For many people, a motorcycle symbolizes the freedom of the open road and the sense of adventure that comes with owning one. There are also practical reasons to own and ride a motorcycle. They are generally cheaper to buy and run than a car, need a fraction of the space to park and offer a more fuel-efficient form of transport.
Despite their diminutive size, modern motorcycles can have high engine power outputs. This is partly due to the fact that they do not have a full enclosure for the rider and passenger (like a car) so can be much smaller and lighter and can use low-torque, high revving engine designs to achieve lots of peak horsepower.
The motorcycle was the first mass-produced motorised form of personal transport. It allowed factory workers who only a few years earlier had been fighting in the war to take to the roads on their new machines, opening up a whole new vista of travel and excitement. With the addition of a sidecar they could even bring the family along on country jaunts or holidays.
Riders should always keep their knowledge and skills up to date by attending riding courses. This can be anything from a basic BikeSafe course to a more advanced ERS (Enhanced Riders Scheme) course.
A lot of riders may not realise it, but there are actually two different definitions of a motorcycle! There is the common usage of’motorbike’ and then there is the official definition used for the purpose of reporting accident statistics. This is important because it means that there can be consistency in how the data is collected.