For motorcycling enthusiasts, a motorcycle is more than just a motorized adaptation of a bike. To them it signifies power, freedom and style that must be flaunted. However, for most people a motorbike is a two-wheeler similar to bicycles but fitted with heavy and sturdy components that makes it powerful enough for fast travel.

There are different types of motorcycles that serve different purposes. While the basic purpose of a motorcycle is to act as a means of quick travel, it is also used by the army and law enforcing bodies, or for sports and racing purposes and touring. Another offbeat purpose that it serves is as a showpiece to flaunt. Concept motorcycles, though of not great appeal to the common man, are of great interest to those who view bikes as pieces of art similar to cars.

Different types of motorcycles:

Road motorcycle- the basic type of motorcycles is the road motorcycle catering to the needs of transportation and designed for moving on public roads. They come complete with all accessories essential for riding on the public roads. They have engine capacities of 125 cc, which can reach speeds up to 160-km/h.

Sports bike- these types of motorcycles are lighter and smaller and are intended for racing purposes. They possess four cylinder engines of 600 to 700 cc though super bikes may even have capacities of 1000 cc.

Cruiser- these bikes are meant for long distance riding with comfort and bring to mind the American bikes of the 1930s that were a rage till the 1960s. Harley Davidson and Henderson are examples of this type of motorcycles.

Touring motorcycles- these include Standard Tourers, Full-dress Tourers, Sports Tourers etc, and are designed to offer protection from harsh weather conditions including strong winds. These types of motorcycles have high torque engines, upright but comfortable seats and high capacity fuel tanks for long distance travel.

Naked bike- these are also called street bikes because the focus is on performance and ergonomics rather than style, which is why it is stripped to its bare essential parts. The Yamaha Seca II is a good example of this type of motorcycle.

Scooter- these are motorcycles meant for traveling short distances and have small wheels, about 14 inches in diameter and engines in the swing arm. These are 125 cc motorcycles though some larger ones may be over 250cc. A popular example of this type of motorcycle is the Honda Lead 80.

Moped- this is actually a hybrid type of motorcycle. These bikes with two-stroke engines that may be up to 50cc were immensely popular before the 1980s. however, they are used in some places even to this day.

There are several other types of motorcycles like, Off-road bikes that are best suited for rugged terrains and Farm bikes that were earlier used extensively by dairy farmers of New Zealand. For towing cars,light trucks and other such vehicles there is another type of motorcycle called towing bikes.