A motorcycle with four wheels or a small all-terrain vehicle?

• September 23, 2013

Moto

Most vehicles are equipped with four wheels. Most cars have them. Why are ATVs in a special category? The fact is that they are peculiar hybrids of a motorcycle and a car. Or rather, an all-terrain vehicle... This has been the case since the appearance of the first Honda product, which was distinguished by huge wheels, a non-standard appearance and high cross-country ability. True, it was called an all-terrain vehicle... And even now the term “quad bike” is actively used only in the CIS countries and some European countries. The first all-terrain vehicle was the US90. And it certainly couldn’t be called an ATV, since it only had three wheels.

Several decades have passed since 1970, when the US90 went on sale. Dozens of companies around the world, noticing the demand for the idea, began to create and improve analogues. Varieties gradually emerged.

General technical specifications

Homemade tricycles are mainly made on motorcycle frames or structures hand-welded from a metal profile. Wheels from trucks or tractors are used as wheels. The transmission, brakes, steering rod are formed from spare parts of domestic and foreign cars or motorcycles.

For comparison, the table shows the parameters of 2 serial domestic tricycles.

What classes of motorcycles are there?

Classicism

Text by Vladimir Zdorov

Photo Editorial Archive

>>Class inequality in the context of history can lead to revolutions and civil wars. But if we are talking about motorcycles, then it is an ocean of types and categories, with their own subcultures, implying a certain dress code and even behavior for the owners...

It should be noted that this topic is quite slippery and it’s true that each manufacturer has its own, for example, the BMW company introduced the purely automobile term roadster into the designation of its road models and, curiously, for many years now even specialized publications have been using it without any doubt. If you don’t go into the specific jungle that can lead to Adam and Eve, then, in a simplified way, all types of motorcycles can be divided into only... five classes! Yes, such blasphemy! That is, these are road cars, “pure athletes” (MotoGP, WSBK, Speedway, trials, rally raids, etc.), off-road vehicles, scooters and motorcycles with sidecars! As if everything... But everything is not so simple, so you have to go a little deeper.

Road motorcycles

Motorcycles with a direct riding position and a minimum of plastic. Sometimes they are also called classic motorcycles, and, as a result, modern replicas of cars that were produced in the middle of the last century have deservedly been called neoclassics. Typical representative: Honda CB 1100 EX.

Sportbikes

Motorcycles with an embryonic riding position and other features of exclusively sports cars: low clip-ons, a sea of ​​plastic, forced engines. Modern civilian sportbikes have long since stepped firmly towards the 200 hp mark, and some models have even jumped over this bar... The purebred racing counterparts of sportbikes are called superbikes and, although manufacturers formally talk about the almost complete similarity of their racing and civilian cars, this is not so.

Judge for yourself: the cost of modern superbikes easily reaches 300,000 euros (against 15,000 - 30,000 euros for a motorcycle “from the store”) or even more, the engines develop about 220 hp, and the maximum speed can exceed 320 km/h. Such machines live in the WSBK world series, and there are also supersport class motorcycles there - with an engine capacity of 600 cm3. However, owners of serial six hundred cars also call them sportbikes.

Naked

The cheapest way to repair a broken sportbike is to throw out all the dead plastic and install straight handlebars instead of clip-ons. This is how the first naked shoes appeared (from the English naked - naked). Over time, factories caught on to the trend and began to produce such models in series. In most cases, they are created according to the “classic” recipe - that is, they “undress” the sportbike, making the pilot’s position a little more humane.

In other words, they are adapted for urban use. However, there are models that were originally designed specifically as naked bikes and they do not have sports bike parents in their pedigree. Another common name is streetfighter (that is, street fighter), essentially the same naked, but, as a rule, very cubical and “evil”.

A classic example: the Ducati Streetfighter and its antipode, the kind and defenseless naked BMWG310R.

