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Motorcycle racing
Motorcycle racing (also known as Moto racing and Bike racing) is a motorcycle sport involving racing motorcycles. The FIM is the international sanctioning body for motorcycle racing and most nations have their own governing bodies. Other breakaway/independent bodies exist on both a national and an international level. |
Arguably, the first motorcycle was designed and built by the German inventors Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach in Bad Cannstatt (since 1905 a city district of Stuttgart) in 1885. The first petroleum-powered vehicle was essentially a motorised bicycle, although the inventors called their invention the Reitwagen ("riding car"). However, if a two-wheeled vehicle with steam propulsion is considered a motorcycle, then the first one may have been American. One such machine was demonstrated at fairs and circuses in the eastern U.S. in 1867, built by Sylvester Howard Roper of Roxbury, Massachusetts.
A pre-war Polish Sokół 1000
In 1894, Hildebrand & Wolfmüller became the first motorcycle available for purchase.In the early period of motorcycle history, many producers of bicycles adapted their designs to accommodate the new internal combustion engine. As the engines became more powerful and designs outgrew the bicycle origins, the number of motorcycle producers increased.
Until the First World War, the largest motorcycle manufacturer in the world was Indian, producing over 20,000 bikes per year.By 1920, this honour went to Harley-Davidson, with their motorcycles being sold by dealers in 67 countries. By the late 1920s or early 1930s, DKW took over as the largest manufacturer.
After the Second World War, the BSA Group became the largest producer of motorcycles in the world, producing up to 75,000 bikes per year in the 1950s.[citation needed] The German company NSU held the position of largest manufacturer from 1955 until the 1970s.
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NSU Sportmax streamlined motorcycle, 250 cc class winner of the 1955 Grand Prix season
In the 1950s, streamlining began to play an increasing part in the development of racing motorcycles and the "dustbin fairing" held out the possibility of radical changes to motorcycle design. NSU and Moto-Guzzi were in the vanguard of this development both producing very radical designs well ahead of their time.NSU produced the most advanced design, but after the deaths of four NSU riders in the 1954–1956 seasons, they abandoned further development and quit Grand Prix motorcycle racing.Moto-Guzzi produced competitive race machines, and by 1957 nearly all the Grand Prix races were being won by streamlined machines.The following year, 1958, full enclosure fairings were banned from racing by the FIM in the light of the safety concerns.
From the 1960s through the 1990s, small two-stroke motorcycles were popular worldwide, partly as a result of East German Walter Kaaden's engine work in the 1950s.
Today, the motorcycle industry is mainly dominated by Japanese companies such as Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, and Yamaha, although Harley-Davidson and BMW continue to be popular and supply considerable markets. Other major manufacturers include Piaggio group of Italy, KTM, Triumph and Ducati.
In addition to the large capacity motorcycles, there is a large market in smaller capacity (less than 300 cc) motorcycles, mostly concentrated in Asian and African countries. An example is the 1958 Honda Super Cub, which went on to become the biggest selling vehicle of all time. Its 60 millionth unit produced in April 2008.[24] Today, this area is dominated by mostly Indian companies with Hero Honda emerging as the world's largest manufacturer of two wheelers. For example, its Splendor model which has sold more than 8.5 million to date.
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Road racing
Road racing is the racing of motorcycles on tarmac. Races can take place either on purpose-built racing circuits or on closed public roads.
Motorcycle Grand Prix
Grand Prix motorcycle racing refers to the premier category of motorcycle road racing. It is divided into three distinct classes: 125 cc, 250 cc and 800 cc MotoGP. Grand prix motorcycles are prototype machines not based on any production motorcycle. Dorna Sports, MotoGP's parent company, has announced that the 250 cc class will be replaced with a 600 cc class as early as 2009.
Superbike racing
Superbike racing is a category of motorcycle road racing that employs modified production motorcycles. Superbike racing motorcycles must have four stroke engines of between 800 cc and 1200 cc for twins, and between 750 cc and 1000 cc for four cylinder machines. The motorcycles must maintain the same profile as their roadgoing counterparts. The overall appearance, seen from the front, rear and sides, must correspond to that of the bike homologated for use on public roads
Supersport racing
Supersport racing is another category of motorcycle road racing that employs modified production motorcycles. To be eligible for Supersport racing, a motorcycle must have a four-stroke engine of between 400 and 600 cc for four-cylinder machines, and between 600 and 750 cc for twins, and must satisfy the FIM homologation requirements. Supersport regulations are much tighter than Superbikes. Supersport machines must remain largely as standard, while engine tuning is possible but tightly regulated.
Endurance racing
Endurance racing is a category of motorcycle road racing which is meant to test the durability of equipment and endurance of the riders. Teams of multiple riders attempt to cover a large distance in a single event. Riders are given the ability to change during the race. Endurance races can be run either to cover a set distance in laps as quickly as possible, or to cover as much distance as possible over a preset amount of time
Sidecar racing
Sidecar racing is a category of sidecar road racing. Older sidecar road racers generally resembled solo motorcycles with a platform attached, modern racing sidecars are purpose built low and long vehicles. In sidecar racing a rider and a passenger work together to make the machine perform.
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Country |
Rider |
Titles |
Italy |
Giacomo Agostini |
15 (8 x 500 cc, 7 x 350 cc) |
Spain |
Ángel Nieto |
13 (7 x 125 cc, 6 x 50 cc) |
United Kingdom |
Mike Hailwood |
9 (4 x 500 cc, 2 x 350 cc, 3 x 250 cc) |
Italy |
Carlo Ubbiali |
9 (3 x 250 cc, 6 x 125 cc) |
Italy |
Valentino Rossi |
8 (5 x MotoGP, 1 x 500 cc, 1 x 250 cc, 1 x 125 cc) |
United Kingdom |
Phil Read |
7 (2 x 500 cc, 4 x 250 cc, 1 x 125 cc) |
United Kingdom |
John Surtees |
7 (4 x 500 cc, 3 x 350 cc) |
United Kingdom |
Geoffrey Duke |
6 (4 x 500 cc, 2 x 350 cc) |
Rhodesia |
Jim Redman |
6 (4 x 350 cc, 2 x 250 cc) |
Australia |
Michael Doohan |
5 (5 x 500 cc) |
Germany |
Anton Mang |
5 ( 2 x 350 cc, 3 x 250 cc) |
New Zealand |
Hugh Anderson |
4 (2 x 125 cc, 2 x 50 cc) |
South Africa |
Kork Ballington |
4 (2 x 350 cc, 2 x 250 cc) |
Italy |
Max Biaggi |
4 (4 x 250 cc) |
Switzerland |
Stefan Dörflinger |
4 (2 x 80 cc, 2 x 50 cc) |
United States |
Eddie Lawson |
4 (4 x 500 cc) |
Spain |
Jorge Martínez |
4 (1 x 125 cc, 3 x 80 cc) |
Italy |
Walter Villa |
4 (1 x 350 cc, 3 x 250 cc) |
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