Karen_Agusta

. These are my favorite motorcycle commercials or at least the ones I remember the most ... what are yours? . If you have ever ridden one doing sixty mph peg the throttle Then the v boost kicks in and the rear tire lights up - WOW ! ! ! ................ . Who can ever forget ... Let the good times roll ............... . And I have to say this commercial is just A beautiful piece of artwork - pure Italian to its core ............... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4kJqTiL38k . Hope you had fun . Karen

You are correct ... I did miss Archer ... bad trekkie ... bad Janeway ??? I hate to say this being female ... but she does not add in . Rubber Side Down . Karen

. First of all I must note here that your comment goes directly to the issue of perception, line of sight, or ... parallax vector ... Imagine you have a poorly made gauge like a vauge-lia Italian gauge ... (note why do the english drink warm beer ... because Lucas also makes refrigerators) ... Imagine the gause is truly pointed at Zero ... If you are looking directly at the gauge your parallax vector will tell you the gauge is pointed at zero ... if you are five feet to the left the gauge will tell you + 5 if you are five feet to the right the gauge will tell you - 5 thus it is not neccesarily "reality" which is important but the point from which "reality" is veiwed ... as the example of why anyone would pay a ton of money for a Hardly Ableson when for far less they could get a V Star which would kick it's tail all over the place ... As it is in this case ... where anyone may think a student of enginering and quantum physics would not also posess an integral understanding of Monty Pythons Flying Circus is clearly highly mistaken ... . . http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjio-F47IfM . . . http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gldlyTjXk9A . . ... For a complete understanding of Monty Python is required to pass quantum physics 101 ... Even though we already know the answer to every question in the universe is "42" ... Though had the Vogons not blown the earth up the answer may be different . Thereby leading us to the single greatest unresolved question in physics today ... that being ... Kirk or Picard. I do not know why it is even a debate for were Kirk and Picard to be placed in ships of equal power. While Kirk gives the order to fire all phasers and photon torpedoes ... Picard would state the following: "Riker bring the ship into negotiating range - make it so" . Though I shall most assuredly agree with the prior statement of: . All that time spent studying engineering, physics, quantum mechanics and the breeding characteristics of the 'Charm' quark, and no time at all studying Monty Python just tells me that your life has been wasted! ... ... ... That is were I not aware of the works of Monty Python ... works of which I most assuredly am quite aware . Rubber Side Down My friends . Karen . .

. Just a biker chick with a PHD ... . Rubber Side Down . Karen

KerriPete . You are absolutely awesome ! ! ! . I had never even heard of that song ! ! ! . I so greatly appreciate it my wonderful new friend . Rubber Side Down . Karen

. I am just posting this for fun and to see what the variety of answers turns out to be . The question is ... "What are your favorite classic Yamahas of all time" . For me they are the ... . 1: By far the SRX 600 Beautiful, torquey, power, style and great handling . . . AND . 2: Next the RZ350 beautifully engineered rocket-bike with awesome sound on the track with race pipes . . . . Now that you know mine ... I ask you ... what are YOUR favorite classic Yamahas of "all time" . Rubber Side Down . Karen .

. If you are ever called a couch potato because you are not moving ... the reality is as follows: . 1: The earth is moving within an expanding universe at roughly sixty six billion miles per hour 2: The earth on the edge of the milky way galaxy rotates in galactic orbit at two million five hundred and eighty thousand miles per hour 3: The earth rotates around the sun at sixty six thousand miles per hour 4: The earth rotates at upon its own axis at 900 mph . Thus while sitting upon that couch you are actually travelling at .... Sixty six billion, two hundred and sixty four million, six thousand and nine hundred ... miles per hour . Thus it is not what is actually happening which matters nearly as much as the perspective from which it is viewed. . Rubber Side Down . Karen

