Motorcycles offer a unique feeling of freedom that you can’t get in a car. But that sense of liberation comes with a higher risk of injury and death than other vehicles. While there are things that riders can do to decrease their risk, some factors are outside of the rider’s control. This includes the actions of other drivers on the road.
A motorcycle is a two-wheeled motor vehicle steered by a handlebar from a saddle-style seat. It uses an internal combustion engine for power and can carry a single rider or may have a sidecar to accommodate a passenger. Modern motorcycles are also powered by electric motors or by fuel cells or petroleum-electric hybrid systems.
They are often less expensive than automobiles, require lower maintenance and routine operating costs and get better gas mileage. Additionally, they are often more customizable, offering different levels of performance and comfort to suit individual tastes.
The first modern motorcycle was invented by Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach in Bad Cannstatt, Germany in 1885. This vehicle was unlike either the boneshaker bicycles or safety bicycles of the era because it had zero degrees of steering axis angle and no fork offset. This allowed the machine to stay upright through a turn.
Motorcycles are more than just a mode of transportation; they’re an art form and an experience. They evoke both beauty and danger, with a definite sense of sexiness. The contrasting characteristics have given them a bad boy image that has spawned a subculture.