Supermoto

According to one version, the hooligan French were the first to come up with such motorcycles. True, there are those who attribute this story to the Americans, although this does not change the concept of “building” a supermoto: ingredients unnecessary for asphalt were removed from a typical motocross machine. 17-inch wheels shod with road tires were installed at the front and rear, the suspension was sometimes lowered, and the brakes were strengthened. And voila, your bike for street madness is ready!

Of course, manufacturers did not stand aside and began to mass-produce such models, for example, the KTM 690SMC and its amorphous antipode, which has already sunk into oblivion, the Honda FMX 650. Sometimes cars of this class are also called motards.

Hyperbikes

The ancestor of this class can be considered the CBR1100XX Super Blackbird motorcycle, presented to the public in 1996. It is believed that this was the first production motorcycle to reach 300 km/h (however, three-digit values ​​were obtained with the help of tuning; the “official” maximum speed of the Drozd is 290 km/h).

Unlike sportbikes, hyperbike engines have long since surpassed the cubic capacity of 1000 cm3. Although this is not the main indicator and there are exceptions here, for example, the purebred sportbike Ducati 1290 Panigale has a 1300 cm3 engine, but this is precisely a sportbike.

The main thing for the manufacturer in the history with hyperbikes is precisely the power and speed characteristics, albeit at the expense of handling. Prominent representatives of the class: Suzuki GSX-R1300 Hayabusa and Kawasaki ZZR 1400.

Sports tourists

The main difference between “fitness tourists” and hyperbikes is a greater emphasis on comfort. The pilot's position is not so radical; often, instead of a chain, the main gear has a cardan, and sometimes the manufacturer uses integrated panniers. However, sports tourists should not be confused with “pure” tourists, which will be discussed a little further. Here are the classics: Kawasaki GTR1400, Yamaha FJR1300, Honda Pan European...

Touring motorcycles

Strongholds of sybaritism and comfort, both for driver and passenger: the most prominent representative of this class is the Honda GL1800 Gold Wing. Such motorcycles are an extract of the manufacturer’s capabilities, a bundle of technology and achievements. As the name suggests, the main purpose of these cars is to travel on asphalt. Built-in panniers are more of a standard here, sometimes such motorcycles are equipped with a music system right from the factory, you can often find six-cylinder engines, and the amenities include everything you can imagine, from cruise control to an electrically adjustable windshield.

Enduro

Motorcycles designed for riding both on roads and over rough terrain. The Americans call cars of this class Dual Purpose, that is, dual-purpose, which reflects their essence a little more accurately. The fact is that in this class there are several more branches - light enduro, more focused specifically on off-road, heavy models intended for tourism on roads of all directions. A striking representative of light enduro is the Honda XR250 and its opposite, the Yamaha XTZ1200 Super Tenere, a heavy touring enduro. It is curious that the camp of heavy touring enduros also has its own antagonists: the Honda CRF1000L AfricaTwin with frankly off-road geometry: 21-inch front and 18-inch rear wheels and the asphalt-proof Ducati Multistrada.

Until last year, the latest model was generally a thing in itself, when in 2009 the Italians presented a new product in the Canary Islands, it was announced to the press that this was not an enduro at all, but a motorcycle for any direction, which is reflected in the name - Multistrada. However, the market dictates its conditions, and last year Ducati finally had the long-awaited Multistrada Enduro modification for bad roads: on spoked wheels, with advanced engine protection and a number of other important changes that allow you to move not only on the ideal gravel of a cottage village. Here it is quite possible to draw an analogy with the Porsche company, which “held out” for a very long time against the backdrop of its competitors embarking on all the heavy “crossover” deeds, but, in the end, gave up and launched one of its best-selling models on the market - the Porsche Cayenne.

Crossovers

This automotive term most accurately defines this type of motorcycle: endowed with features of both enduro and powerful road motorcycles, these creations of a mixture of classes, with rare exceptions, behave equally poorly both on and off the pavement. Cast wheels become a guaranteed connection only to good roads, and the wide and high handlebars (the key to a comfortable riding position for the rider), coupled with derated engines, finally make such motorcycles universal - that is, they are not the same. A striking example is the Kawasaki Versus, a mid-ranger that is successful in all disciplines, that is, a real crossover.

