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I studied physics at third year university level. When you have a gyroscope , the force VECTOR goes through the axle, and is in the direction a right-hand thread goes, If you sit on a motorcycle, the force vector for the front wheel goes from right lo left. However the magnitude and direction of the resultant force which appears in the trail is found by addition of the force vectors. I only know the direction of that vector because I memorised it. I don't know how engineers justify it. They are supposed to be experts in stress analysis. But motorcycle handling seems to have most of them stuffed. Tony Foale is good, but I have read papers on handling which came from institutes which openly admit they do not know how it works.When a gyroscope becomes unstable in a system such as on a motorcycle - the resultant can express itself by a slow motion through the handle bars. They can look safe to grab, but if you grab hold, you will be chucked over the front quicker than you could ever imagine. I weigh about 12 stone.Tony Foale commented that the extremes of trail result in self-steering. My bike stood up and turned the wrong way as I braked, at 94mm of trail -understeer. It is now at 106 mm of trail and over-steers very positively, when it squats. Those are probably the extremes for 27 degree rake and 18 inch wheels, with a 54 inch wheel-base.
I studied physics at third year university level. When you have a gyroscope , the force VECTOR goes through the axle, and is in the direction a right-hand thread goes, If you sit on a motorcycle, the force vector for the front wheel goes from right lo left. However the magnitude and direction of the resultant force which appears in the trail is found by addition of the force vectors. I only know the direction of that vector because I memorised it. I don't know how engineers justify it. They are supposed to be experts in stress analysis. But motorcycle handling seems to have most of them stuffed. Tony Foale is good, but I have read papers on handling which came from institutes which openly admit they do not know how it works.
When a gyroscope becomes unstable in a system such as on a motorcycle - the resultant can express itself by a slow motion through the handle bars. They can look safe to grab, but if you grab hold, you will be chucked over the front quicker than you could ever imagine. I weigh about 12 stone.
Tony Foale commented that the extremes of trail result in self-steering. My bike stood up and turned the wrong way as I braked, at 94mm of trail -understeer. It is now at 106 mm of trail and over-steers very positively, when it squats. Those are probably the extremes for 27 degree rake and 18 inch wheels, with a 54 inch wheel-base.
