A motorcycle or motorbike is also known as a bike, cycle etc is a two or three-wheeled vehicle that runs by an internal engine. This type of vehicle is very popular and mainly used for various purposes which are long-distance travel, general commuting, cruising around, sport and off-road riding etc.
The first-ever made internal combustion fueled engine motorcycle was “Daimler Reitwagen” made by Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach in 1885. It is also known as “the father of the motorcycle”. That motorcycle used a 264cc engine. The first series of motorcycles were Hildebrand & Wolfmüller in 1894. The first commercial design three-wheel motorcycle was built in 1884 in Great Britain by Edward Butler.
So How Much Do Motorcycles Weigh?
The weight of different types of motorcycles depends on size, models etc. On average you can get a motorcycle to weigh around 400 pounds or 181 kg to 600 pounds or 275 kg.
Some lightweight motorcycle trailers weigh around 300 pounds or 136 kg. But on average a motorcycle weight with a trailer can be around 700 pounds or 318 kg.
Weight Of Different Types Of Motorcycles (With Their Weight):
Depending on the types you can get motorcycles with various weight ranges. Some models are heavier than other models and some are very light in weight. Below we described the average weight of different types of motorcycles.
| Type Of Motorcycle | Description | Average Weight In Pounds | Average Weight In Kilograms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chopper | known as heavier motorcycles. | 650-720 | 295-327 |
| Adventure bike | It is known as an off-road version of a dirt bike and can be used as an adventure bike. | 500-650 | 227-294 |
| Moped | One of the lightweight motorcycles you can find. If you are powerful enough then you can easily lift this type of motorcycle upstairs or your apartment. | 160-180 | 73-82 |
| Scooter | It is a beefier version of moped motorcycles. You can easily ride this type. | 200-300 | 91-136 |
| Cafe Racer or Scrambler | This type of motorcycle is one kind of sport motorcycle. Perfect for quick rides in short distances. | 400-500 | 181-227 |
| Cruiser | This type of motorcycle has a large engine and wheelbase. Perfect for long-distance travels on open roads or road trips. | 400-700 | 181-318 |
| Bagger | This type of bike is one of the heaviest and biggest. Features rear storage for carrying accessories. | 700-850 | 318-385 |
| Sport Bike | These types of motorcycles are good for high speed and acceleration and suitable for cornering on paved roads. Features little storage options. | 300-500 | 136-227 |
| Touring | Mainly designed for touring on wide-open roads. They are big in size and have powerful engines. Also, they have huge storage options for carrying different luggage. | 800-1000 | 363-454 |
| Dirt Bike | One of the lighter motorcycle models that are designed to use off-road riding on rough terrains like uneven roads or tracks, rocks, mud, etc and is mainly used for scrambling. | 100-250 | 45-113 |
Factors That Affects Motorcycles weight
Motorcycles are built with different components that determine the overall weight. These components are the body, battery, engine, wheels etc.
Engine: The engine is the heaviest part of any motorcycle. Motorcycles with bigger engines have higher weight than a motorcycle with smaller engines. On an average motorcycle, engines weigh 20 pounds or 9 kg to 200 pounds or 90 kg. Engine capacity is measured based on cubic capacity(cc).On an average motorcycle, engines come from 50 ccs to 1500 cc. You will find small engines in a bike like dirt bikes, scooters, naked bikes etc. And heavier engines can be found in adventures bikes, choppers, sport bikes, cruiser bikes etc.
Panniers: Panniers can add lots of weight to a motorcycle. Panniers are common in Touring bikes and adventure bikes. Panniers made from steel can add 10 pounds weight each when empty. Also other things like fuel or oil, chain, helmets etc add the overall weight of motorcycles.
Materials Used: Older motorcycles were mainly used from heavy steel materials. Also durable and reliable too. But modern motorcycles are mainly built from plastic and lightweight metals which makes the motorcycles lighter.
The Fairing: Most modern motorcycles feature plastic faring which makes them light in weight. But older motorcycles have fairing made of steel sheet which adds heavyweight to your motorcycle. So if you have an old-style motorcycle then you can replace the fairing with plastic parts.
Example Of Different Motorcycles Weight:
| Motorcycle Model | Motorcycle Type | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Honda Metropolitan | Moped | 179 pounds (81 kg) |
| Honda CRF250 | Dirt Bike | 224 pounds (102 kg) |
| Honda PCX | Scooter | 289 pounds (131 kg) |
| Suzuki GSX-R750 | Sport Bike | 419 pounds (190 kg) |
| Cafe Racer Ducati | Scrambler | 432 pounds (196 kg) |
| Tiger Explorer XR | Adventure Bike | 538 pounds (244 kg) |
| Harley Davidson Soft-ail Fat Boy | Cruiser | 699 pounds (317 kg) |
| Yamaha Raider S | Chopper | 719 pounds (326 kg) |
| Harley Davidson Touring Street Model | Bagger | 829 pounds (376 kg) |
| Indian Roadmaster | Touring | 920 pounds (417 kg) |
How Can You Reduce Your Motorcycles Weight:
+Try to remove onboard comforts like saddlebags, windscreens, backrests etc.
+Invest in a lithium-ion battery if your motorcycle has standard older models. Because Lithium-ion batteries are very lightweight.
+You can also remove or change steel sprocket, exhaust etc for reducing the overall motorbike weight. As older exhaust and sprockets models are heavier than recent models.
How Much Does A Motorcycle Cost?
On average a new motorcycle cost can be around $4000 to $6000 for entry-level types and high-end models can weigh around $30000. Also, you can get a stylish model within $6000 to $15000.
Popular Motorcycle Brands:
Most popular motorcycles brands in the world are Yamaha, Honda, Kawasaki, Harley-Davidson, Suzuki, BMW, Triumph, Aprilia, KTM etc.
How Much Does A Motorcycle Helmet Weigh?
On average a large-sized full-face motorcycle helmet can weigh between 3-1/4 to 3-1/2 pounds. Some modes weigh higher and some models weigh less but that does not mean they are better or worse!
Fun Facts:
>>Longest ever backward motorcycle ride was recorded in 2014 in India and it was 202 km!
>> World’s longest motorcycle was built by Bharat sinh Parmar in 2015. And it was 26.29m long.
>>Modern sports motorbikes use tires made from synthetic rubbers.
>>In Indiana a motorcycle has to stop only 2 minutes at a red stoplight.
>>Longest distance motorcycle ride in 24 hours was 2023.5 miles or 3256.5 kilometers in 2014 by Matthew McKelvey and now this record belongs to Carl Reese (USA). He rode 3406.17 kilometers or 2116.5 miles in 24 hours on 26 February 2017.