Choppers

The word chopper comes from the English to chop – to chop. In the post-war years, Americans began to have a tendency to remake stock motorcycles (often these were not Harley-Davidsons at all, but English Triumphs). During the “modernization” process, the fork rake mercilessly increased; the front wheel had to be narrow and at least 19 inches, but better -21! The rear, on the contrary, is 15, maximum 16 inches. The most orthodox owners got rid of the rear shock absorbers, resulting in a so-called hardtail frame - that is, without shock absorption for the rear wheel. The front brake was also sent to the landfill, sometimes along with the wing.

The tank is drop-shaped and has minimal volume! Facilities? This is secondary for the chopper - the main thing is style! If you've seen the movie EasyRider at least once, then you don't need to explain what a chopper looks like. Of course, over time, companies realized the elusive benefits and began to mass-produce such models; one of the modern representatives of this culture is the HarleyDavidsonDynaWideGlide. Of course, the guys from Milwaukee aren't the only ones basking in this theme. In addition to the Indian company, the Japanese quartet of motorcycle manufacturers also have similar motorcycles; the matter was not without the Koreans and the ubiquitous Chinese.

Cruisers

If we “groom” the chopper, return it to the normal fork offset, as well as the wheel sizes, make a large fuel tank and a natural, upright rider position, in other words, prepare the motorcycle for travel (cruise in English – travel, cruise), then we will get a cruiser class motorcycle , not to be confused with choppers and tourists! Sometimes cruisers, in terms of the number of amenities on board and size, grow to full-fledged tourists, then the result is cars such as the Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Ultra. However, the same Koreans, I’m not at all embarrassed, make motorcycles in the cruiser format with a ridiculous capacity of 250 cm3, an example is the Hyosung GV250.

Dragsters

Initially, dragsters were specially created vehicles exclusively for ¼ mile racing - a predominantly American pastime. However, over time, very powerful motorcycles began to be called this, where the manufacturer prioritized exclusively power and brutality and, preferably, no plastic. Subsequently, motorcycles appeared that only mimicked this style. It is generally accepted that the founder of this class in the world of civilian vehicles is the Yamaha V-Max 1200, a motorcycle created in 1985 by the Japanese that had a very decent 145 hp even by modern standards. and... not provided in the form of handling and any decent brakes. However, this in no way affected the model’s popularity and the army of its fans is still very numerous. The modern V-Max is equipped with a 2000 cm3 engine and develops 200 hp.

Baggers

Baggers are the fruit of marketers’ games to attract new customers. If the “tourist” is cut along the top line of the silhouette, the top case is removed and lowered as low to the ground as possible, then you will get a bagger. The style that Americans characterize as long & low, that is, low and long. Here a picture can be worth a thousand words, take a look, for example, at the Honda F6B Bagger or BMW K1600B Bagger.

Bobbers

Bobber (from the English bobber - “short-haired”) is a motorcycle that is as lightweight as possible from “extra” parts. The wings are either cut off or removed altogether, everything that can be permanently removed from the equipment, but in such a way that it moves at the same time, is removed. A distinctive feature is a bicycle-type seat (a true bobber is always single). The style originated in the 40-50s of the last century in the USA, and came to us relatively recently. As a rule, bobbers are built on the basis of large-capacity models.

Cafe racers

At the end of the 1950s, a “race track” appeared in London: from the Ace Cafe, the British organized races directly on the streets of the city, with an obligatory return to what later became a famous establishment, where they boasted about each other over a cup of the traditional 5 tho’ clock tea. friend with his exploits. Over time, the movement became popular and owners began to modify motorcycles. In general, the concept of changes was similar to bobbers, but with significant differences - low handlebars or clip-ons, fairings to reduce drag, that is, less shocking and more speed. Initially, cafe racers were predominantly British-based: Triumph Bonneville, Norton 500 Manx, Norton 30M; over time, motorcycles of this class began to be mass-produced, and other manufacturers also entered the new consumer clearing. A typical modern cafe racer is the Triumph Street Cup.

