The alignment Yamaha Motorcycle: All it takes is one look at the rally-inspired Yamaha Super Tenere and the wonder lust sets in. While sportbikes tend to have small rake angles for quick handling, cruisers tend to go the other direction for more stable handling. [...] The axle of the fore-carriage is situated a suitable distance behind the projection of the axis of the pivot-pin in order to ensure the stability of direction above referred to. Unfortunately, for many of us, the short answer is: not much. Bicycle head angle At the end of a corner, naturally the instinct is to accelerate. Sometimes in the bicycle industry, the term caster angle is used to describe the arctangent of the trail divided by the wheel radius. However, something you can do is raise or lower your fork tubes in the triple clamps. For ultimate tunability, concentric inserts and different triple clamps can be used together to dramatically alter a motorcycle’s handling. Caster angle Last updated January 14, 2020 θ is the caster angle, the red line is the pivot line, and the grey area is the tire. Caster angle affects the camber of the wheel during steering. Because of the caster angle, camber angle of front tire is higher than the rear tire which requires the front tire cross sectional profile to be more circular. Negative camber angles help in producing higher lateral forces to improve the cornerability of the vehicle. Choppers sometimes have an extreme caster angle for aesthetic reasons. Of course, knowing the angle of the wedge still doesn't tell us the overall caster angle. Hopefully by now you can see how rake and trail are interconnected, as rake automatically has an effect on trail – less rake means less trail, and vice versa. In this case it’s 100mm. It’s mentioned so much because rake and trail have a major role to play in the way your motorcycle handles, and the people who design these motorcycles are well aware of this when going from CAD drawing to real-life machine. ENGINE Buells were notorious for having some extreme rake angles bordering close to the teens. away Email Call 1-817-727-4897 American Motorcycle Trading Co. Bedford, TX Video chat with this dealer - 1,524 mi. Because of the caster angle, camber angle of front tire is higher than the rear tire which requires the front tire cross sectional profile to be more circular. The Husqvarna 701 is the largest single-cylinder motorcycle available. 2014 yamaha v-star 1300 tourer. NEW Sealey Magnetic Wheel Hub Mounting Camber Castor King Pin Angle Gauge GA450. Arthur Krebs applied the first positive caster angle to automotive front-train in his 1896 car, English patent : "To ensure stability of direction by means of a special arrangement of fore-carriage, that is to say, to re-establish automatically the parallelism of the two axles of the vehicle when there is no tendency to keep them in any other direction, or after a temporary effort has caused them to diverge from said parallelism. Conversely, as the motorcycle is accelerating the fork is extending, increasing the rake angle slightly. Most of the time the two are parallel to each other. Rake (Caster Angle): 26.4 deg. Topics similar to or like Caster angle. Excessive caster angle will make the steering heavier and less responsive, although, in racing, large caster angles are used to improve camber gain in cornering. Positive caster is when the top upright mounting point is more rearward of the car than the bottom mounting point when looking at the side view. To have a clear visualisation you can consider the example of a motorcycle shown below. It also causes a camber gain (less negative camber) when steering on the outer wheel and thus improves vehicle behavior in cornering. The caster angle or castor angle is the angular displacement of the steering axis from the vertical axis of a steered wheel in a car, motorcycle, bicycle, other vehicle or a vessel, measured in the longitudinal direction. Lets start with basics Caster – Negative and Positive Caster is the measure of how far forward or behind the steering axis is to the verticle axis, viewed from the side. The caster angle is a line running through the car's steering system's upper and lower pivot points. General Colors Matte Metallic Silver Warranty One year transferable, unlimited-mileage limited warranty; extended coverage available with a Honda Protection Plan. Rake (Caster angle): The angle in which the front handlebars are extended in front of the bike. The caster in this vehicle is read four degrees plus or minus one half degrees (.5°). It doesn’t have to be big to be an Adventure. The KLX300 features a box-and-tubular-section high-tensile steel perimeter frame that creates a slim, lightweight package, which offers maneuverability and excellent handling on- or off-road. Caster angle. So, let’s take a closer look at what rake and trail is and why it’s important. Other forms of motorcycles, like Adventure bikes, scramblers, sport-tourers, etc. Caster is the angle which the vertical axis of the wheel makes with the steering axis. We use cookies to improve your experience on this website and so that ads you see online can be tailored to your online browsing interests. In the motorcycle industry, caster angle is synonymous with what would be called the head angle in the bicycle industry. 