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1. Maintain your machine properly

2. Put on the appropriate attire and gear.

3. Instead of being aggressive or frightened, ride with assurance and boldness.

4. Stay at the location where you can be seen and heard.

5. keep an eye out for turns and curves

6. Pass through stoplights as a shield to prevent accidents at intersections.

7. Beware of the invisible traffic bubble.

8. Stay in the safest lane.

9. Avoid sharing lanes with other bikes when riding together.

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How to Ride a Motorcycle Defensively to Prevent Accidents

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It is important to stay safe on motorcycles; In 2014 motorcyclist deaths occurred 27 times more frequently than fatalities in other vehicles, and 4,586 motorcyclists died in crashes. With these scary facts in mind, it's important to make...

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According to the report, motorcycle sales in India in 2022 would be 16.2 million (+13.2%), despite a blazing +20% in December and only a few thousand units putting the nation back on top of the worldwide list.

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Indian Motorcycles Market accelerates. In April sales have been 1.38 million (+15.7%) with Year to Date figures at 5.1 million (+10.3%). Bajaj boomed (+89%) while Honda recovered moderately.

Data reported for India regards wholesales and not - as for all the other countries - registrations. The perimeter of data covered includes motorcycles, moped, scooter, and ATV, both on ICE and electric engines. In addition, data includes the commercial three wheeler, very popular in the country.

Indian Motorcycles 2023 Trends and Data

Following the recovery shown in the 2022, when Indian domestic motorcycles/scooter market reduced the gap to the Chinese market consolidating the second place in the global ranking, the 2023 is expected to be near a double-digit growing year.

The market is finally evolving rapidly pulled up by the success of several new OEMs specialized in the electric scooter which braked up the dominion of Top 5 traditional manufacturers, forcing them to invest in EVs and in new and more modern models.

Data regarding the first three months of the year confirm the expectations, with January up 4.8%, February 10.2% and finally March up 11.0%.

In April sales have been 1.38 million (+15.7%) with Year to Date figures at 5.1 million (+10.3%).

The electric segment performance was astonishing with the Electric L1 segment (equivalent to below 50cc ICE models) up 95.1% and the Electric L3 segment up 84.5%.

Looking at top manufacturers performance, Hero is still on top, having recovered in the first quarter although a bad January start (-2.6%) and year to date April sold 1.62 million (+7.7%).

In second place Honda is struggling with 1.041.070 sales (-15.3%) although in April recovered (+6.1%). It seems that Honda is suffering the attack from new electric vehicles specialist!

In third place TVS in third is shining with a huge growth (+27.0%) at 911.609 sales, driven up by the success of the only electric scooter in the line up (the iQube, +659%) and by the Raider 125 (+131%).

In fourth place Bajaj Auto seems in recovery after a bad 2022 and sales at 609.178 are up 45.6%, with April up 89.6%.

Royal Enfield keeps growing fast with 260.903 sales (+21.8%) celebrating the new Hunter 350 success.

Indian Motorcycles Industry Trend and Perspectives

Following years of troubling, with the industry hit in sequence by price increases correlated with highest safety and emission standards and then by covid shutdowns, late vaccination process and 2021 persistent covid spread in the country, the industry finally moved up the head in 2022 starting a recovery which should be long.

However, the inflation winds across the World and the supply chain disruption were representing serious risks against the recovery, considering that India is the most sensitive country to price effects and the local production represents 99.9% of domestic sales.

The industry acceleration due to the electrification is now in place in India as well after that government sharply increased incentives and the demand for EVs scooter is a new positive factor in the market.

New 2-Wheeler sales in 2022 have been 16.2 million (+13.2%), even thanks to a roaring +20% scored in December and just for few thousand units the country is not back on top of global ranking.

Data confirms that the electric segment is finally growing up with sales at 630.000, up a huge 511.5%. However, already in 2023 the segment is expected to jump around the 1 million volume.

Looking at the top manufacturer performance, Hero is on top with 5.0 million sales (+4.8%) ahead of Honda with 4.2 million (+11.3%) and TVS Motor with 2.5 million (+19.5%).

Bajaj Auto ranks 4th with 1.6 million sales (-3.0%) and Suzuki in 5th with 731.934 (+18.7%).

New OEMs, specialized in electric scooter are growing fast, with Okinawa at 123.737 and Ola at 108.705.

