Do cyclists make better motorcyclists?

"Callistus Valerius" writes:

But most bicycling does not involve the kind of braking and
cornering that's routine on motorcycles because most
bicycling takes place at only 10 to 20 mph.

Armstrong averages all of 25 mph for the whole Tour.


Are you riding your kids BMX bike on the little hill behind your house?
When I'm descending 8% grades, I sometimes pass motorcyclists at 55 mph.
Bicycling, like what we are talking in this newsgroup (not kids BMX bikes)
takes much more talent. For one, your center of gravity is so much higher
than on a motorcycle.

What does the height of the CG have to do with anything?

wrote:

...
I used 145 lbs of 67-inch Morse, 20 pounds of bicycle, and
hands on the drops--which produced 42.2 mph.

Improving your tuck to triathlon suggested 46.3 mph.

A superman position raises the estimate to 53.1 mph....

The lowracer recumbent has a terminal velocity of 62.3 mph under the
same conditions, while the Quest velomobile would achieve a rather
exciting 94.9 mph.

--
Tom Sherman

wrote:

...
I used 145 lbs of 67-inch Morse, 20 pounds of bicycle, and
hands on the drops--which produced 42.2 mph.

Improving your tuck to triathlon suggested 46.3 mph.

A superman position raises the estimate to 53.1 mph....

The lowracer recumbent has a terminal velocity of 62.3 mph under the
same conditions, while the Quest velomobile would achieve a rather
exciting 94.9 mph.

--
Tom Sherman

Do the 2-wheel skills go along when you use a metal motor?

They seem to. As it may be difficult to locate a motorcyclist who didn't
at first acquire some bicycling skill, so it may well be asked: do
[bi]cyclists comprise the entirety of motorcyclists?

--
"Bicycling is a healthy and manly pursuit with much
to recommend it, and, unlike other foolish crazes,
it has not died out." -- The Daily Telegraph (1877)

Do the 2-wheel skills go along when you use a metal motor?

They seem to. As it may be difficult to locate a motorcyclist who didn't
at first acquire some bicycling skill, so it may well be asked: do
[bi]cyclists comprise the entirety of motorcyclists?

--
"Bicycling is a healthy and manly pursuit with much
to recommend it, and, unlike other foolish crazes,
it has not died out." -- The Daily Telegraph (1877)

What does the height of the CG have to do with anything?

I don't know. You might want to ask all those people that have rolled
in their SUV's.

What does the height of the CG have to do with anything?

I don't know. You might want to ask all those people that have rolled
in their SUV's.

wrote in message
...

I try to keep an open mind, but in general it seems to me
that most bicyclists rarely approach the limits of traction
when cornering and that most of them over-estimate their
speeds. The same thing seems to be true of motorcyclists.

Carl Fogel

Dear Carl,
Thanks for your motorcycle background Carl, looks like you've been through
the mill, however, this I thought you would know with your experience with
bicycles and motorcycles.
As J. Brandt pointed out, the lean angle on a bicycle is about 45 degrees,
also there is no warning when you get beyond that point in a turn, you go
down, and you can not recover, the tires do not slip on asphalt. He also
pointed out, most bicyclist never come close to the lean angle, or the point
of going down on a turn.

Completely different on a motorcycle. First of all the lean angle is much
greater than 45 degrees. As I said before one could touch/drag the knee on
the ground when cornering. Second, there is a warning, as the tires do slip
on asphalt, completely different from a bicycle. If you doubt me, get chance
to see Sears Point Raceway in Monterey CA. take a good look at the track
lines in the turns after the Grand Prix Motorcycle Race...those aren't chalk
marks.
I've also crashed my motorcycle on Hwy 9 here in San Jose years ago testing
lean angle, or should I say testing my handling skills as a motorcyclist.
I had an Yamaha SR500 (single 500cc thumper) with lower European bars, Koni
shocks, Supertrap and carb-kit. Into the turns I kept pushing the speed and
lean angle, getting lower and lower, until the bike went out under me. At
some points, I was dragging my knee on the asphalt, and could actually feel
the tires slip, but was in control for the most part, and in control of the
crash, as I just slid the bike on it's side in a 360 degree pattern. I had
full leathers, and thought it was fun, lucky no-one was coming the other
direction at 7:00am. I broke the clutch cable, had a bit or roadrash, and
rode home shifting by sound after getting a roll start in 2nd gear. When I
came to stop lights I pulled into gas stations or super markets, did circles
and pull out when the light turned green.
And as you know the old saying for motorcyclist (squids); "there are those
who have gone down, and those who are going to go down.
-tom

wrote in message
...

I try to keep an open mind, but in general it seems to me
that most bicyclists rarely approach the limits of traction
when cornering and that most of them over-estimate their
speeds. The same thing seems to be true of motorcyclists.

Carl Fogel

Dear Carl,
Thanks for your motorcycle background Carl, looks like you've been through
the mill, however, this I thought you would know with your experience with
bicycles and motorcycles.
As J. Brandt pointed out, the lean angle on a bicycle is about 45 degrees,
also there is no warning when you get beyond that point in a turn, you go
down, and you can not recover, the tires do not slip on asphalt. He also
pointed out, most bicyclist never come close to the lean angle, or the point
of going down on a turn.

Completely different on a motorcycle. First of all the lean angle is much
greater than 45 degrees. As I said before one could touch/drag the knee on
the ground when cornering. Second, there is a warning, as the tires do slip
on asphalt, completely different from a bicycle. If you doubt me, get chance
to see Sears Point Raceway in Monterey CA. take a good look at the track
lines in the turns after the Grand Prix Motorcycle Race...those aren't chalk
marks.
I've also crashed my motorcycle on Hwy 9 here in San Jose years ago testing
lean angle, or should I say testing my handling skills as a motorcyclist.
I had an Yamaha SR500 (single 500cc thumper) with lower European bars, Koni
shocks, Supertrap and carb-kit. Into the turns I kept pushing the speed and
lean angle, getting lower and lower, until the bike went out under me. At
some points, I was dragging my knee on the asphalt, and could actually feel
the tires slip, but was in control for the most part, and in control of the
crash, as I just slid the bike on it's side in a 360 degree pattern. I had
full leathers, and thought it was fun, lucky no-one was coming the other
direction at 7:00am. I broke the clutch cable, had a bit or roadrash, and
rode home shifting by sound after getting a roll start in 2nd gear. When I
came to stop lights I pulled into gas stations or super markets, did circles
and pull out when the light turned green.
And as you know the old saying for motorcyclist (squids); "there are those
who have gone down, and those who are going to go down.
-tom

"Callistus Valerius" writes:

What does the height of the CG have to do with anything?

I don't know. You might want to ask all those people that have rolled
in their SUV's.

Oh yeah. I had forgotten that SUVs and motorcycles corner the same
way. I guess that is why they put roll bars on off road motorcycles,
which with their higher center of gravity are susceptible to rolling
just like SUVs and bicycles.