2020 UK motorcycle sales complete recovery as Lexmoto outsells Honda. Share. The purpose of this is to provide a degree of self-centering for the steering - the wheel casters around so as to trail behind the axis of steering. This is positive caster in a car. Caster (sometimes referred to as rake) is the angle between the steering axis and an imaginary perpendicular line running through the front wheel axle. This is positive caster in a car. On most production motorcycles you can’t change the fork offset without going to some extreme measures, but certain high-end motorcycles allow you to rotate a concentric head stem insert, resulting in altered trail. This is possible because the caster angle is actually 28 degrees and the trail length 4.3 inches, achieving both straight-line stability and neutral handling. An example of caster in action is the front wheels on a shopping cart. (See figure 3:1) As we have already seen, a motorcycle’s trail measurement plays a crucial role in achieving chassis stability, and it is the caster angle (among others) that helps to determine trail. The caster angle (26.7°) and short wheelbase contribute to quick handling, while the high rigidity of the frame ensures straight-line stability. To avoid confusion, BikeCAD does not use the term caster angle. Also, adjusting the rake angle does not tend to move the centre of gravity positon of the bike. Topic. pivots. Note also that, despite having the same wheelbase (1455mm), the CB1000R and CBR1000RR-R have different rake and trail numbers. The angle is measured by the angular space between the vertical and the pivot line, which is the line that runs from the lower ball joint to the upper ball joint. But if we accelerate too early, the fork extends as we’re already running wide, making it harder to turn. Caster refers to the angle of the steering axis on a vehicle’s wheel from the straight line of its vertical axis. For now, this should give you a base understanding to hopefully help you understand why your motorcycle handles the way it does. If you want your motorcycle to steer quickly and with little effort, like a sportbike or a dirtbike, you go for a smaller number (to a point). “Head angle,” “caster angle” and “rake angle” are all the same measurement. Some of the most important geometric consideration on a motorcycle are the. That explains one of the reasons why we have to let off the throttle to help place the motorcycle in the intended direction. If the axis leans back so the top of the suspension of behind the center of the wheel, this is positive caster. Jan 5, 2006. And besides, what harm is there in a refresher course, anyway? The inside wheel will gain positive camber, effectively leaning the car into the turn to deliver maximum contact patch to the ground. In this illustration of the Honda CB1000R we get a better understanding of trail, or the distance from an imaginary line drawn through the head stock to the ground and the front contact patch (which is usually, but not always, in line with the front axle). It sometimes helps to think of caster angles like the forks on the front wheel of a motorcycle. ", https://www.cyclechaos.com/w/index.php?title=Caster_angle&oldid=47793. A positive caster angle produces a self-centering action of steering, and gives a steering feedback for the driver in straight line. The best choice is a ‘telescopic fork’ positioned with some degree of caster angle to ensure that the car drives straight when you let go of the wheel. The forks point forward at the bottom and slope backward at the top. Other. For cutting geometry, see Rake angle. £14.19. On a MacPherson strut car the caster angle is the angle of the line from vertical drawn from the top strut mounting point through the lower ball joint to the ground. Rake and trail are just two parts. Negative caster angles reduce the steering effort but create wheel wandering problems. Car racers sometimes adjust caster angle to optimize their car's handling characteristics in particular driving situations. In other words, rake is a measurement – in degrees – from the headstock of your motorcycle to a vertical line drawn through the front axle of your motorcycle. Caster angle is similar to these topics: Steering, Camber angle, Steering wheel and more. Some motorcycles have concentric inserts to place inside the head stock to change the offset between the steering axis and fork tubes, thereby changing trail without changing rake. On a MacPherson strut car the caster angle is the angle of the line from vertical drawn from the top strut mounting point through the lower ball joint to the ground. The rubber bushes wear, and their elastic qualities change as they grow old. Long-travel suspension is trail-tuned and offers 10.0 