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Indian Motorcycles Market - Facts & Data 2023 | MotorCyclesData

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Data reported for India regards wholesales and not - as for all the other countries - registrations. The perimeter of data covered includes motorcycles, moped, scooter, and ATV, both on ICE and electric engines. In addition, data includes the commercial three wheeler, very popular in the country.

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1.79 million motorbikes and scooters were sold in Thailand in 2022. Compared to the prior year, when almost 1.6 million motorcycles and scooters were sold in Thailand, the number of two-wheeler sales has grown.

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Thailand: motorcycle sales 2022 | Statista

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In 2022, approximately 1.79 million motorcycles and scooters were sold in Thailand.

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According to the report, Indonesia's motorcycle market 2022 sales were 5.4 million (+4.4%), reaffirming the country's third-best level in the prior three years.

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Indonesian Motorcycles Industry is burning out. We were expecting in 2023 a growth in double-digit, but the first quarter sales at 1.89 million (+44.1%) are really incredible.

Indonesian Motorcycles Industry Trend and Perspectives

The Indonesian Motorcycles market - the third largest in the World - started the 2023 with really impressive data, considering the unusual growth for a so large market.

In recent years the market has been always far from the highest levels reached over a decade ago (near 8 million annual sales) and the potential is well above the 2022 5.4 million.

We were expecting in 2023 a growth in double-digit, but the first quarter sales at 1.89 million (+44.1%) are really incredible.

The growth is driven by the largest segment, the scooter, up 56.4%, while motorcycles segment lost 23.0%.

The electrification process is a positive factor, with segment up 55.6%, but not yet relevant in absolute.

Looking at the competitive arena, the market leader in the annual data is Honda with sales up 46.1%.

In second place there is Yamaha (+39.2%) ahead of Gesits (+40.1%), Piaggio (+16.8%) and Kawasaki (+41.9%).

Indonesian Motorcycles Industry 2022

Indonesia's economy is expected to grow by 5.4% in 2022 and by 5.0% in 2023, according to a report by the Asian Development Bank (ADB). Inflation, which averaged 1.6% last year, is forecast to rise to 4.6% in 2022 because of higher commodity prices and the recent fuel price increases. It is projected to be almost 6.0% through June 2023 and to ease to below 4.0% by end 2023.

Consumer spending is robust, and commodity exports have boomed. However, high commodity prices have also spurred inflation. For 2023, the risks are on the downside due to slower global growth, global financial volatility, tighter macroeconomic policy in Indonesia, and continuing shocks from the Russian invasion of Ukraine."

This economic environment has not supported enough the 2-wheeler industry, which started the year declining (first half sales at -7.4%).

However starting in July the market recovered with a fast pace and was able to more than offset the first half lost. Full Year 2022 sales have been 5.4 million (+4.4%) confirming the third place in the World with the best level out of last three years.

The positive note is the electric vehicles growth, while L1 segment (equivalent to ICE vehicles with below 50 cc) up 70.7% and the L3 segment up 39.3%. However, even this data is below expectations.

The Japanese manufacturers dominate the industry and Honda is the leader with over 68% of market share, although last year sales increased only 1.8%%. Honda is under Yamaha (+10.2%) and new electric start ups - like Gesits - attach. However, they prefer to postpone the introduction of electric scooter to protect the current profitable line up.

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Indonesia Motorcycles - Data & Facts 2023 | MotorcyclesData

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The Indonesian Motorcycles market - the third largest in the World - started the 2023 with really impressive data, considering the unusual growth for a so large market. In recent years the market has been always far from the highest levels reached over a decade ago (near 8 million annual sales) and the potential is well above the 2022 5.4 million.

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According to the article, the United States Motorcycles Market lost considerably last year. The market declined substantially in 2022, completing the year with 556K (-2.9%). Honda has surpassed Harley-Davidson as the market leader.

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United States Motorcycles Market lost moderately last year. During the 2022, the market was moderately declining ending the year with 556K (-2.9%). Honda overtakes Harley-Davidson for leadership.

U.S.A. Motorcycles Market 2022 Outlook

During the entire pre-covid decade, the two wheeler market was steady declining in the U.S.A., with sales down from 566K in 2014 to 468 in 2019.

Basically for a combination of effects. In one side the stable demand for street motorcycles, with the former market leader, Harley-Davidson losing sales and market share in favor of other premium brands (BMW, Triumph, KTM overall) and in the other side the slow demand for scooter - still marginal - and for off-road vehicles.

