76-531: The Vincent Rapide is a line of standard motorcycles designed and built by the Vincent HRD motorcycle company at their works in Great North Road, Stevenage , Hertfordshire , England. The model debuted in 1936 and was built until 1939. Production resumed in 1946 and ended in 1955. Four major versions were built, labelled Series A through D (The Series D designation was never officially used by
152-439: A Harley-Davidson or other cruisers with full sets of saddlebags. This can now refer to any touring motorcycle. Sport bikes are road bikes that emphasize top speed, acceleration, braking, handling and grip, typically at the expense of comfort and fuel economy in comparison to other motorcycle types. Sport bikes have comparatively high performance engines supported within a lightweight frame. Inline-four engines dominate
228-459: A Series B Black Shadow. Types of motorcycles#Standard In the market, there is a wide variety of types of motorcycles , each with unique characteristics and features. Models vary according to the specific needs of each user, such as standard , cruiser , touring , sports , off-road , dual-purpose , scooters , etc. Often, some types like sport touring are considered as an additional category or integrated with touring . There
304-480: A bicycle drivetrain, and motive power can be supplied by the engine, the rider, or both. There are also Sport mopeds – a type of moped that resembles a sport bike . In many places, mopeds are subject to less stringent licensing than bikes with larger engines and are popular as very cheap motorbikes, with the pedals seeing next to no use. Mopeds were very popular in the United States during the fuel-crisis of
380-415: A combination of castings and sheet-metal stampings". Single-piece carbon fiber bicycle frames are sometimes described as monocoques; however as most use components to form a frame structure (even if molded in a single piece), these are frames not monocoques, and the pedal-cycle industry continues to refer to them as framesets. If a "monocoque" frame uses additional support, such as tubes or longerons,
456-782: A dirt bike chassis, they have added lights, mirrors, signals, and instruments that allow them to be licensed for public roads. They are higher than other street bikes, with a high center of gravity and tall seat height, allowing good suspension travel for rough ground. Adventure motorcycles (ADV) are motorcycles with touring capability on paved and unpaved roads. As a dual-sport they have a significant on-pavement bias and perform well on pavement at higher speeds unlike most dual-sports. Their size, weight and sometimes their tires, however, limits their off-road capability. Most adventure motorcycles function well on graded dirt and gravel roads but are less than ideal on more difficult off-pavement terrain. Supermoto motorcycles were designed to compete on
532-428: A higher-displacement engine, ranging from 400cc to 850cc (24.5−51.9 cu in), and superior performance, designed for covering long distances at high speeds. However, their considerably greater weight and lower agility make them suitable for use in the city or on highways. A scooter is considered to fall into the mega-scooter category when its displacement exceeds 400cc. Underbones are small-displacement motorcycles with
608-472: A relaxed, upright seating position. Passenger accommodation is excellent and expansive luggage space is the norm for this class. Such bikes can have wet weights of 850–900 lb (390–410 kg) and top 1,300–1,400 lb (590–640 kg) fully loaded with a rider, passenger and gear. Bagger , full dresser , full dress tourer , or dresser are various names for touring motorcycles, sometimes used disparagingly or jocularly, and originally referring to
684-594: A river, mud or snow. These types of terrain can sometimes only be travelled on with vehicles designed for off-road driving (such as SUVs , ATVs , snowmobiles and mountain bikes in recent decades, and minibikes even earlier) or vehicles are designed to better handle off-road conditions. Compared to road-going motorcycles, off-road machines are lighter and more flexible, typically having long suspension travel , high ground clearance, and are geared higher to provide more torque in off-road situations. Wheels (usually 21" front, 18" rear) have knobby tires , often clamped to
