Just an Observation....

Post by **FZRDude** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 4:01 pm

Ever notice that the PRIME photo op for a bike seems to be from the front as the rider is cranked over to the left? Even our Logo at the top of the page.... Check out some of your own avatars. No all, but a large portion are.

Secondly, which way do "you/your bike" turn better? For me, I like rights better than lefts, but turn better to the left than right.

Sorry, Ive been crunching too many numbers at work lately.... random thoughs...

yamaweezle · Post by **yamaweezle** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 5:33 pm

i feel more comfortable around left turns, but for some reason, i can really crank it over around right turns...dragging my knee while the toe slider on my boot grinds the ground always happens while on a right hand curve for me...maybe my body position is better one way over the other...hmmm, the mind boggles

...

djalbin · Post by **djalbin** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 8:38 pm

My left turns use to be the easiest/best turns. Left was relaxed and natural. Rights were awkward and clumsy in comparison to lefts. So I started working on the rights and now they are equal to the lefts; natural and relaxed.

Don

Post by **Hooligan** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 11:18 pm

i think most of us will feel more natural turining to the left.

think about it, when you drive on the right side of the road, you have a much clearer view of what's at the end of the road. plus, you can crank it over with a bit of extra space as long as the turn is clear. when you're diving through the right handers, you have much less space for error.

maybe i'm just nuts, but that's kinda how i feel about it.

oh yeah, i feel better to the left. maybe i'll look at my tires to see which side is wore more.

orionburn · Post by **orionburn** » Wed Nov 15, 2006 11:07 pm

I'm with Hooli...I think it's the subliminal thing of knowing that if you lose it going into a left hander there's not as much to worry about (i.e. sliding in front of an oncoming traffic lane). I've gotten better at right handers, but lefts are still my favorite. For whatever reason my big arse can lean better to the left than the right.

DAVE · Post by **DAVE** » Thu Nov 16, 2006 3:19 am

Just to shoot the theories down in flames, down under we ride on the left hand side of the road and I also feel more comfortable on left corners.

I guess other down under members will chip in shortly with their views, as it is still early evening here on the east coast of OZ

MsHap · Post by **MsHap** » Thu Nov 16, 2006 4:53 am

It is the right hand rule of physics

The momentum vector is coming out the left side of your wheels.

Well my wheels too.

Unless you are rolling backwards, but that would suck to ride that way

MsHap · Post by **MsHap** » Thu Nov 16, 2006 5:01 am

You take your right hand and aim your fingers in the direction of motion with your thumb sticking out. So the wheels momentum vector is coming out the left side directly at the centre of the hub. Then torque is applied at the bars. So if you turn the bars right, your fingers point right your thumb is facing down so the torque vector is down so the momentum vector tryies to match by leaning the wheels left.
Then turn the wheel left thumb points up, you get the idea

The whole reason behind turning the bars the opposite way that you go.
Also, why bikes glide through turns and cars screech because their momentum vectors cannot move

but you essentially you have a pole coming out the left side and it leans down smoother

I have been drinking all night, so I hope I am making sense.

and will someone help with my connecting rod bearings

I am lost.

DAVE · Post by **DAVE** » Thu Nov 16, 2006 6:02 am

I thought it may been that the rotation of the earth that affects whirlpools differently in the northern and southern hemispheres, would also influence the handling on left Vs right.

MsHap · Post by **MsHap** » Thu Nov 16, 2006 6:20 am

The Coriollus effect?

DAVE · Post by **DAVE** » Thu Nov 16, 2006 7:08 am

You have been looking up the encyclopedia

or did you already know that??

MsHap · Post by **MsHap** » Thu Nov 16, 2006 7:14 am

I knew it

I am pretty sure I misspelled it.

I loved Math and Science. I spent alot of time at the university.

I still do.

I teach at Boston University.

DAVE · Post by **DAVE** » Thu Nov 16, 2006 7:48 am

I came across it when I did the "instrumentation and process control" endorsment to my electrical trades certificate about 15 years ago. Apparently the effect is used in some liquid mass flow meters.

Never seen it actually used though

YZFRob · Post by **YZFRob** » Thu Nov 16, 2006 9:20 am

OK can we chat about black hole dynamics and theories now?

Post by **FZRDude** » Thu Nov 16, 2006 12:05 pm

My favorite color is clear.

Copperslip Cowboy · Post by **Copperslip Cowboy** » Thu Nov 16, 2006 12:32 pm

Hi All,
My 2 penneth...

Some years ago while "resting" in hospital, C visited me. The conversation
got round to steering (above walking speeds) of motorcycles.
I stated if you turn the bars slightly to the right, bike turns left.
I've been riding years C stated, that does not happen.
Yes it does, says I.
No it does not. replied C.
Bottle of whiskey on it, I said.
He left for a ride up the dual carriage way, on his GSX-R 750 (

),
and, returned with a bottle of whiskey.

It ain't counter steering, it's how you actually do steer, realising or not.
Right handed people prefer "pulling" the right bar backward, inducing a left hand turn....
I prefer right handers, but I'm left handed.
(Come to think of it, the throttle is on the "wrong" side as well, for me.
That's my theory, does it mean the best racers are ambidextrous....

NB I know MsHap, explained the same above, just thought I'd try slightly differently, thats all.
(and I did enjoy the whisky..)
MsHap, re con rods and their white metal bearings - plastigauge....

owdamer · Post by **owdamer** » Thu Nov 16, 2006 2:37 pm

I read a story a few years ago about a racer trying to race with an injured right hand. He was having lots of problems due to the injury so he decided to try swapping the controls over so that he could use his good left hand to work the throttle and brake, and his injured right could just deal with holding on and working the clutch.
Apparently he did 1 lap, then came back in to the pits as white as a sheet and said "never again".
Dunno who it was, I think it may have been someone out of wsbk, but I could be wrong.

YZFRob · Post by **YZFRob** » Thu Nov 16, 2006 5:19 pm

We got a guy here who rides a Cagiva 125 and has a left throttle. His right hand locks into a ball on the bars.

ftang · Post by **ftang** » Sun Nov 19, 2006 9:13 am

I vote left. I always wondered if it was because my first beautiful fast road was a coast road with the sea to the left. So in l/h turns I could see where I was going, r/h ones not so. (Up the Adriatic coast of Yugoslavia, when it was still called that.) I thought it might have been a formative experience. Now I think it's more profound and neurological. Leaning left just feels ok, right not so much. Of course, I have to live in a country where all the roundabouts are clockwise - ie. right turns. But then left bends have run-off for me, even if it is into the face of an oncoming truck.

As to the throttle, our left and right sides just do things differently. Like on a guitar - left's good for patterns (chords etc.), right for subtle control of strength. And pulling's easier to do subtly than pushing, so if we're all using our right hands more to make the turn, left will be easier.

Mind, if we all spent as much time practising the physics of bike-riding as talking about them, we'd all be the next Rossi.

Well, maybe not...

RUFtech · Post by **RUFtech** » Sun Nov 19, 2006 10:03 pm

Come on people! The reason we turn left better is obvious.

The kick stand is on the left side. You always get on the and off of the left side of the bike. So it just feels more comfortable to turn left. So, I think we should all put a kick stand on the right side and practice getting on and off both sides of the bike. Before you know it right turns will be just as good as left turns.