In 2020, the arrival of covid 19 generated a sudden demand for individual mobility, booming demand initially for off-road and powersports (not included in the data reported in this post) and then for all types, including scooters and street motorcycles.

Sales increased both in 2020 and 2021 reaching the highest level out of 15 years with 573K (2021).

During the 2022, the market was moderately declining ending the year with 556K (-2.9%).

Although the available incentives are among the highest worldwide, the electric 2-Wheeler market is still marginal and not growing, due to traditional consumers low interest in the scooter market and the inadequate offers in the motorcycles segment.

In the competitive arena, the market leader is although sales slipped 3.2% last year. However, the performance was better than the former leader, Harley-Davidson which lost in double-digit (-12.9%).

Impressive the Kawasaki performance, thanks to the boom of the KL650, and now the Japanese manufacturer ranks in third place with 2022 sales up 13.9%.

Among last year winners, there were BMW (+9.6%), Suzuki (+17.1%), Husqvarna (+16.8%) and - above all - Royal Enfield (+7.7%).

To transport motorcycles across the Nation has always been hard. With the born of A1AutoTransport.com the problem is almost solved. Indeed, now, if you're in need of shipping your motorcycle, you can use a service provider like A1 Auto Transport motorcycle movers.

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United States Motorcycles Market - Data & Insight 2023 | MotorcyclesData

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During the entire pre-covid decade, the two wheeler market was steady declining in the U.S.A., with sales down from 566K in 2014 to 468 in 2019. Basically for a combination of effects.

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Statistic Sales of Motorcycles in Malaysia

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Statistic Sales of Motorcycles in Malaysia

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This article states that motorcycle sales in Malaysia in 2022 will reach 720,000 units, creating a record for the highest sales volume ever recorded in Malaysia.

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Jualan motosikal Malaysia cecah 720k unit tahun 2022, rekod baharu! | WapCar

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Statistik positif ditunjukkan bagi industri motosikal Malaysia pada tahun 2022

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According to FMT, 70 out of every 100 road deaths in Malaysia would be caused by motorcycles by August 2021. This brings Malaysia closer to tying Thailand for the world's highest motorbike mortality rate, with 89,953 motorcyclists killed on Malaysian roads between 2001 and 2021.

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The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched a an updated manual to help policymakers to reduce the number of road traffic deaths and injuries involving motorcycles and other powered two- and three-wheelers - these are collectively referred to as PTWs. "In the 10 years since the first edition of the manual, the global landscape has changed significantly. The rapid increase in the use of powered two and three wheelers poses new challenges," the organisation said.

Titled ' Powered two-and three-wheeler safety: a road safety manual for decision-makers and practitioners ', it includes guidelines on developing safer roads, ensuring safer mobility for all road users, vehicle safety standards and actions to improve emergency responses to crashes.

The manual also contains concerning statistics. Between 2013 and 2016, the proportion of PTW (powered two- and three-wheelers) deaths increased from 23% to 28%, as observed in all regions (Africa, Americas, Southeast Asia, Europe, Eastern Mediterranean and Western Pacific).

"Nearly 30% of all crash fatalities reported to WHO in 2016 involve powered two- and three-wheelers, such as motorcycles, mopeds, scooters and electric bikes (e-bikes). Crashes involving PTWs are often predictable and preventable and should never be accepted as inevitable," WHO wrote in its manual.

Southeast Asia registered the highest increase from 34% to 43%, with the organisation pointing out that in Cambodia and Thailand, where there is a large PTW fleet, motorcycle fatalities in 2016 accounted for 73% and 74% of total road fatalities respectively.

According to , as of August last year, for every 100 road deaths in Malaysia, 70 involved motorcyclists. This places our country closer to replacing Thailand for having the world's worst death rate for motorcycle users, and between 2001 and 2021, a total of 89,953 motorcyclists have died on Malaysia's roads.

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By comparison, high-income countries in the same region, such as Australia and South Korea, saw motorcycle fatalities make up 20% and 19% of all traffic-related deaths respectively. Young adults aged between 15 and 34 years account for over 60% of all PTW-related deaths in low- and middle-income countries.

In its manual, the WHO also listed out several key risk factors related to the environment that contribute to PTW-related crashes, injury and death. These include a lack of inclusive urban planning, minimal or no segregation of PTWs in traffic, the design of road infrastructure, road surface conditions, roadside hazards and limited public transport infrastructure (restricts commuter choice).

