I’m sure you’ve often wondered how your bike stays balanced when cornering or how you don’t fall off when leaning over. The answer is simple, the gyroscopic effect comes into play. 😎
We should know that 3 factors are involved in making a motorbike work: gravity, centrifugal force and the gyroscopic effect.
We can define the gyroscopic effect as the tendency of an object to keep rotating on its own axis. It is the factor that allows the motorbike to achieve balance and not collapse when cornering.
When does the gyroscopic effect start on a motorbike?
In order to achieve the gyroscopic effect, it is always necessary to drive at the appropriate speed. A minimum speed of 30 km/hour is required for the gyroscopic effect to occur. Motorbikes are the only motor vehicle that uses this effect. Thanks to this system between the two wheels and the crankshaft, a motorbike can lean in an unthinkable way and does not fall to the ground due to the law of gravity.
That is why the crankshaft is a very important part of a motorbike, without this part this effect would not work and we would not be able to take the inclined curves without falling on the road.
It is the part that supports the rotating body and manages to transform the rectilinear movement into a circular one by means of a system of connecting rods.
It is important to know that at a speed lower than 30 km/hour it would be us who would have to keep the balance on the bike, since at a lower speed the gyroscopic effect does not work.
What other elements work with gyroscopic effect?
Some people think that this effect only occurs on motorbikes, but nothing could be further from the truth. It is also easy to find in our everyday lives.
Have you ever thought about how your mobile phone counts steps? Thanks to this effect. It also happens in GPS systems or in video games for mobile phones.
In short, the gyroscopic effect gives us stability and does not let us fall to the ground when we take a curve or tilt it.
The most important thing is to bear in mind that we must ride with stability and that the better the bike, the more stability we will have on the road.
Are you arriving at Malaga airport? Enjoy your days in the city on two wheels by renting a motorbike in Malaga. Do you want to discover some of the motorbike routes in Andalusia? Take a look at our blog and find out.
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