760-1241: A seat, and a flat foot platform, allowing the rider to maintain an upright posture without straddling the engine. This configuration not only enhances rider comfort but also contributes to fuel efficiency . Currently, three main types of scooters are recognized, each with its own characteristics and applications: Standard scooter: This type of scooter is ideal for urban mobility due to its ease of handling and parking. They are lightweight, comfortable, and agile vehicles, perfect for navigating through dense city traffic. Their wheels are usually smaller than those of conventional motorcycles, with diameters ranging from 12 to 15 inches (30.5−38 cm), and they have an engine displacement ranging from 50cc to 150cc (3.1−9.2 cu in). Maxi-scooter: Maxi-scooters are equipped with high-displacement engines, ranging from 125cc to 250cc (7.7–15.3 cu in), designed for covering long distances at high speeds. Although they are heavier and less agile than standard scooters, they are commonly used in cities and suburbs due to their larger fuel tank capacity and larger wheels, which can reach 15 or even 16 inches (38.1−40.7 cm). Mega-scooter: also known as touring scooters , like maxi-scooters, mega-scooters feature
836-446: A side stand. The final wheelbase was 58 in (1,473 mm) and dry weight was 430 lb (195.0 kg). The engine was an air-cooled 47° V-twin with overhead valves operated by rocker arms and short pushrods driven by two camshafts mounted high in the engine's timing case. With a bore of 84 mm and stroke of 90 mm, total displacement was 998 cc (60.9 cu in). These measurements would not change throughout
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#1732801047965912-571: A sidecar was attached. The replacement was a new Vincent design called the Girdraulic fork. The Girdraulic fork was similar in principle to the girder fork. The lower blade was of forged steel, while the upper blade was of heat-treated alloy (L40 or RR56) forged by the Bristol Aircraft Company. The forks pivoted on spindles of ground 40 ton steel. Long coil springs ran beside each blade from the fork ends to eccentric members in
988-527: A single course that alternated between three genres of motorcycle racing : road racing , track racing , and motocross . This increasingly popular type of motorcycle is often a dual-sport that has been fitted by the manufacturer with smaller rims and road tires. Supermotos are quickly gaining popularity as street bikes due to their combination of light weight, durability, relatively low cost, and sporty handling. Sport touring motorcycles combine attributes of sport bikes and touring motorcycles. The rider posture
1064-413: A single spine beneath the tank. Also called beam or twin spar , two beams wrap around the engine to join the steering head and swing arm in the shortest distance possible for better rigidity. Beams are usually made of pressed metal (steel/aluminium). The trellis frame employs the same concept but uses welded members to form a trellis instead of pressed metal. Antonio Cobas is credited with pioneering
1140-558: A single, sprocket-side rear brake. The drum was of ribbed cast iron. Tire sizes grew, being fitted with 3.50-19in front and 4.00-18in rear wheel sizes instead of the 3.00-20in front and 3.50-19in rear tyres standard for Series B and C bikes. Series D electrics were provided by Lucas A coil ignition system was also fitted. The Rapide line ended in December 1955, after which Vincent stopped all motorcycle production. Notes: The John Edgar/Rollie Free/Bathing Suit Bike 1B/900 began life as
1216-434: A step-through frame, descendants of the original Honda Super Cub . They are differentiated from scooters by their larger wheels and their use of footpegs instead of a floorboard. They often have a gear shifter with an automatic clutch. The moped used to be a hybrid of the bicycle and the motorcycle, equipped with a small engine (usually a small two-stroke engine up to 50 cc, but occasionally an electric motor ) and
1292-418: A stressed member engine. During early testing of the 1983 Kawasaki GPZ900R , twin downtubes were included, creating a full cradle, but the downtubes were found to carry little load, so they were removed, relying entirely on the combination of the steel backbone and engine for chassis rigidity. BMW 's R1100 series twins of 1994 relieved the frame of stress entirely, with the engine carrying the total load from
1368-424: A strong, lightweight structure that simplifies placement of engine and components, and gives good access for maintenance. Although construction of a trellis frame needs a more complicated process than, say, an alloy beam frame, it requires only a simple jig and a competent welder. No heavy capital outlay is required, so a trellis frame is ideal for a model that may be made in relatively small numbers. For this reason,
