Lean angle sensor, remove or keep it

Hammer · 02-09-2006, 11:24 PM

I am trying to decide on whether or not to remove the lean angle sensor on the new track bike project. I have heard arguments on both sides as to keep or remove it.

Pros: if the bike does go down the bike's engine is not running without oil.

Cons: I have heard of the sensor killing the bike while in full lean position which is not good.

Keep it or remove it?

nhfirefighter13 · 02-09-2006, 11:25 PM

keep it.

RPinOZ · 02-09-2006, 11:34 PM

If the bike is at full lean whilst riding the sensor does not cut the engine.
If the bike is at full lean or horizontal standing still or sliding down the
road the sensor does cut the engine.
IMO the only reason to remove it is to trim that weight off the bike (an ounce or 2)
Nuff said.

CBRBob · 02-09-2006, 11:35 PM

The story about it killing the bike while leaned over is crap. The unit is a penduluum in a box full of oil with contacts on either side. If you knock the bike over it will still take few seconds to cut the power. Try unbolting it, keep it level, run the bike in neutral, quickly turn the unit on its side and wait for it to shut off. Now here is where the crap stories get thick. When you are in a good lean, where is the weight of the bike going? Yep, straight down into the tires. So where would the weight of the penduluum go? Yes straight down as if the bike were standing still, straight up and down. If the unit gets damaged or something happens that it loses the oil inside (I think you might notice that), the weight would swing quickly and shut the bike off taking it off the stand. So this is an easy one, keep it. Besides, most racing orgs. require it to be there.

Hammer · 02-09-2006, 11:57 PM

Seems as if someone has blamed "the sensor" for their mishap during a corner then.

jaim · 02-10-2006, 1:21 AM

I thought some track day organizations and racing bodies required the bike to shut off when/if the bike goes down in an accident.

smoothrideronli · 02-10-2006, 8:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CBRBob

The story about it killing the bike while leaned over is crap. The unit is a penduluum in a box full of oil with contacts on either side. If you knock the bike over it will still take few seconds to cut the power. Try unbolting it, keep it level, run the bike in neutral, quickly turn the unit on its side and wait for it to shut off. Now here is where the crap stories get thick. When you are in a good lean, where is the weight of the bike going? Yep, straight down into the tires. So where would the weight of the penduluum go? Yes straight down as if the bike were standing still, straight up and down. If the unit gets damaged or something happens that it loses the oil inside (I think you might notice that), the weight would swing quickly and shut the bike off taking it off the stand. So this is an easy one, keep it. Besides, most racing orgs. require it to be there.

I agree...not to be anal...but the centrifugal force keeps the pendulum from going straight down but rather in a radial direction as opposed to straight down where it would hit one of the contacts. The weight of the bike is still going down, but is balanced by the centrifugal force and the force created by the friction of the tires on the road. When there is an imbalance...you might have a...mishap...but then again...maybe its just a faulty lean angle sensor that caused the mishap...of course

Baketech · 02-10-2006, 8:20 AM

<--Hoping like hell that Orville Redenbacher takes PayPal...

smoothrideronli · 02-10-2006, 8:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Baketech

<--Hoping like hell that Orville Redenbacher takes PayPal...

Maybe I am slow...but I dont get it

Baketech · 02-10-2006, 8:57 AM

Just being an asshole...it's in my contract. Just ignore it...

nhfirefighter13 · 02-10-2006, 9:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smoothrideronli

I agree...not to be anal...but the centrifugal force keeps the pendulum from going straight down but rather in a radial direction as opposed to straight down where it would hit one of the contacts. The weight of the bike is still going down, but is balanced by the centrifugal force and the force created by the friction of the tires on the road. When there is an imbalance...you might have a...mishap...but then again...maybe its just a faulty lean angle sensor that caused the mishap...of course

Not to be uber anal, but I believe it's actually referred to as "centripetal force." Or at least me high school physics teacher used to take a swing at me when I said centrifugal.

ConqSoft · 02-10-2006, 9:26 AM

It's centrifugal from my memory, and from Google: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centrifugal_force

abtech · 02-10-2006, 9:26 AM

Not to be un anal, but the story of the Suzuki bank angle sensors cutting the ignition mid turn are not BS as mentioned earlier. When I was at the Schwantz School in 2002, I got into a big highside coming out of turn 7 (the right hander leading onto the back straight) chasing Jamie James. I saved it somehow (all on video from Jamie's bike cam BTW), but the sensor shut off the ignition when the bike straightened out. No big surprise here, the bike was horizontal in mid air. The bad part came when I threw the bike into turn 1 (the next "real" right hander) on the next lap and the sensor cut the ignition mid corner.

