Another odd Italian mc

[John A]

https://youtu.be/xGoZLXphd2U?si=Sz0cHWEhrRYZiyBl
That track seemed too small to wind it out

[Huzo]

At long last SOMEONE has acknowledged that a higher C of G is better for dynamic stability than low.
How many damn times have I read uninformed opinion saying…
“The low centre of gravity really contributes positively to stability when underway…”
It does not, never has and never will..Isaac Newton said so.
Other than that ?
Yeah it’s interesting…

[faffi]

That a low CoG helps ease handling is another myth.

[Dirk_S]

If a low center of gravity doesn’t contribute to better stability, then why do I feel my R80/7 airhead handles better at slower maneuverability than my V7 II, despite being 30 lb. heavier? Is it just the wheel difference (R80: 19/18; V7: 18/17)

[faffi]

Contrary to what most believe, the BMWs, apart from the cruiser versions, do not have a particularly low CoG.

Here is an interesting article on CoG https://www.cycleworld.com/story/blogs/ask-kevin/how-motorcycles-carry-their-weight/

[Dirk_S]

Contrary to what most believe, the BMWs, apart from the cruiser versions, do not have a particularly low CoG.

Here is an interesting article on CoG https://www.cycleworld.com/story/blogs/ask-kevin/how-motorcycles-carry-their-weight/

Can you share where you’re reading (and experiencing) that BMWs don’t have low centers-of-gravity? I’ve seen pretty much the opposite—articles, reviews, user opinions, and even this from BMW themselves—





That CycleWorld article you link to mentions that the R18 has a very low center of gravity. It does not say that other BMWs do not. From the 60s on up, BMW boxers have been known for being stable machines that don’t focus so much on tight cornering as much as keeping the rider feeling planted.

[Alfetta]

IDK where an air heads CG actually is...
but if the metric is how a bike "feels" and not a scientific measurement, then the output may be subject to an opinion.

perhaps they felt that it had a low CG because it felt stable at all times, but the actual CG is not actually that low.

as far as what BMW said,  well marketing, is marketing.....

[faffi]

Can you share where you’re reading (and experiencing) that BMWs don’t have low centers-of-gravity? I’ve seen pretty much the opposite—articles, reviews, user opinions, and even this from BMW themselves—





That CycleWorld article you link to mentions that the R18 has a very low center of gravity. It does not say that other BMWs do not. From the 60s on up, BMW boxers have been known for being stable machines that don’t focus so much on tight cornering as much as keeping the rider feeling planted.

The R18 is a very long and very low motorcycle with very big and heavy cylinders, and it is no wonder it has a CoG lower than that of the adventure-bike from Honda. I must try and dig through old MOTORRAD magazines - at one stage, they actually measured the CoG of several bikes, and were surprised that the R-something-GS had the tallest CoG of them all. They also concluded that it was indeed the taller CoG that made it handle so extremely good. Race bikes also have a fairly high CoG for optimum handling - not too high, not to low, just where the bike is balanced at every lean angle.

But yes, "everybody" claim that the BMW handle so well due to a low CoG. The Honda Gold Wing has a low CoG and it's handling (talking about the old GL1000 and Gl1100 here) was not only poor, high speed stability of especially the 1000 was dangerous.

[Huzo]

If a low center of gravity doesn’t contribute to better stability, then why do I feel my R80/7 airhead handles better at slower maneuverability than my V7 II, despite being 30 lb. heavier? Is it just the wheel difference (R80: 19/18; V7: 18/17)

If you introduce a second bike into the equation, then you have a multitude of variables that could contribute to situation.
What I’m saying is, that the bike will handle better in motion if the centre of mass is higher rather than lower.
I cannot tell you why you feel what you do.

[Moparnut72]

I find it interesting that the old /2 BMWs had the pushrods on the top of the cylinders. When the /5s came out the them and the cam below as to as the company said to gain ground clearance. Now on the R18 they went back on top. Probably to maintain the heritage look however testers have complained about dragging hard parts.
kk