. WHAT REALLY HAPPENS WHEN YOU TURN THE KEY . It is not detailed by any means for there are many issues of physics, air temperature, elevation and so on which affect that which you are about to read ... furthermore for this example I are using a non-computerized, non-fuel-injected, general four stroke machine with a breaker-point ingnition ... such as a motorbike built within the 1960s ... as an example a 1968 Moto Guzzi V1000 Ambassador ... ... Thus consider this to be a general outline or overview of that which happens when ... you ... the rider ... get onto your motorcycle. . As you turn the key it must properly engage the ignition to move the pins into the correct position. Thereby allowing the lock to open and the tumbler to rotate. Upon turning the key to the correct position an electircal signal is sent via a small wire to the starter relay. Thus voltage engages an electromagnet within the starter relay. The pupose of the relay is to prevent the need for a starter gauge wire to be routed directly to the ignition switch ... thereby allowing wires of the appropriate gauge to be routed to the switch ... Thus the key is turned and the electromagnet in the starter relay is now engaged ... Upon doing so the magnet of the starter relay closes the circuit allowing the voltage to travel directly from the 13.2 volt motocycle battery to the starter solenoid ... The solenoid does two things. One it sends the signal to the brushes and commtutor in the direct current motor named the starter. Two it thrusts the toothed wheel of the starter into a much larger wheel of the engine named the flywheel (this is would occur on a motorcycle such as a Moto Guzzi). This accomplishes two things. It makes contact with the engine flywheel gear (to turn it) and it does so at a high level of geared reduction allowing a simple 13.2 volt starter motor to overcome the combination of engine high friction and compression thereby rotating the engine. . At this point the engine is turning. At the same time there is an eccentric wheel or cam located somewhere in the machine which is now being rotated (if the engine is not merely gravity fed). The purpose of this eccentric cam is to engage the arm of a fuel pump (this is similar to the method used on a triumph oil pump). The arm moves up and down overcoming the force of a spring and diaphragm assembly inside the fuel pump. On the upstroke ... the arm ... mounted on a pivot ... allows the diaphragm to move downward ... In doing so a sealed increase in volume is created within the fuel pump. Thus allowing atmostpheric pressure upon the gas tank at 14.7 psi to push the fuel towards the pump. Once the pump has completed its downward movement and is now filled with fuel ... the arm on the other side is released allowing the fuel pump diaphragm to begin upward movement. As the diaphragm moves upward a checkball closes the area of fuel volume allowing that fuel nowhere to go but out of the other side of the fuel pump which is pointed to the carburettor. This fuel then travels through a tube to an area of the motorcycle carburettor known as the float bowl. The pump shall continue to do this until the float bown of the motorcycle carburettor is filled. . Now the fuel pump now filling the motorcycle carburetor with fuel. There are two items in the bowl one called a needle and the other a float. Much like a toilet when the float rises to the top. It closes the needle so the pump may not merely continue to dump fuel into the engine. Thereby motderating fuel to engine input. . Ok so I have fuel ... Now what? . At the time I turned the key to start the engine turning and the motorcycle carburettor began filling with fuel ... an item called the distributor also began to turn (this is the case on a Moto Guzzi). A gear engages the distributor and turns it ... and in some cases (depending upon the engine design) ... A shaft is mounted at the base of the distributor which shall also turn the oil pump ... The oil pump is similar to the fuel pump however ... instead of a spring and diaphragm as in the fuel pump ... The oil pump uses two gears which while rotating creating an ever increasing space ... (not a space open / close / pump / then open again as in the fuel pump - but a space which is ever increasing as far as the outside atmosphere is concerned) ... Thereby the oil pump is now allowing atmostpheric pressure at 14.7 psi to push oil into the pump. Once the oil is pushed into the pump ... The oil is forced out of the other side of the oil pump ... the oil is moved through the pump to a series of passages within the engine ... Items such as. Hydraulic valve lifters (should the engine have them) which use this oil pressure to maintain a constant valve adjustment ... Oil may be fed to the pushrods to lubricate the upper valve train (as in an older Triumph) ... oil shall be fed to the cam to lubricate it as well ... Though by far and most importantly ... The oil galleries for the crankshaft need to be fed a constant pressure of about 40 psi ... (This lubrication is similar to a waterslide. If you have ever been on one it is much faster than a normal slide because the water creates a layer between the slide and yourself preventing friction) ... Thus the oil from the engines oil pump in the same manner creates a lubricating film between the crankshaft and the bearings. Thereby allowing the crank to spin without tearing the bearings and itself to bits. . Thus I now have fuel - I have oil - and my engine is rotating. . The distributor is turning and it has a cam on it. (A cam is an area of metal with raised and lowered areas). Touching this cam is an extremely important component named the breaker points ... The purpose of these breaker points is as follows: .. The Automotive battery only can maintain in storage 13.2 volts ... Yet it takes about thirty thousand volts to fire a single spark plug ... As the distributor cam turns a 13.2 volt signal is sent to the breaker points. This sends energy to what is known as an ignition coil. This process of sending energy to the coil is known as saturating the coil. The reason for this is as follows. There are two sides to an ignition coil yet THE TWO SIDES OF THE COIL ARE NOT CONNECTED to one another in any manner at all ... The ignition coil is what is known as a transformer ... though this is a process I do fully understand ... This I shall borrow from Wikipedia ... it is just a better written explaination than I could give plus it saves me the typing as well. . ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ . http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ignition_system . Most four-stroke engines have used a mechanically timed electrical ignition system. The heart of the system is the distributor. The distributor contains a rotating cam driven by the engine's drive, a set of breaker points, a condenser, a rotor and a distributor cap. External to the distributor is the ignition coil, the spark plugs and wires linking the distributor to the spark plugs and ignition coil. The system is powered by a lead-acid battery, which is charged by the motorcycle's electrical system using a dynamo or alternator. The engine operates contact breaker points, which interrupt the current to an induction coil (known as the ignition coil). The ignition coil consists of two transformer windings sharing a common magnetic core—the primary and secondary windings. An alternating current in the primary induces alternating magnetic field in the coil's core. Because the ignition coil's secondary has far more windings than the primary, the coil is a step-up transformer which induces a much higher voltage across the secondary windings. For an ignition coil, one end of windings of both the primary and secondary are connected together. This common point is connected to the battery (usually through a current-limiting ballast resistor). The other end of the primary is connected to the points within the distributor. The other end of the secondary is connected, via the distributor cap and rotor, to the spark plugs. . The ignition firing sequence begins with the points (or contact breaker) closed. A steady charge flows from the battery, through the current-limiting resistor, through the coil primary, across the closed breaker points and finally back to the battery. This steady current produces a magnetic field within the coil's core. This magnetic field forms the energy reservoir that will be used to drive the ignition spark. . As the engine turns, so does the cam inside the distributor. The points ride on the cam so that as the engine turns and reaches the top of the engine's compression cycle, a high point in the cam causes the breaker points to open. This breaks the primary winding's circuit and abruptly stops the current through the breaker points. Without the steady current through the points, the magnetic field generated in the coil immediately and rapidly collapses. This change in the magnetic field induces a high voltage in the coil's secondary windings. At the same time, current exits the coil's primary winding and begins to charge up the capacitor ("condenser") that lies across the now-open breaker points. This capacitor and the coil’s primary windings form an oscillating LC circuit. This LC circuit produces a damped, oscillating current which bounces energy betIen the capacitor’s electric field and the ignition coil’s magnetic field. The oscillating current in the coil’s primary, which produces an oscillating magnetic field in the coil, extends the high voltage pulse at the output of the secondary windings. This high voltage thus continues beyond the time of the initial field collapse pulse. The oscillation continues until the circuit’s energy is consumed. . The ignition coil's secondary windings are connected to the distributor cap. A turning rotor, located on top of the breaker cam within the distributor cap, sequentially connects the coil's secondary windings to one of the several wires leading to each cylinder's spark plug. The extremely high voltage from the coil's secondary windings often higher than 30,000 volts causes a spark to form across the gap of the spark plug. This, in turn, ignites the compressed air-fuel mixture within the engine. It is the creation of this spark which consumes the energy that was originally stored in the ignition coils magnetic field . ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- . Ok back to Karens writing now ... so ... I now have fuel, spark, oil, and a rotating engine. . At this point I must cover the camshaft ... upon the camshaft there is a toothed wheel to which a chain is connected. As the engine crankshaft is rotated by the starter this chain is connected to the crankshaft. The chain is linked from the crankshaft ... to the toothed wheel upon the camshaft in the upper cyclined head of the engine ... The camshaft is now rotating ... Some notes about cams should be mentioned here ... The lobes of the camshaft are gauged by the following, Lift, Duration and lobe separation which is directly related to (overlap) ... The valve lift is governed by the height of the cam lobe. The taller the lobe the farther away from the valve seat it lifts the valve in the engine (for example I once build a Cadillac 472 with a cam which had .525 valve lift). This means the cam had over one half inch of lift applied to the valve ... Basically the higher you lift the valve, the more air can flow and the more air fuel mixture is fed into the engine ... yet you have to be careful with this because a huge cam provides little power until a very high RPM (which is why the Suzuki GSXR tachometer did not even bother to move until three grand because the power produced below that RPM was pointless) ... Next I have the Duration ... this is simply how long the valve is held open ... if you open and close the valve very quickly you will have very high low-end torque but little high end power ... if you leave the valve open for a long time (because you have to eventually close the valve ... you can not leave it open forever ... for at that point you may as well have a "burnt" valve) ... with a cam wich holds the valve open for a long time you will have high end horsepower in the 8 to 14 thousand RPM range but almost no low-end power at all ... this is why a racing engine is not considered to be what is known as "streetable" ... Next in the world of camshaft description you have "lobe separation" typically in the 106 to 114 degree range ... A high lobe separation of 114 is a very calm, good compression and streetable engine ... whereas ... a 106 degree lobe separaton is a very lopey engine which must have a high idle ... the reason for the is what is called valve overlap ... this means that the intake and exhast valves are open at the same time ... while this can cause a vast amount of power it essentially lowers the engines compression ... And that is about as much regarding cams as I should get into here because really a full conversation regaring cam dynamics is a topic for another time. For in modern times they are developing computer controlled "variable valve systems" wich act as a small cam would at low rpms and then increase accordingly as the rpms of the engine increase. Thus getting around having to select one single "powerband" in which the engine may operate. . The best example of what a powerband I can give to you would be The Kawasaki Mach 3 500cc which combined light-switch powerbands with flexible chassis geometry to make a truly exciting ride. You would be leaned over in a turn with no power then the engine would spring to life wanting to lift the front wheel and rocket you into the trees ... which this bike was a two-stroke and did not have a camshaft at all ... to anyone who ever rode one the meaning of the word "powerband" shall be forever burned into their memory. . Back to the topic of firing-up our engine ... the carburettor ... (I now have fuel, spark, oil, and a rotating engine. ... Now what)? ... As the intake valve opens and the piston travels downward it creates an increasing space in the engines cylinder cylinder. The downward travel of the piston (and the cam holding the intake valve open allow the 14.7 psi atmostpheric pressure to push air into the engine) ... ... ... We need to take a short break here though ... for what I am about to cover is the same principle by which an aircraft flies ... which is as follows ... the bottom of the aircraft wing is flat and the top of the aircraft wing is rounded ... therefore the air must travel a greater distance over te top of the wing - the only way the air can do so is by travelling faster over te top of the wing than it does over the bottom of the wing ... the faster travelling air creates a lower pressue ... thus there is a air high pressure on the bottom of the wing and a low air pressure on the top of the wing - this creates "lift" above the wing causing the aircraft to fly ... ... ... Ok back to our engine now ... This is the same princlple by which lower pressure is created within the carburettor ... The downward travelling piston, creating an increased volume within the cylinder, causes atmospheric pressure at 14.7 psi to push air into carburettors throat via the cylinders increasing volume ... Thus I now have air passing through my motorcycles carburettor ... The carbuterror has a hole bored in it and a variable needle controlled by a slider within the carburettor ... In the area of the needle and hole the carburettor throat is greatly narrowed ... thus the air must travel much faster through this narrow ares than it does through the rest of the "wider-throated" parts of the carburettor ... this fast moving are over the slider needle and jet create a low pressure where the needle and jet are ... This area of the carburettor is called the venturi named after the venturi affect ... For as air passes through the carburettor it moves at a very high velocity ... as it does so a lower pressure is created within the venturi ... There is a tube in the venturi which goes though a series of passages know as "jets" ... the float bowl has a hole drilled in it allowing to contact the outside air which is at 14.7 psi ... Thus I now have a higher pressure on float bowl than I do on the venturi area of the needle and jet inside the carburettor ... high pressure on one side and low on the other ... pushed fuel from the float bowl to the point of low pressure ... the venturi in the throat of the carburettor controlled by the slider and needle ... This fuel is now at the venturi I discussed earlier. The fuel is now moving through the carburettor ... At the engine side of the carburettor is a plate which can be opened or closed varaibly this plate is controlled by the throttle. For our purposes consider this plate to be open (imagine you have pulled the throttle halfway open). . Fuel can not burn in drops ... {{ as an analogy imagine that it has been raining - I were to point you to a tree I had chopped down - give to you one single match - and tell you to with just one match "light the tree on fire" if you just hold the match under the tree it will not light }} ...{{ however were you to collect very fine and small pieces of wood known as "kindling" and place them under the tree - you could get it to burn - so it is with fuel }} ... {{ Or if you have ever seen a person shoot a cloud of wood dust into the air then hold a match to it the wood dust shall go up in a fireball }} ... For to have fire the object must be in contact with a highly reactive gas known as oxygen. In the giant tree of wood most of the wood is in contact with other wood particles ... In the atomized dust all of the wood is in contact with oxygen ... by being in contact with oxygen it is far more highly reactive when it comes into contact with spark or flame and it may therefore react in a highly aggressive manner ... it is for this very reason I have a carburettor at all ... and why the fuel is not simply pumped directly into the engine ... For one item the carburettor allows the rider to control speed yes ... yet often overlooked and just as importantly the carburettor performs the neccesary process of mixing the fuel with oxygen thereby doing what is called "atomizing the fuel" (generally to a preferred ratio of fifteen to one) Thereby making the fuel now entering the engine (as the cam holds the valve open and the piston travels downward in the cylinder) much more highly explosive ... Fuel now moves through the carburettor (add very large carburettor and you shall have power at high rpm but poor low-end performance ... this is because at low rom the engine will not create enough air velocity through this huge carb to move fuel through the venturi ... Yet if you go to the opposite direction and install a very small carb and you will have torque at low-rpm and great off-the-line performance. However the carburettor shall not be able to flow enough air to obtain a very high rpm. That is why in building a vintage racing engine the choice of cam and carburettor - sprocket size and gearing - exhaust and such - are all a "system" ... and ... this is the main reason carburettors have be replaced with fuel injection with can be varied allowing for both torque at low rpm and power at high rpm . . I now have fuel and air in our cylinder and the engine is turning. . The piston is at the bottom of its stroke and the cylinder is full of fuel and oxygen. Were I to ignite it in this condition I would get a gentle burn as if I took gunpowder out of 100 firecrackers. Poured it on the floor and lit in on fire. Nothing much would happen ... Now if I take that same gunpowder and put it into a pipe and put a fuse in it ... I would have a highly exposive device known as a "pipe bomb" ... This is due to a process known as "compression" ... the greater the compression the more powerful the explosion and the more power generated ... Thus our piston is now all the way down and our cylinder is filled with air and fuel. The intake is now closed because the cam lobe has rotated away from its high point or "point of lift" ... Therefore the intake and exhaust valves are now closed and the piston is moving upward within the closed cylinder .... Due to the fact the air / fuel now has nowhere to go it is now being "compressed" . As the air / fuel is being compresssed ... at about ten degrees before the top dead center of the piston (its highest point) ... the breaker points open ... this causes a prevention of electricity or no voltage whatsover to be transmitted to the coil ... This causes the magenetic field to collapse on the primary side of the coil to rapidly collapse ... as the magnetic field collapses it moves electrons through the secondary side of the coil ... (remember the two sides of the could at not connected) ... At this point a trade occurs ... ... ... The ignition coil is nothing more than an electrical transformer. It contains both primary and secondary winding circuits. The coil primary winding contains 100 to 150 turns of heavy copper wire. The coil secondary winding circuit contains 15,000 to 30,000 turns of fine copper wire, which also must be insulated from the primary side As current flows through the coil a strong magnetic field is built up. When the current is shut off, the collapse of this magnetic field to the secondary windings induces a high voltage which is released through the large center terminal. This voltage is then directed to the spark plugs through the distributor. ... because the primary side has few This sends thirty thousand volts via the distributor rotor to the correct contact on the distributor. Sending the voltage through the wire to the spark plug. This voltage is so high it arcs from the tip of the plug through the air to the other side. This arc ingnites the fuel. As the fuel ingnites it wishes to explode however this force is transmitted to the piston. The piston is forced downward and in doing so the piston is attached to a connecting rod which is attached to a crankshaft (with the bearing and oil between). In so doing the crankshaft is now turning Thus the crank is now turning under the engines own power and I no longer need the starter and I can not take my finger off of the starter button ... ... ... I should not here regarding the could and electrical trade is made when the points are opened (shutting off the current to the coil) when the points were closed I had a fair amount of volate and amperage being sent to my ignition coil ... because I can not just magically produce voltage it has it has to come from somewhere ... it does so by greatly increasing the voltage in trade greatly decreasing the amperage ... that is why you can get shocked by an automotive ignition and be ok ... for it is amperage ... NOT voltage ... which is deadly to you. . The engine is running. . The piston has been forced downward by the explosion ... (or "internal-combustion" which has just occured) ... at this point my cylinder is filled with burned fuel ... and ... as either another piston (or a heavy flywheel weight in a "thumper" or sigle-cylinder engine) causes the piston to move upward ... the exhaust valve is now open and the upward moving piston is pushing the burned air-fuel mixture known as the exhaust gas past the valve into the exhaust system ... At this point I must engage in a topic of what is know as "backpressure" ... If the exhaust is small there shall be a high degree of backpressure ... high backpressue creates high low-end torque but does not allow enough airflow at high rpms ... huge pipes create very low backpressure which is wonderful for very high rpms but but do not perform well at all when trying to leave the stoplight or at low rpms ... (this is why many bikes have at times placed variable restrictors in the exhaust system to create high backpressure at low rpms ... and ... as the rpms increase ... the valve in the exhaust system opens up ... thereby decreasing the amount of restriction in the exhaust system and lowering the back pressure) ... The problem with these variable exhaust systems occured when the valve failed ... Thus they are not in great use today. . To get back to the idea of a system ... if you take a chevy 350 engine and put a 1000 CFM dominator carburettor on it ... now the intake manifold can not flow enough air ... so you have to install a tall single-plane manifold ... which is fine ... but that is no good ... with the tiny cam ... so you have to put a huge cam in the engine ... great ... but with the huge cam overlap ... the eight to one compression is now down to six to one ... the engine now makes no power at all ... so you have to put eleven to one compression pistons into the engine ... which is fine ... but now the tiny stock exhaust is so restrictve you can not get any power out of the engine ... so you have to put headers and dual three inch pipes on the engine ... great but now the engine can not idle below 1800 rpm so you have to install a transmission "stall convertor" ... kool but now you can not leave a stoplight because your gears gears are to high ... so you install a set of 4:88s ... great now you rev at 4500 rpm to do sixty miles per hour on the highway ... your gas mileage is terrible ... you had to increase the rims size and put high end tires on the car otherwise it pitched sidewars when you drove it in the rain and you had to upgrade the entire suspension because the rear leaf springs could not handle the torque and had severe wheel hop when you "punched it" and now you get to drive this unstreetable monster to work and back every day ... believe me I learned this from experience as a teenager in the days when hot-rods and muscle cars were cheap and we all had one ... It is only when I went to school for mechanical engineerng that I learned a vehicle should be though of as a complete system ... not a series of individual parts by which one addition properly increases performance ... Thus if you ever wonder why it took through all of human history to only about one hundred and twenty years ago for us to have these engines available to us ... this should at least give to you some very small idea why ... What I have written is actually quite primative and very general operation of a primative and completely mechanical engine. I have left so much out. From inertial forces, to thermodynamics, the the fluid dynamics and even the neccesary actions regarding the heat transfer of the cooling system ... Thus this is merely a very general and simplified overview ... nothing more. . Regarding an engine as a system shall offer this I used to work at a Supershops and I can not tell you how many times I had people wanting to buy an 800 CFM (cubic feet per minute) carburettor for thier 1974 emissioned-out 307 engine in their high-geared Nova ... it simply just does not work anything like that ... ... Thus it is time to dicuss the topic of exhaust dynamics ... for all components of an engine are a SYSTEM WHICH MUST BE PERFECTLY BALANCED ... because like the cam and carburettors the exhaust system must be balance perfectly to the engine setup to achive correct performance ... that is why when you look at MAC or Yoshimura exhaust systems they say "Dyno-Tuned". Meaning they ran tests on the dyno to find the right size and curvature for the engine. That is also why they tell you that you shall have to reject your carbs ... because every component installed on that engine must create a perfectly balanced system for it to perform properly for the intended use and within the poIrband you intend the motorycle to operate in. I shall end with these notes ... mechanical engineers who build and design motocycles for wonderful companies such as Yamaha are very intelligent, they go to school for a long time, and they generall know what they are doing, thus before you go ripping thier work apart ... you better be sure of what you intend to do and how to make it occur ... Just to give you and idea of what goes on in an internal combustion engine of a more modern type and why you need a masters degree to be a mechanical engineer. . Here is what it takes to test one. . http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NHEAxKGw8Y . . . . http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RO4PifwXyiw . . . http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdWlnLM8Rmw . {By the way 800 Celcius = 1472 dgrees} . . I hope you enjoyed this little article of mine . Rubber Side Down . Karen .