1444-591: A type of cruiser, so called because they are a "chopped", or cut-down, version of a production cruiser. Choppers are usually custom projects that result in a bike modified to suit the owner's ideals, and, as such, are a source of pride and accomplishment. Stereotypically, a chopper may have raked-out forks, small fuel tanks and high handlebars. Choppers were popularised in the Peter Fonda film Easy Rider . Being designed primarily for visual effect, choppers will rarely be suitable for lengthy cruising. Related to
1520-429: Is pressed or stamped from sheet metal to form a car-type semi- monocoque . One of the earliest examples was the 965cc motorcycle produced by Louis Janoir in 1920, which used pressed steel for the frame, rear swinging arm, and the front forks. The frame may be entirely pressed (Ariel Arrow), or may have just a pressed aft section connected to the steering head by a conventional steel tubular spine (Honda Super Cub). Both
1596-437: Is a motorcycle 's core structure. It supports the engine, provides a location for the steering and rear suspension , and supports the rider and any passenger or luggage. Also attached to the frame are the fuel tank and battery. At the front of the frame is found the steering head tube that holds the pivoting front fork , while at the rear there is a pivot point for the swingarm suspension motion. Some motorcycles include
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#17328010479651672-400: Is a motorized bicycle used for motor-paced cycling events. While motorcycles typically have two wheels, some motorized tricycles are classed as three-wheeled motorcycles. Some brands have made various types of three-wheelers direct from the factory. Most of these vehicles are treated as motorcycles for registration or licensing purposes. Tilting three-wheelers keep all three wheels on
1748-470: Is less extreme than a sport bike, giving greater long-distance comfort. Accommodation for a passenger is superior to a sport bike as well, along with increased luggage capacity. Being lighter, at 550–720 lb (250–330 kg) wet, than a pure touring bike and often having racier engines, suspensions, and brakes, sport tourers corner better and are more at home being aggressively ridden on curvy canyon roads. The distinction between touring and sport touring
1824-556: Is no single ideal frame design, and designers must make an informed decision of the optimum choice. In Europe and the USA, steel tubing was the default material until recent times. All the major manufacturers (AJS, Ariel, BSA, Matchless, Norton, Sunbeam, Triumph, Velocette, BMW, DKW, Ducati, Moto-Guzzi, Harley-Davidson and Indian) used steel tubing. Unlike the development seen in bicycle frames where tubular steel frames were succeeded by frames welded out of round or ovalized aluminium tubing,
1900-414: Is no universal system for classifying all types of motorcycles. However, some authors argue that there are generally six categories recognized by most motorcycle manufacturers and organizations, making clear distinctions between these six main types and other motorcycles. For example, scooters, mopeds, underbones, minibikes, pocket bikes, electric bikes, and three-wheeled motorcycles are often excluded from
1976-545: Is not always clear as some manufacturers will list the same bike in either category in different markets. The Honda ST1300 Pan-European , for example, was listed by Honda as a sport touring motorcycle in the United States and Australia, but as a touring motorcycle in Europe. Scooters are a type of motorcycles distinguished by their continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) and distinctive design. Unlike traditional motorcycles, scooters feature an open frame structure,
2052-416: Is suspended from a single spine. Spine could be a solid structure. The motorcycle engine is held in a single cradle with a single spine. Examples The motorcycle engine is held in a double cradle with a single spine and single downtube. The motorcycle engine is held in place within a pair of separate cradles. The Norton Featherbed frame was the classic example, but many "duplex" frames actually have
2128-454: The Series D designation was never officially used by the factory, the extensive differences between these bikes and the Series C Rapides have earned them their own classification. The Series D used a modified RFM with relocated spring box lugs and a new single Armstrong spring/damper unit that increased suspension travel by 30% to a full 6 in (152 mm). The previous box-section UFM
