Menu
Home
People
Places
Arts
History
Plants & Animals
Science
Life & Culture
Technology
Reference.org
Motorcycle
open-in-new
<p>A motorcycle (motorbike, bike; uni (if one-wheeled); trike (if three-wheeled); quad (if four-wheeled)) is a lightweight private 1-to-2 passenger personal <a href="/facts/Motor_vehicle/AaXamA0w">motor vehicle</a> <a href="/facts/Steering/X4aY7RkL">steered</a> by a <a href="/facts/Motorcycle_handlebar/fwxRjchf">handlebar</a> from a saddle-style seat. </p><p>Motorcycle designs vary greatly to suit a range of different purposes: <a href="/facts/Long-distance_motorcycle_riding/x403Y4z6">long-distance</a> travel, <a href="/facts/Motorcycle_commuting/0B4N0VNX">commuting</a>, <a href="/facts/Cruising_(driving)/Ym1EBzeJ">cruising</a>, <a href="/facts/Motorcycle_sport/DGfVYNxY">sport</a> (including <a href="/facts/Motorcycle_racing/dRvXuoY3">racing</a>), and <a href="/facts/Off-roading/3M6prLCA">off-road</a> riding. <a href="/facts/Motorcycling/la2t5bJr">Motorcycling</a> is riding a motorcycle and being involved in other related social activities such as joining a <a href="/facts/Motorcycle_club/nqmYMSdl">motorcycle club</a> and attending <a href="/facts/Motorcycle_rally/eEWmRfBC">motorcycle rallies</a>. </p><p>The 1885 <a href="/facts/Daimler_Reitwagen/qGKsuU6P">Daimler Reitwagen</a> made by <a href="/facts/Gottlieb_Daimler/zR2rvdbW">Gottlieb Daimler</a> and <a href="/facts/Wilhelm_Maybach/Nlem3h2j">Wilhelm Maybach</a> in Germany was the first internal combustion <a href="/facts/Petroleum/IQV0bHVd">petroleum</a>-fueled motorcycle. In 1894, <a href="/facts/Hildebrand_%2526_Wolfm%25C3%25BCller/MgFwWHvC">Hildebrand & Wolfmüller</a> became the first series production motorcycle. </p><p>Globally, motorcycles are comparable numerically to cars as a method of transport: in 2021, approximately 58.6 million new motorcycles were sold around the world, while 66.7 million cars were sold over the same period. </p><p>In 2022, the top four motorcycle producers by volume and type were <a href="/facts/Honda/asGvEBbW">Honda</a>, <a href="/facts/Yamaha_Motor_Company/BeUzhlFB">Yamaha</a>, <a href="/facts/Kawasaki_motorcycles/GDx6rsIL">Kawasaki</a>, and <a href="/facts/Suzuki/PeHeHnSA">Suzuki</a>. According to the <a href="/facts/United_States_Department_of_Transportation/qgNCJ1tF">US Department of Transportation</a>, the number of fatalities per <a href="/facts/Vehicle/jSIEqANL">vehicle</a> mile traveled was 37 times higher for motorcycles than for cars. </p>