Standard motorcycles are the fairing-less, limited suspension, standard street bike like the old Yamaha 650 Twin, or the Honda CB750 and Kawasaki KZs. Sometimes mistakenly referred to as a Cruiser, the standard is the most basic form of motorcycle.
Standard motorcycles are comfortable and easy to control and ride. The rider sits almost straight upright with their feet slightly in front of their body and their arms bent comfortably holding on to the grips.
Commonality is King
The price for most standards is typically less than that of cruisers, sport bikes and others. This is largely due to the standards not having all the higher technology equipment that modern motorcycles have. They are very popular with beginner riders, and these are typically the types of bikes supplied in most motorcycle safety courses, including the Motorcycle Safety Foundation course.
Standards are pretty easy to ride. They handle well, and while they won’t win many drag races, they have sufficient power. They come in many different sizes and most major manufacturers make at least one model. Standard motorcycles are great for commuting to and from work because they are inexpensive, reliable, comfortable and economic.
Some of the most common attributes of the standard motorcycle type are air cooled inline 4 cylinder engine, 4 carburetors (1 per cylinder), telescopic front forks, one piece engine and gearbox, disk brakes, wide seat and minimal front fork rake.
What Can You Do To Your Standard Motorcycle?
There are many different ways to accessorize a standard motorcycle. Some of the most popular methods are chrome-plated parts to replace exhaust pipes, wheels, engine covers, skid plates or protective bars. Other popular upgrades might include things like saddle bags and wind screens.
Much of the basic maintenance can easily be done on standard motorcycles by the owner armed with little more than a basic tool kit and a manual for the motorcycle. With the lack of fairings making access easier and the widely available parts, doing maintenance or small repairs on a standard motorcycle is usually a simple matter. If you run into problems, there are a multitude of help forums available online that can get you answers you need.
For further information on some of the maintenance standard motorcycle owners can perform on their own bikes, visit some of the other articles here that cover some of the things like how to perform an oil change, on most motorcycles, or how to deal with a dead battery.
