Activities Hobbies A Visual Guide to Types of Motorcycles Share PINTEREST Email Print Hobbies Cars & Motorcycles Motorcycles Cars Used Cars Trucks ATVs & Off Road Public Transportation Contests Couponing Freebies Frugal Living Fine Arts & Crafts Astrology Card Games & Gambling Playing Music Learn More By Basem Wasef Basem Wasef Basem Wasef is the author of "Legendary Motorcycles" and "Legendary Race Cars." His work has appeared in Autoblog, Men's Journal, Robb Report, and Wired. Learn about our Editorial Process Updated on 11/29/18 From scooters to supermotos, here's a visual rundown of the basic types of motorcycles currently on the market. Adventure Touring Bikes / Dual Sports Buell Adventure touring bikes and dual sports bikes are designed to be ready for anything—be it tarmac, gravel, or trail riding. Their look is a cross between a traditional touring bike and a dirt bike. Choppers Big Dog Epitomized by the Harley-Davidson Panhead in the film "Easy Rider," choppers tend to have extremely raked forks, reclined seats, and lots of showy chrome. Famous choppers include the Intel/Orange County Choppers Concept Bike, the Big Bear Choppers Merc Rigid, and just about every custom bike by Guilty Customs and Orange County Choppers. Cruisers Harley-Davidson Cruisers are like sedate choppers—their fork rake is less extreme, and they're designed for laid-back riding. Cruisers have come to exemplify a typically American image, and exude an air of cool style. Power Cruisers Suzuki A variant of regular cruisers, power cruisers feature more power and offer a more aggressive riding experience. Power cruisers often inherit high performance characteristics from their sport bike stablemates, and they boast thick rear tires, large exhaust pipes, and low ground clearances. Dirt Bikes Husqvarna Dirt bikes generally refer to motorcycles designed for off-road riding. They typically feature knobby tires, long suspension travel, and minimalistic frames and bodywork. Variants of dirt bike designs compete in Enduro, Motocross, and Trials events, among others. Enduro Bikes Kawasaki Designed for long distance off-road competitions, Enduro bikes are usually equipped with headlights and taillights for nighttime riding, and can be outfitted with timers and roll chart reading devices that aid riders with the sport's navigation and timekeeping requirements. Enduro bikes are not only expected to traverse difficult terrain, they are required to stand up to the rigors of hours of abuse. Motocross Bikes Honda Motocross bikes are dirtbikes designed to compete in outdoor motocross events, which feature terrain that includes tight turns and jumps. These bikes typically run outdoor courses, while supermotos are designed for a mixture of off-road and road surfaces. Supercross riders compete in indoor arenas. Naked Bikes Triumph Naked bikes recall British motorcycles of the sixties, and lack bodywork or fairings that would normally hide their engines and inner workings. Naked bikes are essentially sport bikes without bodywork. Scooters Aprilia Scooters are small, lightweight bikes powered by engines that typically range from 50cc to 250cc in displacement. They feature step-through designs and bodywork that shields riders from messy engine parts. If you're looking for an easy, economical way to get around town or commute, check out the following scooters: Honda Metropolitan Yamaha Vino ClassicKYMCO Super 8 50KYMCO Agility 125Yamaha C3 Base Honda RuckusYamaha Zuma KYMCO Sting 50KYMCO Super 8 150Honda Elite 80KYMCO People S 50 4TKYMCO People 50KYMCO Super 9 50Yamaha Vino 125 Aprilia Scarabeo 100Piaggio Fly 150KYMCO People S 125Aprilia SR 50 R FactoryYamaha Zuma 125Vespa LX 50KYMCO People 150KYMCO People S 200Aprilia Scarabeo 200Vespa S 150Vespa S 150Vespa LX 150Hyosung MS3 250KYMCO Grand Vista 250KYMCO People S 250Aprilia SportCity 250 Aprilia SportCity 250KYMCO Xciting 250Piaggio BV 250Vespa LXV 150KYMCO Xciting 250 IVespa Granturismo 200Yamaha Morphous BaseHonda Reflex SportVespa GTS 250Honda Reflex ABSHonda Reflex Sport ABSVespa GTS 300 Power Scooters Suzuki Power scooters are a relatively new category of motorbike, in which a large motor is incorporated into the chassis of a seemingly innocuous scooter. They are typically used for commuting, and their step-through bodies and enclosed mechanical parts prevent riders from staining or excessively wrinkling their clothes. They pack just a little more oomph than regular scooters. Here is a good selection of options:Yamaha Majesty 400 Suzuki Burgman 400KYMCO Xciting 50Vespa GTS 300 SuperAprilia Scarabeo 500 I.E.Piaggio BV 500KYMCO Xciting 500 RiKYMCO Xciting 500 Ri ABSSuzuki Burgman 650 Yamaha TMAXHonda Silver Wing ABSYamaha TMAXSuzuki Burgman 650 Executive Sport Bikes Ducati Most sport bikes are intended to be ready for high-performance track duty, as well as street riding. Here is a selection of popular sport bikes: Kawasaki Ninja 250R Kawasaki Ninja 250RHyosung Comet GT250RKawasaki Ninja 500RSuzuki GS 500FHyosung Comet GT650RKawasaki Ninja 650RSuzuki GSX 650FYamaha FZ6 Kawasaki ZZR 6002008 Triumph Street TripleYamaha YZF R6S Ducati Monster 696Suzuki GSX-R 600Triumph Daytona 675Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6RYamaha FZ1 Honda CBR 600RRYamaha YZF R6Triumph Speed TripleSuzuki GSX-R 750Suzuki GSX-R1000 Suzuki GSX-R1000Ducati SportClassic Sport 1000 BipostoDucati Hypermotard 1100Honda CBR1000RRHonda CBR 1000RRSuzuki Ninja ZX-10RYamaha YZF R1Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14Suzuki Hayabusa 1300Suzuki Hayabusa 1300Buell 1125RBuell 1125RDucati SportClassic Sport 1000 SDucati 848Ducati 848KTM Super Duke 990BMW R 1200 SBMW K 1200 R SportBMW K 1200 SDucati 1098Ducati 1098SDucati 1098SMV Agusta F4 1000RDucati 1098 S Tricolore (pictured above)BMW HP2 SportMV Agusta F4 SennaMV Agusta F4CCKTM 1190 RC8 Supermoto Bikes KTM Based on race machines that compete on a combination of paved and unpaved surfaces, supermoto bikes possess both off-road characteristics such as deep suspension travel and on-road features such as road tires and bodywork reminiscent of so-called "street fighter" bikes. Supermotos require a unique riding style, which involves sliding the bike and using the rider's boots to leverage balance and traction. Touring Bikes Touring bikes are made for long-distance riding, and include features that rival those of many automobiles, including electronically adjustable suspension, heated grips, intercom systems, backrests, large windscreens, and creature comforts such as satellite radios and navigation systems. Trials Bikes Montesa These specialized competition bikes are tailor-made for trials events in which motorcycles are maneuvered around natural or man-made obstacles. Extremely lightweight, trials bikes lack seats and feature stiffer suspension than most dirt bikes. Trials competitions require highly skilled riding, and riders are penalized if their feet touch the ground.