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Meanwhile, risk factors to the road user include failure to wear helmets, excessive speeding, alcohol impairment, a rider's age and lack of experience, failure to notice approaching PTWs. A lack of crash protection for PTW riders and passengers also puts them at risk, along with the stability of PTWs and potential braking errors also contribute to road deaths involving PTWs.

The WHO manual was launched at the Global Regional Road Safety Observatories Dialogue on Motorcycle Safety, held at the Asian Development Bank in Manila, the Philippines. FMT's report notes that a delegation from the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS) is at the event and sharing the research and findings on motorcycle crashes from Malaysia's perspective, as well as demonstrating the effectiveness of ABS systems for motorcycles.

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Motorcyclists account for 70 of every 100 road deaths in Malaysia as of August 2021 - WHO urges action - paultan.org

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The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched a an updated manual to help policymakers to reduce the number of road traffic deaths and injuries involving motorcycles and other powered two- and three-wheelers - these are collectively referred to as PTWs. "In the 10 years since the first edition of the manual, the global landscape has changed significantly.

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A motorbike used by law enforcement and the police is known as a police motorcycle. They might be specially created to satisfy the demands peculiar to a certain purpose.

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A courier who uses a motorbike is referred to as a motorcycle messenger or dispatch rider.

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According to the news, Mat Rempit groups are resuming their illegal street racing operations, with some apparently offering prize pools of up to RM450,000.

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Motorcycle news, Motorcycle reviews from Malaysia, Asia and the world - BikesRepublic.com

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Mat Rempit groups are reportedly active again with their illegal street racing activities, some reportedly have prize money pools worth up to RM450,000.

Local daily Utusan reports that illegal street racing by Mat Rempit groups have returned.

Some races held include prize money pools worth anywhere between RM20,000 to RM450,000.

The report also details some of the key hotspots for these activities, namely the Wisma Minlon stretch in Seri Kembangan.

As our nation progresses into the post-pandemic recovery stage, it doesn't surprise us that a return to 'normality' includes the resurgence of certain unwanted elements such as crime for instance. For the local motorcycling scene, it seems this entails with a revival of the Mat Rempit scourge, along with their illegal activities which includes illegal street racing.

While this isn't an entirely new problem, this recent in-depth report published by local daily Utusan Malaysia this week indicates that these Mat Rempit groups are actively hosting illegal street races again, as they frequently did in pre-pandemic times. The daily, which claims to have gone undercover in the scene recently, even reports of some events having prize money pools worth up to RM450,000.

Citing unnamed sources from within the scene, the report details that prize money starts from as low as RM500 in the form of bets placed by individuals, which can pool up to over RM20,000. "This much cash is what's entice these Mat Rempit to risk their lives, and that of other road users, to race illegally on the streets," one source was quoted by the daily.

Another source quoted by the Bahasa-language daily even detailed that there are two main types, or 'classes', of racing held. One of which, cited by the daily as a 'perlumbaan longgok' or 'pile race', usually sees a big group race entered by riders on various motorcycles, regardless of type and model. The other racing 'class' usually organised is based on category.

Sources quoted by Utusan notes that the typical 'perlumbaan longgok' requires entrants to fork out a minimum entry fee of RM500. "If there are 10 bikes entered, then the winner takes the winnings of RM5,000 regardless of what type of bike said rider enters with," explained Utusan's source on how this type of races usually pays out.

As for races by category, the rider's motorcycle specifications are taken into account. "Riders who usually participate in these races have modified their motorcycles and the reward when they win can reach RM20,000, " adds the same source when explaining these races and its pay out scheme.

When enquired about what happens should a rider or Mat Rempit turn up with a motorcycle with excessive modifications worth over RM10,000, the source explains that these types of motorcycles are then classified as 'motor open' (open bikes). A tell-tale sign of one of these is an engine block measurement of more than 65mm.

The source goes on to allude that much of this trend amongst Mat Rempits today is fuelled by the rise of local YouTube and social media personalities who go on said platforms to flex their machines. One even recently showed off a fully modified kapchai, with said individual reportedly 'investing' no less than RM17,832 to complete this build.

Prize money pools involving such bikes vary, but Utusan's source detailed that the largest pool seen back in 2018 exceeded RM450,000. This, as the source recounts, stemmed from a feud between two of the scene's most popular and renowned workshops at the time. In other words, this was a fight for bragging rights above anything else.

