bike
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bike
An informal term borrowed from English for a bicycle, especially a mountain bike or racing bike.
Am Wochenende mache ich mit meinem neuen Bike eine Tour durch die Berge.
At the weekend, I'm going on a tour through the mountains with my new bike.
'Bike' is a word from English and is used informally in German. In formal texts, or when you want to sound neutral, 'Fahrrad' (bicycle) or 'Motorrad' (motorcycle) are more common.
Kommst du mit dem Rad oder nimmst du dein Bike?
Are you coming by bicycle, or are you taking your bike?
The context tells you whether a bicycle or a motorcycle is meant. Words like 'Pedale' (pedals), 'Tour' (tour), or 'Helm' (helmet) point to a bicycle, while 'Motor' (engine), 'PS' (horsepower), or 'Biker-Gang' (biker gang) refer to a motorcycle.
Für die Alpenüberquerung braucht man ein gutes Bike mit starker Federung.
For crossing the Alps, you need a good bike with strong suspension.
The word 'Bike' is the basis for many modern compounds in German. Examples include 'E-Bike' (e-bike), 'Mountainbike' (mountain bike), or the person term 'der Biker' / 'die Bikerin' (male/female biker).
Immer mehr Menschen fahren mit einem E-Bike zur Arbeit.
More and more people ride an e-bike to work.
machine
'Maschine' and 'Bike' can both colloquially mean a motorcycle. In this use, 'Maschine' often suggests a powerful or eye-catching motorcycle and is used especially in casual language. 'Bike' is also casual, comes from English, and depending on the context can also mean a bicycle. That is exactly why confusion can happen: with 'Bike', the context has to show whether a motorcycle or a bicycle is meant. When it is clearly about a motorcycle, both work in casual language, but 'Maschine' feels more strongly focused on the vehicle itself.
Herr Braun fährt am Wochenende mit seinem neuen Bike durch die Berge.
Mr. Braun rides through the mountains on his new bike at the weekend.
Vor der Garage putzt er seine alte Maschine für die nächste Fahrt.
In front of the garage, he cleans his old bike for the next ride.