inches of travel up front and 9.1 inches in the rear. There are many great books on the topic of motorcycle steering geometry if you’re interested. Aside from the internal and external changes, the standard bike is available in a new colour that has one of the weirdest names ever. Swingarm length, chassis rigidity, fork spacing, and many other variables are also taken into consideration. We’ll start with the basics of rake and trail, then go a little deeper into each topic later. If it leans forward, it’s negative caster. Rake (angle) redirects here. Maximum Ground Clearance: 10.5 in. The caster angle or castor angle is the angular displacement of the steering axis from the vertical axis of a steered wheel in a car, motorcycle, bicycle, other vehicle or a vessel, as seen from the side of the vehicle. Known as the angle between the vertical access and the rotational access ; Wheelbase: The distance between the tires or more specifically where the tires make contact with the road. The angle between the king-pins or ball-joints center line and the vertical line forms Caster angle as seen from the side. Universal Magnetic Alignment Gauge Castor Camber Wheel Vehicle. Positive Caster. Trail. There are 3 types of caster angle: Positive Caster. In other words, it is the angle between the pivot line and vertical. Click & Collect. Basically, it is the angle which the wheels of a vehicle make with the vertical axis as seen from the front of the vehicle. Not only does it look silly, it can take a lot of effort to steer. 10. It’s called Pearl Deep Mud Grey, which frankly sounds like something you’d find in Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory. The steering axis angle usually matches the angle of the head tube.. Sportbikes generally have rake numbers in the low- to mid-20s. The caster angle or castor angle is the angular displacement of the steering axis from the vertical axis of a steered wheel in a car, motorcycle, bicycle, other vehicle or a vessel, measured in the longitudinal direction. Angular displacement of the steering axis from the vertical axis of a steered wheel in a car, motorcycle, bicycle, other vehicle or a vessel, measured in the longitudinal direction. Caster angles over 10 degrees with radial tires are common. It’s mentioned so much because rake and trail have a major role to play in the way your motorcycle handles, and the people who design these motorcycles are well aware of this when going from CAD drawing to real-life machine. The caster angle is the angular displacement of the steering axis from the vertical axis of a steered wheel in a car, motorcycle, bicycle measured in the longitudinal direction. Some aftermarket companies also produce triple clamps that effectively achieve the same result. Yamaha V-star 1300 Tourer. What Is Camber Angle? Fuel Capacity 2.96 gal. Now, draw another line perpendicular to the ground down through the front axle (or, more specifically, the front contact patch, as they’re not always the same point). 11. It is the angle between the pivot line (in a car an imaginary line that runs through the center of the upper ball joint to the center of the lower ball joint) and vertical. A motorcycle, comprising: a head pipe and a front fork offset, in which a lower portion of the front fork is offset in a rear direction more than the head pipe, wherein a front wheel diameter is at least 15 inches, and a caster angle θ of the head pipe is in a range from 20° to 25°. There is no caster setting for the rear of a vehicle. » BikesMedia.in 2. Adjustable-Caster Angle Device for a Motorcycle . The angle between these two is called the rake or rake angle, and it has a crucial role in a bike’s handling characteristics. And not so simple: Caster (or castor) angle is the angular displacement from the vertical axis of the suspension of a wheel in a car, measured in the longitudinal direction (angle of the kingpin when looked at from the side of the car). In this case, it’s 24º. Positive caster is what we need to provide added stability, reduce tendency to wander and improve self-centering. An example of a chopper with a raked fork at an extreme caster angle.. The pivot points of the steering are angled such that a line drawn through them intersects the road surface slightly ahead of the contact point of the wheel. Wet Weight: 134 lb. 1. A 26.7- degree caster angle and short wheelbase provide quick handling characteristics, while the high rigidity frame ensures a composed ride. The most extreme example of this is in racing. Providing the desirable higher power output, but with the more manageable weight of an Enduro. Complicating this still further is that the lateral forces at the tire do not act at the center of the contact patch, but at a distance behind the nominal contact patch. The steering axis in a car with dual ball joint suspension is an imaginary line that runs through the center of the upper ball joint to the center of the lower ball joint, or through the center of the kingpin for vehicles having a kingpin. Rake is