How Motorbikes Steer | GTAMotorcycle.com

How Motorbikes Steer

A lot of good points... BUT it has recently been decided (about 10 years ago) that we don't REALLY know how a bike turns, and the NEW theory is the rear wheel actually steers the bike by centripedal force. The front just sets the direction for the rear to steer ( you can still steer with the front wheel in the air). Sort of a combination of the two competing theories, of the progression and shape of the contact patch and the centripedal forces of the wheels. (As an experiment, ride a bike, get used to it. Then swap in a smaller rear wheel. Be careful going into the first corner)

... but for those that want to rank on and on about "counter steer", watch and listen to your hero THEN STUFF IT UP YOUR... WITH SAND
Yeah, ANOTHER of my pet peeves

i find it AMAZING. I have been doing this a LONG time, I follow frame development religiously, I was good friends with Denis Curtis of CMR (RIP) one of the best frame designers in the world, have been the "suspension guy" on a few race teams... i like to think this stuff is in my wheel house.
It's only been the last couple of years "counter steer" has even been mentioned... yeah, we've always known about it, it's a function of the geometry of the front end (if your bike has rake and trail, it counter steers. notice I said IT. The bike counter steers, you don't). There's not much to discuss, it happens, get used to it... end of story.
To me it sounds like the un-educated has latched on to one minute detail of the issue... and RUNS with it to sound smart... which is typical
I think this is VERY interesting STUFF
 
Wheelbase , weight bias, powerplant location, rake, trail, swingarm length - there are lots of dynamic and static forces at work.
Suspension travel will alter all of the aforementioned.
As usual, Kevin Cameron demystifies -
and
 
And then a sidecar rig comes along and opens up a huge can of stinky.
 

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