Tag

physics

Browsing

Here’s an interesting video, and an interesting lesson in physics. Filling a tank with water, and then pressurizing it with air, François Gissy has made a drag racing trike that gets up to 160 mph with only power from the jet stream of water it produces.

This exercise in Newton’s third law of motion contains a considerable amount of force, accelerating Gissy and his rig to over 5gs, as it only takes half a second to go 0-60 on the track. It’s pretty impressive to watch.

The following is perhaps one of the more interesting recalls to come across our desk, and it affects the 2014 Harley-Davidson Dyna Low Rider. It seems that if owners install “certain optional performance electronic control module calibrations” the bike’s ignition switch can go from “IGN” to “ACC”, thus causing the motorcycle to shutoff mid-operation.

The reason for this though is because the aftermarket ECU upgrade allows the 2014 Harley-Davidson Dyna Low Rider to rev its motor beyond the stock 5,600 rpm redline, where at 5,800 rpm a resonate frequency with the ignition switch occurs. Held at this frequency, the key can turn to the accessories position — a dangerous, if not fascinating, show of physics.

The laws of physics are a funny thing — simple on paper, yet complex in practice. When designing a motorcycle helmet, taking in all the factors and forces is a daunting task, which is why helmet manufacturers do such rigorous tests on their samples.

One test that we are pretty sure never occurs in the laboratory is the simulated Newton’s Cradle, for reasons that should become abundantly clear in a few short moments. Take this for the entertainment that it is, and hope to God that Mythbusters gets ahold of it and tests the science involved.

Bridgestone is halfway through its three year contract with Dorna as the sole tire supplier to MotoGP. The exclusivity contract means that the Japanese tire company has to provide a variety of compounds and options to race teams as they tackle the MotoGP season. Explaining the options available to teams, and the some of the challenges the company faces, Bridgestone has put together these two videos (after the jump) that contain everything you wanted to know about tires and motorcycle racing. Check them out after the jump.