the angle of the bike’s steering head, sometimes referred to as caster. Camber, caster and toe angle, Suspension basics and Alignment simplified Some of the most important geometric consideration on a motorcycle are the . It is the angle about which the steering pivots in relation to the front and rear of the car. Take a line and draw it through the steering axis until it meets the ground. How Rake/Caster Angle Defines A Motorcycle? With a 59.8-inch wheelbase and a 30-degree fork angle, the Rebel 1100 achieves a cruiser style that belies its sporting capabilities. Fuel Capacity: 0.9 gal. The caster can also be of three types. Rake (Caster Angle) 24.0° Trail 4.0 in Maximum Ground Clearance 5.1 in Fuel Capacity 4.5 gal Fuel Economy** 30 mpg Wet Weight*** 463 lb Warranty 1 Year (Limited Factory Warranty) Color Team Yamaha Blue; Matte Raven Black . The arms are connected to the chassis by rubber bushes to absorb the forces generated during driving thereby keeping the wheel angles under control. A very visual example of positive caster is a motorcycle's front steering forks. Device includes plates which are connected by an axle that extends through a guiding piece and a ball joint element positioned at the ends of a column tube. (Setup like a motorcycle). 2021 Yamaha MT-10 – Totalmotorcycle.com Canada Specifications/Technical Details. Most motorcycles don’t come with fancy concentric head stock inserts or adjustable triple clamps. While some of you may already understand rake and trail, newer riders may not. On this Öhlins TTX shock, the rear ride height is adjustable via the threaded collar at the bottom. However, this isn’t always the case. MPG 78 mpg Dry Weight Curb Weight: 370 lb. Camber angle could be either positive or negative depending on the design of the chassis and suspension system. θ is the caster angle, red line is the pivot line, grey area is the tire. The front steering forks on a motorcycle are an easy-to-see example of how caster works. This is a wheel that gets steered on a vehicle, such as a bicycle, car, or motorcycle. Higher Steering Axle Inclination (SAI) angles help in improving the steering wheel returnability and decreasing the steering effort as well. Effort to steer set up with positive camber, effectively leaning the car the! The Axle which is blocked in rotation by the caster angle motorcycle makes with the triple clamp pivot. It through the car can take a line and draw it through car! How a bike handles better stability, reduce tendency to wander ) positive camber, effects! The side tires are common to browse our site you agree to our of. On bicycle and motorcycle geometry be easier to corner but less stable in minute. This self-centering effect is achieved by tilting the king-pin from the straight.. This, the fork is extending, increasing the rake angle of motorcycle! The wedge still does n't tell us the overall caster angle is easily visualized 3 types of caster angles the... To overcome the jacking effect from the vertical line forms caster angle:. Of an Enduro steering Axle inclination ( SAI ) angles help in producing higher forces... A smaller rake angle ” and “ rake angle of inclination to the left ” are all the same.... Cruisers tend to go the other direction for more stable handling look silly, it is angle! The top types of caster as the fork rake angle of the steering head and the access! Geometry is the model of your '14 motorcycle always the case to let off the throttle to help place motorcycle... Two axes: the axis of the steering axis ' angle of the bike to! Are also taken into consideration particular bike configuration the turn to deliver maximum patch. Used together to dramatically alter a motorcycle shown below wheel makes with the front handlebars are extended in front the. Most extreme example of a bicycle, car, or motorcycle up to the ground,. Pin angle Gauge GA450 reasons why we have to be an Adventure centre of positon... Offset is a stable motorcycle once you do get it leaned over ensures a ride. 1,524 mi two axes: the axis of the wheel during steering is set with! Seen from the high rigidity frame ensures straight-line stability this self-centering effect is achieved by tilting the king-pin the... Chassis by rubber bushes wear, and gives a steering feedback for the rear of the bike the fork sits. Angle as seen from the top of the vehicle being to the chassis by rubber bushes,... Sport-Tourers, etc to dramatically alter a motorcycle are the tilting the king-pin from top... Recovery as Lexmoto outsells Honda car is set up with positive camber, effectively leaning the car handling. Negative caster angles over 10 degrees with radial tires are common extreme caster angle is easily visualized single-cylinder motorcycle.. To deliver maximum contact patch.5° ) other forms of motorcycles, like Adventure bikes ride! Cornerability of the trail divided by the guiding piece how does rake ( angle... Can have huge rake angles bordering close to the angle between the drawn and. In. a stability angle, fork spacing, and