Scramblers

In the 50-70s, motorcycle manufacturers began to make their road models more universal: they installed engine protection, raised mufflers, and the wheels of such machines, as a rule, were spoked with rubber that had some claims for off-road use. Sometimes, in the manner of motocross motorcycles, the front wing was raised and the suspension travel was increased. Over time, interest in such machines gradually faded away, but in the last decade it has been revived again. Now there are several companies in our market that offer their vision of this class. Triumph Street Scrambler, Ducati Scrambler Icon, BMWR Ninet Scrambler... At its core, a scrambler is a vintage device, a nostalgic reading of the past in the refraction of the present, where today the tradition of such machines is continued by much more powerful and versatile crossovers.

Custom

From English – custom, made to order. Strictly speaking, any motorcycle made individually or to specific customer requirements, either in a single copy or in an extremely limited quantity.

As a rule, they are built on the basis of choppers, but they can also be made on any other basis, even a sportbike or scooter.

Mokicks and Mopeds

Small-capacity equipment up to 50 cm3, with a manual gearbox, either motorcycle type (foot-operated) or manual. Mokik is a derivative of motor + kickstarter, example – Delta or ZID 50 Pilot. Moped: motor + pedals, for example, Riga 13. Not to be confused with bicycles with outboard motors. In Soviet times, mini-mokies were also produced, Riga 26 “Mini”.

Scooters

From English – to scoot, to run away. A distinctive feature of most scooters is an opening for the driver’s feet, a developed hood that provides greater comfort than on a motorcycle, a CVT transmission and a motor-wheel unit located under the driver’s seat. However, there are exceptions. One of the most popular scooters of all time, which created an entire subculture, produced from 1946 to the present, Vespa is equipped with a manual gearbox. On the other side are huge maxi-scooters, in no way inferior to large touring motorcycles in terms of convenience and comfort. There are scooters designed for light off-road use, say, the Yamaha BWS 50, there are versions with two wheels in the front (Piaggio), and scooters with a roof over the driver's head.

Starting this year, the BMW C Evolution electric scooter has been introduced to our market (1,029,000 rubles for the basic version!), the electric motor of which produces 48 hp, and the manufacturer promises a power reserve of up to 160 kilometers... Until recently, the most common and popular class of scooters in our country there were cars with a volume of up to 50 cm3, since a driver’s license was not required to drive them. However, the legislation has changed and now category “M” is required for such equipment. In the Soviet past, a large number of scooters were produced, then they were usually called motor scooters: “Vyatka” (in many ways a copy of the “Vespa”), “Electron”, “Tula”, “Tulitsa”, “Tourist”...

There were also cargo modifications, for example, the Ant three-wheeled scooter, with a large cargo platform at the rear. Nowadays, numerous Chinese manufacturers have such options. Among the modern “trucks” of this format on our market, in addition to the countless “Chinese” ones little known to science, one can name the Indian Bajaj Avenger.

Scooteretta

An intermediate link between a scooter and a motorcycle. There are two main differences from a scooter: large, 17-inch wheels (on most scooters, the wheel diameter almost never exceeds 15 inches) and a manual transmission, albeit with an automatic clutch. The ancestor of the class is considered to be the Honda Cub, which has been produced since 1958 to the present! Even without taking into account numerous clones and fakes, about 90 million have already been released! This type of transport is most developed in Asian countries.

