Facts and figures relating to a bike's rolling chassis listed on its spec sheet are indicative of its design and likely behaviour. Major stats like a machine's overall weight, and the lengths, diameters, and angles of its key componentry are typical giveaways. Yet as representative as they are, just as is the case with many statistics, there's often more to them than just their face value.
There are, of course, very differing design considerations for various types of bikes, and the numbers you'll see listed on a sportsbike's spec sheet are always going to be very different to those of, say, a tourer or cruiser. The data is a clear indication of the very contrasting performance characteristics typical of those types of machines.
Here we'll look at the more important figures and examine their relevance to how a bike will probably perform.
OVERALL WEIGHT
Without question, one of the most influential factors of all those that govern the nature of how a bike will handle and generally perform is its weight. It can vary significantly. However, a machine's quoted weight measurement should be examined in more detail to realise its fuller context and effect.
Lighter, sub-200 kilo motorcycles are generally easier to handle, and can assist in giving superior and more responsive chassis performance, with bikes in some classes necessitating lower weight. Sportsbikes particularly are lighter to allow them to accelerate, brake, and change direction more effectively. Lower weights are less crucial on machines like adventure bikes, sports tourers, and cruisers, but even so, excessive weight can be a negative feature, naturally affecting general manageability. Novice-suitable machines for example will be less attractive if they're too weighty to handle.
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة June 2024 من Motorcycle Sport & Leisure.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 8500 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة June 2024 من Motorcycle Sport & Leisure.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 8500 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
Mossy's Knowledge
Spec sheet terminology - chassis
Test fleet: Suzuki GSX-S1000GX
Out with the old and in with the new, as Stu picks up a GSX-S1000GX
Test fleet: Suzuki V-Strom 800RE
I've only had it a few days, but I've liked it since mile one. Hopefully my affection for the Suzuki will continue well into the future
Test fleet: Yamaha Ténéré World Raid
A lack of a daily commute doesn't mean that mileage is kept to a minimum
The Longest Day Teapot
While it would've been truly wonderful to have spent time preparing myself and the bike for that one long day of riding in June, there's rather more preliminary work than hoped...
Premier peninsula perambulations
Riding locally is all well and good, but Helen wanted some adventure and to get some miles under her wheels
Around Gran Canaria in three days
What better way to expand your riding CV than with some winter riding in the sunshine of the Canary Islands, and some dramatic mountainous roads
Pass-ing the time of day
Three of Europe's most well-known mountain passes, all covered in day of mind-bending scenery and nerve-wrenching hairpins one
Troubleshooting common 12V battery problems
Diagnosing and tracing faults with a motorcycle's electrical charging system can be a daunting prospect, but with a basic understanding of the bike's charging system you can usually get to the nub of what's wrong. We asked the battery-saving experts at OptiMate to outline the main components of the charging system, and the symptoms of the most common problems encountered with them
Worth Waiting For?
Moto Guzzi is Italy's oldest bike manufacturer in continuous production since its birth in 1921, though Covid forced the postponement by a year of its 100th birthday celebrations held at its Mandello del Lario factory on the shores of Lake Como