motorcycle
Americannoun
-
motorcycles
plural
verb (used without object)
noun
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of motorcycle
Explanation
A motorcycle is a vehicle with two wheels, an engine, and no pedals. Don't forget to wear a helmet when you jump on your motorcycle! Like a bicycle, a motorcycle has two wheels, but while you power your bike by pedaling, a motorcycle's motor takes care of that. All you have to do is keep it full of gasoline. Motorcycles don't burn as much fuel as most cars, so they are a major form of transportation in many cities. Unfortunately, they're also much more dangerous. When motorcycles were invented in the 19th century, they were also sometimes called motocycles.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The motorcycle maker saw its first sales boost in years as riders respond to new models and cheap financing.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 5, 2026
A motorcycle used in Sir Christopher Nolan's Oscar-winning 2008 Batman film The Dark Knight is expected to sell for up to £900,000 at auction.
From BBC ● Nov. 5, 2026
"I have been spending more time on the fuel queue than on my business and it is not sustainable," said McDonald Kachule, a motorcycle taxi operator in central Lilongwe for six years.
From Barron's ● Oct. 30, 2026
Electric motorcycle maker LiveWire announced a special restructuring committee is weighing the company’s options following the resignation of CEO Karim Donnez.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 27, 2026
To his horror, he saw Ryan reach into the pocket of his parka and pull out a crushed crash helmet and a little red motorcycle broken in two.
From "Ralph S. Mouse" by Beverly Cleary
Harley predicts that by the end of this year, it will sell 135,500 to 139,000 motorcycles worldwide.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 4, 2026
The US also declared a total import ban on motorcycles, whey protein and alcohol.
From BBC ● Nov. 4, 2026
Him and his motorcycles and his man-of-the-people thing, that’s for real.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 2, 2026
A Malawi-based company that assembles and converts electric motorcycles, SGV, said demand had grown as conventional fuel became harder to obtain.
From Barron's ● Oct. 30, 2026
Fewer motorcycles and cars pass by on the streets.
From "Legend" by Marie Lu
She has traveled and lived around the world, crisscrossed South America and Indonesia on her own, motorcycled through Europe and Turkey.
From New York Times ● May 28, 2019
He studied art at a Christian college and motorcycled through Europe in his early 20s to, he said, “sleep in fields and eat yogurt.”
From New York Times ● Mar. 31, 2017
In 1908 he motorcycled from John O'Groats to Land's End.
From BBC ● Jul. 8, 2016
The soldier motorcycled in to see the artist.
From Time Magazine Archive
At ten forty-five, the paraders were halted for some reason, and the General's runners motorcycled down along the line of march and told the bandmasters to keep on playing the liveliest of tunes.
From The Five Arrows by Allan Chase
While many Chinese cities have restricted motorcycling, Chongqing has embraced it and become a biker's paradise.
From Barron's ● Aug. 2, 2026
Starrs, a motorcycling novice, is emphasizing “joy and swagger.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 5, 2026
James Hewing, museum director, said: "Dave was a beloved figure in both motorcycling and entertainment."
From BBC ● Jan. 31, 2025
Tom Setterlund is a retired safety engineer who spends his time backcountry motorcycling, mostly on fire roads in the San Bernardino National Forest.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 5, 2024
This incident meant another little pang, but the freshness of the morning and the exhilaration of the ride—for motorcycling has thrills which aviation does not know—helped banish all thoughts of an unpleasant morning.
From Tam o' the Scoots by Edgar Wallace
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