Motorcycling#Subcultures

File:Motor Cycle EB.jpg

For most riders, a motorcycle is a cheaper and more convenient form of transportation which causes less commuter congestion within cities and has less environmental impact than automobile ownership. Others ride as a way to relieve stress and to "clear their minds" as described in Robert M. Pirsig's book Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. Pirsig contrasted the sense of connection experienced by motorcyclists with the isolation of drivers who are "always in a compartment", passively observing the passing landscape. Pirsig portrayed motorcycling as being in "completely in contact with it all... in the scene."Robert M. Pirsig, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, 1974, HarperCollins Publishers, New York

The connection to one's motorcycle is sensed further, as Pirsig explained, by the frequent need to maintain its mechanical operation. Pirsig felt that connection deepen when faced with a difficult mechanical problem that required walking away from it until the solution became clear. Similarly, motorcyclists experience pleasure at the feeling of being far more connected to their motor vehicles than in a motorcar, as being part of it rather than in it.{{cite book|title=Bikers: Culture, Politics and Power|first=Suzanne |last=McDonald-Walker|publisher=Berg|year=2000|oclc=490695406}}

Speed draws many people to motorcycling because the power-to-weight ratio of even a low-power motorcycle is in league with that of an expensive sports car. The power-to-weight ratio of many modestly priced sport bikes is well beyond any mass-market automobile and rivals that of supercars for a fraction of the price.{{Citation |title= Nice Supercar. Now Eat My Dust |first=Dexter |last=Ford |newspaper=The New York Times |issn=0362-4331 |date= October 12, 2010 |url= https://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/14/automobiles/autospecial2/14BIKES.html |access-date=2011-03-01 |page=F13 }} The fastest accelerating production cars, capable of {{Convert|0|to|60|mph|abbr=on}} in under 3.5 seconds, or {{convert|0|to|1/4|mile|1}} in under 12 seconds is a relatively select club of exotic names like Porsche and Lamborghini, with a few extreme sub-models of popular sports cars, like the Shelby Mustang, and mostly made since the 1990s. Conversely, the fastest accelerating motorcycles meeting the same criteria is a much longer list and includes many non-sportbikes, such as the Triumph Tiger Explorer or Yamaha XT1200Z Super Ténéré, and includes many motorcycles dating back to the 1970s.

Hunter S. Thompson's book Hell's Angels includes an ode to the joys of pushing a motorcycle to its limits, "with the throttle screwed on there is only the barest margin, and no room at all for mistakes ... that's when the strange music starts ... fear becomes exhilaration [and the] only sounds are the wind and a dull roar floating back from the mufflers"Hunter S. Thompson, Hell's Angels, 1967, Random House, New York and T. E. Lawrence wrote of the "lustfulness of moving swiftly" and the "pleasure of speeding on the road". A sensation he compared to feeling "the earth moulding herself under me ... coming alive ... and heaving and tossing on each side like a sea."T. E. Lawrence, T. E. Lawrence to his Biographers Robert Graves and Liddell Hart, (edited by Robert Graves and B. H. Liddell Hart), 1963, Casell, London

File:MilkManCrop.JPG, India]]

While people choose to ride motorcycles for various reasons, those reasons are increasingly practical, with riders opting for a powered two-wheeler as a cost-efficient alternative to infrequent and expensive public transport systems, or as a means of avoiding or reducing the effects of urban congestion.{{cite web |title=Rider training in Europe The Views and the Needs of the Rider |first=Bob |last=Tomlins |work=The Federation of European Motorcyclists |url=http://www.fema.ridersrights.org/docs/irt_finalreport.PDF |date=September 1997 |access-date=30 June 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090224213219/http://www.fema.ridersrights.org/docs/irt_finalreport.PDF |archive-date=24 February 2009}}

Where permitted, lane splitting, which is also known as filtering, allows motorcycles to move between vehicles in slow or stationary traffic.{{cite web |url=http://www.whybike.com/motorcycle274.htm |work=www.WhyBike.com |title=All the info you need on lanesharing (lanesplitting) |access-date=28 June 2007}}

