Does the angle at which a motorcycle leans off the vertical in a bend, affect the grip between the tyres and the road surface?
This article explains how tyre grip varies as a motorcycle leans off the vertical, when taking a bend. There are two parts to the article:
• Part A: This gives a non-technical description of what happens to grip when the bike leans;
• Part B: This gives a deeper technical description of what happens and why it happens. Those interested in ‘what happens’ should read Part A and those who want to know ‘why’ it happens are invited to look at Part B.
Part A: Grip Vs Lean The feel of a bike leaning over in a bend is awesome and probably one of the main reasons why we ride bikes: it’s great fun! However, have you ever stopped to consider how a bike can lean over so far without falling on its side? Clearly it has something to do with speed, because if you lean your bike over when it is at rest and let it go….well, you know what happens!