After speaking with Ted Cobb later that day, I was informed it isn't unusual at all for the 600 GSXRs. If I remember correctly, RRW posted an article written by the AOD on how to fix the Suzuki sensors.

ConqSoft · 02-10-2006, 9:26 AM

Hmm. But it looks like either may be correct.

http://www.google.com/search?sourcei...&q=centripetal

nhfirefighter13 · 02-10-2006, 9:44 AM

Quote:

The reactive centrifugal force is the reaction to the the centripetal force. This is equal in magnitude to the centripetal force, directed away from the center of rotation, and is exerted by the rotating object upon the object which exerts the centripetal force. As it is an actual force, it is always present, independent of the choice of reference frame.

The fictitious centrifugal force appears when a rotating reference frame is used for analyzing the system. The centrifugal force is exerted on all objects, and directed away from the axis of rotation.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centrifugal

HondaGalToo · 02-10-2006, 9:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by abtech

Not to be un anal, but the story of the Suzuki bank angle sensors cutting the ignition mid turn are not BS as mentioned earlier. When I was at the Schwantz School in 2002, I got into a big highside coming out of turn 7 (the right hander leading onto the back straight) chasing Jamie James. I saved it somehow (all on video from Jamie's bike cam BTW), but the sensor shut off the ignition when the bike straightened out. No big surprise here, the bike was horizontal in mid air. The bad part came when I threw the bike into turn 1 (the next "real" right hander) on the next lap and the sensor cut the ignition mid corner.

After speaking with Ted Cobb later that day, I was informed it isn't unusual at all for the 600 GSXRs. If I remember correctly, RRW posted an article written by the AOD on how to fix the Suzuki sensors.

Oh, let's hope they've fixed that before I ride their Suzukis in June.

Not that I'll have anywhere close to your lean angles, so it probably wouldn't happen to me anyway.

ND4SPD · 02-10-2006, 9:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by abtech

Not to be un anal, but the story of the Suzuki bank angle sensors cutting the ignition mid turn are not BS as mentioned earlier. When I was at the Schwantz School in 2002, I got into a big highside coming out of turn 7 (the right hander leading onto the back straight) chasing Jamie James. I saved it somehow (all on video from Jamie's bike cam BTW), but the sensor shut off the ignition when the bike straightened out. No big surprise here, the bike was horizontal in mid air. The bad part came when I threw the bike into turn 1 (the next "real" right hander) on the next lap and the sensor cut the ignition mid corner.

After speaking with Ted Cobb later that day, I was informed it isn't unusual at all for the 600 GSXRs. If I remember correctly, RRW posted an article written by the AOD on how to fix the Suzuki sensors.

And Suzuki managed to avoid a class action lawsuit how? Were the bikes ever recalled? Any TSB's issued? Or are they just not worried about it since they know most of their bikes spend a majority of their life on the back wheel anyway?

abtech · 02-10-2006, 10:31 AM

I believe it was only a problem on the 99 through 02 bikes and they have since changed the design enough to negate the problem. The article I read showed how to open the unit and pack both sides with silicone to effectively defeat the unit, yet keep it on the bike and in the ignition path.

Regarding a lawsuit, I seriously doubt they (Suzuki) are concerned about racers suing them over a problem that occurs after a crash or near crash situation. It's similar to the problem with the brake pads backing out during a tank slapper and then the brakes not working in the next corner. Once they became aware of it, they fixed it. I don't know if it made recall status or not since so many of their bikes are used for club racing and most of the affected machines are probably well into their third owner by now . . .

smoothrideronli · 02-10-2006, 10:51 AM

Thank you all for completely jacking a thread that I thought I had successfully jacked...I hoped we would have went completely left and talked about physics...buts its worse...we are talking about Suzukis...

. Ok to avoid being real anal I really dont hate Suzukis...at least when they ae behind me...

CBR929RE · 02-10-2006, 10:51 AM

the grammar police need to visit wikipedia "is the reaction to the the centripetal force."

luvtolean · 02-10-2006, 10:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by abtech

If I remember correctly, RRW posted an article written by the AOD on how to fix the Suzuki sensors.

Yes, you remember correctly.