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2.6 Isolating factors affecting steering:

These factors have an effect on 2-Wheeler steering:

- Front fork and suspension geometry

- Gyroscopic reactions and counter-reactions

- Power transmitted to the rear wheel

- And the Torso-Arms-Handlebar mechanism

In order to isolate the effect of the Torso-Arms-Handlebar mechanism and determine its importance,
a special '2-Skate' vehicle was developed:

A) The front fork angle is zero. So the first factor above, Front fork and suspension geometry, is eliminated.

B) Skates replace the two wheels. So the second and third factors, Gyroscopic reactions and Power to the rear wheel, are thus also eliminated.

 

Thus, the only factor left is the Torso-Arms-Handlebar mechanism.

 

 

But does it work?

 

Well at least, the mechanism orients the front skate in the opposite direction from the rider’s torso leaning, exactly as for a bicycle or motorcycle:

 

 

 

 

 

 

But the vehicle really looks unstable,  more so since all the factors known to be essential for good steering were eliminated. So can anyone really ride it?

 

The answer is that it's as stable as a motorcycle or bicycle, as soon as it has been given momentum and a minimum speed is maintained.

 

 

 

But real skeptics will still think that there out to be something else holding up the vehicle. How could they be convinced?

 

There is an answer here again: Since the Torso-Arms-Handlebar mechanism is the only active factor, an additional proof of its importance would be to eliminate it and confirm that the vehicle will not be stable any more.

It's precisely what happens when the handlebar is let go. There is no gyroscopic reaction or front fork geometry that can act on the front skate, so it simply keeps on going in the same direction without correcting its orientation to support the vehicle:

 

 

 

 

Hard for skeptics...

 

 

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2-Wheeler Index ] Up one level ] 2.1 Test mechanism ] 2.2 Min speed ] 2.3 Slow motion ] 2.4 Lean angles ] 2.5 Swiftness ] [ 2.6_ 2-Skate ] 2.7 Project torso ] 2.8 Crossing hands ]

 

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All information on this site is presented as is for the benefit of readers. Great efforts have been made to cover many aspects of 2-Wheeler steering and make texts and figures as clear as possible, in order to help ride and steer better. But It remains the sole and full responsibility of the reader to apply or test any recommendation, theory, suggestion…made. Thus, Pierre M. Ethier cannot be held responsible for any misunderstanding or any consequences resulting from using this information.
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