Who is the greatest motorcycle racer of all time ... Here are a few names ... Kenny Roberts, John Surtees, Joey Dunlop, Eddie Lawson, Freddie Spencer, Geoff Duke, Bob McIntyre, Mike Hailwood, Phil Read, Giacomo Agostini, Klaus Enders, Jarno Saarinen, Kent Andersson, Barry Sheene, Jim Redman, Bill Ivy, Jarno Saarinen ... of course there are more ... many would say the magnificent seven Barry Sheene ... or King Kenny the man who revolutionized racing by knee-dragging ... mine goes to John Surtees ... not only the only one to ever with both the car and motorcycle championships in the same year ... it is everything he has done for racing since then ... never giving up on the world of two wheels and being the icon he is ... however many may have a different favorite ... so in the world of classics who is your favorite and why? . Rubber Side Down . Karen

Your XS400 is very nice ... as to the CB350 at one time I owned six of them ... I have written several articles which were published regarding the CB350 ... My issue with them now is this ... In 1985 you could purchase a CB350 in mint / cherry / showroom condition for five to seven hundred dollars ... many were for sale in decent condition in the 150 to 300 dollar range ... now people are asking two grand for one ... when for about the same price you can get a 250 Ninja which will wipe it off the road ... however back to your XS Cafe ... thanks for posting your pics of the fine machine you are building. . Rubber Side Down . Karen

. Thanks for posting to let me know you can see them ... I appreciate it ... The second composite is "my world" and where I will always have my deepest love of motorcycles ... there is just something about when the words clip-ons and rear-sets are used together in a sentence that stirs my sould and brings joy to my heart ... as I can hear the vintage rides flying around the track ... with names such as Geoff Duke, John Surtees, Bob McIntyre, Mike Hailwood, Phil Read, Giacomo Agostini, Klaus Enders, Jarno Saarinen, Kent Andersson and more ... enjoy ... ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=feRDGpVnl7M ... ... glad you like the pics ... By the way in case anyone out there wonders where the term "Cafe Racer" comes from ... wonder no more ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCZNOHBxQrk ... ... Regarding the "girls" here is a treat for the "boys" as we do not all ride on the back ... ... though I would never hop-on unless in full leathers ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQMKSPQVBSM ... short leather skirts may look cute until you ditch the ride in a hard turn . Rubber Side Down . Karen

. The site the pictures were linked to was down for maintenance . You should be able to see them now ... please post here if you can . Rubber Side Down . Karen

. I do website development and computer graphics . Here is a little bit of my artwork I hope you enjoy . These are 1280 X 1024 composites I created . I designed them as desktop wallpapers . THIS IS A COMPOSITE OF MODERN BIKES I MADE . . AND HERE IS A COMPOSITE OF SOME VINTAGE RIDES I CREATED . . Rubber Side Down . Karen .

To my new freinds: JYA12R ... As long as your son enjoys his ride and you get to ride with him that is the most important thing ... though I am glad you enjoyed my comment and It is nice to meet you too ... By the way if you don't mind my asking what is your ride my new freind ? . Oldgitonabike ... being an old git you would probably appreciate my quote from another post I wrote today ... ... {"while I agree with you that in regards to motorcycle physics Newton does deserve credt I can not "count out" Kenny Roberts, John Surtees, Joey Dunlop or Eddie Lawson either" Though I did forget to add Freddie Spencer to that list} ... for you would have to be an old git for those names to have meaning to you ... Either way Old Git thank you for your welcome ... it is graciously accepted. . Barkwindjammer ... don't worry ... you have put away any "issues" you and I may of had quite well ... I am not like everyone else by any means and I can see how a misunderstanding may occur ... as to feeling stupid ... "my first issue of 'What the forks' magazine comes with a free LSD tab" ... if you were on LSD at the time don't worry about it ... Speaking of LSD and those days ... here is a snall fact you may enjoy ... if you see the actor Morgan Freeman ... he was Easy Reader on Sesame Street. . Speedshop ... thanks for the info ... that is kind of the idea ... I know this is going to sound sad but I have twenty years building cafe racers and vintage race bikes ... but this is my first cruiser ... however I have many years experience building hot rods and musclecars ... Thus I want to go for that Blower, Sidepipes, Flames, look ... ... ... ... ... to give to Harley Dudes something to compete with in the massively overdone demon tweak / muscle bike / bitchin ride - category. To all of you ... this is my world and the type of bike I do know how to build ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrinaKe657o ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dNXnxYN5OI ... ... Thus I shall freely admit I am out of my leauge and could use help in the "bitch'in ride" world. I have even considered putting "1000" on the side covers to really throw them off. Though maybe the dual led maltese cross tail-lights may be a bit much ... Hey ... Since you seem to know something about this type of build if you have any suggestions for parts ... please by all means let me know or show me what your design would be. Though when done I do want this to have the look of a serious muscle / drag / sissy-bar (yes I do know how dangerous they are) bike for two. . Most of all I am glad to meet all of you and have the opportunity to talk with my fellow riders. . Rubber Side Down . Karen

Up-Yours - Barkwindjammer - Drewpy . Thanks for joining in ... to be honest this pushes the limits of my understanding as well . Though I do actually understand this topic (having gone to college for mechanical engineering). . I engage in these discussions because I love motorcycles and all I can learn about them. . An issue I suppose I can best explain in this short story I wrote about two years ago. . ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ . Karen walks outside choosing from her collection of vintage motorcycles which one to ride. She has a tough time between the Vincent Black Shadow and the old 1972 Triumph Trident 750. In the end she chooses the Triumph and hops on the kickstarter. It takes a few tries however after several kicks it purrs to life. Karen has maintained it well and once again it feels the love of having a partner on top of it. As the Trident warms up Karen is thinking about the ride knowing it runs through about fifty four miles of steeply winding mountain roads. Karen settles in for the journey as she let lets two fingers off of the brake lever, takes her feet up to the pegs as she simultaneously lets the clutch out and rolls the throttle back. . Karen has been riding for a while now the sun is up and the road is overshadowed with trees. Karen is alive and her heart is racing as she sees the perfect series of turns upcoming and sets herself perfectly on the machine as she drops two gears - placing the engine into higher RPMs. The three-cylinder machine howls like a monster from the depths of hell as it screams its place in the world. Karen goes to the far outside and turns the bars to the right hard counter-steering the motorbike as it dives to the left cutting perfectly tight to the apex of the corner and the back out again straightening the turn as she rolls the throttle back catching the next gear as she sets the bike up for the long and sweeping corner ahead. . The wind rushes past her as she is filled with the joy of being alive. The foot-pegs dragging to the ground as she flies through the sweeper. For as all who ride know four wheels move the body and two wheels move the soul ... THE END . ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ . Thus perhaps we do not understand all aspects of motorcycle physics yet I hope in the words I have written ... being on two wheeels in these joys are something that all of us can share. . ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ . Now ... back to the topic at hand . . Vez . Yes I would love it if you have more questions ... And Yes ... the amounts of energy sustained by the brakes, suspension and more than anything else by the tiny contact patch of the tires to the road ... are quite amazing. . I am greatly looking forward to continuing the discussion after you have time to look at the links . Karen . .

