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How good a rider are
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| A - D E - H I - L M - P
Q - T U - Z |
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ABS: Antilock Brake System
A component added to the motorcycle braking system that detects wheel
lock up. The system rapidly modulates the brakes to prevent skidding (and attendant
loss of traction), allowing the rider more braking control and increased riding
safety.
Aerodynamics
Motorcycle aerodynamics refers to bike designs that have as little
air resistance as possible to achieve greater speeds or to improve rider comfort.
Wind tunnels aid manufacturers in their development of improved aerodynamic motorcycle
models which result in the different configurations of windshields, fairings, body
work and other components.
Air Cooling
A method of dissipating heat from a motorcycle engine to keep it
at operating temperature by way of air flow. In practice, cooling is effected by
air rushing around a moving motorcycle engine and is aided by the use of small engine
fins to facilitate heat transfer into the passing air. Compare Water Cooling.
Armor
Protective padding used to reinforce motorcycle apparel. It is designed
to absorb energy on impact to help protect the rider in the event of a crash. Armor
is available to better protect a rider’s back, shoulders, chest, elbows, hips and
knees. |
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Backing It In
Going into a corner with the rear of the motorcycle sliding while
the rider is counter-steering. This is a way for a rider to scrub off speed and
set the motorcycle up for a fast exit from the corner. “I was trying so hard I was
backing it in to almost every corner.”
Bagger
A motorcycle with touring accessories like saddlebags, top box, a trunk, etc.
Balaclava
A thin pull-over head and neck cover with eye slits for winter usage
under a motorcycle helmet.
Bash Plate (aka Skid Plate)
A protective plate fitted under the engines of off-road machines
to prevent damage caused by grounding.
Bcom
Bluetooth Intercom headset for motorcycle helmets.
BDC: Bottom Dead Center
he point during crankshaft rotation at which the piston is in its
lowest possible position.
Berm
Built-up dirt on the outside of a turn, either created with a bulldozer
or as riders continually go through the turn. A berm helps a rider take the turn
much faster because it acts as banking.
Bevel
The angle that one surface makes with another when they are not at right angles.
Bevel Gears
A pair of gears with faces cut at an angle of 45°, allowing drive
to be turned through 90°.
Big Dog Rider
An experienced and aggressive motorcyclist known for feats of daring and skill,
such as riding at high speeds on public roads, without apparent fear of accident
or arrest.
Binders
Motorcycle brakes
Blind Corner or Blind Turn
A turn in the road that is visually obstructed and prevents the rider
from seeing the path of the road around the corner. This makes the rider blind to
the turning radius, approaching traffic, and road condition until after the rider
has entered the turn and can then see around the trees, hillside, etc.
Block Pass
Going into a turn, a rider attempting a block pass will accelerate before
the apex and slip his motorcycle on the inside of the leader, then quickly pivot
and make the turn directly in front of the other rider. The rider being passed must
brake because his line is now blocked.
Body English
A method used by motorcycle riders to help control lean angle or
direction independent of the handlebars by moving body position on the motorcycle.
Bore
The measurement of a cylinders diameter
Bottom Out
When the suspension runs out of travel and bumps against its internal
stops. “My rear suspension bottomed out over the big bump after turn five.”
Brake Horsepower (BHP)
The measure of an engine’s horsepower without the loss in power caused
by the gearbox, generator, differential, water pump, and other auxiliary components.
Horsepower delivered to the rear wheel of a motorcycle is less than at the engine.
“Brake” refers to where the power is measured: at the engine’s output shaft, as
on an engine dynamometer. The term “brake” refers to the original use of a band
brake to measure torque during the test (which is multiplied by the engine RPM and
a scaling constant to give horsepower). |
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Cage
A car, truck, van, RV or other vehicle that confines the inhabitants within
an enclosed space.
Cager
The driver of a car, truck, van, RV or other vehicle that confines the inhabitants
within an enclosed space.
Cam
An eccentrically shaped rotor that converts rotational movement into linear
movement. Cams are used in the operation of valves, contact breaker points, and
drum brakes.
Camshaft
A metal shaft with two or more cams (oval “lobes”) that rotates to operate
inlet and/or exhaust valves in a four-stroke engine.
