The wheelbase of a bike never seems to attract our attention, but it is one of the most important things in your bike's structure. The wheelbase is defined as the distance between the points where the front and rear wheel touch the ground. In simple words, the wheelbase is the distance between both the wheels of a bike. On close observation of the bikes, you will notice that the distance between the wheels of two motorcycles are not the same. Sports bikes or bikes made for tracking purposes have a shorter distance than the ones made for cruising purposes. In case you're considering buying a bike and wondering what is the significance and benefits of its wheelbase, this blog has all the information for you.
Which type of wheelbase benefits your bike?
Depending on the type of use, both long and short wheelbases have their advantages. In the case of long wheelbase, the bike has better wheel stability on the road, which means the bike can run in a straight line and change directions easily with the minimum tussle.
Whereas, in the case of a short wheelbase, the bike can be moved skillfully and carefully, but its stability of staying on the road is short. The bike can wobble under high speed, which is not the case with a long wheelbase. That is why drag racing bikes have a long wheelbase, moreover, the weight of the bike gets distributed which further makes it forward biased and keep it going in a straight line and even prevents the bike from going into a wheelie. No matter what type of wheelbase your bike has, it is important to have your bike insured under
bike insurance .
On the other hand, when it comes to MotoGP and other racing bikes, the wheelbase is shorter because it makes the bikes compact, light, and easy to move around the corners at high speed.
For instance, if you compare Bajaj Avenger with a long wheelbase to the Pulsar range of the bikes, you'll get to know about the effect caused by the wheelbase to the dynamics of a bike and what is its importance and purpose in the bike design. The longer the wheelbase, the longer the stability on the road, and the smaller the wheelbase the more maneuverability.
Who decides what should be the wheelbase of the bike?
No one has to calculate about how long or short a wheelbase of the bike should be, it all depends on the manufacturers. The manufacturers decide the design and wheelbase considering many factors such as the motive, the aesthetics, ground clearance, and the wheel size. The ground clearance is one of the major factors that the manufacturers consider because it decides the handling of the bike. In some bikes, while adjusting the chain slackness the rear wheel axle is moved to the back which tightens the chain. This small movement can make a big difference in handling the bike, this is where the wheelbase of the bike comes to the role.
This is the significance of a wheelbase in riding a bike. So, it is advised not to disturb the profile setting of a bike and ensure its safety by buying a
bike insurance policy from a certified company.
