Ride On: The Ultimate Guide To The Different Types Of Motorcycles

Ever since the first motorcycle was introduced towards the tail-end of the 1800s, bikes have slowly but steadily progressed and evolved as manufacturers attempt to deliver ever-more-specific genres of two-wheeler, each of which is built to take on a different purpose, riding style, or application. And while the  Motorcycle Safety Foundation may only officially recognize three distinct types of bike, the reality is that there’s more than a dozen different styles and sub-genres that comprise the current moto landscape. To help simplify this seemingly complex space, we’re breaking down the modern motorcycle sector to deliver our ultimate guide to motorcycle types. 

Strengths & Shortcomings: A Foreword On Types Of Motorcycles

Today’s motorcycle space is as robust as it is diverse. Before diving into our break-down of each genre, we felt it important to touch on a few key areas that are worth keeping in mind while reading this guide. For starters, there is no such thing as “the perfect bike” or “the best bike,” but rather bikes that lend themselves to specific applications or uses. This is because all motorized two-wheelers feature their own respective strengths and weaknesses that often involve a bit of a trade-off or balancing act. 

For example, larger, heavier sleds will be markedly more stable at freeway speeds and will typically be incredibly conducive to touring. The ample weight and extended wheelbase that affords these bike’s their stability does, however, come at the cost of being less nimble and less maneuverable — especially at lower speeds — when compared to lighter small displacement bikes. As such, when shopping for a new motorcycle, your jumping off point should be considering your intended use(s) and riding style, as this should massively narrow down your search. 

Adventure Bike

Like the genre’s monicker suggests, modern adventure motorcycles are engineered from the ground up specifically for long-range travel — whether on road or off. Perfect for carrying a passenger, ADV bikes are often outfitted with luggage and off-road upgrades to bolster their go-anywhere capabilities. Extremely stable at freeway speeds, adventure bikes are often on the heavier side — especially when of the big-bore variety. The overall durability and versatility of these motorcycles has made ADV bikes one of the most popular genres of two-wheelers in recent years. 

Bagger

Bagger motorcycles are a sub-genre of cruisers. Also referred to as “dressers,” baggers are essentially stretched, low-stance cruiser bikes that have been bestowed with a suite of factory-installed hard luggage and — more often than not — a large front fairing. These modifications make bagger motorcycles perfect for long-range on-road travel. What’s more, baggers are often some of the best-appointed bikes currently in production, and it’s not uncommon to see bagger models that feature onboard stereos, infotainment displays, heated seats, and other amenities and creature comforts typically reserved for cars. 

Chopper

Moving on to another sub-genre of cruiser bikes, we have the chopper. Popularized by the film Easy Rider, choppers are a custom style of stripped down cruiser that are instantly recognizable thanks to their small tank and long, stretched, and thoroughly raked fork — and generally rough nature. While the vast majority of choppers are custom builds, there are some production choppers that occasionally pop up on the market like the Honda Fury and Cleveland Cycle Werks Heist. 

Cruiser

Uniquely American in nature, cruiser motorcycles are an incredibly popular style of bike characterized by their retro styling, leaned back riding position, and low stance. These properties ultimately make these machines ideal choices for everything from long-range touring to laid-back Sunday rides. These bikes’ comfortable riding position and low seat height have also made cruiser bikes popular with older riders. And, while they aren’t typically known for their high-performance capabilities, there are some immensely-capable cruisers on the market like Harley-Davidson’s FXDR 114 and ARCH Motorcycle’s KRGT-1. 

Dual-Sport

Also known as “enduros,” dual-sport motorcycles — as the genre’s name suggests — are a variety of two-wheeler that are engineered for both on and off-road riding. Unlike adventure bikes, however, dual-sports weigh considerably less, plus feature better suspension travel —factors that make them markedly more off-road-capable. In a nutshell, dual-sports are essentially just motocross bikes that have been fitted with a headlight, taillight, indicators, a horn, and a license plate in order to achieve road-legal status. There are also some models that blur the line between dual-sport and ADV bike. 

