MotoGP lean angles - BUSTED!

[jimp]

We've all been amazed by the increasing lean angles that MotoGP bikes are achieivng, up to 64 degrees. And before todays race at Aragon there was a tech piece explaing how these incredible lean angles are being achieved do to improvements in tire technology and compounds. Butt....  they used a graphic over a still image of Lorenzo going around a right hander that basically busted this increasing lean angles story.

The graphic clearly showed that while Jorge's body was at 64 degrees, the bike never exceeded 50 degrees, which according to other info provided in their graphics, is about the same as what street going sport bikes are capable of. So while the riders are hanging off more, the bikes are not being leaned over to 64 degrees.

I wonder if the MotoGP program directors realize they just did a Mythbusters episode?

I'll continue to be stunned and impressed none the less.

 

[bajakirch]

I saw that too but didn't pick up on the discrepancy between bike and rider lean angles. I did notice, during the race when they had the real-time lean angle graphics up, that none of them ever seemed to go above 56-57 degrees. Impressive, to be sure, but not quite at the 64 degrees talked about in the story.