Carbon Fiber
A high-tech material available in many motorcycle applications due to its
high rigidity and low weight which can allow improvements in the power-to-weight
ratio and suspension response of the bike. Additionally, the distinctive look of
the material has become trendy.
Carburetor
A mechanical device found on the intake side of the engine which mixes fuel
and air to create the volatile mixture that gets ignited in the engine.
CC: Cubic Centimeters
A common engine size measurement for motorcycles.
CE Armor
A European system of grading motorcycle protective armor that encompasses
both energy absorption capability as well as pad shape and size. The armor or pads
are designed to offer added protection to a rider going down on a motorcycle, particularly
in the event of sliding or lesser impacts. CE armor is made of hard foam pieces
encapsulated in softer foam which compresses on impact. In other words, it’s like
a helmet: if you land on it, you must replace it.
Centerstand
A mechanism that pivots down from the center of the motorcycle frame to support
the bike vertically with the rear wheel off the ground.
Chain Drive
A common motorcycle drive system that uses a multi-link steel chain and toothed
sprockets to transfer engine power to the rear wheel.
Chair (Sidecar)
A one-wheeled carriage for a single passenger attached to the side of a motorcycle,
producing a three-wheeled vehicle.
Chaps
Motorcycle clothing accessory designed for leg protection. They’re usually
made of leather and are fastened around the waist, with an open back. They snap
at the ankles and zip down the legs.
Chassis
The frame and suspension systems of a motorcycle.
Chicane
A part of the track consisting of back-to-back left and right turns. Chicanes
can be a part of the original track, or can be created, using cones and hay bales,
to slow the riders down for safety.
Chopper
A cruiser style bike that has a lot of the pieces of the bike “chopped off.”
The riders of the ’60s did everything they could to customize their bikes and make
them go faster. Thus, much of the existing bikes they bought were chopped off. The
bikes in the movie “Easy Rider” are examples.
Clip-Ons
Handlebars that are clamped around the top of the fork tubes, rather than
bolted to the top triple-tree. This lowers a rider’s upper body on the front of
the motorcycle for a racier body position.
Clutch
A mechanism for transmitting rotation, which can be engaged and disengaged.
There are many different vehicle clutch designs but most are based on one or more
friction discs, pressed tightly together or against a flywheel using springs. On
most motorcycles, the clutch is operated by the clutch lever, located on the left
handlebar. No pressure on the lever means that the clutch plates are engaged (driving),
while pulling the lever back towards the rider will disengage the clutch plates,
allowing the rider to shift gears.
Compression Ratio
In an internal combustion engine, the measurement of the difference between
cylinder volume at BDC and TDC. This is the ratio of the maximum-to-minimum volume
within the cylinder, between the piston and cylinder head, containing a combination
of fuel and air being compressed. A high compression ratio results in more mechanical
energy that an engine can squeeze from its air-fuel mixture. High ratios place increased
oxygen and fuel molecules into a reduced space; thus, they allow increased power
at the moment of ignition. Compression ratio is a single number that can be used
to predict engine performance.
Contact Breaker
The spring switch in the low-tension ignition circuit that controls the timing
of the spark in the high-tension circuit. Operated by a cam, contact breakers are
sometimes called points.
Contracting-Band Brake\
A brake in which a band is tightened around a rotation drum.
Counter Balancer
A weight in the engine that spins with the rpm to smooth out engine vibrations.
Counter Steering
The input a motorcyclist gives to the handlebars in order to steer: push the
right handlebar to go right, or push the left handlebar to go left.
Cradle Frame
Motorcycle frame with two tubes passing under the engine
Crankshaft
The main rotating shaft running through the length of the engine. As the pistons
move up and down, they work together to spin the crankshaft. The rotating motion
of the crankshaft is transmitted to the gear cluster which is eventually used to
rotate the rear wheel of the motorcycle.
Crash Padding
A motorcyclist’s protective clothing, especially abrasion-resistant and impact
absorbing riding gear and helmet.
Crotch Rocket
A term some people use to describe a high performance sport-bike motorcycle.
Cruiser
A style of motorcycle generally equipped with a low seat and pullback handlebars.
