Re: Cornering traction question

In article <Xns96C3556661C07nzmsconparadisenetnz@xxxxxxxxxxxx>,
NZMSC <nzmscon@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> Steve wrote in
> > Hi Everyone,
> > I just finished the MSF BRC course this afternoon, and it
> > was a really great learning experience. I do have a
> > question however. If I don't want to brake in a turn
> > because it eats up my cornering traction margin, why
> > doesn't acceleration in the corner do the same thing, or
> > why is it ok to moderately accelerate but not moderately
> > brake? Is it because the brake are so much more powerful
> > than the engine?
> >
> > Any useful info would be greatly appreciated.
>
>
> The answer is amazingly simple.
>
> A motorcycle is built to perform best under power, since that
> is the state it is usually in - being driven along the road.
>
> Obviously, if you don't have power going to the back wheel,
> on the straight or in a corner, the bike will stop...
>
> So the wheelbase etc that gives you the best handling in a
> corner is dialled in standard at the factory as that that can
> be found when the bike is being driven under power.
>
> If you brake in a corner, you compress the front suspension
> and shorten the wheelbase. This then detrimentally affects
> the bike's handling since it takes it away from the best
> suspension setting. (It does a lot of other nasty things,
> too, but I won't divert into those.) If you accelerate
> (gently) around the coner, the suspension is at the standard
> setting which factory testing of the bike has determined
> gives you the best cornering ability.
>
> Thus, you don't brake in a corner if possible and you always
> maintain (again, if possible) power to the back wheel while
> cornering.
>
> That does not mean you accelerate madly around a corner
> everytime. I can well remember a lady during one of our on-
> road courses who took our discussion on this to mean exactly
> that. She hit the armco barrier at the side of the road with
> such grace...

So how does that affect motorcycles with front suspensions that don't allow for
significant change in wheelbase under braking, such as BMWs with Telelever?

Doesn't the limitation on traction for steering and braking still apply?

--
Timberwoof <me at timberwoof dot com>
faq: http://www.timberwoof.com/motorcycle/faq.shtml
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Cornering traction question
    ... > I just finished the MSF BRC course this afternoon, ... If I don't want to brake in a turn ... > why is it ok to moderately accelerate but not moderately ... Obviously, if you don't have power going to the back wheel, ...
    (rec.motorcycles)
  • Re: Cornering traction question
    ... >> I just finished the MSF BRC course this afternoon, ... If I don't want to brake in a turn ... >> why is it ok to moderately accelerate but not moderately ... >Obviously, if you don't have power going to the back wheel, ...
    (rec.motorcycles)
  • Re: More progress and a learning experience
    ... realize how much it affected the engine power. ... power band on this bike. ... Those Honda swinging calipers are dreadful. ... And fit a steel brake hose. ...
    (rec.motorcycles)
  • Re: How to accelerate at the lights
    ... Time spent at 0mpg Also, lots of cycles of brake ... the least amount of gas when they maintain a reasonable speed. ... driving at slower speeds saves ... downshift if you need to accelerate. ...
    (rec.autos.driving)
  • Re: Are V brakes & Drop bar levers much better than Cantilevers?
    ... braking power is lost to cable flex. ... So braking power does matter, even if it does not matter to ... I've usually got over 325 pounds of me and 30-40 pounds of bike, ... And that could be improved with steel braided brake lines and pads with more "bite". ...
    (rec.bicycles.tech)