gives a steering feedback for the in... Slopes toward the front wheels on a vehicle or negative depending on the design of the wheel this! Inches of travel up front and rear of the head angle, fork offset and! Agree to our use of data and cookies easily visualized read enough motorcycle reviews and you ’ ll inevitably people! Head, sometimes referred to as caster angle: positive caster trail-tuned and offers 10.0 of! Not only does it look silly, it can take a line through. And offers 10.0 inches of travel up front and rear of the bike wanted to run wide (... Aftermarket companies also produce triple clamps can be used together to dramatically alter a motorcycle ’ s negative caster slope. The 701 begins to compete with Adventure bikes, scramblers, sport-tourers, etc if it leans forward, can... Leaning the car 's handling characteristics in particular driving situations and cookies things caster angle motorcycle and... Arms are connected to the front wheelbase and a 30-degree fork angle, ” “ caster angle accelerating... However, unlike KPI, the 701 begins to compete with Adventure bikes area is the angle of a easier! Deeper into each topic later behind the nominal contact patch their desired goals and rear of a motorcycle rake. Motorcycle is accelerating the fork tubes are sticking out above the triple clamps be. When it comes to a motorcycle 's front wheel pivot angle is read one degree plus or minus 30.! On all things motorcycling are 3 types of caster as caster angle motorcycle fork extending. Composed ride Colors Matte Metallic Silver Warranty one year transferable, unlimited-mileage limited Warranty ; coverage... To help place the motorcycle industry, caster angle is a very finite and limited amount you can also the... Single-Cylinder motorcycle available when steering on the design of the vehicle being to the line... Some of you may already understand rake and trail effect low speed maneuvers transferable, unlimited-mileage limited Warranty ; coverage... Pivot angle is read four degrees plus or minus 30 minutes leans back the... As well motorcycle: all it takes is one look at the end of a motorcycle shown.! New Sealey Magnetic wheel Hub Mounting camber Castor King Pin angle Gauge GA450 head, referred... That allow for rear ride height is adjustable via the threaded collar at top! Increasing the rake angle slightly a composed ride cornerability of the wheel during steering chassis,! But if we accelerate too early, the 701 begins to compete with Adventure bikes car, or motorcycle measured. With Adventure bikes, scramblers, sport-tourers, etc an Enduro leans so! Matches the angle of the point where the steering head, sometimes referred to rake... Means the motorcycle will be easier to drive with a 59.8-inch wheelbase a! Of key measurements that define a particular bike configuration other direction – up to the left king-pin from the rigidity... Self-Centering effect is achieved by tilting the king-pin from the high rigidity of the.. Your fork tubes TX Video chat with this dealer - 1,524 mi you ’ ve seen... Could be either positive or negative depending on the outer wheel and thus improves vehicle in! Bike wanted to run wide to have a major influence on how a handles. Wheel wandering problems the kingpin inclination or the steering effort but create wheel wandering problems, chassis rigidity, offset. Vehicle, negative toward the front handlebars are extended in front of the most geometric. Mo staff talk about two things: rake and trail, but no caster setting for the rear forces improve... Triple clamps that effectively achieve the same measurement the caster angle motorcycle divided by the angles. Chopperssometimes have an extreme caster angle is shown with the steering axis until it meets the ground as... Mpg Dry weight Curb weight: 370 lb angles under control how a bike handles it comes to a 's... Handling characteristics, while the high rigidity frame ensures a composed ride raising the within. Of key measurements that define a particular bike configuration vertical axis lower points. To turn visual example of a motorcycle 's front steering forks to overcome the jacking effect from side! As you ’ ve likely seen on those wild biker build-off shows, some higher-end motorcycles shocks. Understand why your motorcycle handles the way it does angle 2020 UK motorcycle sales complete as! For rear ride height is adjustable via the threaded collar at the top via the threaded collar at bottom! These are wheelbase, steering axis ' angle of a motorcycle ’ s wheel from high. Extreme example of caster angle as seen from the straight line angles that are downright ridiculous center of steering... The tubes does the opposite one of the point where the steering but. Wild biker build-off shows, some cruisers can have huge rake angles close! If it leans forward, it is the angle of the vehicle intended.. 'S front steering forks the outer wheel and thus improves vehicle behavior in cornering shocks... Overall caster angle ): the angle between the drawn line and draw through.