Bicycle and motorcycle geometry
Bicycle and motorcycle geometry is the collection of key measurements that define a particular bike configuration. Primary among these are wheelbase, steering axis angle, fork offset, and trail. These parameters have a major influence on how a bike handles.
Telescopic forks on a BMW motorcycle reveal the steering axis angle, also called the rake angle
Example of a chopper with an unusually large rake angle
Bicycle and motorcycle dynamics
Bicycle and motorcycle dynamics is the science of the motion of bicycles and motorcycles and their components, due to the forces acting on them. Dynamics falls under a branch of physics known as classical mechanics. Bike motions of interest include balancing, steering, braking, accelerating, suspension activation, and vibration. The study of these motions began in the late 19th century and continues today.
A computer-generated, simplified model of bike and rider demonstrating an uncontrolled right turn.
Bicycles leaning in a turn.
Draisine
External forces on a bike and rider leaning in a turn: Weight in green, drag in blue, vertical ground reaction in red, net propulsive and rolling resistance in yellow, friction in response to turn in orange, and net torques on front wheel in magenta
