a level road. The centripetal force is then provided by lateral friction between the motorcycle's wheels and the road. At...
  20. C

    Motorcycle Velocity Difference and Acceleration Problem

    Two motorcycles are traveling due east with different velocities. However, four seconds later, they have the same velocity. During this four-second interval, motorcycle A has an average acceleration of 1.6 m/s2 due east, while motorcycle B has an average acceleration of 3.6 m/s2 due east. By how...
  21. P

    What is the impact speed of a high-siding motorcycle rider?

    "High-siding" a motorcycle All, I hope this is the appropriate place for this post (it is a physics problem). I am a motorcycle enthusiast and have recently noticed more and more novice users buying motorcycles, due to the high price of gas. Just about the worst wreck you can have on a...
  22. A

    Force exerted on motorcycle and rider

    Homework Statement A motorcycle and 60.0 kg rider accelerate at 3.0 m/s^2 up a ramp inclined 10 degrees above the horizontal. (a) What is the magnitude of the net force acting on the rider? (b) What is the magnitude of the force on the rider from the motorcycle? Homework Equations Net...
  23. turbo

    Buy a Motorcycle: What to Consider After Selling Softail

    I've put my Softail up for sale because my riding buddies have pretty much fallen off the map. One has inoperable cancer, one built a house and needs to finish it off and landscape it, and the other bought a real fixer-upper house that will consume much of his time for the foreseeable future...
  24. K

    Inertia Moment for Racing Motorcycle Wheels

    Hi, I'm hoping you kind folks can help me out. I'm a motorcycle racer, and I'm trying to find a *simple* formula for calculating how much mass addition/reduction to a wheel will increase/decrease the force required to change the direction of the motorcycle when at speed. Basically, to turn a...
  25. T

    What is the relationship between motorcycle rake and trail?

    I'm trying to understand the physics behind the rake and trail of the steering geometry on a bike. I would greatly apreciate any leads as to which section of a first physics course I would find relavent material. Thank you, Tim
  26. C

    Motorcycle Kinematic Equations

    [SOLVED] Kinematic Equations This is the question. I have sat here and tried to figure out how to even start this problem for hours. I can't seem to get it through my head. If someone could help me set it up, I can figure out the rest I think. Thanks in Advance. Q. A car and a...
  27. L

    Stopping distance in motorcycle accident

    Hello all, I am new to the forum and to learning physics. I was involved in a BAD motorcycle accident on November 10th, 2006 that resulted the amputation of my left foot. The accident sparked my interest in physics. I am trying to figure out exactly how fast I was going when I impacted the...
  28. A

    Stationary motorcycle speeding up to a moving car

    Hi everyone I was wondering if anybody knows how to do the questions that involve a moving car and a motorcycle speeding up from rest to overtake the car. The questions give you a velocity/time graph of the movement of both the car and the motorcycle to work with. the questions ask at what...
  29. C

    Circular Motion of a motorcycle

    Circular Motion! :) 1. 12. A motorcycle moves in a horizontal circular path on the inside surface of a vertical cylinder of a radius 8 m. Assuming that the coefficient of static friction between the wheels of the motorcycle and the wall is 0.9, how fast must the motorcycle move so that it...
  30. T

    At what time does the motorcycle overtake the car?

    Homework Statement http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/9140/asdfjj6.jpg The Attempt at a Solution I've figured it out using a method I was previously taught, but it seems that according to the official answers, the motorcycle overtakes at 32.5seconds. Here is what I did anyhow...
  31. B

    Motorcycle Carrier: Adding Load to Rear/Front Axles

    Thanks for all the help with the information you all gave me on making an motorcycle carrier on the back of my Motor-home, I downsized from wanting to carry my Goldwing (800#) to carrying my Suzuki 400 DRZ 400 lbs with carrier. The added load to the rear axle and the load off the front axle was...
  32. I

    Kinematics question on a motorcycle

    Homework Statement A 100m long ramp is constructed perpendicular to a river’s edge with the highest point 20 m directly above the edge of the bank motorcycle stunt rider uses the ramp in an attempt to leap across a 30m wide river. The motorcycle accelerates from rest at the bottom of the...
  33. K

    Motorcycle Catches a Car (Acceleration)

    A motorcycle is 27 m behind a car that is traveling at constant speed on a straightaway. Initially, the car and the motorcycle are both traveling at the same speed, . At some time , the motorcycle starts to accelerate at a rate of . By the time the motorcycle catches up with the car, at time ...
  34. 3

    A Hairy Ride - Motorcycle Physics

    Had a bit of a Hairy ride this afternoon while riding my motorcycle. I was overtaking slow moving traffic at the end of a dual-carridgeway, where the two lanes converge, i had pleanty of power and time to pass and pleanty of space as the end of the carridgeway also had shevrons/markings which...
  35. M

    Motorcycle Acceleration: Find Position, Velocity & Max Velocity

    The acceleration of a motorcycle is given by ax(t) = At - Bt2, where A = 1.70 m/s3 and B = 0.170 m/s4. The motorcycle is at rest at the origin at time t = 0. (a) Find its position as a function of time t. Find its velocity as a function of time t. b. Calculate the max velocity it...
  36. C

    Wanting to build a simple logic device for my motorcycle

    I always think of little things I want to build or do. I originally studied EE when i first got into college, but switched to IS. I have a base understanding and can solder. I'm basically looking to build a device that hooks inline with a sensor on my motorcycle. The plug has 3 wires (power...
  37. wolram

    Motorcycle vs Motorcar Race: Who Will Win?

