First, I'm no expert at M/C streamliners, but I think I have a pretty good
handle on how M/C's work. The primary control force at speed is gyroscopic
precession. In a spinning system (wheel, gyroscope, etc.) a force generated
perpendicular to the axis of rotation (i.e. trying to turn the front wheel)
is manifest 90 degrees later in the direction of rotation. If the rider
pushes on the right handlebar, that force is felt 90 degrees later as a
force pushing the top of the wheel to the right. It is not steering the
wheels out from under the CG (although that may be the case at slow speed
before gyroscopic force builds up). You can verify this by holding a
spinning bike wheel by the axles in mid air and trying to "turn" it, you
will feel it try to tip over instead of just turning.
I would suspect that part of the problem is that streamliners are fairly
heavy and the gyroscopic effect of the wheels are smaller in relation to the
total weight of the liner vs. that ratio on a "normal" M/C. Then add all
the other considerations we've discussed and you really have to respect
those guys like Vesco, Campos, etc. who can actually get these contraptions
down the track!
Dale C.
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