- Street Bikes
- off-road
- dual purpose
Within these types, there are many different sub-types of motorcycles for many different purposes.
Street bikes include cruisers, sport bikes, scooters and mopeds, and many other types. Off-road motorcycles include many types designed for dirt-oriented racing classes such as motocross and are not street legal in most areas. Dual purpose machines like the dual-sport style are made to go off-road but include features to make them legal and comfortable on the street as well.
Each configuration offers either specialised advantage or broad capability, and each design creates a different riding posture.The riding position on a cruiser usually but not always places the feet forward and the hands up, with the spine erect or leaning back slightly. Many "power cruisers" and Japanese cruisers of the 1980s have featured more neutral riding positions.
Chopper-style motorcycles are also considered as cruisers.