Pitbikes

It is believed that pit bikes came to us from the States, and they appeared thanks to... the laziness of mechanics and riders who did not want to move in technical areas on foot! Over time, this class has grown to quite serious proportions, where there are already options with engines with a displacement of 160 cm3 and a power of 30 hp. Such mini-motorcycles easily break the barrier of 100 km/h and require serious driving skills. In this format there are also mini-motards and mini-motos. The latter come in very tiny sizes, with engines of 40 cm3 and a curb weight of 25 kilograms. It should be noted that there are no fewer varieties in this category than there are illegal immigrants in Europe.

Motorcycles with sidecars

The once very popular motorcycles of this class have now completely lost their relevance. And what was not available in this format then: Jawa with the fantastically beautiful Velorex 562 stroller, the Izhevsk plant also made versions of its “Planets” and “Jupiters” with strollers. Nowadays Nezalezhnaya produced Dnepr, but all this is the past. Only the gentlemen from Irbit managed to survive in the dramatically changed market priorities, and now import about 1,500 units of products abroad per year. The export geography is wide: from Australia to America. Despite 3 modifications - Ural Retro, Ural Retro M70 and Ural CiTi - this is practically the same motorcycle. There are also options in the production line with a sidecar wheel drive, a real 2WD: Ural GearUp and Ural Patrol. The cost in Russia is in the range of 600,000 – 700,000 rubles, which largely explains the almost zero demand in the domestic market. Now motorcycles with sidecars are the lot of true connoisseurs of such machines.

Trikes

Roughly speaking, a trike can be called any vehicle with three wheels, but in our classification these will be three-wheeled motorcycles, where there will be one wheel in front and two in the back. Trike designs often rely heavily on automotive ingredients, down to the engines and suspension assemblies (for the rear of the car). It turns out to be a kind of centaur.

So all owners of the “regular” “B” can quite legally operate trikes. It should be noted that there are such very exclusive devices on our market, the prices are appropriate, for example, the Rewaco RF1 LT3 trike costs 2.5 million rubles. There are also designs where there are already two wheels in front and one in the back. In this field, one of the most successful manufacturers is the Canadian company Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP) with a whole line of machines of this class, for example the Can-Am Spyder F3. Sometimes such cars are also called roadsters, in fact, this is how BRP itself designates them, but technically they are still a trike.

At the junction of classes

Of course, all existing motorcycles cannot be fit into the classification framework, where do you put such exclusives as the Dodge Tomahawk with a 10-cylinder engine from a Dodge Viper or the absolutely insane Y2k with a gas turbine engine (made by Rolls-Royse) from a helicopter with a power of 420 (!) Horse power. There are also much more prosaic options, however, that do not fit into a certain class - I would not be surprised if soon the so-called howerbikes (flying motorcycles) become a reality, and in which class should we write the KTM 990 SMT, where SM is a supermoto, and T – tourism? The world is not static, which means that the gender tree of motorcycles will soon grow even more.

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Other parameters

Below we will look at other characteristics that may be important to some of the buyers.

Weight – can range from 43 to 145 kg. If you have a garage, then the mass of equipment does not matter. But if the scooter needs to be lifted into the apartment, then the weight is very important. If there are no ramps or an elevator, it is better to choose the lightest model. Having disassembled it into several parts, it will be relatively easy to lift it up the stairs (almost all light scooters come with quick disassembly).

Turning radius - can range from 140 to 320 cm. The lower this figure, the less space is needed to turn or turn around. Accordingly, models with a small radius are more maneuverable and better suited for driving indoors and in other confined spaces.

Size – the length can vary up to 70 cm, and the width up to 150 cm. If you need the scooter to fit into an elevator/car/trolleybus/apartment door, then you need to select a model according to its dimensions.

Folding models - there are lightweight compact models that fold in one motion. You can read more about their features and study the catalog with prices here. We also expressed our opinion on who this technique is best suited for.

Manufacturer – we currently offer Vermeiren and Armed products. The first is a Belgian company; their electrical rehabilitation equipment is one of the best in the world. Definitely in the TOP 5 (along with Myra, Invacare, Kuschall and Otto Bock). Armed is a Russian development with production in China; it is naturally inferior in quality, but also costs significantly less.