Home SCIENCE Motorcycle Counter Steering Physics Behind It 3D Animation

Motorcycle Counter Steering Physics Behind It 3D Animation

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Counter steering is an amazing technique used by many bike riders, and is very useful when making a quick turn and doing some bike stunts like this.

source/image(PrtSc): Learn Engineering

At first, counter steering looks counter intuitive, you turn the handlebars to the left, but the motorcycle makes a quick right turn.What are the physics behind this strange phenomenon? Let’s explore./ Learn Engineering

Countersteering as a concept is simple: to initiate a turn, turn the handlebars and point the wheel opposite of where you wanna go. To negotiate a turn successfully, the combined center of mass of the rider and the single-track vehicle must first be leaned in the direction of the turn, and steering briefly in the opposite direction causes that lean.

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The rider’s action of countersteering is sometimes referred to as “giving a steering command”.The scientific literature does not provide a clear and comprehensive definition of countersteering. In fact, “a proper distinction between steer torque and steer angle … is not always made.

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