Numbers of large motorbikes have increased by nearly 600%
Over the last 20 years the number of large motorbikes have increased by nearly 600% and overall motorcycle numbers have increased by 75%.
A large bike is considered to be one with or above 1000 cubic centimetres (cc) of space in the piston of the engine.
The bigger the cc the more air and fuel can be delivered to the engine and so the more powerful the motorbike is.
The engine size which is most affected by this is 1-50cc bikes with a fall of 28%.
There now 528,300 more motorbikes on the road than there were in 1995.
The most popular engines size of all motorbikes is 51-150cc with not much change over the last 20 years.
This engine size range includes 125cc motorbikes, which is the biggest motorbike you can ride on a provisional licence.
Darren Wilkinson, 50, is the chairman of the Derbyshire 623 motorcycle club.
The club formed in 1972 and meet on the first Sunday of each month at Matlock Bath.
He believes that the attitudes new bikers have to motorcycles have changed and this is the proof.
He said: "The culture is that people want a bigger bike.
"It should be more about the size of bike you can handle, but some people I know think they have to have a big bike although you can have more fun on a smaller one.
"The majority of people who pass their bike test are in their mid 30's or early 40's and they have got the cash to go out and buy a bigger bike."
However, Daron Dockery, a motorcycle mechanic at Clark's Motorcycles in Derby city centre said that this could be due to changing attitudes towards smaller motorbikes.
He described: "I had a bike when I was 16 but many 16-year-olds now do not buy bikes, they tend to hold out until they are 17 and get a car."
Thomas Willis, 22 from Blythe Bridge, Stoke-on-Trent, who rides a 650cc Yamaha Dragstar cruiser, said it is easy to go over 1000cc+ if you buy some types of motorbike.
He explained: "Cruisers are very easy to go over 1000cc without much gain in performance.
"Everyone just has 1000cc+ motorbikes for a summer blast, very few people have an all year round bike like I used to."
Jamie Shaw, who has ridden a motorbike for 8 years said that the rise in 1000cc+ motorbikes is due to the attitudes of bikers.
He described: "If you are a member of a bikers club you tend to compete and try and have the bigger and faster bike.
"It is like when you get a big flashy car, it is a symbol of status and you stand out in the group."
