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Superglossary - Motorcycles Category: Travel and Transportation > Motorcycles Date & country: 09/12/2013, USA Words: 486

Holeshot
In motorcycle racing, the drive from a standing start up to racing speed. Generally, the rider who m

Horsepower
One Horsepower is defined as the amount of work required to raise a 550 pound weight one foot in one

Horizontally Opposed
Type of engine layout in which the cylinders are placed at 180

Hurt Report
Harry Hurt conducted the definitive study on motorcycle accidents at USC in 1979. His team studied 3

Hub-Center Steering
One of several different types of front-end suspension/steering mechanisms used in motorcycles. Hub-

Hunting (engine)
The uneven running of an engine, due to air/fuel mixture being too rich.

Ignition Timing
The process of setting the time that a spark will occur in the engine combustion chamber (during the

Inline 4
An Inline 4 is an engine having four cylinders in a row.

Inline
Engine layout in which the cylinders are arranged in a row. For example, an

Integrated Brakes
Integrated Brakes are used on motorcycles to link together the front and rear brakes. Many inexperie

International Six Day Trial (ISDT)
Originally titled the International Six Day Trial, since 1980 it has been called the

International Six Day Enduro (ISDE)
The oldest

Inlet Over Exhaust (IOE)
Valve layout used on some early machines in which the exhaust valve was mounted to the side of the e

Iron Butt Rally
The Iron Butt Rally is an 11 day 11,000 mile trip around the perimeter of the United States. It has

Isolastic
Proprietary name for an engine/swingarm rubber mounting system used by Norton on its early Commando

JA Prestwich Industries Ltd (JAP)
English engine manufacturer. Engines were produced for motorcycles such as Brough Superior, Triumph,

Jet
Within a carburetor, precisely-calibrated small holes introducing fuel into the air stream.

Jockey Shifter
A motorcycle shift lever that is controlled by a rider

Jockey Wheel
A wheel used to maintain tension in a chain or belt.

Jump Start
Jump Start is the term used to describe starting a motorcycle that has a dead battery by placing a g

Jumper Cables
Jumper Cables are heavy electrical cables with clips on the ends used to connect two batteries toget

Keystone Frame
An American term to describe a diamond-type frame in which the engine serves as part of the structur

Kickstarter
A Kickstarter is used to start a motorcycle. The kickstarter is a pedal that is swiftly kicked downw

Kill Switch
The Kill Switch is in series with the ignition switch. When the Kill Switch is open, the bike will n

Knucklehead
Knucklehead is the name of the Harley-Davidson engine used from 1936-1947. If you sit on the seat of

Knobbies
The type of tires used by supercross and motocross racers. These tires have large square knobs of ru

Lapper
In motorcycle racing, a slow rider who is being lapped by the leaders.

Lane Splitting
Lane Splitting is the process of riding your motorcycle in the same lane with cars or other motorcyc

Laconia
Large rally and races in Laconia, NH in late June each year. Predominately, Harley-Davidson riders.

Laughlin
Laughlin is a rally held in Nevada near the Arizona border in late April.

Leaf Spring
A spring that comprises strips of spring steel clamped together commonly used for the suspension in

Leading Shoe
A type of drum brake mechanism. The

LEO
Cops have many terms that describe them. One term sometimes used by motorcyclists is LEO which stand

Leading Link
Front motorcycle suspension design in which the axle is mounted at the front end of two short links

Leathers
The form-fitting leather suit a rider wears on the street or track. Racing leathers feature special,

Left-Turner Accidents
The most frequent motorcycle/automobile accidents are collisions of motorcycles with left-turning dr

Lid
Another name for a helmet is a Lid. Some states require helmet use. Other states have age restrictio

Line
This describes the path of the motorcycle as a rider goes through a section of track or around a tur

Low Side
A motorcycle crash that results from a wheel losing traction, allowing the bike to fall sideways. Th

Loading
Compression of a motorcycle suspension. (Compare unloading).

Loop Frame
Early motorcycle frame design in which the downtube curves underneath the engine case and then upwar

Lowsiding
Lowsiding occurs when a motorcycle falls over and drops the rider to the ground. Some riders have be

Manifold
A branched collection of pipes for inlet or exhaust gases.

Magneto
A high-tension spark generator for the ignition system that does not require an external power sourc

Mag Alloy
Magnesium alloy, a strong lightweight metal used for many components, particularly wheels.

Marque
Make or brand of a motorcycle. (French for

Mesh Jacket
An open-weave, protective apparel for motorcycle riders that allows air to circulate through the gar

Megaphone
An outwardly tapered high-performance exhaust.