Vez . Someone who wants to discuss motorcycle physics. How wonderful . For me it is more of the following issue ... I build vintage racing motorcycles ... Thus if I am biulding a Triton (A Triumph engine in a Norton frame) ... at a wet weight of 325 pounds ... with a 175 pound rider for a total of 500 hundred pounds ... I have built the motorcycle to achieve a top speed of 130 miles per hour. Alo while I agree with you that Newton does deserve credt I can not "count out" Kenny Roberts, John Surtees, Joey Dunlop or Eddie Lawson either . ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- . http://www.ehow.com/how_4517200_calculate-kinetic-energy-joules.html . http://www.ehow.com/how_4501654_calculate-kinetic-energy.html . http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080620144923AAUmVeZ . http://www.gcse.com/energy/ke2.htm . http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinetic_energy . http://www.csgnetwork.com/kineticenergycalc.html . ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- . Thus I need to be certain that the level of energy conversion to heat via friction applied by the braking system can take 383736 joules of kinetic energy from 135 mph to 20 mph in the fewest number of seconds for a decresing radius "J" bend turn ... Without exceeding the level of adhesion to the road provided by the tires I have chosen for the bike (my favorte by far being AVON tyres) ... Therefore this is not a question of tires but one of physics . http://en.allexperts.com/q/Tires-2359/calculate-torque-tires.htm . http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolling_resistance . http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friction . This is why my primary concern in the restoration of any motorcycle is the integrity of the bearings, tires, forks, swingarm, chassis and brakes ... for it does little good to built a fast engine and then throw a wobbly chassis into a hard turn. . ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- . Regarding your question concerning the use of Tan(theta) . ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- . This is taken directly from ... http://forums.superbikeschool.com/index.php?showtopic=500 . One reason a motorcycle must lean into a turn is to counterbalance centrifugal force tending to highside it. With the motorcycle leaned over and going around a constant radius turn at a constant speed, the moment produced by centrifugal force and which tends to highside the bike is: . mh = m * a * cmh * cos(theta) . where m is mass (rider + bike), a is the lateral acceleration due to centrifugal force, cmh is the height of the center of mass, and theta is the lean angle from vertical. . The moment produced by leaning, which tends to make it lowside is: . ml = m * g * cmh * sin(theta) . where g is acceleration due to gravity. . The motorcycle is in equilibrium?neither highsiding nor lowsiding?when the highside and lowside moments balance out. The equation quickly simplifies: . m * g * cmh * sin(theta) = m * a * cmh * cos(theta) . a / g = sin(theta) / cos (theta) = tan(theta) . In words, the lateral acceleration expressed in units of g, acceleration due to gravity, must equal the tangent of the lean angle. . Lateral acceleration depends on speed v and turn radius r, so the lean angle can be expressed as a function of speed and turn radius: . a = v^2 / r . tan(theta) = v^2 / r*g . ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- . Other excellent sites covering the dynamics of a Mototcycle Chassis Very good reading ... especially the Wikipedia . http://johnandbecci.info/Chassis_basics.html . http://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=13060 . http://www.motorcycle.com/mo/mcnuts/chassis.html . http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicycle_and_motorcycle_dynamics . http://hippocampusphysics.blogspot.com/2009/12/centripetal-acceleration-banked-turn-no.html . http://johnandbecci.info/Chassis_basics.html . ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- . I hope this provides the answers you are seekng . Rubber Side Down . Karen . .

You have to download the catalog . http://www.emgo.com/catalogs/muffler-2010-ebook.pdf . They are well made, well reviewed, start and about thirty dollars each and sold by major supplier such as Dennis Kirk and others ... the "shorty" is louder while the "dunstall" is quieter . Rubber Side Down . Karen . .

It is so nice to meet you You are completely correct ... and thank you so much for lookng through my list and visualizng the ride I am building. I do greatly appreciate you havng done so. While I greatly prefer the cafe racer with clip ons and Norman Hyde rearsets this doggie is for two. Thus no lay down tank and solo seat on this puppy ... add to that the 18 inch front tire and the 16 inch rear it is a "special" ... therefore it seemed the bobber look to be more appropriate than attempting to take a "raked" machine and go "ACE Cafe / Rocker" ... http://www.ace-cafe-london.com/cafe-racers.aspx ... with the ride. . Regardng your other question ... Yes I shall be doing all of the work myself (thank you for asking by the way . The only part I am not sure about is the exhaust ... while the dunstalls are nice a set of straight 3/4 inch baffled drag pipes may work better for the overall look ... http://www.denniskirk.com/jsp/product_catalog/Product.jsp?skuId=&store=&catId=&productId=pH44738&leafCatId=&mmyId= ...I usually do {four per side - total of eight} in a straight 3/4 inch 304 stainless steel 16 gauge pipe ... http://www.mandrel-bends.com/catalog/tube-pipe-bar-38/round-tubing-16-gauge-64/304-stainless-65/ ... http://www.mandrel-bends.com/catalog/mandrel-bends-34/304-stainless-steel-16-gauge-53/ ... Then by extending the pipe about two inches past the rear tire / back of the bike ... this gives the ride a very unique look of straight drag pipe, flows air well, is not too loud - and provides excellent ground clearance ... however this is expensive as I have to purchase all needed 304 stainless steel pipe ... fabricate the exhaust and then send it out to be chromed ... though when done I think it would be better for the intended outcome especially with the "lopey" cams intend to install ... However I am curious ... which do you think would look better? . DTMF I shall be happy to post pictures as it comes together. It is in tear down now so there is little to post. . It is so nice to meet you my new friend . Rubber Side Down . Karen . . . .. Hardly Ablesome the only bike whch attempts to make up for it's lack of acceleraton through it's inability to stop or change direction

To both of you ... I am not a spammer ... I am sorry you felt me to be one ... I enjoyed the qaulity of both of your replies ... as that was my intent ... to illicit responses ... thereby gauging your replies ... I think we shall get along fine ... as I truly love motorcycles and have given my life to these wonderful creations ... once you get to know me I am a geat deal of fun ... having existed in the world of vintage motorcycle racing ... I hope you are both doing well today ... Rubber Side Down (meant sincerely) ... Karen

. Good Morning my fellow riders . SURFACING THE ATTACK = A definition of the statement "over the top" ... http://www.yourdictionary.com/over-the-top ... so unconventional, exaggerated, or excessive as to be considered outrageous, unbelievable, ridiculous Yet upon so easily stating my authorship to be unbelievable and ridiculous I hereby expose the attack and challange you to find one error in any of the statments I have made in my previous articles. For you so easily attack me when it is quite clear that which I have written is both accuarate and truthful. Thus rendering your statement to be what it is. Yet another ill-founded attack within a world of such attacks I shall always live in. . While I do clearly understand I may come into contact with those possesing prodigiously minimal levels of acetylcholine causing them to be impuissant at determining the fact that my statements are rather clear and meant in the finest manner to be helpful. There shall always be those existing within a mesozoic evolutionary level. Thus I am well aware those persons shall peregrinate away from any percieved by them as cerebral highbrows. Ergo it was expected upon my posting such an article I would brush against several puerile and obtuse anthropoid simpletons who shall engage in the examination of that which I have written as hypercognitive. Inasmuch as it my known supposition there would be those who feel they are being inundated with a copious profusion of superfluously exorbitant polysyllabic verbiage. Thus I remain confidently existant that the information presented in the aforementioned authorship of that which I have writen shall be of value to those possessing a reasonable degree of congnitive, intellectual, and synaptic amplitude capacities. That I may at this point come into contact with such individuals and entwine oneself within the grace of thier accompaniment. . For to any owner of a 1982 Yamaha XS400J DOHC Maxim I have not only provided almost every part needed to restore the motorcycle, I have provided the manufacturer of those parts and the lowest price I was able to obtain - from the supplier I deemed to be the most reliable. Furthermore I have provided the part number of each item that the person may run thier own internet search for the part along with the price of the item. Thus the individual may obtain a clear idea of the resoration cost prior to the purchase of an XS400. Beyond that I have gone so far as to provide "one-click" access to those parts making it incredibly easy for the person to view them. This also is combined with a fine library of part supplies for the Yamaha XS400 DOHC model. It took over three weeks to assemble this information and having completed this effort I made the determination the amalgamated information may be of use to others. Thus I posted it here with the intent of kindness. Rather than recieving any appreciation whatsoever for having done so I am quite surprised to find resentment towards that which I have done. . The article on motorcycle physics is my personal introduction as I possess a degree in computer programming and mechanical engineering. Along with that I have over twenty years experience in the world of vintage motorcycles specializing in the restoration and cafe customization of Triumph, Norton, BSA, Royal Enfiend and the Honda CB350 model. Whithin my introduction which no one by any means was under duress to read was a wealth of information and many enjoyable videos related to motorcycling. This combined with an initial overview of the physics by which a motorcycle operates thereby giving an overall uderstanding of the device to those who have never owned one. Once again in the hopes this article would be of help to a new motorcyclist in choosing their first motorcycle. Once again for this I am only presented with resentment. . I had enough of this in junior-high and I shall never again allow such events to be targeted against me. Having lived a lifetime of resentment for my congnitive abilities (along with another issue) ... Yes there was a time in my life negative comments regarding both issues would have taken thier toll upon me. However I am beyond that in my life. Thus at this point should there be any here who actually wish to speak with me about Yamaha motorcycles I will be happy to have chat with you. Should such an event fail to occur and there be no persons upon this board who seek to engage with me in pleasurable dialog regaring the joys of two wheeled vehicles. I shall move on to the group for intellectuals I run on the internet confident that my intellectual capacity is that of which I should take pride in and in no way be ashamed of. . NOTE: As a noticable difference when positing highly similar information to the BMW owners club I was greeted with friendship and appreciation. . Thereby leaving only this statement. . If I am over your top you are by definition under my bottom and I hope you enjoy your time there! . And to any who did actually read and enjoy my authorship . Rubber Side Down my new friends . Karen

. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- . Hello I am new here my name is ... Karen Agusta . --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- . Because I know "just a little" about motorcycles and the fact that An engine is essentially an air pump of a combustible mixture Regarding air - it is not "sucked" or "pulled" into the engine There are no little hands reaching out grabing air molecules Air may only be pushed into an engine it is never pulled into one The air pressure at sea level is 14.7 pounds per square inch On the intake stroke carb and intake valve in the open position The piston is travelling downward creating a void inside the engine Thus there is an "empty space" being made inside the engines cylinder The 14.7 PSI pressure on the opposite site of the carb and valve PUSHES AIR into the empty space created by the downward travelling piston Thus in order to increase the amout of air a given engine can pump Its design must maximize airflow this is known as volumetric efficiency Or the air pressure into the engine be increased via super or turbo charging The same is true for a vacuum cleaner or any other such device air is pushed in Another board asked me to write an article on purchasing your first bike For the discussion I used motorcycle racing as the primary topic That an understanding of the machine itself may thereby be obtained Thus making selection the device best suited to your purposes easier ... Karen . http://www.youtube.c...h?v=yTgyBmdD4f4 . http://www.youtube.c...h?v=7X08zELY-lo . http://www.youtube.c...h?v=6Mfwv_GwhFs . http://www.youtube.c...h?v=vURjSJi5Zjk . http://www.youtube.c...h?v=7x7lwPzayHI . . . Moto GP / F1 Racing Engines . Engine revolutions fourteen thousand rpm at starting line Rider slips clutch out torque / not well at low rpm Large drop in RPM as engine propels bike from start Once motorcycle returns to proper rpm range Must at all times be kept there by selecting correct gear Usually between eight and fourteen thousand rpms . http://www.youtube.c...h?v=-NHEAxKGw8Y . http://www.youtube.c...h?v=btnOW31bg14 . . . As motorcycle begins to move it is held upright This occurs at very low revolutions through gyroscopic precession Imagine a bottle tied to a string you hold in your hand The bottle and the end of the string is one inch above the ground You begin to spin in a circle and as you do so the bottle rises Once you are spinning fast you feel the tension rise upon the string That is because the atoms in the bottle are being "thrown" away from you The only reason the bottle remains is the strength of the string Exceeds the tension the bottle applies to it however Should you let go of the string or the string should break The bottle will fly away ... this is what occurs in a motorcycle wheel The only difference is that it occurs in a vertically instead of horizontally Here as in discuss you have made yourself the axis about this the item processes . http://www.youtube.c...h?v=sEW1ZsSCVHE . http://www.youtube.c...h?v=IEwAry0GARw . http://www.youtube.c...h?v=8H98BgRzpOM . http://www.youtube.c...h?v=pF_SUvPAOSs . To test this to the following ... Get an old bicycle wheel Put a bar through where the axle was Use some duct tape on the bar to keep it centered Have a friend spin the wheel fast as you hold it Now try to turn the wheel to the left ... it does not The wheels force shall alter direction and flip over Here she is trying to turn the wheel to the left of right When she does you shall see what occurs. This is gyroscopic motion / inertia What is important to realize here other than what you see Is that these people are not "flipping the wheel over" They are with their hands attempting to turn it to the left or right The flipping to the side you see is the gyroscopes resistance to that Thus is is important to remember a motorcycle is not a car It is a system based upon two spinning gyroscopes Therefore it reacts as one and must be driven that way . http://www.youtube.c...h?v=TSC6e2e5lQw . http://www.youtube.c...h?v=_VAavF8EJzw . http://www.youtube.c...h?v=eLRFsy0fOTE . http://www.youtube.c...h?v=YzgUiremOtw . . . Directed forward rider pushes bars away from direction of turn Wheels act as gyroscopes countersteering leans bike into turn First Law of Motion: Body in motion persists in a straight line unless compelled to change This is one of the hardest for new riders Also many riders are not taught this And even experienced riders may argue this However the fact remains to steer a bike to the left You must push the handlebars to the right To steer a motorcycle to the right You must turn the bars to the left This is not only important to turn at high speed If you have a car coming at you from the right And you are travelling over ten miles per hour You must turn towards the object If you own a bicycle find a hill and ride down it Get the bike going fairly quick and very very gently Turn the bars to the left and you will turn to the right Or push on the left handgrip go left I am including this to such a great degree Because if you ride a bike you MUST understand this In racing we use this to "throw the bike over hard" This allows us to dive into a turn steeply I am including this with some degree of intensity There is also a myth that a motorcycle is turned by leaning I do not recommend you try this unless you are an experienced rider Even then you may dump your bike however as a demonstration I one time leaned far to the left knee down and By countersteering turned the bike to the right Thus leaning is a part of turning but there is more to it That is how the racer throws the bike into the turn so quickly Because if you ride a motorcycle it may save your life one day . http://www.youtube.c...h?v=oVa2Ax-Dins . http://www.youtube.c...h?v=M1A7o-aXvqU . http://www.youtube.c...h?v=s8M_7fBR63Y . http://www.youtube.c...h?v=v5AmFGioYDg . Ok so that is how the racer throws the bike down into the turn so quickly . . . Braking = Kinetic Energy and thermodynamics . ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- . From wikipedia . The kinetic energy of an object is the extra energy which it possesses due to its motion. It is defined as the work needed to accelerate a body of a given mass from rest to its current velocity. Having gained this energy during its acceleration, the body maintains this kinetic energy unless its speed changes. Negative work of the same magnitude would be required to return the body to a state of rest from that velocity. . Friction is not a fundamental force, as it is derived from electromagnetic force between charged particles, including electrons, protons, atoms, and molecules, and so cannot be calculated from first principles, but instead must be found empirically. When contacting surfaces move relative to each other, the friction between the two surfaces converts kinetic energy into thermal energy, or heat. . ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- . In other words energy was applied to accelerate the object Thus energy must be applied to slow the object In machinery we use frictional energy converting motion to heat The kinetic energy of an object is the extra energy Which it possesses due to its motion The kinetic energy of a single object Is completely frame-dependent (relative) For example, a bullet racing by a non-moving observer Has kinetic energy in the reference to frame of this observer But the same bullet has zero kinetic energy to itself Thus at steady speed the motorcycle applies zero kinetic energy to the rider For the rider is not part of the same travelling system as the motorcycle However this becomes a completely different situation Slowing motorcycle from 200to 40 mph via brakes frictional conversion of forward momentum / energy to heat using Through the use of advanced ceramic materials . http://www.youtube.c...h?v=D8MsuFHlc54 . http://www.youtube.c...h?v=m1dv_y_3EK0 . http://www.youtube.c...h?v=L8pnaRpDU1A . The idea in racing unlike in road riding is this On the road you want to brake in a slow and smooth motion Taking your time slowing the bike easily In racing you want to brake as late as you possibly can Hammer on the brakes and then get back on the throttle . However there are severe issues in motorcycle braking 1: if you are hard in a turn braking will want to throw the bike over 2: This is called highsiding where the bike flips you over itself 3: Not too many braking examples however it is common in racing . http://www.youtube.c...h?v=KREIjnk6jTI . http://www.youtube.c...h?v=kGdU6ypYXD4 . Yet another issue is the independent front and rear brakes Thus you must balance the force applied to both brakes perfectly On the front brake if you apply it wrong and use To much force and you shall go over the front wheel . http://www.youtube.c...h?v=ARdw0WrV_gE . Or you shall put the wheel into a skid throwing you down . However much more common is the rear wheel lock up Though I do not have vids of that if you have ever seen A motorcycle try to stop quickly and the rear wheel go everywhere You see the read wheel slide all over ... the rider must counteract that . http://www.youtube.c...h?v=BZqXPhK_3LE . http://www.youtube.c...h?v=kfmWx0tYRV8 . http://www.youtube.c...h?v=s0P3tYskn84 . http://www.youtube.c...h?v=HBm_L5Xt780 . Also we do not have windshield wipers Remember unlike on a car where you can stab the brakes On a motorbike even in a panic or in a race You must perfectly modulate the brakes or you will crash You can easily crash through improper braking alone Furthermore remember the ONLY thing keeping you upright I gyroscopic precession. Thus should you lock up a wheel Even at 60 MPG there is nothing keeping you upright at all Therefore as the racer brakes they must do so perfectly On both wheels in order to slow the bike correctly . . . Centrifugal Force: . As you turn certifugal force wants you to go to the outside of the turn lean angle of the motorbike counteract the force pushing you to the outside Here is where Chemistry comes into play for unlike the older days Today the advanced compounds in the tires allow lean angles to 60 Degrees-Very fine line between optimum cornering and crashing Outward and downward forward forces balanced precisely You must consider the camber of the curve to determine speed You must also know if it is a decreasing radius curve as well One other common issue is called going wide on the turn To lean a motorcycle hard over is frightening it feels like falling So due to this fear to do not throw the bike over hard enough By this choice you do not make the turn and you drift wide on the corner . http://www.youtube.c...h?v=Hx7RvfukIG4 . http://www.youtube.c...h?v=mTnKkdIfVXQ . http://www.youtube.c...h?v=cq9Ua5Tuw3Y . http://www.youtube.c...h?v=5wYD9SSBBNQ . http://www.youtube.c...h?v=sN3bD4U5yJ4 . http://www.youtube.c...h?v=W16hsnIur1Y . http://www.youtube.c...h?v=QCg3BMGe52M . http://www.youtube.c...h?v=3aW01UaHyC4 . http://www.youtube.c...h?v=7mHTzOskcQE . . . Thus a motorcycle excellent example how physics work A motorcycle at a constant speed defined as "v" for velocity in motion Is about to enter a level, circular, curve The curve is defined a r for the radius of the curve The radius r lean angle from the vertical position Is approximated by the following relationship First I shall need to explain theta ... . Theta ... Theta is used When determining the measure of the angle in the work equation, it is important to recognize that the angle has a precise definition - it is the angle between the force and the displacement vector. An explanation would be applying a force to displace a motorbike up a hill to the top of the hill. A force is applied to a bike to displace it up the hill at constant speed. Say 30 MPH. . Several incline angles are used progressively steeper thus you must increase the force to maintain 30 mph. However do not forget that the force is always applied parallel to the incline. And the displacement of the motorbike is also parallel to the incline as well. These are defined a F for force and D for displacement. Since F and d are in the same direction, the angle theta in the work equation is 0 degrees. For they are in a relationship of zero degrees to one another. Nevertheless you may wish to experienced the strong temptation to measure the angle of incline and use it in the equation. Do not do so because angle. It is defined as the angle between the force and the displacement vector. . Next issue is the definition of Tangent . Tangent is as follows ... a straight line or plane that touches a curve or curved surface at a point but does not intersect it at that point ratio of the opposite to the adjacent side of a right-angled triangle ... Tangent line to a curve at a given point is the straight line that "just touches" the curve at that point ... Tangent plane to a curve is the plane that contains all the lines tangent to a specific point on a surface . The equation for it is as follows . tan (\theta) = \frac {v^2} {rg} where g is the acceleration due to gravity . What this means is as follows ... the speed of the bike and the weight of the bike, the radius, displacement, and camber of the turn shall determine the amount you lean and balance the bike to thereby counteracting the centrifugul force trying to make you go wide on the turn allowing you (provided you do not exceed the frictional capability of the tires in doing so) to steer to the apex of the turn properly and set the bike for the next turn. . Thus when people ask me what should my first bike be. Sure the common answers would be . The Ninja 250r . http://www.kawasaki.....ns.aspx?id=431 . The Suzuki Tu250 . http://www.suzukicyc....egory=standard . The yamaha V Star250 (AN EXCELLENT BEGINNERS RIDE OF HIGH QUALITY AND BEAUTIFUL FINISH) . http://www.starmotor....89/0/home.aspx . The Honda 250 rebel . http://powersports.h...2009/rebel.aspx . However here shows how to ride your motorcycle as this person is doing ... taking an extremely common and well made street bike (the Ninja 250r which I plan to purchase and am already set up with the dealer to do) onto the track and showing what a little 250cc street bike can do when ridden by skilled riders ... on the track ... not on the street ... . http://www.youtube.c...h?v=y2HnEld-z3Q . --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- . Rubber Side Down . Karen . ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- . IT IS NICE TO MEET ALL OF YOU AND I AM VERY HAPPY TO BE REGISTERED HERE ... RUBBER SIDE DOWN ... KAREN_AGUSTA . --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- . NOTE: ALL OF THESE ARE MERELY MY OPINIONS ... MANY OF THESE ITEMS ARE FOR RACING USE AND WILL NOT FIT THE STOCK RIDE WITHOUT CUSTOMIZATION (SUCH AS THE HIGHLY OVERSIZE FRONT TIRE AND THE QUARTER TURN THROTTLE) THEREFORE I MAKE NO PROMISE WHATSOEVER ANYTHING WRITTEN HERE IS IN ANY MANNER CORRECT ... SHOULD YOU CHOOSE TO USE ANY OF THE INFORMATION PROVIDED HERE YOU DO SO COMPLETELY OF YOUR OWN CHOICE AND AT YOUR OWN RISK ... WITH NO LIABILITY TOWARDS MYSELF WHATSOVER ... HAVING ALREADY STATED NONE OF THIS INFORMATION IS VERIFIED ... THUS SHOULD YOU WISH TO READ FORWARD IT IS MERELY BECAUSE YOU WISH TO DO SO . --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- . INITIAL PLAN IS TO BUID AN XS400 CAFE / CUSTOM USING THE FOLLOWING ITEMS ... IN THE WORLD OF XS400 THE 82-85 USES MANY DIFFERENT PARTS THAN PRIOR MODELS MAKING IT HARDER TO FIND PARTS BEST OVERALL PARTS SOURCES FOR 82-85 DOHC XS 400 OTHER THAN BIKEBANDIT, JC-WHITNEY, DENNIS KIRK, ETC ... ARE . http://www.wemoto.com/bikes/Yamaha/XS_400_D.O.H.C./82-85/ ... AND ... http://www.hvccycle.com/hvcpartscatalog.htm . --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- . INITIAL PARTS LIST FOR 82 XS400 CUSTOM RIDE IS AS FOLLOWS: . --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- . RIDEABILITY / SUSPENSION / BRAKES . --- . FRONT BRAKES --- MANUFACTURER = SBS --- PART NUMBER = 528S --- PRICE = 30.95 . http://www.denniskirk.com/jsp/product_catalog/Product.jsp?skuId=19734&store=Main&catId=&productId=p19937&leafCatId=&mmyId=11767'>http://www.denniskirk.com/jsp/product_catalog/Product.jsp?skuId=19734&store=Main&catId=&productId=p19937&leafCatId=&mmyId=11767 . REAR BRAKES --- MANUFACTURER = EBC --- PART NUMBER = 194953 --- PRICE = 28.99 . http://www.denniskirk.com/jsp/product_catalog/Product.jsp?skuId=194953&store=Main&catId=&productId=p194949&leafCatId=&mmyId=11767'>http://www.denniskirk.com/jsp/product_catalog/Product.jsp?skuId=194953&store=Main&catId=&productId=p194949&leafCatId=&mmyId=11767 . BRAKE ROTOR --- MANUFACTURER = EBC --- PART NUMBER = MD2011RS --- PRICE = 115.99 . http://shop.hyperformanceparts.com/productdetail.htm?productId=7946981&ez=EBC%20Brakes~q=bidaa429zz~r=bidaa429zz~&rand=85393#505658 . MASTER CYCLINDER --- MANUFACTURER = MIKES --- PART NUMBER = 08-0255 = PRICE = 69.00 . http://www.mikesxs.net/products-71.html#products . STAINLESSS STEEL LINE --- MANUFACTURER = RUSSEL --- PART NUMBER = R58013B --- PRICE = 34.99 . http://www.denniskirk.com/jsp/product_catalog/Product.jsp?skuId=195978&store=Main&catId=&productId=p195978&leafCatId=&mmyId=195978'>http://www.denniskirk.com/jsp/product_catalog/Product.jsp?skuId=195978&store=Main&catId=&productId=p195978&leafCatId=&mmyId=195978 . --- . FORK SEALS --- MANUFACTURER = LEAK PROOF --- PART NUMBER = 5211 --- PRICE = 26.99 . http://www.denniskirk.com/jsp/product_catalog/Product.jsp?skuId=147815&store=&catId=&productId=p14586&leafCatId=&mmyId=11767'>http://www.denniskirk.com/jsp/product_catalog/Product.jsp?skuId=147815&store=&catId=&productId=p14586&leafCatId=&mmyId=11767 . FORK SPRINGS --- MANUFACTURER = HAGON --- PART NUMBER = 500-181-00 --- PRICE = 150.95 . http://www.hagon-shocks.co.uk/Fork_Springs.htm . FORK BRACE --- MANUFACTURER = SPEC TWO --- PART NUMBER VERIFY WITH MANUFACTURER UPON ORDERING --- PRICE 129.95 . http://www.spec2.com/clips.html#apps . --- . SHOCKS --- MANUFACTURER = PROGRESSIVE SUSPENSION --- PART NUMBER = 412-4207C --- PRICE = 270.99 . http://www.denniskirk.com/jsp/product_catalog/Product.jsp;jsessionid=KBXBSL5QOHA1JLA0WTISM4VMDK0OWIV0?store=&skuId=580857&mmy= . --- . REAR TIRE --- MANUFACTURER = AVON --- PART NUMBER = AM42 --- SIZE - MT90B16 --- PRICE = 158.99 . http://www.motorcycletire.com/merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=tires&Product_Code=PUAV324&Category_Code= . FRONT TIRE --- MANUFACTURER = AVON --- PART NUMBER = AM41 --- SIZE = 100/90-18 --- PRICE = 132.99 . http://www.motorcycletire.com/merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=tires&Product_Code=PUAV339&Category_Code= . --- . CHAIN --- MANUFACTURER = RK --- PART NUMBER = 87-180536 --- PRICE = 100.95 . http://www.oldbikebarn.com/RK-530x102-O-Ring-Chain?sc=12&category=74246 REAR SPROCKET --- MANUFACTURER = SUNSTAR --- PART NUMBER = 2519637 --- PRICE = 34.95 . http://www.mawonline.com/google/11511.HTM . FRONT SPROCKET --- MANUFACTURER = SUNSTAR --- PART NUMBER = 50116 --- PRICE = 18.95 . http://www.mawonline.com/google/11088.HTM . --- . TAPERED BEARING CONVERSION KIT --- MAUNFACTURER = WEMOTO - PART NUMBER = N/A --- PRICE = L-29.50 . http://www.wemoto.com/bikes/Yamaha/XS_400_D.O.H.C./82-85/picture/Tapered_Headrace_Bearings_Set/ . FRONT WHEEL BEARING KIT --- MAUNFACTURER = WEMOTO - PART NUMBER = N/A --- PRICE = L-15.04 . http://www.wemoto.com/bikes/Yamaha/XS_400_D.O.H.C./82-85/picture/Front_Wheel_Bearing_Kit_with_Dust_Seals/ . LEFT REAR WHEEL BEARING --- MAUNFACTURER = KYOTO - PART NUMBER = N/A --- PRICE = L-4.25 . http://www.wemoto.com/bikes/Yamaha/XS_400_D.O.H.C./82-85/picture/Rear_Wheel_Bearing_Left/ . SPROCKET CARRIER BEARING --- MAUNFACTURER = KYOTO - PART NUMBER = N/A --- PRICE = L-4.00 . http://www.wemoto.com/bikes/Yamaha/XS_400_D.O.H.C./82-85/picture/Sprocket_Carrier_Bearing/ . RIGHT REAR WHEEL BEARING --- MAUNFACTURER = KYOTO - PART NUMBER = N/A --- PRICE = L-4.75 . http://www.wemoto.com/bikes/Yamaha/XS_400_D.O.H.C./82-85/picture/Rear_Wheel_Bearing_Right/ . NOTE: THESE ITEMS ARE ALSO AVAILBLE FROM AN EXCELENT AMERICAN SUPPLIER NAMED HVC CYCLE . http://www.hvccycle.com/hvcpartscatalog.htm . 31-0905 1 Swingarm bearing kit 130.00 . http://www.hvccycle.com/yamahabearingsbushings.htm . 22-1007 1 All Balls Tapered Bearing Kit 35.99 . 