2204-533: The ambulance , blood bikes , fire , and military services, and for specialized delivery services, such as pizza deliveries . Beginning in the 1960s with the Mountain Goat specialized motorcycles were developed for use on farms. The Motocrotte (or cainette ) was used in Paris to collect dog waste with vacuum suction in the 1980s and 1990s, and was still in use in other French cities as of 2016. A derny
2280-582: The minibike , monkey bike , Welbike , pocketbike , and pit bike . Enclosed motorcycles include cabin motorcycles and streamliner motorcycles . Feet forwards motorcycles include the 1911 Wilkinson TMC and the 1918 Ner-A-Car . Contemporary examples include the Quasar , powered by a Reliant Robin engine, and the Peraves range powered mainly by BMW K Series engines. Some motorcycles are specially adapted for specific job functions, such as those used by
2356-499: The 1930s to the early 1960s, such as those made by Harley-Davidson , Indian , and Excelsior-Henderson . Harley-Davidsons largely define the cruiser category, and large- displacement V-twin engines are the norm, although other engine configurations and small to medium displacements also exist. Their engines are tuned for low-end torque, making them less demanding to ride because it is not necessary to shift as frequently to accelerate or maintain control. The riding position places
Vincent Rapide - Misplaced Pages Continue
2432-492: The Aero-D One, featuring a composite monocoque chassis that weighed only 12 kg (26 lb). An aluminium monocoque frame was used for the first time on a mass-produced motorcycle from 2000 on Kawasaki's ZX-12R , their flagship production sportbike aimed at being the fastest production motorcycle . It was described by Cycle World in 2000 as a "monocoque backbone...a single large diameter beam" and "Fabricated from
2508-534: The Super Cub and the Arrow also have pressed steel forks, instead of conventional telescopic forks . More common in the car world, a monocoque frame comprises a structure where loads are supported through its external skin. On motorcycles they are used almost exclusively on racing motorcycles. French industrialist and engineer Georges Roy attempted in the 1920s to improve on the bicycle-inspired motorcycle frames of
2584-530: The V-twin engine. The bike's frame was a version of the brazed-lug-and-steel-tube diamond frame used by the Comet , but lengthened to accommodate the longer V-twin engine. The rear suspension was based on the cantilever system patented by Phil Vincent while at Cambridge. Comprising a rear frame member (RFM) of two upright triangular arms pivoting at the bottom of the frame and attached to two spring boxes and damper at
2660-591: The aluminium in motorcycle frames is almost exclusively welded in more angular forms, and often forming a monocoque frame. In 1983, Armstrong motorcycles produced a 250cc Grand Prix motorcycle using a revolutionary carbon fiber frame. Following the technology being used by the Formula One industry, Armstrong designers Mike Eatough and Barry Hart created the first motorcycle using a carbon fiber frame to compete in Grand Prix racing. The motorcycle engine
2736-461: The bike went into production in 1946. Unit construction allowed Vincent to combine the engine and gearbox into a single casing. Philip Vincent summarised his frame design philosophy in his memoirs, writing "What isn't present takes up no space, cannot bend, and weighs nothing — so eliminate the frame tubes!" The angle between the cylinders was changed from the 47° of the Series A engine to 50° to allow
2812-411: The bolt-on footboards for mechanical access. A monocoque-framed motorcycle was developed by Spanish manufacturer Ossa for the 1967 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season . Although the single-cylinder Ossa had 20 horsepower (15 kW) less than its rivals, it was 45 pounds (20 kg) lighter and its monocoque frame was much stiffer than conventional motorcycle frames, giving it superior agility on
2888-603: The bottom links. Jounce and rebound were controlled by a centre-mounted hydraulic damper. During the Korean War nickel chrome steel was officially regulated, meaning the correct materials for some components (e.g. gears) was not available. Some motorcycles built during this period had black rims. The company discontinued use of the HRD monogram in 1950. The logo now simply read The Vincent . Cast parts had "Vincent" in raised letters. The "Series D Rapide" appeared in 1954. While
