Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #379793 in Books
• Published on: 2005-03
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 244 pages

Synopsis
In the first section, this book examines the physical phenomena that make handling and control of the motorcycle possible. Covering traditional geometrical parameters such as trial, centre of gravity height and wheelbase length and also less familiar topics relating, for example, to aerodynamic factors and tyres. All of these aspects work together to determine the overall dynamic behaviour of the bike. The second, more informal part describes the main components of the motorcycle. The engine, the frame and the suspension are considered according to their specific working principles and to the way each integrates into the total system of the bike. Comparisons with the world of cars help to make the content even more interesting by highlighting some fundamental differences between the dynamic behaviour of the two types of vehicle.

Customer Reviews

Detailed and Descriptive
I purhcased this book as I needed a technical background to the design of motorbikes. I have a mechanical engineering degree from the top university in europe and at first glance thought the book was quite basic compared to academic text. After reading the book I found my opinion was totally changed. Although alot of the theory is at first intuative, the models and explinations help develop a detailed understanding of how physics effect the design and the handling of a motorcycle. As a rider I found the sections on attitude and suspension extremely helpful and as an engineer there was infromation on just about every page that helped me to develop an understanding of how and why motorcycles are designed the way they are.
I don't agree with the books synopsis that this is a book for the rider to develop a greater understanding of control and handelling, it does, but I feel there are better text available. It's also a bit too technical for some. However, if you have never studied the science of motorcycles in your engineering course or you are a rider that would like to learn about the details behind control and design then this is probably the best and possible the only book you'll need. Both the academic engineer and the technical enthusiast will find this informative and detailed.

The best book on this subject by far
I've got a small collection of books on the physics behind how a motorcycle works. They are all good in their own way, but this book is better in every way. It's not only heavier :-), but it's got a lot of coloured diagrams and graphs, it has all the physics equations, it has lots of clear text, it's printed on nice paper, it neither talks down to you nor treats you like a child, you can read it in any order you wish, it's logical. If I was going to write a book on the subject, this is how I would want it to turn out.

Generally very good, except chapter 1.
Generally I found this book very informative.

I have a physics degree and found most of the book easy to understand, but I also am a teacher and as such I believe that anyone doing an A-Level in physics or maths would cope with this book easily. Anyone of the older generation with an O-level in these subjects would also do fine.

It has some excellently laid out physics and maths, which is taken step by step so nobody should get lost. The diagrams are easily understandable (VERY important in this style of book to aid understanding - a picture paints a thousand words...) If you are interested in what keeps you upright when you ride your motorbike around, or want to know the effect of adding a fatter rear end to your custom, then do get this book. I bought it to aid design of a custom bike and have decided as a result to go for a thinner rear wheel as a result of the book reminding me of a few things I had not considered. (my rear wheel will be a 280mm cross section tyre now and not the 350mm wide monster I had originally wanted just for looks)

There is one really annoying flaw with this book though.

Chapter 1 is total rubbish - the writer talks about centrifugal force being a force pulling the bike towards the outside of a bend acting from the centre of gravity. As we all know - this is utter codswallop. (How many bikes have you seen going around a bend where there is something trying to pull them to the outside of the bend with a magic invisible string?) In fact it is a centripetal friction force of the tyres on the road that is pulling the bottom edge of the bike to the centre of the bend. This in turn tries to roll the bike around it's centre of mass so the rider would topple to the outside of the bend. We all know this to be true since you cannot corner if there is no grip (eg. on icey roads). To pull the bike into a corner the friction needs to be good and the force pulls the nose into the bend.

Ignoring chapter 1 then, this book is very good - probably the best book of it's type with simple, well explained physics and easy to understand diagrams. It did not go into as much detail as I would have liked in places, and glossed over some of these details with anecdotal stories rather than a physical or mathematical explanations.

The paperback is a little flimsy as it is a fairly large format and quite thin, besides I like hardback books if they are to go on my reference shelf for frequent reading, but the hardback is nearly 50 quid and so not really worth it.

The listing on amazon seems slightly confused, Search for "Motorcycle Design and Technology" for finding both versions. One is subtitled "How and Why", the other "How to Why".