Look up definitions of motorcycle terms, descriptions and abbreviations fast! Add your own insight and experience (”comments”) below the terms. Here is all you do:
- Enter a word in the “MOTORCYCLE WORD SEARCH” box on the right and hit “Enter” on your keyboard.
- Or, browse through the glossary by clicking on the alphabetic categories above.
• Are you looking for farkles?
• How is a soft tail related to a hard tail?
• Do you know what the difference is between a squid and squat?
You can find all that and much more. And you are welcome to contribute your own knowledge to the motorcycle community. Each definition has a “comment” field so that you can easily add a note or two.
Comments
45 Comments so far
How about tracker? I ve seen it as street tracker, or just tracker.
Thanks
@toetoh, I believe the answer to your question is “Petcock”.
http://motorcycle-glossary.com/petcock/132
HTH,
CTB
what is the usage of a part in motorcycle to switch/open on/off the fuel(something like nozzle) which control the fuel of motorcycle?
Dear sir,
I want to know how to call each parts of motorcycle in English.I mean the name of each parts of engine as well as other parts.
What “greeting” and “departing” terms do motorcyclist use to convey good fortune on the road?
Hello Ranjan, Motorcycle headlights get their energy from the battery. (There are exceptions, such as older bikes without batteries). MCg
Where does the electric energy come to the headlight in a two wheeler. is there any charging device for that.
Hello Jerry, “independent motorcycle repair shops” is the term I’m familiar with. MCg
Is there a special term for independent motorcycle repair shops?
Hi Chris. Click here for Streetfighter Motorcycle. MCg
How about “streetfighters”
Customized sportbike based motorcycles with the fairing removed, often with motocross style handlebars and smaller higher angled tails.
Hi Zoltan, Thanks for your message. You have my permission to use motorcycle-glossary.com as a resource for building the corpus of your dictionary. Good luck with your work! MCg
Dear Sir!
I am a motorcyclist from Hungary (Europe). I am writing to you in order to ask for your help in my current project. I am graduating at the Eötvös Loránd University of Sciences in Budapest in German Language and Applied Linguistics this year. Primarily, I am a linguist, however, regarding my original profession, I am a motorcycle engineer, and my aim is to compile a multilingual (Hungarian-German-English) dictionary of motorcycle engineering terms (which is the topic of my thesis as well). My researches regarding this have been inspired by the immense terminological pluralism and confusion in the field of motorycle engineering. The preliminary researches have already been conducted, and I have published my findings in several papers as well.
I would greatly appreciate it if you would be so kind to give me permission to use your Motorcycle Glossary as a resource in buliding the corpus of my dicitionary. I also would be immensely grateful if I could consult you with some further questions or problems which might arise during my work.
I am looking forward to receiving your reply.
Yours faithfully
Zoltan Kiss (kissz_21@yahoo.de)
I noticed you don’t have brain bucket on here. Thanks for the website. I’m learning a lot from it.
What are whips, heel clickers, nac nac’s, nothings in regards to motorcross racing
This may be difficult, but if you could make a list of all the parts needed to make a motorcycle (essential stuff like drivetrain components, tins, cables, etc…), I think it would give anyone jumping in to building a bike a good start. I know it would have helped me before I built my first. Thanks!
Hi Gamer, Good point. Perhaps illustrations of a motorcycle and related parts would be useful to help identify parts. Best, MCG
PS: I believe your example refers to a “fender.”
Hey there, this is a pretty good idea, very useful for someone like me who doesn’t understand anything about motorcycles but need its terminology to do my job.
But.
Yes, there’s a but: what if I need to know the name of a motorcycle part? I mean, for example, that thing over the tyre that avoids water to splash all over the place and the driver..
p.s. I’m not an English mothertongue, that’s why I don’t have the basics of motorcycle terminology
I am bike shopping, and I read about heel-toe shifters. I get the idea what they are, although I have only had one down, four up bikes. can you tell me how the heel-toe shift works? I am guessing toe up shifts, and heel down shifts.
Thanks for the great site.
Is there a name for the signal riders give each other? I generally see them extend a hand out to their sides when passing on the road. I also wonder if there’s a kind of division, e.g. guy on Harley doesn’t signal to guy on Yamaha.
Hi Pat, Thanks for the word request. “Rev Limiter” is now included. Best, MC-G
what is a rev limiter? ive seen this often related to wheelies or other related stunts
Hello Harry, Thanks for the recommendation. “Rim Lock” is now added. Best, MCG
what about rim locks?
Hi Billy, Thanks for the query. “Twenty twenty” is now included. Best, MCG
wondering what a ‘twenty twenty’ means….does it have something to do with a HOG?
Hi Dave, Thanks for the inquiry. Check out “Uncork” which has now been added. Best, MCG
What does it mean to ‘uncork’ a motorcycle?
Hi Sara, Thanks for stopping by. Check out “Bcom” which has just now been added as well as “Bluetooth“. Best, MCG
I’ve heard the term “Bcom” used to mean any of the Bluetooth Intercom headset for bike helmets.
I didn’t catch it at first so I searched and then asked a friend what it meant.
(That’s how I found this site by the way)
Asphalt Surfing
What you do when your bike is 10 feet in front of you and you’re still doing 50 MPH.
Hi Bobcatt, Check out “Hunting” which has now been added. Best, MCG
What exactly does the term “hunting”, in regards to motorcycles and their performance, mean. I could not find it in the glossary.
thanks,
bobcatt
Hi Maurice, Check out “Swingarm.” Best, MCG
Please ad swing arm and other major parts of the motorcycle.
Hi Campbell. Great question! Check out “Wheelie bar.” Best, MC-G
Hey…what do you call this item: its a couple of long bars with the 2 little tiny wheels on it, that you attach to the back of the drag bike/racing cycle? looks kinda like training wheels or something. Thanks
Hi Brian,
Great to hear from you. Check out the entry for “NATC” which has just been added. If you contact them, they will likely help you find exactly what you need.
Best, MC-G
I am looking for information on at type of motorcycle time trial using small displacement bikes. This type of racing involves hitting your estimated times correctly and slow speed obstacle courses. This using ridden on bikes of 200CC or less. Thanks
Hi Rick, Thanks for your question. “Two Stroke” and “Four Stroke” refer to the number of times a piston moves up and down through each power cycle. Check out the animation on this Two-Stroke link: Best, MC-G
What are they talking about when they mention a two stroke or four stroke in a motorcycle.
Hi Lynne, thanks very much for the excellent word suggestions! “Cage” and “Cager” have been added. By the way, additional words are routinely added to this motorcycle dictionary. Recommendations from visitors automatically go to the top of the list of new inclusions. Best, MC-G
I’m kinda surprised you folks didn’t include the words,
“Cage” (a car) and
“Cager” (person driving a car)
I’ve seen these words a lot lately on different websites.
I love your website!!! Thank you for offering it!!
Hi Sammy, Thanks for your query. “Motorcycle Assembly” has been added. Best, MC-G
what is motorcycle assembly