- T -
Tachometer: A gauge that measures how fast
an engine is spinning. The measurement is usually
expressed in revolutions per minute. Also:
"tach."
Tank Slapper: What happens in rare cases
when a motorcycle's handlebars slap back and forth
at high speed, often due to alignment or suspension
issues.
Third Party Litigation: When a lawsuit is
brought against a defendant and that defendant wants
to add another party to the suit, the original
defendant may file a "third party
complaint" which results in a third party
litigation or lawsuit.
Throttle Lock: Manual device fitted to the
throttle of a motorcycle that applies friction to
keep the throttle from moving. Used to temporarily
give your hand a rest on long rides.
Thumper: A single-cylinder, four-stroke
motorcycle engine.
Tiered Licensing: Tiered licensing is an
insurance practice that restricts operation of a
motorcycle, based on its engine displacement.
Torque: A unit of measure describing the
twisting force, or leverage, an engine can exert on
the rear wheel. Typically, an engine with a lot of
torque will have the potential to speed up faster at
lower RPM's.
Tort: A civil wrong; a wrongful injury to
a person's property. There are three types of torts:
intentional, negligence and strict liability.
Trail: The distance from the front axle's
vertical position on the ground, to the spot in
front of it created by drawing a straight line from
the angle of the forks.
Triple Tree: The two metal plates that
connect the fork tubes to the steering stem,
sometimes also used as a handlebar mount.
Tubeless Tire: A tubeless tire is just
that - a tire without an inner tube. It's not
recommended for a motorcycle because it tends to
deflate rapidly when it's punctured, which would
cause sudden loss of control for the rider.
Two-Second Rule: This is the minimum
spacing in seconds between moving motorcycles. While
in formation, maintain a 2-second interval from the
rider in front of you. It is measured by counting
"one-thousand one, one-thousand two" as
you see the rider in front of you pass a sign or
landmark. Stop counting when you pass the same
marker. Under poor weather conditions, maintain
longer intervals consistent with safety.
Two Stroke Engine: A once-common type of
engine now found almost exclusively in off-road
motorcycles. A two-stroke motor fires once with
every two strokes of the piston. 1) Once fired, the
downward stroke of the piston delivers power and
then draws in a mixture of fuel, air and oil which
displaces the exhaust gases in the combustion
chamber; 2) the upward stroke compresses the mixture
for ignition.
