What Riding Style Suits You Best?
Even if you’re new to the world of motorcycles, you’ve surely already noticed that the different types and styles of bikes available are wildly diverse. There are a number of reasons for this, most of which have to do with the type of riding each is meant to do. Motorcycles meant to get around a track as fast as possible have an obviously different shape and riding position than one meant to launch off dirt jumps, for instance.
An abundance of choice can be confusing at first, but it can also be hugely beneficial because it means that no matter the riding style you prefer, chances are there’s a bike that’ll suit you. For many riders, having multiple bikes means meeting different riding wants or needs, and it may take new riders a few machines before they find the one that really suits their style the best. To help get you started, we’ve broken down the different riding styles that apply to different types of bikes so that you can start to narrow down what’s going to work best for you.
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Sporty Style
For riders who feel the need for speed, particularly when the road (or track) gets twisty, a sport motorcycle is possibly the choice for you. Sportbikes are designed so that the rider becomes as closely integrated into the shape of the bike as possible to minimize wind resistance and maximize cornering clearance. The upside to this is that they can tackle curves and corners at impressive speeds, enabling the pilot to lean very deeply into the corner, which with time and skill can mean getting a knee down to the pavement (just make sure you’re wearing your leathers before doing so!).
The riding posture tends to require the rider to compromise comfort in the interest of performance. The foot pegs are mounted quite high and far back relative to the rider’s torso, while the handlebars are forward and very low, enabling the rider to tuck into the bike and behind the fairing and windshield. In the most extreme bikes, like Ducati’s Panigale or Yamaha’s R1, this can become fairly uncomfortable after a relatively short time in the saddle, so only those truly dedicated to quick lap times or fast corners should consider this style.
Standard Style
For many (including yours truly), the sweet spot in the motorcycling world is the standard style bike. With a more upright riding position, but usually still equipped with much of the high-performance components of a sportbike, many standard motorcycles can be the best of all worlds, letting a rider enjoy exciting performance, while also offering a more comfortable riding position. For a rider looking to have one bike do a lot of things, the standard style can be a great choice for commuting and moderate touring, but also tackle the odd track day, managing each task with reasonable proficiency.
The rider sits upright, putting less strain on the wrists and neck than a sportbike, and with foot pegs mounted lower, and below the torso, it means the hips and knees aren’t at such a tight angle, providing more comfort for longer rides. Plus, the wider bars help to make the bike more maneuverable at slower speeds. The style of these machines can vary from futuristic (like Kawasaki’s Z900) to classic (like the Triumph Bonneville).
Touring Style
If making miles is your goal, a touring bike is your best bet. Typically larger in engine displacement, these big machines provide smooth, torquey thrust that can move a pair of riders and plenty of luggage with ease. Bikes like the Harley-Davidson Street Glide Ultra and Honda Gold Wing are loaded with luxurious features such as heated grips, heated seats, on-board navigation and audio systems, plus spacious hard cases to contain lots of cargo for long trips.
Like the standard bikes, touring bikes have a very upright riding position, though with even more relaxed leg placement. Optimized for consuming vast distances of highways, these big, heavy machines don’t offer the same cornering clearance or nimbleness for handling that the sport or standard bikes do. There are sport touring machines like the Honda NT1100 or Suzuki GSX-S1000 GT that deliver more handling performance without giving up much of the full-scale touring bikes’ luggage space or comfort.
Adventure Style
For some riders, leaving the masses—and pavement—behind provides the ultimate riding freedom. If that’s you, an adventure (ADV) bike is the answer. This group of machines offers a tall, comfortable riding position with good ground clearance and usually tires that can manage some moderate off-road riding. The ergonomics also allow for a rider to stand while riding, helping to better maintain control and soak up the gnarliest of bumps off-road.
This category of motorcycle has exploded in popularity in recent years leading to a wealth of choices for riders from fairly small, lightweight examples like the Honda CRF300 Rally to middle-weight offerings like the KTM 890 Adventure R, to the full-size legends like BMW’s R 1300 GS. Impressively, most new versions of these very rugged machines are very satisfying and capable on-road, too. The largest in this group can be intimidatingly large and heavy for novice riders.
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Cruiser Style
Not every rider needs a frenetic knee-dragging experience, nor has the desire to bound through the desert at high speed. For some, the best part of riding is sitting back, feeling the thrum of a big, torquey engine and the wind in your face. This is where cruisers come in. With a very low seating position, the rider’s legs reach forward to pegs or floorboards ahead of the rider’s knees. Bar position can vary (especially for customized choppers), but for the most part, they reach back toward the rider whose hands will be at mid-chest to shoulder-height.
The resulting slouchy position is ideal for cruising boulevards or backroads, but the forward-oriented foot controls can limit a rider’s cornering somewhat. Instead, feeling the massive swell of torque shove the rider’s backside makes this experience rewarding, and with arguably more style than any other type of motorcycle, these are the machines to be seen on. While dominated by big-displacement twin-cylinder machines like the Harley-Davidson Fat Boy, Indian Scout or BMW R18, smaller cruisers like the Honda Rebel 500 or Kawasaki Vulcan S are both more affordable and approachable for smaller or less-experienced riders.
Regardless of what riding style or motorcycle positions by bike type suits you best, Cycle Trader offers thousands of models for sale that will get you out there enjoying life on two wheels.
Jeff Wilson
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