bike for motorcycle

[keannu]

Do you use "bike" to mean "motorcycle" as well as bicycle? I haven't heard the usage, and today I came to know about it. Is the usage common?

[SoothingDave]

"Motorbike" means the same as "motorcycle." Those who commonly ride a motorcycle might refer to it as a "bike" (e.g. I'm taking the bike for a ride), but it would depend on context.

Without any further context a "bike" would be a human-being-powered bicycle.

[emsr2d2]

In BrE, at least, if you refer to someone as a "biker", it means they ride a motorcycle, not a bicycle. Someone who rides a pushbike is a "cyclist".

However, in its simplest form, if someone said to me "My husband rides a bike", I would have no way to tell if they meant a motorbike or a bicycle without asking for clarification.