I bet Sir Isaac Newton would have been a great motorbike rider.
Remember him from your physics lessons at school? A lot of his stuff went right over my head, I’ll admit, but I remember his three laws of motion, which are still the foundation block for modern physics.
But what has that got to do with motorbikes, I hear you ask? And why would Newton have been a good rider?
I suppose the fact that Sir Isaac died around 200 years before the first motorbike hit the streets makes it a moot point whether he would have been a good, safe rider or not, but his knowledge of motion, momentum, force and inertia are all still incredibly important if we want to become better riders. Because it’s Newton’s principles that ensure we stay on our bikes when we lean into a corner, and why force and momentum are critical to safe riding.
It’s a point that has been brilliantly explained in a blog by bike trainer Vic Womersley at Phoenix Motorcycle Training. Based in Margate but with training centres across the south of England and the Midlands, including several in London, Phoenix says it’s the UK’s largest motorcycle school.
In Vic’s article, he explains why understanding Newton’s three laws of motion, and how they apply to you as a motorcyclist, can help you become a better, safer rider. You’ll be able to maintain perfect balance and control as you sweep through the bends and handle curves with ease… it turns out it’s all just a bit of physics!