Metric Cruiser
Metric Cruiser is a general category of bikes including Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki, and Suzuki as oppos

Motocross Bike
A light-weight motorcycle specifically designed for racing in motocross competition or on a dirt tra

Monocoque Frame
A motorcycle frame in which the structure is made as one unit from a sheet material (ie alloy or ste

Motorcyclist
A Motorcyclist is one who rides a motorcycle or bike. The similar term Biker brings up a different i

Moped
A pedal assisted motorcycle of less than 50cc.

Motocross
Motocross is an outdoor dirtbike competition using long courses over basically natural terrain with

Motorcycle
Motorcycles are 2-wheel vehicles patterned after bicycles but with engines and much heavier frames.

Motocross
Off-road motorcycle racing held on enclosed, rough circuits. Motocross is derived from the French, a

Modular Helmet
Similar to a full face helmet, however the chin area can be pivoted up and out of the way, when a ri

Motosacoche Accacias Geneva (MAG)
Swiss motorcycle engine makers in the first half of the 20th century. The company also produced comp

Motor Maids
The Motor Maids is a woman's motorcycle organization founded in 1940 by Linda Dugeau of Providence,

Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF)
The Motorcycle Safety Foundation is a US national, not-for-profit organization sponsored by the U.S.

MotoGP
The premier class of Grand Prix motorcycle racing. The sport combines high-speed motorcycles, which

Motorcycle Assembly
The putting together of manufactured parts to make a completed motorcycle, or the set of parts so as

Nacelle
A housing, usually for mounting instruments or headlight.

Naked Bike
A Naked Bike is a machine with little or no wind-deflection and an exposed chassis. The Ducati Monst

Naked Bikes
Sport or standard motorcycles with minimum bodywork, fairings or windshields. This is a motorbike in

Newbie
A Newbie is a person who is just starting to learn about some new endeavor. A Newbie is a beginner o

Neutral Light
Most modern motorcycles have a green neutral light that lights when the motorcycle transmission is i

New Werner Motorcycle
Unveiled at the 1901 Cycle & Motor Show in Paris, the

NHTSA
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is an agency of the United States Departm

Off-Road Bike
A motorcycle designed for use in the dirt or off-pavement. They are typically not street legal, but

Off-Camber
OEM stands for Original Equipment Manufacturer. As an example, Harley makes a motorcycle out of part

Off-Road
Off-Road implies that a motorcycle is ridden off the street onto dirt, trails, sand, woods, hilly te

Oil Filter
An Oil Filter filters the oil in the engine. Changing the oil and oil filter is one task that many r

Oilhead
Oilhead refers to the air-cooled engines of more recent BMW motorcycles that also contain an oil coo

On The Box
A top-three finish that puts a rider on the victory podium.

On Any Sunday
Famous motorcycle movie featuring Malcolm Smith that popularized motorcycling.

One Percenter
Many years ago, the AMA stated that 99% of motorcyclists are law abiding people and only 1% are caus

One-Off
Those who happen to watch TV shows such as American Chopper get to observe the building of a custom

On The Gas
When a rider is going very fast.

On The Pipe
When a rider or bike is going very fast. This expression refers to when a competition bike

Open Frame
Motorbike frame layout with a low structure between the seat and the steering head often associated

Open Cradle Frame
Motorcycle frame without tubes running under the engine. The engine unit bolts into place between th

Outlaw
The AMA attempted to organize most of the motorcycle racing competitions many years ago. Some motorc

Overhead Camshaft (OHC)
A camshaft in an internal-combustion engine that is mounted within the cylinder heads, above the com

Overhead Valve (OHV)
A type of piston engine that places the camshaft in the cylinder block and uses pushrods or rods to

Over Square
An engine with a greater cylinder bore than piston stroke.

Packing List
A Packing List is an alphabetical list of items to be taken with you when you travel on your motorcy

Parallel Twin
A two-cylinder engine configuration in which both cylinders are mounted side-by-side and across the

Panhead
Panhead is the name of the Harley-Davidson engine used from 1948-1965. The chromed rocker covers res

Paralever
Paralever is the name of a radically different rear suspension system first used on the BMW R100GS m

Passenger Pegs
Passenger Pegs are pegs wide enough to support the foot of a passenger (pillion) while riding. They

Parked Motorcycle Syndrome (PMS)
PMS is defined as Parked Motorcycle Syndrome. This is a common disease that occurs in the winter whe

Parked It
To be going slower than conditions allow through a turn.

Petcock
A petcock is a manually operated device inserted in the gas line that allows for an On, Off, and Res

Pit Board
A large sign a mechanic writes on and shows to his rider as he goes past. Pit board signs can be use

Pillion
A small cushion designed for carrying a passenger mounted behind a solo saddle. Also, can refer to t

Pinion
A small gear

Pit Lane
The lane on the inside of the track, usually adjacent to the main straight, where riders come in to

Pin It
To go full throttle

Pits
Where the racing teams park their trucks and set up makeshift garages to work on the bikes and house