History of biking

Since the time a couple of Frenchmen mounted a small engine on a cycle in 1870, motorcycling has been a part of every man's and woman's lives at least in their youth. It may be a 50 cc 'moped' or a half-ton Harley Davidson, but the plain fact is that a bike thrills. Man's head inclined into the wind, woman's thrown back, hair flying…it could even be the other way around! The thrill gets better as the bike gets heavier. Yes, a motocross bike flies like a bird, but a touring Fatboy is literally another trip altogether! The low slung sense of balance makes you feel like a king of the road. Motorbike shows often feature human pyramids mounted on a row of running bikes. The Royal Enfield is a favourite at Indian (as in country, not bike!) military shows. Its weight allows you to do almost anything with your hands off the handlebars (yes, fellas, anything!). So imagine what you could be doing on the Led Zeppelin, a four-and-half ton monsterbike built in Russia by Mike Opara, Ingo Brandt and Tilo and Wilfried Niebel at German firm Harzer Bike Schmiede. The gargantuan motorcycle is powered by a tank engine and stands at 17.4 feet long and 7.5 feet high. Alright, from one side it's a real bat out of hell, but on its other side you can see it has a sidecar. So not exactly a bike proper, purists might argue. But then again, having a sidecar helps to maintain stability. How do we beat that now. It would make sense to mount a real heavy tank on two wheels and call it a motorcycle.

Take an old Panzer VIII Maus, that German tank weighs more than a hundred tons. So are you ready for some real extreme Panzer biking? But for more practical minded folks like us, bike manufacturers keep innovating with new material and engine technology. The latest hydrogen-powered bikes may need a small addition - something that makes a vroom-vroom sound! These prototype bikes are so silent, they are almost dangerous. So their makers are thinking of adding a device to ‘make noise'! Crazy world, eh! We want our bikes green and we want them noisy too. But bikes have come a long way, from the tyreless velocipedes of the 19th century to the intelligent hydrogen bikes of the future. And our obsession with that throb between our legs will go on and on! However, to stay safe on your bike, you must invest in bike insurance!

For great deals on motorbike insurance and motorcycle insurance, contact Carole Nash Ireland.