Motorcycle Information
Explore the systems and components of motorcycles and see how they’re built. Learn about motorcycles at HowStuffWorks.
1994 BMW R1100RSL
1965 BMW R-27
1990 BMW K-1
1949 BSA B33
1966 BSA A65 Spitfire
1969 BSA Rocket 3
1970 Ducati 350 Scrambler
1977 Ducati 900SS
1998 Ducati ST2
Hog Wild: Harley-Davidson Logos Through the Years
2002 Harley-Davidson FXDWG3
2002 Harley-Davidson FXSTB Night Train
1984 Honda Nighthawk 700S
1998 Honda Valkyrie
1969 Honda Dream 305
1942 Indian 741 and Indian 841
1940 Indian 440
1946 Indian Chief
1982 Kawasaki KZ1000R
1977 MV Agusta 750S America
1986 Suzuki GSXR750
1986 Suzuki RG 500 Gamma
1966 Suzuki T10
1975 Triumph Trident
1976 Triumph Bonneville
1952 Triumph Thunderbird
1981 Yamaha 1100 Midnight Special
1985 Yamaha RZ 500
1997 Yamaha Royal Star Palamino Edition
1951 Vincent HRD Series B Rapide
1915 Iver Johnson
1961 Velocette Venom
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The 1975 Triumph Trident motorcycle was tweaked for American tastes but fell to Japanese rivals. The bike kept the same three-cylinder engine but it was slower and more expensive than Japanese imports. Find info and pictures of the 1975 Triumph Trident.
The 1980 Honda CX500 motorcycle wasn't pretty but it got the job done. The bike featured a 500-cc water-cooled engine that used pushrods rather than conventional overhead cams. Find out how and see pictures of the reliable economical 1980 Honda CX500.
The 1976 Triumph Bonneville motorcycle held to tradition against low-cost Japanese bikes. Unfortunately the influx of high-performance Japanese motorcycles cut into sales of this model. Find info and pictures of Britain's 1976 Triumph Bonneville.
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The 1981 Honda CBX motorcycle was an excellent bike in search of an audience. Most of the competition was lighter and faster which made this bike appear to be all show to the racing crowd. See pictures and learn more about the 1981 Honda CBX motorcycle.
The 1983 Honda CX650T motorcycle was a turbocharged wonder but led to a technology dead end. This bike was the world's first turbocharged motorcycle that made many insurers nervous. Find out why and see pictures of the 1983 Honda CX650T.
The 1997 Ural motorcycle was essentially a reproduction based on parts from different BMW models. The styling if the Ural is crude but the motorcycle and sidecar could be purchased for a cheap price. See pictures and learn about the Ural motorcycle.
The 1952 Triumph Thunderbird helped make Marlon Brando "the wild one." Triumph was looking to emulate the demand for large powerful bikes when they originally designed this model. See pictures and learn about the 1952 Triumph Thunderbird motorcycle.
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The 1940 Indian 440 motorcycle was an expensive bike for its era at a price of $1,000. The engine it used turned out to be a failure for Indian due to the frequent overheating problems. Find more information and pictures about the 1940 Indian 440.
The 1946 Indian Chief motorcycle in "Indian Red" was popular with postwar buyers. This model was similar to other prewar Indians and featured a 74-cubic-inch flathead engine. See pictures and learn more about the striking 1946 Indian Chief.
The 1965 Triumph T120 Bonneville had unit construction and a compact design. These motorcycles featured 650-cc engines that were capable of reaching speeds over 100 miles per hour. Check out info and pictures of the 1965 Triumph T120 Bonneville.
The 1953 Indian Chief motorcycle was the final Indian model and is highly collectible. It featured a V-twin that was considered outdated but was coupled with a more modern ignition system. Check out pictures and information on the 1953 Indian Chief.
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The 1969 Honda CB750 changed motorcycling forever. It featured an inline four-cylinder engine with single overhead cam four carburetors, prominent four-into-four exhaust and 67 horsepower. See pictures of this groundbreaking motorcycle from Honda.
The 1967 Triumph T100C Tiger was a popular bike for on- and off-road. This bike featured a smaller fuel tank headlight and high-mounted twin tail pipes which were designed for off-road riding. Find info and pictures of the 1967 Triumph T100C Tiger.
The 1970 Triumph Tiger 650 motorcycle was a better everyday bike than the Triumph Bonneville. The Tiger used the same basic engine as the Bonneville but featured a smaller carburetor for easier starting. See pictures and learn about the Triumph Tiger 650.
The 1985 Suzuki GSXR750 motorcycle brought hot street bikes ever-closer to racing machines. The GSXR had a 750-cc engine that was capable of producing up to 100 horsepower impressive at the time. See pictures and learn about the 1985 Suzuki GSZR750.
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The 1986 Suzuki RG 500 Gama motorcycle was too high-strung for everyday street use. Experienced riders saw the bike was capable of tremendous speeds but novices rarely tapped this potential. See pictures and learn about the 1986 Suzuki RG 500 Gama.
The 1914 Thor motorcycle was from a company noted mostly for building motorcycle engines. The 1914 Thor is the perfect example of what early motorcycle design looked like. See pictures and learn more about the 1914 Thor motorcycle.
The 1997 Harley-Davidson FLSTF Fat Boy motorcycle kept alive one of Harley's most popular models. This bike kept almost the same exact design of the original 1990 Fat Boy which was a huge success. See pictures and learn about the FLSTF Fat Boy.
The 1998 Harley-Davidson FLHRCI Road King Classic motorcycle looked great in Harley's anniversary trim. This motorcycle was powered by an 80-cubic-inch Evolution V-twin engine with fuel injection. See pictures and learn about this hot Harley.
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The 1998 Harley-Davidson XL-1200C Sportster motorcycle line included standard sport and custom models. The custom Sportster featured a simple chrome bucket headlight instead of the old eyebrow headlight cover. See pictures and learn more about them.
The 1994 Harley-Davidson FLHTC Electra-Glide motorcycle is a luxurious touring bike. See pictures and learn about the FLHTC Electra-Glide.
The 1995 Harley-Davidson FXSTSB Bad Boy motorcycle featured retro styling and modern technology. See pictures and learn about the FXSTSB Bad Boy.
The 1993 Harley-Davidson FXDWG Wide Glide motorcycle was a 90th anniversary Harley. See pictures and learn about the Harley-Davidson FXDWG Wide Glide.
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The 1991 Harley-Davidson FXDB Sturgis motorcycle marked the 50th anniversary of the famous biker rally. See pictures and learn about the FXDB Sturgis.
The 1997 Harley-Davidson FXSTS Heritage Springer motorcycle mixed old and new Harley styling. This particular motorcycle was designed to look like some of the other Harleys that were introduced in the 1940s. See pictures and learn about the Heritage Springer.