When Two Wheels Are Better Than Four: All About Motorcycles [Infographic]
Motorcycles hold the keys to freedom on the open road that would make any explorer jealous. Well, you hold the keys, but a motorcycle is your guide on the journey. Bikes prioritize performance over creature comforts and emphasize a connection between rider and road—it’s no wonder that more people than ever before are riding them. As many as one in twelve American garages houses a motorcycle, and that number continues to grow as people seek new options to get out of the house and reconnect with nature.
How Does a Motorcycle Work?
If you’re considering buying a motorcycle, you should first seek riders’ protection to guard your investment, then get to know the basic parts of a motorcycle that’ll propel you to your destination (or just drive you around and around if you don’t have a destination in mind). A motorcycle features many of the same mechanical parts as a car, like an engine, chassis, and transmission. The difference in these machines comes down to how these parts actually work together to drive the bike forward.
Just like cars, motorcycles use an ignition switch to control the release of power to the rest of the bike. Once the key is inserted and the switch is turned, power is flowing through the motorcycle and it’s ready to start. A kill switch on the right handle deactivates power to the engine and will prep the bike for shut-off (you’ll still need to turn the ignition switch to the “Off” position and remove your key).
Once your bike is powered up and running, a transmission allows you to get things into gear (literally). The transmission controls the flow of power through the drivetrain that pushes your bike forward using torque produced by the engine. A foot shifter acts in combination with the handlebar-mounted hand clutch, allowing you to shift gears up and down while riding. Then, twist the throttle with your right hand to accelerate out of sight.
Motorcycle power is all relative: a higher power-to-weight ratio (meaning more power and less weight) indicates increased performance capabilities like you might see on a sportbike. A lower power-to-weight ratio doesn’t necessarily mean low power, and could just indicate a high weight—like with a cruiser that’s meant to tackle long distances. Just like passenger cars, there’s a type of bike out there that will satisfy every rider’s levels of experience and confidence.
To ground you and safely bring you to a stop, your motorcycle has both front and rear brakes that are controlled with the right hand and right foot, respectively. The front brake is controlled by a lever on the right handlebar, and the rear brake is activated with a foot pedal under your right foot. The larger rear brake is seldom used in day-to-day driving situations, but it’s a great asset to stabilize your bike during emergency stops. Use caution, however: the rear brakes can cause a slide or an accident when not used correctly.
While assembling a motorcycle yourself would require a much more intimate understanding of its working parts, this rundown is a great starting point before you learn to ride a motorcycle. Check the infographic below from The Zebra to familiarize yourself with the parts of a motorcycle and to get to know a few basics about the fascinating history of these two-wheeled wonders.
Please include attribution to TheZebra.com with this graphic.