2964-909: The chopper motorcycle is the bobber , a solo bike which is created by "bobbing" a factory bike by removing superfluous weight and bodywork from a motorcycle to reduce mass and increase performance. A common element of these motorcycles is a shortened rear fender that creates a "bobbed" look. Power cruiser is a name used to distinguish bikes in the cruiser class that have significantly greater levels of power. They typically have with upgraded brakes and suspensions, better ground clearance, and premium surface finishes, as well as more exotic or non-traditional styling. Although any motorcycle can be equipped and used for touring, touring motorcycles are specifically designed to excel at covering long distances. They have large-displacement engines, fairings and screens that offer good weather and wind protection, large-capacity fuel tanks for long ranges between fill-ups, and
3040-487: The day, which lacked rigidity. This limited their handling and therefore performance. He applied for a patent in 1926, and at the 1929 Paris Automotive Show unveiled his new motorcycle, the Art-Deco styled 1930 Majestic. Its new type of monocoque body solved the problems he had addressed, and along with better rigidity it did double-duty, as frame and bodywork provided some protection from the elements. Strictly considered, it
3116-639: The engine as a load-bearing stressed member; while some other bikes do not use a single frame, but instead have a front and a rear subframe attached to the engine. In the early days, motorcycles were little more than motorised bicycles , and consequently frames were tubular steel . While the use of steel tubing is still common, in modern times other materials, such as titanium , aluminium , magnesium , and carbon-fibre , along with composites of these materials, are now used. As different motorcycles have varying design parameters (such as cost, complexity, weight distribution , stiffness, power output and speed), there
Vincent Rapide - Misplaced Pages Continue
3192-411: The engine to be installed as a stressed member . This enabled Vincent to reduce the frame to an upper frame member (UFM) that was a steel box-section backbone that doubled as an oil tank, and to which the front headlug and rear suspension were attached. The engine's oil supply lines were now internal, and the engine used an inline felt oil filter instead of the metal gauze of the Series A. The transmission
3268-469: The engine's production life. The air/fuel mixture was delivered by two Amal 1 1/16" carburettors. Lubrication was by a dry sump system that used an external gear-type oil pump running at one-quarter engine speed to supply oil to the big ends and outer camshaft bushes. Four external 5" long pipes delivered oil to the rocker bushes and rear of each cylinder. With a 6.8:1 compression ratio, the Series A engine produced 45 hp (34 kW) @ 5500 rpm, and
3344-438: The engine, along with windscreens that effectively deflect the air at high speeds away from the rider, thereby minimising overall drag. Sport bikes may have footpegs that are both higher and set further back than on a standard bike, improving ground clearance when cornering and enabling a more prone position for the rider. There may be a long reach to the hand controls, which positions the body and center of gravity forward, above
3420-437: The existing jigs. When company owner Phil Vincent saw the drawing he was immediately enthusiastic, and a few weeks later the first Vincent thousand had been made, with Meteor upper engine parts mounted on new a crankcase. This first Vincent V-twin engine was installed in a frame originally built for a record attempt by Eric Fernihough , who no longer required it. The Series A Rapide was the first production Vincent to receive
3496-529: The factory). Whilst working in his office at Stevenage in 1936, designer Phil Irving noticed two drawings of the Vincent HRD engine laying on top of each other in a "V" formation. Irving realised that the 23½° rearward set of the engine's idler would allow a 1-litre 47° V-twin engine to be built using the same cylinders, heads and valve gear as the Vincent single. The new crankcase could even be built on
3572-590: The fairings removed and higher handlebars replacing the low clip-on handlebars. Since the 1990s, factory streetfighters have been produced. As with naked bike and muscle bike (below), the name streetfighter is used to help clarify the middle ground occupied by designs that blend elements of both sport bikes and standards. Off-road motorcycles , also known as dirt bikes or scramblers , specially designed for off-road use. The term off-road refers to driving surfaces that are not conventionally paved. These are rough surfaces, often created naturally, such as sand, gravel,
