Know Your Motorcycle – A Beginners Guide

Pirelli Diablo Rosso motorcycle tyre

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Know Your Motorcycle – An Idiots Beginners Guide

If you’ve clicked onto this page I think that we can safely assume that you’re no kind of motorcycle expert, and even though you still won’t be after you’ve finished reading our Idiots Beginners Guide to knowing your bike, at least you might have a little more idea of what we’re talking about.

I thought it might be a good idea to break down the components of the motorcycle step by step, in simple terms . . .

Motorcycle Tires – are the round black rubber things which meet the road. If you didn’t know that I think you’re probably worse than we’d originally feared.

Motorcycle Gas Tank – as you’re sitting on your motorcycle, look down and you’ll see a round cap about the same size as a jam jar lid, well done, that’s the gas tank cap, and if you’ve found that, then you should also be able to identify the gas tank. It’s where you put the gas which goes to the engine and makes the whole thing go . . . The gas tank feeds the engine -> the engine moves the chain -> this turns the tires (remember them) -> and off you go!

Perhaps it’s not so surprising that I couldn’t find a video which simply identified the gas tank, so I went for this one instead . . . do you recognize it without the rest of the motorcycle? Hope so.

Motorcycle Frame – offers the structural support of the whole motorcycle. It also incorporates engine housing, a mount for your gas tank (see how this all ties in?) the forks, handle bars etc. Motorcycle frames are usually manufactured from either steel or aluminum.

Please don’t imagine that I consider you ready to build your own frame just yet . . . you’ve still got a very long way to go.

Motorcycle Fork – is the front part of the motorcycle frame. Two forks hold the wheel in place (allowing it to swivel of course) and a triple tree then connects said forks to the handlebars. Forks often have the front axle, suspension and breaking system amongs them somewhere.

No, no, no, DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME . . . you are not ready yet and it will never be the same again.

Motorcycle Brakes – usually come in two independently working parts, the front brakes (for the front wheel) and the rear brakes . . . work that one out for yourself. Brakes can be either disk or drum based.

Leave it to the experts!

Motorcycle Engines – throb between your legs. They come in many different shapes, styles and sizes but all have one thing in common . . . they make it go!

Motorcycle Transmission – motorcycles usually have a foot transmission pedal, which kind of pushes the transmission up or down throughout the gears (usually there are 5 of them).

Motorcycle Drive – is not an address in Southern California (well, it might be for all I know) but this is what transfers the power from the gearbox and into the wheels via either a chain, a belt or a shaft, depending on what type of motorcycle you have. Now you’re really moving . . .

And that’s all there is to it.

So what do you think? You won’t be an expert yet, but at least you should have a little more idea of what we’re talking about? I sincerely hope so.

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