If you have chosen to read this article, then maybe you like to ride around on your personal motorcycle. Are you sure that your vehicle meets the definition of a motorcycle? Is it self-propelled? Does it have a seat or a saddle? Does it roll along on 2 or 3 wheels?
If you answered “yes” to each of the questions posed in the previous paragraph, then it looks like you do have a motorcycle. Hopefully, you stopped to think about what would happen if the engine on your vehicle broke down. A motorcycle’s engine serves as its only means of propulsion; its only source of energy.
The wheels of a motorbike will keep going, if the rider pushes the pedals. In that way it differs from all motorcycles. Hence, the rider of a motor bike does not have to follow the same rules as the motorcycle’s rider.
The various classes for motorcycles
Why must a motorcycle’s class be determined? The government authority that issues licenses wants to know certain details about the licensed motorcycles. For instance, it wants to know their typical speed. The motorcycle’s class indicates its typical speed.
Some get classed as full-speed cycles. Others fit the classification reserved for limited-speed cycles. Mopeds and motorized scooters belong in that particular category/classification. There is a third class as well, but, unlike the other classes, it does not reflect the vehicle’s speed. Instead, it indicates the number of wheels that are carrying the self-propelled vehicle down the road. That number is three.
Required clothing for bikers (motorcycle riders)
Every biker must wear a helmet. It should have a hard outer shell and protective padding inside. It needs to have a chin strap that fastens securely. In the absence of such a helmet, the chances that a biker could suffer a terrible head injury increase greatly.
Required parts for the biker’s vehicle
It should have two lamps, one on the front and one on the rear. It should have front and rear brakes. In addition, it needs to have a rear view mirror.
Naturally, a biker would expect the presence of a set of handlebars. A smart biker makes a specific measurement that concerns that same part, before buying his or her self-propelled vehicle. The handlebar should be no more than 380 mm above the seat, once that seat has been compressed by the seated rider.
Optional parts for the biker’s chosen mode of transportation
Bikers that want to carry a passenger must invest in an additional and necessary part. It could be a passenger seat, one that goes behind the part compressed by the biker. All such seats need to have foot rests. Alternatively, the passenger could be seated in a side car. The installation of such a side car transforms a two-wheeled motorcycle into one that has three wheels. With an increase in the number of accidents involving motorcycle riders it is important that you discuss more about the details with a personal injury lawyer in Sault Ste. Marie.