In the UK, motorcycles are exempt from the £11.50 per day London congestion charge{{cite web |title=Discounts & exemptions |publisher=Transport for London |url=http://www.tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/congestion-charge/discounts-and-exemptions |access-date=6 December 2014 }} that other vehicles must pay to enter the city during the day. Motorcycles are also exempt from toll charges at such river crossings as the Dartford Crossing, and Mersey Tunnels. Such cities as Bristol provide dedicated free parking and allow motorcycles to use bus lanes. In the United States, motorcycles may use high-occupancy vehicle lanes in accordance with federal law {{cite web|title=Federal-Aid Highway Program Guidance on High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) Lanes|url= http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/freewaymgmt/hovguidance/chapter3.htm|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090403062016/http://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/freewaymgmt/hovguidance/chapter3.htm|url-status= dead|archive-date= April 3, 2009|publisher=US Department of Transportation|access-date=9 May 2013}} and pay a lesser fee on some toll roads and toll bridges. Other countries have similar policies.

In New Zealand, motorcycle riders need not pay for parking that is controlled by a barrier arm;{{cite web|access-date=8 August 2008|year=2007|publisher=City of Auckland|url= http://www.aucklandcity.govt.nz/auckland/Transport/parking/guide.asp#fees |title=Drivers guide to Auckland City parking |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080701184859/http://www.aucklandcity.govt.nz/auckland/Transport/parking/guide.asp#fees |archive-date = 1 July 2008}}

the arm occupies less than the entire width of the lane, and the motorcyclist simply rides around it.{{cite web|url=http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/archive/index.php/t-27383.html |title=Motorcycle parking in Wellington CBD |publisher=Kiwibiker.co.nz |access-date=28 January 2010}}

Many car parks that are thus controlled so supply special areas for motorcycles to park as to save space.

In many cities that have serious parking challenges for cars, such as Melbourne, Australia, motorcycles are generally permitted to park on the sidewalk, rather than occupy a space on the street which might otherwise be used by a car. Melbourne presents an example for the rest of the world with its free motorcycle footpath parking which is enshrined in their Future Melbourne Committee Road Safety Plan{{Cite news|url=https://motorbikewriter.com/melbourne-footpath-parking-threatened/|title=Is Melbourne footpath parking under threat? – Motorbike Writer|date=2017-03-31|work=Motorbike Writer|access-date=2017-07-23|language=en-US}}

On Washington State Ferries, the most-used vehicle ferry system in the United States, motorcycle riders get priority boarding, skip automobile waiting lines, and are charged a lower fare than automobiles.{{cite news|work=Sound Rider!|title=In The Land of Ferries|author =Patrick Thomas |date=Summer 2004|url=http://www.soundrider.com/archive/tips/in_the_land_of_ferries.aspx}}{{cite news|title=Motorcycle loading rules on ferries no different on holidays|author=Travis Baker|newspaper=Kitsap Sun|date=August 13, 2015|location=Bremerton, Washington|url=http://pugetsoundblogs.com/roadwarrior/2015/08/13/motorcycle-loading-rules-on-ferries-no-different-on-holidays/}} BC Ferries users obtain many of the same benefits.{{cite web|title=Frequently asked questions|publisher=BC Ferries|url=https://www.bcferries.com/travel_planning/frequently_asked_questions.html#motorcycles}}

Statistically, there is a large difference between the car-dominated developed nations, and the more populous developing countries where cars are less common than motorcycles. In developed nations, motorcycles are frequently owned in addition to a car, and thus used primarily for recreation or when traffic density means a motorcycle confers travel time or parking advantages as a mode of transport.

