Why is the front tire on sports bike type motorcycles so small?What type of characteristics would you have if the front wheel of a one of these motorcycles was larger? Taller and wider?
They are part of the design to allow the bike to turn quickly/
Lower rotating mass quicker handling. Lower profile more pronounced coning effect when leaned over sharper handling. Smaller wheel/tire less unsprung weight better traction over bumpy surfaces more control. Watch Moto GP racing and notice riders like Rossi and Hayden come out of a corner hard on the gas, still leaning the bike, and the front wheel OFF THE GROUND!
motorcycles wheels and tires operate like gyros. The whole idea is to have the lightest gyro (wheel tire Assembly) so you have less unsprung weight to get rolling. the height of the tire directly affects how fast the turn in of the corner is. An oblects farthest point falls flat faster the smaller it is from vertical. The taller the tire the more it wants to basiccaly stay upright.
