motorbikemike45
Member
I have seen gasoline engines and large(heavy)electric motors mounted in bike front wheel hubs. I have a question concerning the weight of such an installation. As we all know from playing with gyroscopes as children, with a spinning weight comes the gyroscopic effect. A heavy engine or motor in the front hub spinning at speed with the wheel must become a gyroscope, which would try to prevent quick turns of the wheel. My question is, could to much weight carried in a spinning front wheel cause so much gyroscopic effect as to prevent or dangerously slow quick and emergency manouvers? I don't know if there is any experimental data, if anyone has experience with this, or if my doubts about the saftey of this set up are unwarrented? Opinions or experiences are welcome.