In the developing world a motorcycle is more likely to be the primary mode of transport for its owner, and often the owner's family as well. It is not uncommon for riders to transport multiple passengers or large goods aboard small motorcycles and scooters simply because there is no better alternative. Cost of ownership considerations regarding maintenance and parts, especially in remote areas, often place cars out of reach of families who consider motorbikes relatively affordable.{{cite web|url=http://easts.info/on-line/proceedings/vol9/PDF/P356.pdf |title=The Motorcycle Usage Characteristics in Developing Countries: The Operation Cost and Ownership of Motorcycles in Makassar – Indonesia |publisher=Proceedings of the Eastern Asia Society for Transportation Studies |access-date=4 October 2014}} The simplicity demanded of motorcycles used in the developing world, coupled with the high volume of sales possible makes them a profitable and appealing product for major manufacturers, who go to substantial lengths to attract and retain market share.{{cite web |url=http://www.yamaha-motor.com.ph/racing/yamahagp2014/yamahagp5-1stleg-starosa.html |title=Yamaha Motor Philippines GP 5 |publisher=Yamaha Motor Philippines |access-date=4 October 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006080251/http://www.yamaha-motor.com.ph/racing/yamahagp2014/yamahagp5-1stleg-starosa.html |archive-date=6 October 2014 }}

File:Map Motorcycles vs cars by population millions 2002.png

Motorbikes are one of the most affordable forms of motorised transport and, for most of the world's population, they are the most familiar type of motor vehicle. While North America, Europe and Japan are car-centric cultures where motorcycles are uncommon, the non-car-centric cultures of India, China and Southeast Asia account for more than half of the world's population, and in those places two-wheelers outnumber four wheeled vehicles.

Over 700 million motorcycles, including mopeds, motor scooters, motorised bicycles, and other powered two and three-wheelers, are in use worldwide,{{Cite web |date= |title=How many motorcycles are the in the world? |url=https://www.riders-share.com/blog/article/number-motorcycles-world-top-countries |access-date=2022-07-23 |website=www.riders-share.com}} or about 100 motorcycles per 1000 people. By comparison, there are about 1 billion cars in the world, or about 141 per 1000 people, with about one third in service in Japan and the United States.{{cite web|last=Sousanis|first=John|title=World Vehicle Population Tops 1 Billion Units|url=http://wardsauto.com/ar/world_vehicle_population_110815|work=Wards Auto |access-date=17 July 2012|date=15 August 2011}}

File:Bar of cars motorcycles population.png

The four largest motorcycle markets in the world are all in Asia: China, India, Indonesia, and Vietnam.{{cite web|author=Hoang Dinh Nam |url=http://sg.news.yahoo.com/honda-vietnam-build-third-motorbike-plant-140837582.html |title=Honda Vietnam to build third motorbike plant |publisher=Yahoo News Singapore |date=2011-07-25 |access-date=2016-03-16}} India, with an estimated 37 million motorcycles/mopeds, was home to the largest number of motorised two wheelers in the world. China came a close second with 34 million motorcycles/mopeds in 2002. As the middle class in India, China, and other developing countries grows, they are repeating the transition from motorcycles to cars that took place in the US in the years after World War I, and in Europe following World War II, and the role of motorcycling is changing from a transport necessity to a leisure activity, and the motorcycle is changing from a family's primary motor vehicle to a second or third vehicle. The motorcycle is also popular in Brazil's frontier towns.

File:TPHCM-Motorcycle.JPG

In numerous cultures, motorcycles are the primary means of motorised transport. According to the Taiwanese government, for example, "the number of automobiles per ten thousand population is around 2,500, and the number of motorcycles is about 5,000."{{cite web |title=Sustainable Development Indicators for Taiwan |author=Chung-Li |work=Workshop on Sustainable Development Indicators |url= http://www.gio.gov.tw/taiwan-website/5-gp/eco/html/part5-5.htm |access-date=14 August 2006 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080117000808/http://www.gio.gov.tw/taiwan-website/5-gp/eco/html/part5-5.htm |archive-date=17 January 2008 }} In places such as Vietnam, motorised traffic consist of mostly motorbikes due to a lack of public transport and low income levels that put automobiles out of reach for many.