0215-0043 1 Front WHEEL BEARING KIT 25-1311 17.95 . http://www.hvccycle.com/yamahabearingsbushings.htm . HVCRD400BR 1 Rear bearing kit for XS400 also 24.99 . http://www.hvccycle.com/yamahabearingsbushings.htm . --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- . CHASSIS - CAFE . GRIPS --- MANUFACTURER = GALINDO --- PART NUMBER = SBCC85CH --- PRICE = 66.99 . http://www.denniskirk.com/jsp/product_catalog/Product.jsp;jsessionid=C0MMZJA0INSHXLA0WTVSM4VMDK0NCIV0?store=&skuId=596316&mmy= . HANDGAURDS --- MANUFACTURER = POWER MADD --- PART NUMBER = PM14200 --- PRICE = 33.99 . http://www.denniskirk.com/jsp/product_catalog/Product.jsp?skuId=615557&store=&catId=&productId=p615557&leafCatId=&mmyId='>http://www.denniskirk.com/jsp/product_catalog/Product.jsp?skuId=615557&store=&catId=&productId=p615557&leafCatId=&mmyId= . GAURD MOUNTS --- MANUFACTURER = POWER MADD --- PART NUMBER = PM14252 --- PRICE = 23.99 . http://www.denniskirk.com/jsp/product_catalog/Product.jsp?skuId=&store=&catId=&productId=p615962&leafCatId=&mmyId='>http://www.denniskirk.com/jsp/product_catalog/Product.jsp?skuId=&store=&catId=&productId=p615962&leafCatId=&mmyId= . FOOTPEGS --- MAUFACTURER = DEMON --- PART NUMBER = DEMON SPECIALTIES --- PRICE = 106.00 . http://www.demonscycle.com/Forward-Controls/Chrome-Universal-Mini-p7514822.html . QUARTER TURN THROTTLE --- MANUFACTURER = HRC --- PART NUMBER = IMS50-TU --- PRICE = 36.00 . http://www.gpxengines.com/hrc-14-billet-throttle-p-180.html REAR TURN SIGNAL --- MANUFACTURER = BIKEMASTER --- PART NUMBER = 26-4116 --- PRICE = 29.90 . http://www.darkhorsemotorcycleparts.com/products/REAR-TURN-SIGNAL-for-YAMAHA-XS400-SR500-TX500-XS500-TX650-XS650-TX750-XS750-XS850-XS1100.html . FRONT TURN SIGNAL --- MANUFACTURER = BIKEMASTER --- PART NUMBER = 26-4115 --- PRICE = 29.90 . http://www.darkhorsemotorcycleparts.com/products/FRONT-TURN-SIGNAL-for-YAMAHA-XS400-SR500-TX500-XS500-TX650-XS650-TX750-XS750-XS850-XS1100.html . DUAL WAVE HEADLAMP --- MAUFACTURER = DEMON --- PART NUMBER = DEMON SPECIALTIES --- PRICE = 89.00 . http://www.demonscycle.com/Lights-and-Blinkers/Headlights/Dual-Wave-Motorcycle-p6688439.html . MALTESE CROSS MIRRORS --- MANUFACTURER = DRAG SPECIALTIES --- PART NUMBER = 19016060 --- PRICE = 34.95 . http://www.demonscycle.com/Mirrors/Standard-HD/Maltese-Cross-Motorcycle-p2770366.html . TAIL LIGHTS --- MANUFACTURER = DRAG SPECIALTIES --- PART NUMBER = DS272375 --- PRICE = 98.00 {STUDS USE AS LENS SCREWS} . http://www.denniskirk.com/jsp/product_catalog/Product.jsp?skuId=&store=&catId=&productId=pH21017&leafCatId=&mmyId='>http://www.denniskirk.com/jsp/product_catalog/Product.jsp?skuId=&store=&catId=&productId=pH21017&leafCatId=&mmyId= . --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- . PAINT AND PAINTING SUPPLIES . TANK --- MANUFACTURER = I STENCILS --- PART NUMBER = 36-00007 --- SIZE = 8 X 8 --- PRICE = 8.99 . http://www.istencils.com/product-p/36-00007.htm . SIDE COVERS --- MANUFACTURER = I STENCILS --- PART NUMBER = 02-00016 --- SIZE = 5 X 5 --- PRICE = 4.99 x 2 . http://www.istencils.com/product-p/02-00016.htm . FENDERS --- MANUFACTURER = I STENCILS --- PART NUMBER = 06-00018 --- SIZE = 5 X 5 --- PRICE = 4.99 X 2 . http://www.istencils.com/product-p/06-00018.htm . PLUM CRAZY METALLIC ACRYLIC LACQUER PAINT KIT --- MANUFACTURER = RESTORATION SHOP --- PART NUMBER = B001B3ZVGI --- PRICE = 119.95 . http://www.amazon.com/Crazy-Metallic-ACRYLIC-LACQUER-Paint/dp/B001B3ZVGI/ . RALLY GREEN METALLIC ACRYLIC LACQUER PAINT KIT --- MANUFACTURER = RESTORATION SHOP --- PART NUMBER = B001B38QXS --- PRICE = 119.95 . http://www.amazon.com/Rally-Green-Metallic-ACRYLIC-LACQUER/dp/B001B38QXS/ . CLEAR COAT KIT AFTER 90 DAY LACQUER CURE + 90 DAY CURE TO INSTALL --- MANUFACTURER = EASTWOOD --- PART NUMBER = B003G53KC6 --- PRICE = 134.99 . --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- . EXHAUST SYSTEM . MUFFLER --- MANUFACTURER = EMGO --- PART NUMBER = 8084051 --- PRICE = 140.00 . http://www.denniskirk.com/jsp/product_catalog/Product.jsp;jsessionid=3T3LXWBWLRUUPLA0WTISM4VMDK0OWIV0?store=&skuId=431286&mmy= . NOTE: HEADER PIPES - SPLITTERS - COLLARS - BOTH ENGINE SIDE COVERS - BREATHER COVER - SISSY BAR - AND - CARB TOP COVERS - FORK TUBES - SEND OUT TO . EITHER ... ... OR ... ... FOR RE-CHROMING . NOTE: A COMPLETE AND DYNO TUNED EXHAUST SYSTEM IS AVAILABLE FROM ... . http://www.macperformance.com/store/category.cfm?SID=3&Category_ID=901 . --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- . ENGINE / BIKE - START UP . COILS --- MANUFACTURER = WEMOTO --- PART NUMBER = COIL --- PRICE = L-29.36 . CLUTCH --- MANUFACTURER = EBC --- PART NUMBER = CK2279 --- PRICE = 64.99 . http://www.denniskirk.com/jsp/product_catalog/Product.jsp?skuId=381841&store=Main&catId=&productId=p389471&leafCatId=&mmyId=12535'>http://www.denniskirk.com/jsp/product_catalog/Product.jsp?skuId=381841&store=Main&catId=&productId=p389471&leafCatId=&mmyId=12535 . CLUTCH SPRINGS --- MANUFACTURER = EBC --- PART NUMBER = CSK2 --- PRICE = 9.99 . http://www.denniskirk.com/jsp/product_catalog/Product.jsp? . skuId=382006&store=Main&catId=&productId=p381995&leafCatId=&mmyId=12535 . K-N OIL FILTER --- MANUFACTURER = K AND N --- PART NUMBER = KN-144 --- PRICE = 6.74 . http://www.denniskirk.com/jsp/product_catalog/Product.jsp;jsessionid=AE5DO2K1PYWNVLA0WTKSM4VMDK0NCIV0?store=Main&skuId=303555&mmy= . CAMS --- MANUFACTURER = MEGACYCLE --- PART NUMBER = CUSTOMER CORE --- PRICE = 264.00 . http://www.megacyclecams.com/catalog/catalog.pdf . PETCOCK REBUILD --- MAUFACTURER = PRO CYCLE --- PART NUMBER = 18-2699 --- PRICE = 29.95 . http://www.procycledepot.com/content/p/8/catid/9537/pid/85646/Fuel_Petcock_Rebuild_Kits?item=1710641 . THROTTLE CABLE --- MANUFACTURER = MOTION PRO --- PART NUMBER = 06-5069 --- PRICE = 14.96 . http://www.darkhorsemotorcycleparts.com/products/THROTTLE-CABLE-for-YAMAHA-XS400-XS750-XS850-XS1100.html . OVERSIZE GEAR LEVER --- MANUFACTURER = JASONS --- PART NUMBER = 19-6502 --- PRICE = 15.00 . http://www.mikesxs.net/products-65.html#products . NEW CLUTCH LEVER --- MANUFACTURER = BIKEMASTER --- PART NUMBER = 07-1241 --- PRICE = 7.96 . http://www.darkhorsemotorcycleparts.com/products/CLUTCH-LEVER-for-YAMAHA-DT175-DT250-XT250-XT500-XS400-XJ550-XJ650-XS650-XS750-XV750-XS1100.html . YTX51-BS BATTERY --- MANUFACTURER = ADVENTURE POWER --- PART NUMBER = YTX5L-BS --- PRICE = 34.96 . http://www.budgetbatteries.com/ytx5l-bs-battery-bb-047725.html . GLOSS BLACK HIGH TEMP CERAMIC ENGINE PAINT --- MANUFACTURER = EASTWOOD --- PART NUMBER = B002S46T38 --- PRICE = 32.99 . http://www.amazon.com/Eastwood-Gloss-Black-Ceramic-Engine/dp/B002S46T38/ . REBUILD THE CARBS AND GO UP TWO JET SIZES OVER STOCK + VALVES SPRINGS BEARINGS PISTONS RINGS . FORK OIL - SPARK PLUGS - PLUG BOOTS WIRES - INSTALL PARTS - REBUILD FORKS - PAINT THE BIKE - ETC . --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- . ALL OF THESE ARE MERELY MY OPINIONS ... MANY OF THESE ITEMS ARE FOR RACING USE AND WILL NOT FIT THE STOCK RIDE WITHOUT CUSTOMIZATION (SUCH AS THE HIGHLY OVERSIZE FRONT TIRE AND THE QUARTER TURN THROTTLE)THEREFORE I MAKE NO PROMISE WHATSOEVER ANYTHING WRITTEN HERE IS IN ANY MANNER CORRECT ... SHOULD YOU CHOOSE TO USE ANY OF THE INFORMATION PROVIDED HERE YOU DO SO COMPLETELY OF YOUR OWN CHOICE AND AT YOUR OWN RISK ... WITH NO LIABILITY TOWARDS MYSELF WHATSOVER ... HAVING ALREADY STATED NONE OF THIS INFORMATION IS VERIFIED ... THUS SHOULD YOU WISH TO RELAY UPON ANYTHING YOU HAVE READ IN THESE STATEMENTS YOUR ACTIONS ARE MERELY BECAUSE YOU WISH TO DO SO AND OF COURSE THERE IS NO GAURANTEE ANY OF THE LINKS SHALL WORK AS LINKS ARE CHANGED FREQUENTLY ... KAREN_AGUSTA . --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- . --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- . ONE LAST ITEM ... I AM NEW HERE AND MANY OF YOU DO NOT KNOW ME ... KAREN_AGUSTA ... THUS AS A FORM OF INTRODUCTION INCLUDING AN ARTICLE I HAVE WRITTEN ABOUT MOTORCYCLES AND CHOOSING YOUR FIRST ONE (THIS IS RELATIVE TO THE XS400 AS IT IS CONSIDERED TO BE A BEGINNERS BIKE) ONCE AGAIN ... ALL OF THESE ARE MERELY MY OPINIONS ... MANY OF THESE ITEMS ARE FOR RACING USE AND WILL NOT FIT THE STOCK RIDE WITHOUT CUSTOMIZATION (SUCH AS THE HIGHLY OVERSIZE FRONT TIRE AND THE QUARTER TURN THROTTLE) THEREFORE I MAKE NO PROMISE WHATSOEVER ANYTHING WRITTEN HERE IS IN ANY MANNER CORRECT ... SHOULD YOU CHOOSE TO USE ANY OF THE INFORMATION PROVIDED HERE YOU DO SO COMPLETELY OF YOUR OWN CHOICE AND AT YOUR OWN RISK ... WITH NO LIABILITY TOWARDS MYSELF WHATSOVER ... HAVING ALREADY STATED NONE OF THIS INFORMATION IS VERIFIED ... THUS SHOULD YOU WISH TO RELAY UPON ANYTHING YOU HAVE READ IN THESE STATEMENTS YOUR ACTIONS ARE MERELY BECAUSE YOU WISH TO DO SO ... AND OF COURSE THERE IS NO GAURANTEE ANY OF THE LINKS SHALL WORK AS LINKS ARE CHANGED FREQUENTLY... KAREN_AGUSTA . --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- . Because I know "just a little" about motorcycles and the fact that An engine is essentially an air pump of a combustible mixture Regarding air - it is not "sucked" or "pulled" into the engine There are no little hands reaching out grabing air molecules Air may only be pushed into an engine it is never pulled into one The air pressure at sea level is 14.7 pounds per square inch On the intake stroke carb and intake valve in the open position The piston is travelling downward creating a void inside the engine Thus there is an "empty space" being made inside the engines cylinder The 14.7 PSI pressure on the opposite site of the carb and valve PUSHES AIR into the empty space created by the downward travelling piston Thus in order to increase the amout of air a given engine can pump Its design must maximize airflow this is known as volumetric efficiency Or the air pressure into the engine be increased via super or turbo charging The same is true for a vacuum cleaner or any other such device air is pushed in Another board asked me to write an article on purchasing your first bike For the discussion I used motorcycle racing as the primary topic That an understanding of the machine itself may thereby be obtained Thus making selection the device best suited to your purposes easier ... Karen . . . . . http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7x7lwPzayHI . . . Moto GP / F1 Racing Engines . Engine revolutions fourteen thousand rpm at starting line Rider slips clutch out torque / not well at low rpm Large drop in RPM as engine propels bike from start Once motorcycle returns to proper rpm range Must at all times be kept there by selecting correct gear Usually between eight and fourteen thousand rpms . http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NHEAxKGw8Y . . . . As motorcycle begins to move it is held upright This occurs at very low revolutions through gyroscopic precession Imagine a bottle tied to a string you hold in your hand The bottle and the end of the string is one inch above the ground You begin to spin in a circle and as you do so the bottle rises Once you are spinning fast you feel the tension rise upon the string That is because the atoms in the bottle are being "thrown" away from you The only reason the bottle remains is the strength of the string Exceeds the tension the bottle applies to it however Should you let go of the string or the string should break The bottle will fly away ... this is what occurs in a motorcycle wheel The only difference is that it occurs in a vertically instead of horizontally Here as in discuss you have made yourself the axis about this the item processes . . . http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8H98BgRzpOM . . To test this to the following ... Get an old bicycle wheel Put a bar through where the axle was Use some duct tape on the bar to keep it centered Have a friend spin the wheel fast as you hold it Now try to turn the wheel to the left ... it does not The wheels force shall alter direction and flip over Here she is trying to turn the wheel to the left of right When she does you shall see what occurs. This is gyroscopic motion / inertia What is important to realize here other than what you see Is that these people are not "flipping the wheel