fbr@utastro.UUCP (Frank Ray) (02/21/84)
About 20 years ago I was doing some research, mostly out of curiosity, on inertial guidance systems, and came across several references to the gyroscopic nature of single track vehicles. Most of the papers were published in England in various engineering journals. The same debate about coutersteering and weight transfer occurred there. It's really a matter of how you want to handle your machine. Some people just want to get from here to there. Others, possibly more involved in the experiences inherent in motorcycling, want to be in touch with the relationship of the machine, the road, the countryside winding by, the delicate balance of variables, the variations available, such as adding camping to a long trip, or a charming companion. The subtlety of transfering a bit of weight to the inside of a turn is exactly analagous to the proper positioning of the athlete's head, feet and hips when hitting a golf ball or in, say, squash. The hitter can, of course, make contact with the ball with an improper head position, but there is a loss of control and speed, and ultimate frustration with the action. My suggestion about riding was for those who wish to be in harmony with a few more of the variations of motorcycling; it was not intended to be a definition of "the way it spozed to be". For those interested in a used bike, consider joining the BMW Motorcycle Owners' Assoc., and look through the pages of their monthly journal. You'll never regret owning a BMW, even though you may get laughed at a lot. The used ones are a very good buy. ...ut-sally!utastro!fbr