Recent years have seen an increase in the popularity of motorcycles elsewhere. In the US, registrations increased by 51% between 2000 and 2005.{{cite web |url= http://www.iihs.org/iihs/news/desktopnews/popularity-of-high-performance-motorcycles-helps-push-rider-deaths-to-near-record-high |publisher=Insurance Institute for Highway Safety |date= 11 September 2007 |title= Popularity of high-performance motorcycles helps push rider deaths to near-record high |access-date=22 October 2008}} This is mainly attributed to increasing fuel prices and urban congestion.{{cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/2008/05/19/idUS190576+19-May-2008+PRN20080519 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140309004919/http://www.reuters.com/article/2008/05/19/idUS190576+19-May-2008+PRN20080519 |url-status=dead |archive-date=9 March 2014 |title=Soaring Gas Prices Shine Money-Saving Spotlight on Motorcycles |work=Reuters |access-date=28 January 2010 |author=PRNewswire |date=19 May 2008}}

During the 2008 financial crisis, the motorcycle market grew by 6.5%.{{cite news |title=Honda's $140-a-Month Motorbikes Ease Pain of 'Grim' Car Market|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aoL_x9oQUU44&refer=exclusive|date=3 March 2009|access-date=11 March 2009|publisher=Bloomberg |first1=Makiko |last1=Kitamura |first2=Tetsuya |last2=Komatsu}}

In China, the number of motorcycles in use increased from 34 million in 2002 to 54 million in 2006, with annual production of 22 million units.{{Citation |url=http://www.webbikeworld.com/motorcycle-news/statistics/2008-japan-motorcycle-statistics.htm |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110807212101/http://www.webbikeworld.com/motorcycle-news/statistics/2008-japan-motorcycle-statistics.htm |archive-date= August 7, 2011 |work=Web Bike World |title= 2008 Motorcycle Statistics |date=October 2008 |access-date=8 March 2014 }}{{cite web|url=http://www.caam.org.cn/MotorCycleStatistics/20101118/0905048503.html |title=China Motorcycle production decrease10.93% in October 2010 |publisher=Caam.org.cn |date=2010-11-18 |access-date=2016-03-16}}

A Consumer Reports subscribers' survey of mainly United States motorcycle and scooter owners reported that they rode an average of only {{convert|1000|mi}} per year, 82% for recreation and 38% for commuting, adding to more than 100% because some riders rode for both recreation and commuting.{{Cite news |title=Survey: Motorcycle and scooter owners are very satisfied with their bikes |url=http://blogs.consumerreports.org/cars/2010/06/survey-motorcycle-and-scooter-owner-satisfaction-owners-are-very-satisfied-with-their-bikes-video.html |access-date=2 August 2010 |date=1 June 2010 |last=Travers |first=Jim |magazine=Consumer Reports |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100608102241/http://blogs.consumerreports.org/cars/2010/06/survey-motorcycle-and-scooter-owner-satisfaction-owners-are-very-satisfied-with-their-bikes-video.html |archive-date=8 June 2010 }} Americans put {{convert|10000|-|12000|mi}} per year on their cars and light trucks.{{Cite journal|url= http://www.epa.gov/otaq/climate/documents/420f11041.pdf |access-date=2 August 2010 |title= Emission Facts: Greenhouse Gas Emissions from a Typical Passenger Vehicle |date= February 2005 |publisher=U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Transportation and Air Quality}} As motorcyclists in mainly Western countries age, there is a tendency for riders to choose touring bikes over sports bikes.{{Cite book |last1=Broughton |first1=Paul |last2=Walker |first2=Linda |title=Motorcycling and Leisure: Understanding the Recreational Ptw Rider |publisher=Ashgate Publishing |date=6 May 2009 |location=Farnham, UK |page=74 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hp2kMO8YYKEC&pg=PA74 |isbn=978-0754675013 }} The motorcycle is also popular with police departments with departments starting to make the switch to electric motorcycles.{{cite web |author=Staff Writer |title=Livermore Police Add Electric Motorcycle |url=https://www.independentnews.com/news/livermore_news/livermore-police-add-electric-motorcycle/article_3c2bfef8-f679-11ed-8b93-b353f31ee7dd.html |work=The Independent |access-date=20 May 2023}}{{cite web |last1=Toll |first1=Micah |title=Affordable Kollter electric motorcycle enters service with first police department in the US |date=September 2022 |url=https://electrek.co/2022/09/01/kollter-police-electric-motorcycle/ |publisher=Electrek |access-date=20 May 2023}}{{cite web |last1=Dillon |first1=Denise |title=Duluth police patrolling on motorcycles that can go just about anywhere |date=13 March 2023 |url=https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/police-patrolling-on-motorcycles-that-can-go-just-about-anywhere |publisher=Fox 5 Atlanta |access-date=20 May 2023}}