3648-443: The feet forward and the hands are up relatively high, so that the spine is erect or leaning back slightly. At low to moderate speeds, cruisers are more comfortable than other styles, but riding for long periods at freeway speeds can lead to fatigue from pulling back on the handlebars to resist the force of the wind against the rider's chest. Cruisers have limited cornering ability due to a lack of ground clearance. Choppers are
3724-477: The frame is more properly called a "semi-monocoque". An example is Peter Williams' semi-monocoque Norton racer. A trellis frame connects the steering head to the swingarm pivot as directly as possible using metal tube arranged in triangulated reinforcement. Using lattice girder principles, a trellis frame is typically constructed of round or oval section metal tubular segments that are welded or brazed together. A well-designed trellis frame should provide
3800-406: The frame, as a flexible frame acts as a spring to absorb some loads. In the 21st century, advances like high power engines driving high traction tires, and better-performing suspension components, especially forks, led to a situation where designs with increased overall frame stiffness were made available to consumers. Analysts differ on whether infinite lateral stiffness is desirable, or whether
3876-401: The frame. It also becomes possible to mount the swingarm directly to the engine rather than the frame, avoiding the need for frame members extending downward to the swingarm pivot. By increasing the number of mounting points between the engine and frame, vibrations and stress can be better dissipated in the frame, typically creating a triangle between the swingarm in the rear, the cylinder head at
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#17328010479653952-523: The front Telelever fork to the rear Monolever . Frame stiffness is a problem for motorcycle designers, as it was for the bicycle frames that motorcycles are descendants of. Modifying the stiffness of a factory-produced frame can be undertaken to improve handling characteristics. This is often done by triangulating the factory frame. Triangulation is a technique used in many engineering applications to stiffen structures. However doing so can also have undesirable effects if it overloads other parts of
4028-476: The fuel tank. The rider leans forward into the wind, the force of which may support the rider's weight at high speeds. However, at lower speeds a rider may experience excessive weight on the arms and wrists, causing fatigue. Muscle bike is a nickname for a motorcycle type, derived from a sport bike design, that puts a disproportionately high priority on engine power. Streetfighters are derived from sport bikes, originally being customized sport bikes with
4104-504: The ground when they lean to negotiate curves. These include Honda's Gyro range, all of which have a front wheel that leans and a pair of rear wheels that do not, and the Piaggio MP3 , which has two front wheels and a single rear wheel, all of which lean. The Yamaha Niken is also a tilting three wheeler but has smaller track width such that it is considered a motorcycle by some authorities. Stressed member A motorcycle frame
4180-464: The late 1970s and early 1980s, but their popularity has fallen off sharply since the mid-1980s. In response to rising fuel prices in the first decade of the 2000s, U.S. scooter and moped ridership saw a resurgence. Sales of motorcycles and scooters declined 43.2% in 2009, and continued to decrease in the first quarter of 2010, with scooter sales doing worst, down 13.3% compared to a 4.6% drop for all two-wheelers. Other types of small motorcycles include
4256-433: The load between the engine and frame reduces the overall weight of the motorcycle. Stressed member engines were pioneered at least as early as the 1916 Harley-Davidson 8-valve racer, and incorporated in the production Harley-Davidson Model W by 1919. This was called a keystone, or diamond, frame. The 1946 Vincent Series B Rapide was designed with an advanced chassis, termed a "tour de force for its day," that included
4332-518: The main categories within these classifications, but other classification schemes may also include these types of motorcycles. Nevertheless, there are strict classification systems enforced by competitive motorcycle sport sanctioning bodies, or legal definitions of a motorcycle established by certain legal jurisdictions for motorcycle registration , emissions , road traffic safety rules or motorcyclist licensing . There are also informal classifications or nicknames used by manufacturers, riders, and
4408-492: The market. Standard motorcycles (also called roadsters , or naked bikes ) are street motorcycles that conform to a stereotypical image of a motorcycle, with an exposed engine and fuel tank above it. Standard bikes typically have neither fairings nor windscreens as OEM attachments (hence the modern usage naked bikes ). With handlebars that are set neither high nor low, and footpegs placed neither forward nor "rear-set", standards give an upright rider posture (in-between
4484-413: The modern, aluminum perimeter frame chassis now used on many modern racing and production motorcycles. In 1982, Cobas developed a stronger and lighter aluminum twin-beam chassis to replace the steel backbone frames. The technology was copied by major motorcycle manufacturers and by the 1990s, all the major racing teams in Grand Prix competition used the aluminum frame design pioneered by Cobas. The frame
4560-698: The motorcycling media. Some experts do not recognize sub-types, like naked bike, that "purport to be classified" outside the usual classes, because they fit within one of the main types and are recognizable only by cosmetic changes. Street motorcycles are motorcycles designed for being ridden on paved roads. They have smooth tires with tread patterns and engines generally in the 125 cc (7.6 cu in) and over range. Typically, street motorcycles are capable of speeds up to 100 mph (160 km/h), and many of speeds in excess of 125 mph (201 km/h). Street motorcycles powered by electric motors are becoming more common, with firms like Harley-Davidson entering
4636-467: The racetrack. Ossa won four Grands Prix races with the monocoque bike before their rider died after a crash during the 250 cc event at the 1970 Isle of Man TT , causing the Ossa factory to withdraw from Grand Prix competition. Notable designers such as Eric Offenstadt and Dan Hanebrink created unique monocoque designs for racing in the early 1970s. The F750 event at the 1973 Isle of Man TT races
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#17328010479654712-422: The rest of the machine. This strategy means the engine contributes little to frame stiffness, and absorbing rather than dissipating vibration can lead to stress damage to the frame, exhaust pipes, and other parts. Instead, if the engine is rigidly mounted to the frame, vibrations pass to and are dissipated via the whole frame, and the rider. Rigid mounting allows the engine to contribute to the overall stiffness of
4788-405: The rim with a rim lock . Many competitive events have emerged and developed into a variety of off-road motorcycle sports , for which a number of specialized motorcycles have been built: Dual-purpose motorcycles , sometimes called dual-sport, on/off-road motorcycles, or adventure motorcycles, are street legal machines that are also designed to enter off-road situations. Typically based on
4864-490: The semi-recumbent cruiser and the forward crouch of a sport bike). A standard's relationship between footpegs, handlebars and seat gives the rider a comfortable and natural posture. The comfort, ease of control, and safety of standard bikes means that beginner motorcyclists inevitably learn on standard motorcycles; and many experienced riders choose to continue riding this motorcycle type. Cruiser motorcycles (or simply cruisers ) are styled after American motorcycles from
4940-435: The sport bike category, with V-twins and parallel twins having a significant presence; and most other engine configurations appear in small numbers at times. High-performance braking systems may use upgraded brake pads, multi-piston calipers and larger vented rotors. Sports bike suspension systems may be more sophisticated, with greater adjustments for compression and rebound. Sport bikes have fairings to completely enclose
5016-472: The throttle fully until the clutch was fully engaged. The Rapide was first shown at the 1936 Motorcycle show at Olympia. It quickly earned two sobriquets. Bill Clarke nicknamed it `The Snarling Beast’ and a reporter struck by the mass of external pipework dubbed it `the plumber’s nightmare’. The bike was listed for sale at £142. Production of the Series A Rapide ended in 1939. Design of a radically revised Series B Rapide took place during World War II , and
