the powering of wheels on bikes vs cars

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Why do most motorbikes / cycles / scooters have the rear wheel powered, as opposed to most cars, which have the front wheel powered?

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Anonymous 0 Comments

Larger vehicles such as trucks and SUVs are typically RWD. This setup has the engine supply output power, into a transmission, through a driveshaft, down to the rear axle(s), turning the rear wheels providing thrust. Similarly, a motorcycle has the engine supply power to the transmission down to a chain or belt, to the rear wheels providing thrust.
Both are RWD and steer from the front axle.

A FWD vehicle has an engine supply power, to the transmission and out CV axles to the front wheels providing pull. Because the power wheels are the same as the steer wheels, a simple straight connection is impossible, mechanically speaking. A motorcycle could *theoretically* be FWD, it would change all the physics of the bike. The centralized location of the the engine and transmission under the rider is part of how it is balanced. A car/truck with 4+ wheels is more stable and allows for many different configurations: front engine/rear drive, mid engine, rear engine/ front drive, rear engine/rear drive, even an engine mounted behind the rearmost axle with a shaft to the rear axle (I know them as diesel pushers on motor coaches/RVs).

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