{{Main|Motorcycle safety}}

The relative risk of a motorcycle rider being killed or seriously injured per kilometre travelled was around 54 times higher in Great Britain in 2006 than for car drivers.{{cite web|url= http://www.dft.gov.uk/adobepdf/162469/221412/221552/228173/3162761/motorcyclingstats2008.pdf |publisher=United Kingdom Department for Transport |title= Transport Statistics Bulletin: Compendium of Motorcycling Statistics |access-date= 2009-01-12}} United States Department of Transportation data for 2005 from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System show that for passenger cars, 18.62 fatal crashes occur per 100,000 registered vehicles. For motorcycles this figure is 75.19 per 100,000 registered vehicles — four times higher than for cars.{{cite web|publisher=United States Department of Transportation |work=Fatality Analysis Reporting System |title=Vehicles Involved in Fatal Crashes, 1994–2011 |url= http://www-fars.nhtsa.dot.gov/Trends/TrendsGeneral.aspx |access-date=18 May 2014}} The same data shows that 1.56 fatalities occur per 100 million vehicle miles travelled for passenger cars, whereas for motorcycles the figure is 43.47, which was 37 times higher than for cars in 2007.{{cite web|title=Traffic safety facts, 2008. Report no. DOT HS-811-159 |publisher=NHTSA's National Center for Statistics and Analysis |year=2008 |url= http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/pubs/811159.pdf |access-date=15 September 2010}} The increased risk over other road users comes from the motorcyclist being relatively unprotected on the motorcycle.{{citation needed|date=September 2014}}

There are also some statistics comparing the risk of hospital admissions for different leisure activities. A study shows that the probability for the activity leading to hospital admission was 4.9/10,000 hours of horseback riding, while the same number for motorcycling was 1.4/10,000 hours.{{cite journal|url= http://injuryprevention.bmj.com/content/6/1/59.full.pdf |first=Janet M. |last=Sorli |title=Equestrian injuries: a five year review of hospital admissions in British Columbia, Canada |journal=Injury Prevention |year=2000|volume=6 |issue=1 |pages=59–61 |doi=10.1136/ip.6.1.59 |pmid=10728545 |pmc=1730586 }}

To address motorcycle safety issues, motorcycle-specific training and personal protective equipment is important for motorcyclists' survival on the road, and mandated in many countries and several U.S. states and counties.{{citation needed|date=September 2014}}

A Norwegian study has looked at the reasons behind motorcycle death accidents. The study has looked at all fatal accidents in Norway (a total of 153) in the time frame 2005 to 2009.{{sfn|Rydland|Haslie|Hansen|2011|p=2}} In 66% of these accidents, the motorcyclist was to blame for the accident occurring, while others were to blame in 20% of the cases.{{sfn|Rydland|Haslie|Hansen|2011|p=9}} Technical problems with the motorcycle itself are rarely the cause of crashes, as this was shown to be a prominent factor in only 4% of the investigated accidents.{{sfn|Rydland|Haslie|Hansen|2011|p=4}}

Racing and supersport motorcycles, even while having the best handling capabilities, are overrepresented in fatal accidents.{{sfn|Rydland|Haslie|Hansen|2011|p=5}}{{sfn|Voldseth|Wanvik|Hansen|Johansen|2004|p=5}} Adventurous people are drawn to these bikes, and this group are more prone to be involved in crashes.{{sfn|Voldseth|Wanvik|Hansen|Johansen|2004|p=5}} More fatal accidents on racing motorcycles are caused by extreme behaviour than on touring motorcycles.{{sfn|Rydland|Haslie|Hansen|2011|p=6}}

In Europe, head injuries lead to death in about 75% of fatal motorcycle accidents. The same number for low- and middle-income countries is 88%. Helmet usage reduces the chance for death in an accident by 40% and the risk of serious injury by 70%.{{sfn|Toroyan|2013|p=18}}