    We have all seen the exotic cars and bikes, i wondered which would be the winner on a (twisty) circuit, my bet is on the bike. Some specs on a top road bike. http://www.dixonarchive.com/hayabusa/performance.htm
  38. N

    Doppler effect of a motorcycle

    a motorcycle starts from rest and accelerates along a straight line at 2.81m/s^2. the speed of sound is 343 m/s. a siren at the starting point remains stationary. how far has the motorcycle gone when the drive hears the frequency of the siren at 90.0% of the value it has when the motorcycle is...
  39. D

    How do the casters on a turntable support the weight of a motorcycle?

    Hi: New to this forum and have a quick question. Hope I'm posting in the right area. First of all, I'm not an engineer, nor do I pretend to be one but I'm having to settle an argument between two people who think they are. There is a ten foot diameter turntable constructed of a 2" steel...
  40. R

    Pennytech Bicycle rack for a motorcycle

    "Pennytech" Bicycle rack for a motorcycle i quess this can be the second part of a "Theme" of posting to present my little works of passion... first I'm sure many of you are going to think and express this is to dangerours,, well i have about 150,000 milles of riding using it without any...
  41. J

    Motorcycle Wheel of Death

    Motorcycle Wall of Death Some pointers would be greatly appreciated please. A motorcycle is slowing down, but maintaining its height on a 'wall of death' (a vertical cylinder where the motorcycle 'drives' around the inner circumference as a stunt). A spectator takes timings in...
  42. M

    Motorcycle Lean Angle Calculation

    I would like to calculate motorcycle lean angle. I have various inputs available including front and rear wheel speed, 3 axis of G form a sensor fixed near the COG of the bike, gyro in 3 planes. The gyro drifts as all gyros do so a simple integration of the gyro rate of change is...
  43. B

    Motorcycle Crash Math: Energy Calculation

    Hi All. Sorry if I am bugging but I have a question. I am not a physics person but would like to see if someone can do some quick math for me. First go Here: http://motorcyclistonline.com/newsandupdates/155mphcrash/ Then if anyone wants to... A motorcycle weighing approx 425lbs...
  44. O

    Motorcycle Tunnel Myth: Fact or Fiction?

    I was told today, by a friend who heard from his motorcycle driving teacher, that if you where to enter a tunnel on a bike at very high speed, you would get sucked up to the roof of the tunnel, because of the difference in air pressure. I find this both probable, and not likely, but I can't...
  45. M

    Calculating motorcycle lean angle

    I would like to calculate racing motorcycle lean angle but my trig is very rusty. Data I can supply for the calculation includes 3 axis of G, 3 axis of gyro (rate of change). The gyro drifts with time as all gyros do. I also have 2 wheel speeds and GPS speed available. There are maths functions...
  46. K

    How Does Thermodynamics Explain Power Generation in Motorcycle Engines?

    In a motorcycle engine, after combustion occurs in the top of the cylinder, the piston is forced down as the mixture of gaseous products undergoes an adiabatic expansion. Find the average power involved in this expansion when the engine is running at 4000 rpm, assuming that the gauge pressure...
  47. Adrian Baker

    Motorcycle Cornering: Forces Acting on a Stable Bike

    The forces acting on a cornering motorcyle are pretty complicated - particularly so the mechanism of counter steering whereby you turn the front wheel the opposite way to the one you wish to travel in (and vice versa when you want it to sit up). However, when the bike is STABLE in a long...
  48. P

    Motorcycle Intertia Dyno - Moment of Intertia for various objects?

    Hi all, Firstly - I'm not a collage student but this seemed a good place to ask the question! Any help welcome :smile: As a fun home project, I've been building a motorcycle dyno, connected to a PC via a custom made PIC based device. Have most of it worked out with regards to data...
  49. M

    The Physics of a Motorcycle Ride in a Sphere

    1) A physics major is working to pay his college tuition by performing in a traveling carnival. He rides a motorcycle inside a hollow transparent plastic sphere. After gaining sufficient speed, he travels in a vertical circle with a radius of 13.0 m. The physics major has a mass of 70.0 kg...
  50. B

    Projectile Motion: Involves motorcycle jumping

    Hello, This problem has been troubling me for some time now and it's time for a little help. The problem says: A motorcycle daredevil is attempting to jump across as many buses as possible (see the drawing). The takeoff ramp makes an angle theta = 18.2 degrees above the horizontal, and the...
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