A motorcycle is a motorized vehicle for transporting one rider. It has two wheels and a seat, and uses an internal combustion engine for propulsion. It may also use electric power, or be powered by human pedaling. There are many variations, and some use three wheels, but the term “motorcycle” is usually reserved for internal-combustion, two-wheeled vehicles.
A chopper, bobber, scrambler or cruiser are some of the different types of motorcycle. There are lots of reasons to ride a motorcycle, and it can be a very enjoyable experience. Compared to cars, they are cheaper (in initial cost and maintenance) and take up much less space. They can go far faster than cars, and are often used in racing. They can be used for touring or off-road riding, and many people find them easier to drive than cars.
The earliest motorized bikes started out as bicycles, with an engine bolted on. In the 1800s inventors began experimenting with gasoline engines, and in 1884 Daimler put an internal-combustion engine on a bicycle to make his first automobile. After World War II, engineering improvements and manufacturing techniques meant lower costs and wider availability of the two-wheeled machines. Some manufacturers, such as Harley-Davidson, concentrated on building big motorcycles for tough guys, while others, such as Suzuki, Yamaha and Kawasaki, focused on making smaller, more user-friendly models for the mass market. These were marketed as fun, fast and efficient, and they caught on all over the world.