In regards to where these illegal street races are usually held, Utusan quoted another unnamed Mat Rempit who revealed some of the hot spots for such activities in the Klang Valley. One popular venue is the KL-Seremban Highway, specifically the stretch spanning in front of Wisma Minlon right up to the Besraya Highway U-turn, Seri Kembangan.

Though Utusan weren't able to witness any races held on said stretch during its investigation period, this writer can personally vouch for their source's authenticity regarding the venue's popularity amongst Mat Rempit groups.

Having resided close to this venue and traversing it at various times of the day for over two decades, said stretch of asphalt is indeed a hotspot for illegal street racing activities, especially late at night on weekends and public holiday eves.

"It's difficult to see nowadays because there are many roadblocks and operations frequently carried out by PDRM. If they are racing at this time, they are only incriminating themselves. Organisers will often hold races now silently with only participants turning up," Utusan quoted its source again regarding the matter.

Apart from copious amounts of cash, Utusan also previously reported that some races even had prizes in the form of women prior. However, sources quoted in their latest in-depth report says this is no longer the case as most Mat Rempit participating in these illegal races today have prioritised cash winnings above everything else.

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Illegal street racing by Mat Rempit groups active again, RM450,000 prize money reported - Motorcycle news, Motorcycle reviews from Malaysia, Asia and the world - BikesRepublic.com

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Local daily Utusan reports that illegal street racing by Mat Rempit groups have returned. Some races held include prize money pools worth anywhere between RM20,000 to RM450,000. The report also details some of the key hotspots for these activities, namely the Wisma Minlon stretch in Seri Kembangan.

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A motorsport which involves wheelie, stoppie, acrobatics, burnout and drifting

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The sport of racing motorbikes is known as motorcycle racing. The two most popular types of motorcycle racing are track racing and off-road racing, which can both be done on closed or open courses.

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Food delivery workers have to handle a number of orders, delivery locations, and consumers. Deliver orders as quickly as possible while maintaining food freshness and respecting client requests. All weather conditions should be handled safely when operating a vehicle.

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Commonly referred to as naked bikes, roadsters, or just standards are motorcycles designed primarily for commuting on city streets.

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The article indicates that between July 2016 and June 2017, 14,943 "powered two-wheel vehicles" were taken, making up 50% of all cars reported stolen in London. The amount taken has increased from the prior year by 30%.

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This study shows that riding a motorcycle can reduce stress and improve brain and muscle function. This article discusses the benefits of riding a motorcycle.

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​For an experienced rider, there is nothing more rejuvenating and refreshing than going on a long ride on a picturesque route. Motorcycle riding is therapeutic, but it has not been proven by scientists. However, some studies show that motorcycle riding can reduce stress and enhance cerebral and muscular functions. We are going to talk about the benefits of motorcycle riding. But before that you should make sure you should insure your bike with two wheeler insurance ​ from a reputable insurer as an insurance policy helps you financially in the time of need. Let's now jump into the benefits of motorcycle riding:

1. You Can Interact With The Environment

When you drive a car, you are covered from all the sides. You do have a window, but many people don't pull is down because of the AC in the car. However, when you are riding a motorcycle, you can interact directly with the environment. You can smell, sight, sound, the thrill, and the touch of the environment. When you ride a motorcycle, you automatically connect with the environment.

2. It Enhances Your Reflexes

You need to work with your whole body to balance a motorcycle. While driving a car, a person can relax a bit as sometimes a machine can control and balance itself. However, you need to remain alert all the time while riding the motorcycle. An experienced rider has good reflexes and brain alertness.

3. It Increases Cerebral Power

This is not a hoax; it is scientifically proven that riding a motorcycle enhances cerebral power. There was a study conducted between the riders that regularly ride bikes to work and those who did not. It was found in the studies that the brain of the rider who rides a bike regularly was more stimulated then the other rider while motorcycle riding. It was also proven that memory and spatial reasoning capacity of these riders were also dramatically increased.

4. ​​It Reduces Stress Levels​

When you are having a bad day, you must agree that a long motorcycle ride on one of your favorite roads will surely bring peace and sanity. Scientific studies have also proved this theory. Riding motorcycles has a positive impact on the mental and emotional state of the rider. Riding also decreases the stress level. You will feel positive and happy once you take your bike for a ride.

5. It Helps You Spiritually

The true meaning of spirituality is to cut yourself from the continuous life distractions that prohibit you to communicate with yourselves. For some riders, motorcycle riding is something that connects them to their inner self given that the surroundings like weather condition, the road, and the view are of rider's liking. Riding can calm and bring inner peace.

