How does a motorcycle engine work?

              We all know that a motorcycle is a two-wheel vehicle. The first motorcycle was made in Germany in 1885 by Gottlieb Daimler. It was the first wooden framed motorized bicycle. However, this industry didn’t come into its own until the end of the nineteenth century. The early motorcycles were simply modified bicycles with powered engines. Soon frames were designed to suit motorcycles to make it a more acceptable vehicle. Do you know how does a motorcycle run?

               A motorcycle works on a principle similar to most other vehicles. It has an internal combustion engine. This may be a two or four stroke petrol engine or rotary wankel type, either air cooled or water cooled. In an internal combustion engine, fuel is mixed with air in a cylinder. The fuel is ignited by a spark. As the fuel burns, it produces hot gases in a large quantity. These gases push a piston along the cylinder. And the piston provides the power for the wheels. Most motorcycles have one or two cylinders. Racing motorcycles sometimes have more than two cylinders. 

               Like many other automobiles, motorcycles have a device called ‘clutch’. This is operated by a hand lever. It disconnects the engine from the gear box. It is used when the rider is starting, stopping or changing the gear. Most motorcycles have three or four gears. The gears are foot-operated. It is started by pushing down a kick. It turns the engine and starts its firing. The clutch lever is on one side of the handle bars. On the other side is a lever for the front brake. The rear brake is operated by a foot pedal. Motorcycles are fitted with either drum or disc brakes. The drum brake consists of a brake drum built into the wheel hub and a pair of brake shoes lined with an asbestos-based material. These shoes press against the inside of the drum when the brake is applied. The disc brake is basically a steel disc mounted on the wheel hub with a pair of pads.

               The speed of the engine is controlled by a twist grip control on the right hand side of the handle bars which are connected to the carburettor by a cable. Most of the modern motorcycle frames are made of steel tubing with the engine mounted on twin tubes. These tubes form the bottom section of the frame. Suspension is provided for both wheels to give a greater comfort to the rider. The hydraulic damper units or shock absorbers regulate the upward and downward suspension. These shock absorbers provide protection against the bumps on the road. If no shock absorbers were fitted, the wheel bounce would make it inconvenient to drive a motorcycle as the driver will lose control over the vehicle. The dampers work as a check against oscillations on rough and uneven roads. In a modern motor cycle sophisticated devices are introduced to make it pollution free and lesser absorber of fuel with better average of mileage.