I believe the term "sled" for motorcycles came about when bikers thought to avoid an accident they would lay their bikes down and ride out the as a sled sliding down the road.

 

I first heard the term sled used in Easyriders Magazine in the very early '70s.

 

I've never heard the term "sled" when referring to a motorcycle, but my hometown was small and pretty far behind the times. I've heard "Scoot" or "Scooter" a lot. Guys I knew who were in their 80's (dead now) used to call their bikes "machines".

 

Left out the word "bike". Pecking away on iPhone.

 

A sled is a snowmobile where I come from...

 

Don't quote me on this I think it came about in the 50's & 60's from the hot rodders and Big Daddy Rat era , everything got a name stuck on it . It was the hip thing to do with the lingo changing . As bikes started becoming another big medium for the wild childs to modify the name kind of stuck .

Was told this a very long time ago by an old hot rod builder / biker .

 

Who the hell knows....

 

Iron - In the past that was correct. But now even engineers will refer to a gas powered engine as a motor.

Now to differentiate electric motors are called "traction motors".

 

That's what I love about life....You learn something new every day. I was gettin worried because only got a couple hours to Midnight out here in AZ and I hadn't learned anything yet today (at least nothin that I can remember).

Thanks for the info.

 

I purchased my first bike in 1971. I never, ever heard anyone I road with call their bike a "scoot" or go for a "putt on a scoot." Maybe I'll run this by my Black Piston acquaintance. I've never heard him use these terms in my presence. Could be he's doesn't care to see the contents of my last meal or kick my *** for laughing.