6. It Helps In The Release Of Happy Chemicals

Emotions are chemical reactions in our brains. There are several chemicals that our brain releases that make us happy, excited, and sad. Hormones like dopamine, oxytocin, endorphin, serotonin, and adrenaline release happy thoughts in your mind. These hormones are only released when you are excited and if you feel excited while riding a motorbike, you will be happy.

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6 Reasons to Ride a Motorcycle - Two Wheeler Insurance Blog By Reliance General

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Well there's a thrill in riding motorcycles, but apart from that there are a few health benefits to it as well. Reliance General lists 6 benefits of riding motorcycle and also advices to have a two wheeler insurance in place to secure your motorcycle

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Concerns regarding OMCGs are supported by prior research, which demonstrates that many outlaw bikers have a criminal history for a variety of, occasionally significant sorts of crimes.

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Differentiating Between Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs (OMCGs): Estimating the Effect of Membership of the Most Crime-Prone OMCGs on Crime Using Matching Weights - Journal of Developmental and Life-Course Criminology

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Journal of Developmental and Life-Course Criminology -

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UCLA researchers found that motorcyclists experienced an increase in adrenaline levels, heart rate, brain activity and cortisol hormone levels after 20 minutes of riding, driving and resting.

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Riding sharpens focus, relieves stress - webBikeWorld

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We probably didn't need a scientific study to tell us motorcycle riding reduces stress and distraction, while increasing our focus and attention. There have been plenty of independent studies over the years that show similar correlations. Now Harley-Davidson has funded a new neurobiological study by three researchers from UCLA's Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, so we can expect some positive results!

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According to the analysis, motorbikes have several benefits over vehicles, including lower maintenance expenses and ease of customization.

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We all think about it, most of us probably a few times a week, at least. Having a serious two-wheeled affliction myself, I think about it almost daily. The ever-present desire to buy a new bike.

Maybe a shiny new model just released that has you contemplating shelling out serious coin for a new ride. Other times it might be updates to a motorcycle you already have. But is the juice worth the squeeze, as they say? Are new bikes really that much better than a two-year-old bike, a five-year-old bike or even a 10-year-old machine? Can you upgrade an older bike to be just as good as a brand new one?

To a certain point, I think this comes down to the ability of the rider. As far as performance bikes are concerned, I feel that most of us (certainly myself) can't actually ride a bike to its full potential, so does upgrading make sense if your skills aren't at their top level?

The kind of machine we're talking about matters, too. The old versus new argument makes more sense in some genres than in others. One of the best cases to be made for keeping your machine and upgrading it instead of replacing it with a new one is the cruiser market. I personally went through this exercise myself and opted not to buy a new Harley-Davidson. In fact, since I currently own three Harley-Davidsons, I don't know if I'll ever buy another new one.

I really like the Motor Company's latest powerplant offering, the Milwaukee-Eight. Or, I should say, I like the possibility of what it can be. The M8 motor in stock configuration has roughly the same output as its predecessor, the 103 ci Twin Cam, at a rather paltry 75ish rear wheel horsepower, but the M8 separates itself when you start adding hot rod parts. A simple drop-in cam with corresponding intake, exhaust and tuner will easily push you over 100 horsepower. You'll need a big bore kit to get those numbers from an old Twin Cam. Additionally, the M8, with its four-valve heads, responds very well the farther you take the build. Street engines producing 135 horsepower are fairly commonplace.

Sounds good. So why did I decide not to buy new? I started having a problem when I considered spending $17,000 on a new Softail with a Milwaukee-Eight and immediately dumping $5,000 into the engine. That doesn't include any other upgrades or additions I might want to make.

That brings me to where I currently am, building a 32-year-old Harley. I opted to pass on the new H-D and do a frame-off restoration of my 1989 FXRS-SP I bought for $5,000 a few years back. Without getting into the weeds of the build, I am throwing a 124 ci S&S Twin Cam engine in it, a six-speed transmission, four-piston Performance Machine brakes, new suspension, converting wheel bearings from old Timkens to sealed bearings... you get the idea. In the end I'll have a bike that outperforms any stock late-model Harley and most modified versions and I'll have less money in it. And the cool factor is much higher than newer bikes. (Spare me any indignation over scoring cool-factor points at the local coffee shop or bike night. At some point all of us riding motorcycles do it at least a little for the cool factor.)