This style of bike predominantly stems from the customizing of standard American
motorcycles in the ’60s and ’70s.
Cush Drive
A transmission shock absorber, usually a rubber cushion in the rear hub.
Custom Motorcycles
For many motorcyclists, the choices provided by the motorcycle manufacturers
do not provide enough variety to match the personalities of the riders. For this
reason, many customize their bikes or hire customizers to do the work for them.
Many of these customs are entered in shows and win prizes. Customs can easily cost
twice the selling price of the original bike.
Cylinder
The tube-shaped sleeves that house the pistons in an engine and where the
fuel/air mixture is drawn for combustion.
Cylinder Head
A casting that caps the cylinder and contains the valves and combustion chamber.
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Darker Rally
Formerly known as “The Paris Dakar” and now as “The Lisbon Dakar Rally,” or “Dakar
Rally,” and also simply referred to as “The Dakar.” It is an off-road competition
comprised of cars, motorcycles, and trucks held annually in January. The race is
open to amateur and professional entries and amateurs typically make up about eighty
percent of the participants. Founded in 1978, this endurance race runs from Europe
into Africa over several thousand miles along remote routes that include hostile
dunes, rocks and mud. The competition is gruelling and a number of participants
have died due to injuries sustained in the race. Originally, the competition was
from Paris, France to Dakar, Senegal. However, due to politics and other factors,
the course, including origin and destination, have varied over the years.
Damper
Means of controlling speed of movement of the steering or suspension.
Daytona Bike Week
A motorcycle event and rally held annually in Daytona Beach, Florida. Approximately
500,000 people make their way to the rally area for the 10-day event. The festivities
include motorcycle racing, concerts, parties, and street festivals. The event is
usually held on the first full week of March and contends with the Sturgis Motorcycle
Rally as the most popular motorcycle rally in the United States.
Desmodromic
Valve gear operation in which the camshaft actively closes as well as opens the
valves.
Diamond Frame
Tubular frame design common until World War II and derived from the bicycle layout.
The engine cases often form part of the structure. In profile it resembles a diamond
shape
Die-Cast Controlled-Fill Aluminum Frame
Alloy frames featuring large one-piece sections constructed with a high-vacuum mold
process, reducing porosity and eliminating air pockets that can result when pouring
molten aluminum. These large sections are then combined with a minimum of welds,
or even bolted together, to create the frame. The result is a lighter, more rigid,
more finely tuned frame of higher production quality.
Displacement
The size of the engine; specifically, the total volume found in the cylinders. This
is usually expressed in cc (cubic centimeters) or ci (cubic inches). Generally,
the larger the displacement, the more powerful the motor.
Distributor
An internal combustion engine device which distributes high voltage in the ignition
system to the spark plugs, in the correct firing order.
DOHC: Double Overhead Cam
Designation for engines that utilize one camshaft to open the engine intake valves
and another to open the exhaust valves. This optimizes valve timing for better performance.
Druid Forks
Side-sprung girder forks. Druid were the original makers.
Dry Clutch
As opposed to a “wet clutch” which is immersed in a cooling, lubricating fluid,
which also keeps the surfaces clean and gives smoother performance and longer life,
a “dry clutch,” is not bathed in fluid that robs it of some energy. Since the surfaces
of a wet clutch can be slippery (as with a motorcycle clutch bathed in engine oil),
stacking multiple clutch disks can compensate for slippage. A Dry Clutch is more
like the clutch found on an automobile that separates the engine from the transmission.
There is a dry connection between the engine and transmission.
Dry Sump
An oil lubrication system for four-stroke and two-stroke internal combustion engines
that incorporates an additional oil reservoir as compared to a wet sump system.
Rather than the oil being collected in a conventional oil pan, or sump, for engine
lubrication, oil is pumped into a secondary reservoir and then pumped to the engine
bearings, effectively eliminating the oil starvation a wet sump system suffers when
subjected to high-performance acceleration, braking, and cornering.
Dual Sport
Street legal motorcycles that provide varying levels of off-road capabilities. Not
as focused as pure off-road or pure street motorcycles. Also known as dual-purpose.
Dump The Clutch
This is when a rider revs up the engine and quickly releases the clutch, launching
the bike off the line.
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