Discussion on steering geometry could be based on an understanding of what the designer is attempting.
I've read extensively on the subject, admittedly with poor understanding, but have some workable practical experience.
Small nimble motorcycles don't seem to be critical (RD 350), but heavier bikes are what we discuss. I've concluded that the designers of heavier bikes are faced with the objective of making heavier bikes feel more like lighter bikes, so they jack around with head angles (rake), axle offsets (trail), wheelbase (nimbleness), and frame rigidity (stability). Additionally, they have a number of tools such as tire choice of which I have little understanding.
Beginning with head angle, it seems to me that a steep angle eases handling by reducing the effort required to turn the forks. ANY angle less than vertical requires that turning the forks lifts the steering head, so requires effort. As the angle departs from the vertical, the required effort increases, so making for a more tiring operation.
It's in the nature of chosen head angle that kicking the axle forward increases trail, so pulling it back decreases trail. The functional trail measurement seems to be limited between 3" and 4 1/2" approximately, with less than 3" being unstable and greater than 4 1/2" approaching the example of a shopping cart with a bent vertical spindle leading to shimmy. There's some stuff here that I don't understand such as the stability of 'choppers' blessed with extreme amounts of trail. My best guess is that the extreme head angles used on choppers creates such a 'weight burden' on the head angle that it acts as a stabilizer on the excess trail.
So we see designers approaching the vertical head angle to make the bike feel 'light', then jacking around with axle offsets to establish trail within acceptable limits. This has been accomplished by offsetting the axle from the slider centerline (leading axle), changing the distance between head and axle (long or short Roadholders), selection of different yoke offsets (moving the stanchions away from or toward the steering head), and making stanchions not parallel with head spindle. This part of the dance seems to me like Black Art.
Now looking at wheelbase, it seems that a longer wheelbase generally creates a more stable platform at the cost of nimbleness, but there seem to be some variables. My MK III has the annoying habit of falling behind the road curves while going quickly. This shows up on a 'wiggle' road with short distance right-left-right-left-right-left configuration which requires speed reduction by the third or fourth iteration. Why? I dunno.
Next is the effect of frame rigidity. Seems like a more rigid frame would be more predictable than would be a flexible frame, but modern design seems to have run into limits. More "I dunno".
The last subject in this amateur analysis is 'turning configuration'. When we turn a motorcycle, we initiate with a slight countersteer during which we effectively run the front wheel out from under the centerline of the frame, causing said frame to tip into the corner and bringing the steering back into 'normal' steering conformation.
This is the biggest "I dunno" for me, as I'm stumped as to why one bike will feel so delightfully secure in a turn and the next is scaring the shit outta me.
Any thoughts?
Cheers,
Frank Forster
I've read extensively on the subject, admittedly with poor understanding, but have some workable practical experience.
Small nimble motorcycles don't seem to be critical (RD 350), but heavier bikes are what we discuss. I've concluded that the designers of heavier bikes are faced with the objective of making heavier bikes feel more like lighter bikes, so they jack around with head angles (rake), axle offsets (trail), wheelbase (nimbleness), and frame rigidity (stability). Additionally, they have a number of tools such as tire choice of which I have little understanding.
Beginning with head angle, it seems to me that a steep angle eases handling by reducing the effort required to turn the forks. ANY angle less than vertical requires that turning the forks lifts the steering head, so requires effort. As the angle departs from the vertical, the required effort increases, so making for a more tiring operation.
It's in the nature of chosen head angle that kicking the axle forward increases trail, so pulling it back decreases trail. The functional trail measurement seems to be limited between 3" and 4 1/2" approximately, with less than 3" being unstable and greater than 4 1/2" approaching the example of a shopping cart with a bent vertical spindle leading to shimmy. There's some stuff here that I don't understand such as the stability of 'choppers' blessed with extreme amounts of trail. My best guess is that the extreme head angles used on choppers creates such a 'weight burden' on the head angle that it acts as a stabilizer on the excess trail.
So we see designers approaching the vertical head angle to make the bike feel 'light', then jacking around with axle offsets to establish trail within acceptable limits. This has been accomplished by offsetting the axle from the slider centerline (leading axle), changing the distance between head and axle (long or short Roadholders), selection of different yoke offsets (moving the stanchions away from or toward the steering head), and making stanchions not parallel with head spindle. This part of the dance seems to me like Black Art.
Now looking at wheelbase, it seems that a longer wheelbase generally creates a more stable platform at the cost of nimbleness, but there seem to be some variables. My MK III has the annoying habit of falling behind the road curves while going quickly. This shows up on a 'wiggle' road with short distance right-left-right-left-right-left configuration which requires speed reduction by the third or fourth iteration. Why? I dunno.
Next is the effect of frame rigidity. Seems like a more rigid frame would be more predictable than would be a flexible frame, but modern design seems to have run into limits. More "I dunno".
The last subject in this amateur analysis is 'turning configuration'. When we turn a motorcycle, we initiate with a slight countersteer during which we effectively run the front wheel out from under the centerline of the frame, causing said frame to tip into the corner and bringing the steering back into 'normal' steering conformation.
This is the biggest "I dunno" for me, as I'm stumped as to why one bike will feel so delightfully secure in a turn and the next is scaring the shit outta me.
Any thoughts?
Cheers,
Frank Forster