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Bike Buyer's Guide: An Introduction to Motorcycles

If you are considering purchasing your first motorcycle, you should take time to learn about their history, and compare them to traditional motorcycles. The following is a list of sites that provide information on motorcycle history, the different classifications of motorcycles and the licensing requirements. Theses sites also provide information that compares motorcycles to automobiles and discusses the safety issues unique to motorcycles. Review the links as you decide whether a motorcycle will be the right purchase for you and your family.

History of the Motorcycle

Gottlieb Daimler was thought to have invented the first gas-powered motorcycle in the late 19^th century. The motorcycle featured a gas-powered motor designed by Nicolaus Otto, attached to a wooden bike. The engine was a four-stroke internal-combustion engine, developed nearly a decade before it was used on the first motorbike. This is the first known instance of a motorized bicycle in history.

• The Motorcycle Industry in New York State: this site provides purchasers access to a book entitled “The Motorcycle Industry in New York State,” which focuses on more than 100 years of motorcycle construction.
• Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum: This site provides information on the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum, located in Pickerington, Ohio.
• A History of Chicago Motorcycle Makers: This link is to an article by Cord Scott, from the Illinois Historical Association, which details the history of Chicago motorcycle makers.
• The Evolution of Motorcycle Design: This article on the Carnegie Mellon site discusses the evolution of motorcycle design.
• The History of Motorcycles: This article details the history of the motorcycle’s invention and evolution.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Motorcycles

Cars and motorcycles each have characteristics that appeal to a particular audience, but each has its advantages and disadvantages. For example, cars provide safety and stability, while motorcycles allow drivers to enjoy their excursion and the great outdoors more completely. The following five sites discuss the differences between the two in depth.

• Cars vs. Motorcycles (On Road): This article by Chris Loew compares the performance of cars when compared with motorcycles in on-road tests.
• BMW Cars and Motorcycles: This site compares BMW cars and motorcycles and their future in the Middle East.
• Motorcycle Parking Law Database: Different laws may apply when parking a motorcycle, as opposed to a car. Check this parking law database for your state’s rules and regulations.
• Cost of Ownership: This site details the actual cost of ownership, when compared with a car.
• On the Road: This site details the reality of riding a motorcycle in all conditions, when compared with a car.

Classifications

There are various classifications of street-approved motorcycles, including cruisers, standard, choppers, sports, scooters and more. Below is a list of links that will help you make sense of the differences:

• Motorcycle Classifications by State: DMVs tend to classify motorcycles differently, depending on state.
• Motorcycle Buying Tips for Beginners: This site explains the differences between cruisers, sport-touring cycles, scooters, dual-sport and sport bikes.
• Orange County Choppers: This site provides information on chopper class motorcycles.
• Standard Motorcycle Reviews: This site details what makes standard motorcycles different, and provides reviews.

Culture

Motorcycle enthusiasts are passionate about their favorite mode of transportation. As a result, motorcycles have been paid homage in movies, music and more and have become an essential part of our culture. Below are links to motorcycles as part of American culture:

• 50 Motorcycle Culture Blogs: This site provides links to more than 50 motorcycle enthusiast blogs that pay homage to motorcycle culture.
• Easy Riders: This site links to a weekly radio show hosted by Steve Scher that discusses motorcycle culture in Seattle.
• Motorcycle Life and Culture: This site links people with information on a conference discussion on motorcycle life and culture, and also provides links with additional information through UPenn.
• Motorcycle Menace: This paper by Morningside College discusses the history of the bad-boy biker image.
• The One Percenters: This article in the Salem News discusses a group of motorcyclists that were deemed outlaws after the Hollister Riot in 1947, and the history behind the 1% patch worn by many motorcycle enthusiasts.
• Roadtrip America: This is a link to a review on the Biker’s Handbook, a book about integrating into the motorcycle culture.
• Motorcycle Culture in Travel: This site provides links to sites for motorcycle-friendly stops and events.
• Benchracing: This site features an article from an issue of Sport Rider that discusses benchracing.
• Sturgis Official: This site details the more than 70 year tradition that is the Sturgic Motorcycle Rally.

Safety

Motorcycles offer very little in terms of protection, especially when compared with cars. Because of the exposure that drivers face, special laws have been enacted to enhance and ensure the safety of motorcycle operators. The following sites discuss those laws and their effectiveness: