The Main Motorcycle Types Every Rider Should Know – SlashGear

Standard bikes are what you might think of when you hear the word motorcycle. Characterized by comfortable seating, footpeg position, and neutral riding stance, the standard bike is a bit of a do-it-all machine. They’re not made for speed, but the neutral footpeg location and controls accommodates an aggressive rider when necessary. 

Likewise, standard bikes like the Triumph Bonneville are not made for the long haul, but they’re comfortable enough that you can do a long journey on one if you need to. True to the motorcycle culture, standard bikes are ripe for modification. Standard bikes are commonly converted into naked café racers and scramblers, either by manufacturers or after the fact by owners.

A café racer, like Royal Enfield’s Continental GT 650, is basically a standard bike that has been stripped of all excess components and modified to suit a more aggressive riding position — all in the name of speed. Traditional café racers feature clip-on handlebars instead of the regular bars found on a standard bike, and rear-set footpegs. Both of these modifications encourage a rider to lean forward, placing more weight on the front wheel, allowing for more aggressive riding and more control over the motorcycle at speed.

Scramblers, on the other hand, take things in the opposite direction, but get similar parts. Instead of modifications aimed at on-road performance, the typical scrambler is a standard bike that’s been modified for off-road use. The addition of knobby tires and tall handlebars, as well as the removal of excess weight, all aim to make a standard bike handle better in the dirt. Most scramblers will also feature re-routed exhausts and an engine guard to better handle harsh impacts on rocks and the like.