over" They are with their hands attempting to turn it to the left or right The flipping to the side you see is the gyroscopes resistance to that Thus is is important to remember a motorcycle is not a car It is a system based upon two spinning gyroscopes Therefore it reacts as one and must be driven that way . . http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VAavF8EJzw . . . . . Directed forward rider pushes bars away from direction of turn Wheels act as gyroscopes countersteering leans bike into turn First Law of Motion: Body in motion persists in a straight line unless compelled to change This is one of the hardest for new riders Also many riders are not taught this And even experienced riders may argue this However the fact remains to steer a bike to the left You must push the handlebars to the right To steer a motorcycle to the right You must turn the bars to the left This is not only important to turn at high speed If you have a car coming at you from the right And you are travelling over ten miles per hour You must turn towards the object If you own a bicycle find a hill and ride down it Get the bike going fairly quick and very very gently Turn the bars to the left and you will turn to the right Or push on the left handgrip go left I am including this to such a great degree Because if you ride a bike you MUST understand this In racing we use this to "throw the bike over hard" This allows us to dive into a turn steeply I am including this with some degree of intensity There is also a myth that a motorcycle is turned by leaning I do not recommend you try this unless you are an experienced rider Even then you may dump your bike however as a demonstration I one time leaned far to the left knee down and By countersteering turned the bike to the right Thus leaning is a part of turning but there is more to it That is how the racer throws the bike into the turn so quickly Because if you ride a motorcycle it may save your life one day . . . . . Ok so that is how the racer throws the bike down into the turn so quickly . . . Braking = Kinetic Energy and thermodynamics . ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- . From wikipedia . The kinetic energy of an object is the extra energy which it possesses due to its motion. It is defined as the work needed to accelerate a body of a given mass from rest to its current velocity. Having gained this energy during its acceleration, the body maintains this kinetic energy unless its speed changes. Negative work of the same magnitude would be required to return the body to a state of rest from that velocity. . Friction is not a fundamental force, as it is derived from electromagnetic force between charged particles, including electrons, protons, atoms, and molecules, and so cannot be calculated from first principles, but instead must be found empirically. When contacting surfaces move relative to each other, the friction between the two surfaces converts kinetic energy into thermal energy, or heat. . ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- . In other words energy was applied to accelerate the object Thus energy must be applied to slow the object In machinery we use frictional energy converting motion to heat The kinetic energy of an object is the extra energy Which it possesses due to its motion The kinetic energy of a single object Is completely frame-dependent (relative) For example, a bullet racing by a non-moving observer Has kinetic energy in the reference to frame of this observer But the same bullet has zero kinetic energy to itself Thus at steady speed the motorcycle applies zero kinetic energy to the rider For the rider is not part of the same travelling system as the motorcycle However this becomes a completely different situation Slowing motorcycle from 200to 40 mph via brakes frictional conversion of forward momentum / energy to heat using Through the use of advanced ceramic materials . . . . The idea in racing unlike in road riding is this On the road you want to brake in a slow and smooth motion Taking your time slowing the bike easily In racing you want to brake as late as you possibly can Hammer on the brakes and then get back on the throttle . However there are severe issues in motorcycle braking 1: if you are hard in a turn braking will want to throw the bike over 2: This is called highsiding where the bike flips you over itself 3: Not too many braking examples however it is common in racing . . . Yet another issue is the independent front and rear brakes Thus you must balance the force applied to both brakes perfectly On the front brake if you apply it wrong and use To much force and you shall go over the front wheel . . Or you shall put the wheel into a skid throwing you down . However much more common is the rear wheel lock up Though I do not have vids of that if you have ever seen A motorcycle try to stop quickly and the rear wheel go everywhere You see the read wheel slide all over ... the rider must counteract that . http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZqXPhK_3LE . . . . Also we do not have windshield wipers Remember unlike on a car where you can stab the brakes On a motorbike even in a panic or in a race You must perfectly modulate the brakes or you will crash You can easily crash through improper braking alone Furthermore remember the ONLY thing keeping you upright I gyroscopic precession. Thus should you lock up a wheel Even at 60 MPG there is nothing keeping you upright at all Therefore as the racer brakes they must do so perfectly On both wheels in order to slow the bike correctly . . . Centrifugal Force: . As you turn certifugal force wants you to go to the outside of the turn lean angle of the motorbike counteract the force pushing you to the outside Here is where Chemistry comes into play for unlike the older days Today the advanced compounds in the tires allow lean angles to 60 Degrees-Very fine line between optimum cornering and crashing Outward and downward forward forces balanced precisely You must consider the camber of the curve to determine speed You must also know if it is a decreasing radius curve as well One other common issue is called going wide on the turn To lean a motorcycle hard over is frightening it feels like falling So due to this fear to do not throw the bike over hard enough By this choice you do not make the turn and you drift wide on the corner . . . . . . . . . http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mHTzOskcQE . . . Thus a motorcycle excellent example how physics work A motorcycle at a constant speed defined as "v" for velocity in motion Is about to enter a level, circular, curve The curve is defined a r for the radius of the curve The radius r lean angle from the vertical position Is approximated by the following relationship First I shall need to explain theta ... . Theta ... Theta is used When determining the measure of the angle in the work equation, it is important to recognize that the angle has a precise definition - it is the angle between the force and the displacement vector. An explanation would be applying a force to displace a motorbike up a hill to the top of the hill. A force is applied to a bike to displace it up the hill at constant speed. Say 30 MPH. . Several incline angles are used progressively steeper thus you must increase the force to maintain 30 mph. However do not forget that the force is always applied parallel to the incline. And the displacement of the motorbike is also parallel to the incline as well. These are defined a F for force and D for displacement. Since F and d are in the same direction, the angle theta in the work equation is 0 degrees. For they are in a relationship of zero degrees to one another. Nevertheless you may wish to experienced the strong temptation to measure the angle of incline and use it in the equation. Do not do so because angle. It is defined as the angle between the force and the displacement vector. . Next issue is the definition of Tangent . Tangent is as follows ... a straight line or plane that touches a curve or curved surface at a point but does not intersect it at that point ratio of the opposite to the adjacent side of a right-angled triangle ... Tangent line to a curve at a given point is the straight line that "just touches" the curve at that point ... Tangent plane to a curve is the plane that contains all the lines tangent to a specific point on a surface . The equation for it is as follows . tan (\theta) = \frac {v^2} {rg} where g is the acceleration due to gravity . What this means is as follows ... the speed of the bike and the weight of the bike, the radius, displacement, and camber of the turn shall determine the amount you lean and balance the bike to thereby counteracting the centrifugul force trying to make you go wide on the turn allowing you (provided you do not exceed the frictional capability of the tires in doing so) to steer to the apex of the turn properly and set the bike for the next turn. . Thus when people ask me what should my first bike be. Sure the common answers would be . The Ninja 250r . . The Suzuki Tu250 . http://www.suzukicycles.com/Product%...egory=standard . The yamaha V Star250 (AN EXCELLENT BEGINNERS RIDE OF HIGH QUALITY AND BEAUTIFUL FINISH) . http://www.starmotorcycles.com/star/...89/0/home.aspx . The Honda 250 rebel . http://powersports.honda.com/2009/rebel.aspx . However here shows how to ride your motorcycle as this person is doing ... taking an extremely common and well made street bike (the Ninja 250r which I plan to purchase and am already set up with the dealer to do) onto the track and showing what a little 250cc street bike can do when ridden by skilled riders ... on the track ... not on the street ... . . --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- . ALL OF THESE ARE MERELY MY OPINIONS ... MANY OF THESE ITEMS ARE FOR RACING USE AND WILL NOT FIT THE STOCK RIDE WITHOUT CUSTOMIZATION (SUCH AS THE HIGHLY OVERSIZE FRONT TIRE AND THE QUARTER TURN THROTTLE) THEREFORE I MAKE NO PROMISE WHATSOEVER ANYTHING WRITTEN HERE IS IN ANY MANNER CORRECT ... SHOULD YOU CHOOSE TO USE ANY OF THE INFORMATION PROVIDED HERE YOU DO SO COMPLETELY OF YOUR OWN CHOICE AND AT YOUR OWN RISK ... WITH NO LIABILITY TOWARDS MYSELF WHATSOVER ... HAVING ALREADY STATED NONE OF THIS INFORMATION IS VERIFIED ... THUS SHOULD YOU WISH TO RELAY UPON ANYTHING YOU HAVE READ IN THESE STATEMENTS YOUR ACTIONS ARE MERELY BECAUSE YOU WISH TO DO SO ... AND OF COURSE THERE IS NO GAURANTEE ANY OF THE LINKS SHALL WORK AS LINKS ARE CHANGED FREQUENTLY ... KAREN_AGUSTA . --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- . IT IS NICE TO MEET ALL OF YOU AND I AM VERY HAPPY TO BE REGISTERED HERE ... RUBBER SIDE DOWN ... KAREN_AGUSTA . ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------