While helmet usage generally is increasing worldwide and 77% of the world's population is covered by extensive helmet laws, many countries still lack sufficient enforcement.{{sfn|Toroyan|2013|p=18}} Pakistan has both laws requiring driver and passenger to wear a helmet and regulations on helmet standards. Still, only 10% of all riders in Pakistan wear a helmet.{{sfn|Toroyan|2013|p=174}}

File:Motorcycles in Ōarai.jpg, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan]]

Motorcycling lifestyles have been adopted by many different groups spanning nations and cultures. They include commuters, mainstream motorcycle clubs such as long-distance riding clubs, adventure touring, trail riding and those involved with motorcycle sports, such as motocross riding, drag racing, circuit racing and trick or stunt enthusiasts; and those involved in customizing their vehicles in various different styles. Organized rides are a key element of many groups.

Around the world, motorcycles have historically been associated with highly visible subcultures. Some of these subcultures have been loose-knit social groups, such as the scooter riders and cafe racer riders of the 1950s and 60s in Great Britain, and they often are seen as inhabiting the fringes of society.The Science and Art of Branding. Giep Franzen, Sandra Moriarty. M.E. Sharpe, 1 Oct 2008 Numerous books about motorcycle subcultures have been written, including Hunter S. Thompson's Hells Angels, Lee Gutkind's Bike Fever, and Daniel R. Wolf's The Rebels.

{{See also|Motorcycle club}}

File:Durban-Bikers-Club.jpg

Social motorcyclist organisations are popular and are sometimes organised geographically, focus on individual makes, or even specific models. Example motorcycle clubs include American Motorcyclist Association, Harley Owners Group and BMW MOA. Some organisations hold large international motorcycle rallies in different parts of the world that are attended by many thousands of riders. Many social motorcycle organisations raise money for charities as a secondary activity, through organised events and rides, and others exist primarily as social benefit organisations, such as Bikers Against Child Abuse.{{cite web| title=About BACA | work=Bikers Against Child Abuse|url=http://www.bacaworld.org/mission/ | access-date=10 October 2007}}

{{unreferenced section|date=August 2021}}

In the UK, advanced riding clubs exist in the Institute of Advanced Motorists and RoSPA Advanced Drivers and Riders. They provide a network of clubs around the United Kingdom that provides advanced skills training, preparation for taking an advanced driving test and social activities.

{{See also|Motorcycling advocacy}}

Since the late 20th century, motorcyclists have formed political lobbying organisations in order to influence legislators to introduce motorcycle-friendly legislation and to contribute more broadly to public discourse where motorcycles are concerned.

One of the oldest such organisations, the British Motorcycle Action Group, was founded in 1973 specifically in response to helmet compulsion, introduced without public consultation.{{cite web| title=About MAG| work=MAG UK |url=http://www.mag-uk.org | access-date=10 October 2007}} In addition, the British Motorcyclists Federation (BMF), founded in 1960 as a reaction to the public perception of motorcyclists as leather-jacketed hooligans, has itself moved into political lobbying.{{cite web |title=About » British Motorcyclists Federation |url=https://www.bmf.co.uk/about/ |website=British Motorcyclists Federation |access-date=16 December 2020}} Likewise, the U.S. has ABATE, which, like most such organisations, also works to improve motorcycle safety, as well as running the usual charity fund-raising events and rallies, often for motorcycle-related political interests.Some other lobbying organisations are listed in :Category:Motorcyclists organizations.