5092-415: The top and the lower crankcase area at the front. If a rigidly mounted engine not only contributes to, but is critical to, the stiffness of the frame, and is an integral part of closing the triangle or trellis structure that transfers force from the headstock to the swingarm, to the point that without the engine the frame would be deformed, the engine is called a stressed member , or a lifted engine . Sharing
5168-532: The top, this system had been used on all Vincents from the first Vincent Special prototype built in 1927. Front suspension was the same friction-damped Brampton girder fork used on the Vincent singles. The larger engine intruded into the space previously occupied by the oil tank, so the Series A Rapide received a petrol tank with two fillers – one for petrol and one for oil as the tank was made to serve double duty. Brakes were dual 7-inch (180 mm) single-leading shoe (SLS), front and rear. The bike came equipped with
5244-508: The trellis frame has found favour with European manufacturers, and Ducati in particular. Some motorcycles, such as the Yamaha TRX850 , have hybrid frames that employ alloy castings at the swingarm pivot area. Another variation is to suspend the engine from a trellis frame, but have the swingarm pivot cast into the rear of the engine. For rider comfort, a motorcycle's engine can be mounted on rubber bushings to isolate vibration from
5320-515: Was a Vincent design. The 56.5-inch (1,440 mm) wheelbase was 1.5 in (38 mm) shorter than the Series A, and its dimensions were closer to contemporary 500 cc bikes. The front and rear suspensions were unchanged, being a Brampton girder fork at the front and a cantilever system at the rear, although a hydraulic shock absorber and spring assembly later replaced the original twin springboxes and friction damper. Brakes remained dual single-leading shoes (SLS), front and rear. The rear seat
5396-404: Was capable of 110 mph (177.0 km/h). As was the case with the Vincent singles, the transmission in the Series A was a separate 4-speed unit supplied by Burman with a triplex chain primary drive, but with heavy-duty internals and a different wet multiplate clutch. Even with these changes the transmission was unable to cope with the output of the big V-twin. Riders were advised to not open
5472-489: Was hinged to facilitate the removal of the rear wheel. The 1948 Series C Rapide differed from the Series B primarily in its front suspension. By this time Vincent believed that the Brampton fork had outlived its value, but they had resisted adopting the increasingly common telescopic forks, feeling that they were not sufficiently rigid in torsion, did not offer enough adjustment, and did not handle well when ridden hard when
5548-437: Was more of a semi-monocoque, as it used a box-section, pressed-steel frame with twin side rails riveted together via crossmembers, along with floor pans and rear and front bulkheads. A Piatti light scooter was produced in the 1950s using a monocoque hollow shell of sheet-steel pressings welded together, into which the engine and transmission were installed from underneath. The machine could be tipped onto its side, resting on
5624-408: Was replaced by a simple tube with brazed lugs at each end bolted to a slightly modified version of the Series C malleable steering head casting. This revised UFM did not carry any oil, and so a separate tank was added. A change of the rear subframe brought a new seat support, which freed the passenger footpegs from the swingarm-connected-seat struts of the Series B and C models. The Series D had only
5700-510: Was supported by a sub-frame down to the rear frame pivot point, providing a semi-sprung seat with 6 inches (150 mm) of suspension. The Series B had a Feridax Dunlopillo Dualseat, and a tool tray under the front. Vincent used quickly detachable wheels, making wheel and tyre changes easier. The rear wheel was reversible, and different size rear sprockets could be fitted for quick final-drive ratio changes. The brake and gear shift were adjustable for reach to suit individual feet. The rear mud guard
5776-509: Was won by Peter Williams on the monocoque-framed John Player Special that he helped to design based on Norton Commando . Honda also experimented with the NR500 , a monocoque Grand Prix racing motorcycle in 1979 . The bike had other innovative features, including an engine with oval shaped cylinders, and eventually succumbed to the problems associated with attempting to develop too many new technologies at once. In 1987 John Britten developed
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