Motocross

Often called “dirt bikes”or “MX bikes” for short, motocross bikes are purpose-built two-wheelers engineered specifically for off-road riding. As such, this genre offers the best off-road performance of any type of bike on the planet. Incredibly lightweight yet immensely powerful, motocross motorcycles are routinely jumped and used to negotiate terrain that other types of bikes wouldn’t be capable of tackling. What’s more, MXers — unlike regular road-going bikes — are available with both two or four-stroke engines. There’s also a massive availability of aftermarket components for further upgrading these already-capable bikes. 

Naked

Technically a type of standard, contemporary naked motorcycles are basically supersport or superbike models that have been modified in order to be more practical and more conducive to on-road use. As such, nakeds are stripped of their superbike counterpart’s full fairing, and see their clip-ons and rear-sets relocated to afford a more comfortable, upright riding position. Additionally, it’s not uncommon to see the engines (or at least gearing) of naked bikes tweaked in order to lend themselves even more to on-road use. Modern naked bikes can also largely be traced back to one-off streetfighter builds — which are often the result of attempting to rebuild a crashed or damaged superbike for as cheap as possible. 

Scooter

A genre of two-wheeler that likely needs no introduction, scooters are small-displacement, nimble bikes that feature what’s called a “step-through” seating configuration — rather than a traditional motorcycle setup where the rider swings their leg over the bike. Wildly economical, scooters are lightweight and easy to control — an area only furthered by the fact that almost every scooter on the market boasts a simple automatic twist-and-go-style throttle rather than a manual gearbox. 

Sportbike

Offering the absolute peak of two-wheeled performance, sportbikes are little more than race or track bikes that have been lightly-watered down and modified for on-road use — though are still incredibly conducive to use at the track. Consisting of smaller supersports and larger superbikes (or “liter bikes”), the sportbike genre is easily recognizable thanks to their aggressive appearance, hunched-over riding position, and full fairing. As much fun as these bikes are, they admittedly aren’t very practical for on-road use — unlike their naked counterparts — and often require the rider to nearly be bouncing off the rev ceiling in order to harness their full power and capabilities. 

Sport Tourer

Another genre of motorcycle with a major hint in its name, sport-touring motorcycles are a variety of sportbike designed for long-range touring use. As a result, these machines retain the potent engines and full suites of bodywork found on superbikes, though gain a longer, stretched stance to increase stability at speed — and more often than not, a suite of luggage. Sport tourers are also a great choice for riders looking to carry a passenger. They can also make for great commuter bikes for those with ample freeway miles in their commute. 

Standard

Standard motorcycles are basically naked bikes with old-school styling. Encompassing everything from vintage Honda CBs to modern Triumph Bonnevilles, standards are minimalistic and stripped back, leaving almost all of the bike’s components on full display — a fact that makes them particularly easy to wrench on. As largely spartan designs, standards also make for great donor platforms for custom builds. And, despite their unmistakably vintage appearance, there are plenty of modern standards that feature cutting-edge powertrains and electronic rider assists.  

Supermoto

Initially only built by enthusiasts before later being adopted by manufacturers and turned into production models, supermoto bikes — or “SuMos” as they’re often called — are essentially motocross bikes or dual-sports that have their off-road-focused set of wheels and knobby tires jettisoned in favor of smaller wheels and sticky sportbike rubber. The suspension on these machines is also tightened, helping them to deliver even sportier, more capable performance capabilities. It’s also worth mentioning that supermoto bikes are unequivocally some of the most fun and exhilarating motorcycles currently in production. Plus, with a simple swap of the wheels and tires and a few tweaks to the suspension, supermotos can easily be converted into dual-sport or off-road bikes.  

The 100 Terms Motorcycle Riders Need to Know

Interested in further sharpening up your moto knowledge? Then be sure to cruise on over to our guide to the 100 terms motorcycle riders need to know.