The world of motorcycling is certainly not just focused around the impressive machines themselves, but also the culture, history, and social community that comes along with it too.
Whether you are a keen motorcyclist and motorcycle owner yourself, or you are going through that mid-life crisis so often talked about and are looking for an exciting new passion, then this article is for you.
Here are five fascinating facts about motorcycles.
- A New Meaning to a Long Journey
First up is some fascinating information about the longest ever distance recorded for riding a motorcycle in one sitting.
An American mechanic, named Russell ‘Rusty’ Vaughn rode a motorcycle for an incredible twenty-four hours and travelled exactly two thousand and twenty miles. Rusty won a place in the official Guiness Book of World Records as a result, when he completed the feat at the Continental Tire Test Track in the summer of 2011.
- Original Manufacturers
The famous company Honda, which began in early 1946 just after World War II, started manufacturing motorcycles way before they began one of the most reliable and trusted car manufacturers.
Now, fast forward to the present day and all established motorcycle stockists and experts from the reputable Piaggio dealer to smaller, family-run shops, all credit Honda with the creation of the original motorcycle.
- Motorcycles are a Celebrity Favourite
As a motorcycle enthusiast, you are in incredibly good company, as motorcycles and everything MCN-related are popular amongst a large number of A-list celebrities, as well as notable professional bikers, including the following to name just a few:
- Brad Pitt
- Clark Gable
- Ewan McGregor
- Tom Cruise
- Pink
- George Clooney
- Keanu Reeves
- Fuel is Not the Only Energy Source
Even though petrol is the most common way to fuel the engine of a motorbike, regardless of the style, make, or model of bike available, the Japanese seemed not to be happy with this particular mode of energy.
In the early 2000s, the toilet and waste machine manufacturer Toto created the Toilet Bike Neo, which was entirely powered by human waste. Essentially, the human waste was turned into biofuel which is stored in a pair of compressed gas cylindrical containers. The Toilet Bike Neo was, in its own unique way, a success of sorts and would use the biofuel to power the engine for a whopping 300km before it needed to be refuelled.
- Motorcycles Reached Their Peak Speed in 1924
Way back in 1924, George Brough, who was both an extremely talented mechanic and engineer and passionate about all everything engine-based, created the Brough Superior SS100 motorbike.
The Brough Superior SS10 was not only intensely aesthetically impressive, but also came with a 1000cc twin motor, a muffler, double-set headlights, and a flap footboard, with each individual bike fully tested on a public road before it was put on the market.
Crucially, George Brough and the workers within his company claimed that theirs was the very first motorbike to be able to reach 160km/h.