Old versus new, other kinds of bikes

I feel like the same argument can be made in the dirt segment, also. I'm definitely still a bit of a newb here and honestly of all the types of new bikes I'm likely to buy, a dirt bike is at the top of the list. But again, what's to be gained from breaking the bank on a new KTM 500 EXC-F when I probably can't ride to the full potential of my trusty 2008 Kawasaki KLX450R? Yeah, the lighter, more powerful, fuel-injected orange weapon has me reaching for my wallet, but is my riding experience going to be that much better? I could throw a few upgrades at the trusty green tractor and have plenty of cash left to use on more experiential things, like traveling to locations I've never ridden before, buying new gear or having some extra "refreshment" money.

Or here's maybe a better idea: pick up a used, clapped-out two-stroke on Facebook Marketplace and do a frame-off build. Again, the money spent would be less, I'd get the fun of the bike build and again with the cool factor. We can all agree there is a two-stroke cool factor, right?

Of course there are exceptions to every rule. I guess if you are a pro motocrosser or a competitive road racer you could make the case that having the latest technological advancements is necessary to keep pace with the rest of the field. Or is it?

Our own duo of Zack and Ari had a very interesting result testing a brand spanking new Ducati Panigale V4 S with all the bells and whistles against a freshened-up 2005 Suzuki GSX-R1000. In their particular case, you would have quite a stack of cash left over after investing in the 15-year-old Suzuki plus upgrades instead of laying out big dollars for the Italian Stallion.

The cool factor, in this case, may actually go to the more expensive, sexy Italian. Can't win 'em all, I guess.

At the end of the day, beauty is in the eye of the beer holder... er, checkbook holder. If you trade your bike in every year or two for the latest, two-wheeled model with all the farkles, that's great. All I'm suggesting is to give the older bikes a chance.

I'm not saying everyone should be looking to score Panheads and Shovelheads and expect them to work like a modern-day machine. But scoring a 10- or 15-year-old machine or keeping your old trusty workhorse at its best by decking it out with some improved suspension, maybe doing some engine work or freshening the paint will do two things: It will give you the feelings of accomplishment that come from working on your own machine and it will score you all the cool points at your local coffee shop.

And let's face it, we're all in this to be cool on some level.

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Should you buy a new motorcycle or fix up your old ride?

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We all think about it, most of us probably a few times a week, at least. Having a serious two-wheeled affliction myself, I think about it almost daily. The ever-present desire to buy a new bike. Maybe a shiny new model just released that has you contemplating shelling out serious coin for a new ride.

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According to a National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) review of data from the National Crime Information Centre (NCIC), 1,001,967 automobiles were stolen in 2022, implying that 1.9 vehicles are stolen per minute.

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Vehicle Theft Statistics by State — and Most Stolen Cars and Motorcycles

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Motor vehicle thefts are up 25.1% and motorcycle thefts are up 25.6% since 2019.

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The article demonstrates why motorcyclists consume less fuel than vehicles.

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Motorcycles consume less fuel than cars. You may think this is obvious, because they are smaller, weigh less and have smaller engines. But do they really? We are going to find out.

It isn't as simple as it sounds. Often we hear people complaining - or boasting - about a car that uses less fuel than a motorcycle. Well, if you compare the official type approval test figures of a Diesel car with the real-life figures of a big motorcycle, especially when that is used by a rider who likes to go fast, you shouldn't be surprised then when the bike 'beats' the car. However, when you compare you should do that with things that are comparable: apples with apples and oranges with oranges, not apples with oranges. And comparing apples with oranges is just what is being done all the time with motorcycles and cars. Even when you compare type approval test figures of cars with those of motorcycles you compare two different things, because there are big differences between the test cycles for cars and motorcycles. And even with the same test cycle there would be differences because of the different build, nature and use of the vehicles. Does this mean we cannot compare? No! Thanks to the German website www.spritmonitor.de we can.

On www.spritmonitor.de car drivers and motorcycle riders can, after registration and submitting details of their vehicle, enter information like mileage, fuel consumption, sort of use they make of the vehicle (mostly highways, urban, rural or mix) and even the use of winter tyres. Early March 2016 the database counted 524,869 vehicles of 367,429 users who entered 1,936,1874 updates of their fuel consumption. This makes the numbers very useable. In fact, the database is a gold mine for everybody who wants to know more about real life fuel consumption of cars and motorcycles. Interesting also are the list of least fuel consuming cars and motorcycles. The ICCT (International Council on Clean Transportation) used this database, amongst other databases, to investigate the gap between type approval test cycle figures and real world figures of fuel consumption by cars and marked it as very reliable. FEMA used this database to make a realistic comparison of the fuel consumption of cars and motorcycles.