{{Main|Outlaw motorcycle club}}

At the other end of the spectrum from the charitable organisations and the motorcycle rights activists are the "outlaw motorcycle gangs". One definition, by the Provincial Court of Manitoba, is: "Any group of motorcycle enthusiasts who have voluntarily made a commitment to band together and abide by their organisations' rigorous rules enforced by violence, who engage in activities that bring them and their club into serious conflict with society and the law."[http://ww2.ps-sp.gc.ca/policing/organized_crime/FactSheets/omg_e.asp Organized Crime Fact Sheet] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081018195221/http://ww2.ps-sp.gc.ca/policing/organized_crime/FactSheets/omg_e.asp |date=2008-10-18 }}{{spaced ndash}} Public Safety Canada The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Criminal Intelligence Service Canada have designated four MCs as Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs (OMGs), which are the Pagans, Hells Angels, Outlaws MC, and Bandidos,[https://www.fbi.gov/publications/safestreets/ssgu00.pdf FBI Safe Street Violent Crime Initiative{{spaced ndash}} Report Fiscal Year 2000]{{spaced ndash}} FBI.org[http://www.cisc.gc.ca/annual_reports/annual_report_2004/document/cisc_2004_annual_report.pdf 2004 Annual Report] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091222072041/http://www.cisc.gc.ca/annual_reports/annual_report_2004/document/cisc_2004_annual_report.pdf |date=2009-12-22 }}{{spaced ndash}} Criminal Intelligence Service Canada, cisc.gc.ca known as the "Big Four".[http://ctgia.org/mcgang.html Motorcycle Gangs]{{spaced ndash}} Connecticut Gang Investigators Association

The motorcycle manufacturing industry and many government entities around the world have taken actions to clean up the reputation and activities of motorcyclists.The Corporate Cyclists. Emile Milne, Black Enterprise Aug 1981The Government's motorcycling strategy: fifth report of session 2006–07. House of Commons: Transport Committee, UK

File:2009-02-01 Cleaning Ninja 250 chain.jpg motorcycle]]

{{More citations needed section|date=July 2020}}

Motorcyclists will refer to maintenance or repair of a motorcycle as wrenching in the US and "spannering" in the UK. A do it yourself self-sufficiency is said to be part of motorcycles' allure in an "increasingly monolithic, unfixable world"Melissa Holbrook Pierson, The Perfect Vehicle: What It is about Motorcycles, 1997, W.W. Norton & Company, New York and being able to maintain one's own motorcycle is seen as part of the competency of being a motorcyclist.

Historically, motorcycle maintenance was a necessary skill for riders, since the materials and technology used in motorcycles often meant that repairs had to be done on the road-side miles from home. Modern motorcycles are as reliable as automobiles but many riders feel that their motorcycle is more than just a means of transportation which leads them to want to do maintenance on the motorcycles themselves.

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{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

• {{cite book|title=Motorcycle Safety/MC-sikkerhet |first1=Svein |last1=Voldseth |first2=Per Ole |last2=Wanvik |first3=Morten |last3=Hansen |first4=Bård Morten |last4=Johansen |first5=Finn |last5=Larsstuen |publisher=Norwegian Public Roads Administration |year=2004 |url= http://arkiv.nmcu.org/publ/vegdir_handbok245/handbok245.pdf}}
• {{cite book|title=Death Accidents on Motorcycle 2005-2009/Dødsulykker på motorsykkel 2005–2009 |first1=Gunnar |last1=Rydland |first2=Lars-Inge |last2=Haslie |first3=Morten |last3=Hansen |publisher=Norwegian Public Roads Administration |year=2011 |issn=1892-3844 |url= http://www.vegvesen.no/Om+Statens+vegvesen/Media/Nyhetsarkiv/Nasjonalt/_attachment/287587?_ts=133f9ab6840&fast_title=D%C3%B8dsulykker+p%C3%A5+motorsykkel+2005-2009.pdf}}
• {{cite book|title=Global status report on road safety 2013 |first=Tami |last=Toroyan |publisher=World Health Organization |year=2013 |isbn=9789241564564 |url=http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/78256/1/9789241564564_eng.pdf?ua=1}}

{{Commons category|Motorcycling}}

{{Wikivoyage}}

• [http://savvytraveler.publicradio.org/show/features/2000/20000825/postcard.shtml Season of the Bike] "The difference between driving a car and climbing onto a motorcycle is the difference between watching TV and actually living your life."
• [http://www.motorcycleguidelines.org.uk IHIE Guidelines for Motorcycling] – these authoritative Guidelines are the first in the UK, setting out comprehensive, practical guidance for highway engineers, traffic engineers, road safety officers and transport planners on providing a safer transport environment for motorcycles, mopeds and scooters.

{{Motorcycles}}

{{Authority control}}