Here's how I make sense out of all this, but keep in mind that I'm no expert. That's probably why I have to use all these sentences to explain.
Lowering the front puts more weight on the front tire, increases the rake and decreases the trail, causing the bike to turn into corners faster. Raising the rear does the same, but due to geometry it affects the front less than lowering the front does. Raising the rear increases the swing arm angle, resisting the bike's tendency to squat when under power and allows the bike to hold a tighter line when exiting the corner. Squatting takes weight off the front, causes the rake to decrease and the trail increase and makes the bike run wide when exiting.
If the bike squats too much when powering out of turns, the increased ability to steer by lowering the front will be mostly negated. And, lowering the front isn't going to substantially affect the swing arm angle to do much with regard to squat. Simply put, lowering the front effects the rear and the raising rear effects the front, but the effects are not close to being equal.
I like the way Max from Traxxion Dynamics explains this, he says that if lowering the front affects steering into a corner by a factor of 5, raising the rear the same amount affects steering by a factor of 1.
Gary M
www.bmgracing.com
CCS SW AM #28
'03 Kawi ZX636R
'00 Duc 748R
Lowering the front puts more weight on the front tire, increases the rake and decreases the trail, causing the bike to turn into corners faster. Raising the rear does the same, but due to geometry it affects the front less than lowering the front does. Raising the rear increases the swing arm angle, resisting the bike's tendency to squat when under power and allows the bike to hold a tighter line when exiting the corner. Squatting takes weight off the front, causes the rake to decrease and the trail increase and makes the bike run wide when exiting.
If the bike squats too much when powering out of turns, the increased ability to steer by lowering the front will be mostly negated. And, lowering the front isn't going to substantially affect the swing arm angle to do much with regard to squat. Simply put, lowering the front effects the rear and the raising rear effects the front, but the effects are not close to being equal.
I like the way Max from Traxxion Dynamics explains this, he says that if lowering the front affects steering into a corner by a factor of 5, raising the rear the same amount affects steering by a factor of 1.
Gary M
www.bmgracing.com
CCS SW AM #28
'03 Kawi ZX636R
'00 Duc 748R
