Quote:
Originally Posted by JSH
None of my motorcycles are in my virtual garage. I have 4 now:
1976 Kawasaki KZ400
1979 Kawasaki KZ400
2009 Piaggio MP3 500ie
2011 BMW R1200RT
Pros:
Safety. Two wheels in the front give a much larger factory of safety. When the front wheel of a motorcycle loses grip the front end washes out, you crash, and it happens in a blink of the eye. Mortals can sometime save it when upright under braking but only MotoGP gods can consistently save the front when it loses traction in a corner. 3 of my 4 crashes on the road have come from losing the front in adverse conditions.
Cons:[*]You can only lean to 40 degrees (not a problem for mortals.)[/LIST]
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Fascinating machine.
Of the 3 times I remember losing front grip, one was on a track when an instructor was braking during an acceleration area. I grabbed too much front brake (should have steered instead). Another time was due to not heeding a "bump" caution sign, catching air, and my suspension not being settled as I entered a corner. The final time I can remember, I was taking a 25 MPH freeway onramp at something near to 100 MPH and the front end was at the grip limit, but I was balanced enough that it held up. So, 2 crashes and a save... I was reckless in my youth before I learned that pushing the limits is best enjoyed on the race track.
Regarding the 40 degree lean angle; it might be a limiting factor for me on the streets, and would certainly be one on the track.
For those unfamiliar with the physics, the lean angle is proportional to the lateral G-force of the turn. That means a given lean angle corresponds to a given lateral G-force, regardless if someone is making a tighter but slower corner, or if they are taking a wide but fast corner.
As an aside to this aside, the actual angle the bike leans can be different than the effective lean angle. When the rider positions their weight inside of the turn, the effective lean angle is greater than the actual lean angle because they have shifted the center of gravity. If the rider was sitting upright, the bike would have to be leaned over even more.
A person leaning outside of a corner exaggerates the lean angle, forcing the bike closer to the ground than necessary (and scraping their pegs in the process).
One of my wrecks was due to not leaning off the bike enough in a corner, and my exhaust struck the red/white curbing on the race track.