There are several ways to select cars and motorcycles to compare with each other. You can look at size, engine capacity, price, weight, type of vehicle, etc. The first two or three choices aren't too difficult, but sooner or later questions arise, about the comparability, about relevance (how many are sold, ride around?), about actuality (is it still in production, if not how long is it out production?). We decided not to go there, but to focus on the ten best sold cars and motorcycles in Europe in 2015. From the ten best sold cars we took both the petrol and the Diesel version and we looked at the fuel consumption as registered in Spritmonitor.de.
The 10 best sold motorcycles were:

1. BMW R1200GS

2. Yamaha MT07

3. Peugeot Kisbee 50

4. Honda SH150AD

5. Yamaha X-Max 400

6. Yamaha MT09

7. Piaggio Zip 50 2T (China)

8. BMW R1200RT

9. Honda SH300

10. Kawasaki Z800

The 10 best sold cars were:

1. Volkswagen Golf

2. Ford Fiesta

3. Renault Clio

4. Volkswagen Polo

5. Opel Corsa

6. Ford Focus

7. Nissan Qashqai

8. Peugeot 208

9. Volkswagen Passat

10. Peugeot 308

In the graphic you will not see the brands and types of the vehicles, because it isn't about the brands and types themselves, it's just about the ten best sold. The motorcycles use between 2,8 and 5,7 litres fuel per 100 kilometres with an average of 4,4 l/100km. The petrol cars used between 6,5 and 9,1 l/100km with an average of 7,6 l/100km and the Diesel cars used between 4,9 and 6,6 l/100km with an average of 5,6 l/100km.

In real-life the motorbike uses over 1 l/100km less than a Diesel car and over 3 l/100km less than petrol cars. Because fuel consumption and the emission of carbon dioxide (CO2) are related, motorbikes have also less CO2 emission.

CO2 is one of the greenhouse gasses and is therefore seen as an important contributor to the climate change. This does not say anything about other emissions. According to a study from the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission in 2013 motorcycles in general have a, compared to cars, high emission of carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrocarbons (HC).

However, motorcycles have, certainly compared to Diesel cars, a low emission of nitrogen oxides (NOx), which is seen as the most dangerous polluting exhaust emission at the moment. The motorcycles that were sold in 2015 all had to comply to the Euro 3 standards for motorcycles. The new types that have received type approval this year have to comply to the Euro 4 standards for motorcycles.

From 2017 all new sold motorcycles will have to comply to these Euro 4 standards. The Euro standards for motorcycles should not be confused with the Euro standards for cars and cannot be compared with each other, because of different values, different test cycles and completely different vehicles. The present standard for cars is Euro 6, which is implemented in September 2014. For motorcycles the present standard is Euro 4, which is implemented in January 2016.

Written by Dolf Willigers

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Yes, motorcycles use less fuel than cars, here's the proof

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Motorcycles consume less fuel than cars. You may think this is obvious, because they are smaller, weigh less and have smaller engines. But do they really? We are going to find out. It isn't as simple as it sounds. Often we hear people complaining - or boasting - about a car that uses less fuel than a motorcycle.

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This video shows the most risky part of riding a motorcycle, the streets. Through this video, I discovered that integrating car drivers into the motorbike equation is the most risky component of riding since they don't notice the motorcycle rider.

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Riding a motorcycle in TRAFFIC for the FIRST TIME! | Learn to Ride a MOTORCYCLE Series - Ep 05

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Touring bikes are particularly supposed to thrive at long distances.

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Off-road motorcycles, often known as dirt bikes or scramblers, are motorbikes that are specifically developed for off-road use.

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Sport bikes are road bikes that emphasize highest speed, acceleration, braking, handling, and grip over comfort and fuel efficiency when compared to other motorcycle classes.

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This video tells about the history of making motorcycles according to the times

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The History of Motorcycles | Part 1 | This is how it all began

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Dual-purpose bikes, commonly referred to as dual-sport, on/off-road, or adventure motorcycles, are road-legal vehicles with an off-road capability.

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Cruiser bike was patterned after American motorcycles built from the 1930s through the early 1960s, such as those made by Harley-Davidson, Indian, and Excelsior-Henderson.