Article: The flotation stage
The flotation stage
The motorcycle has its natural pitching center at the swingarm pivot, that pivot point around which the rear of the bike oscillates and absorbs terrain irregularities.
It is the dynamic anchor of the rear end, the origin of all geometry in motion.
However, this reference is not static. During the phase where the rear wheel leaves the ground, the system enters a transitional state: the pitching center progressively migrates towards the front wheel, altering the balance of forces and modifying the dynamic response of the assembly.
When the swingarm reaches its maximum extension, something significant happens: the pitching motion stops completely.
The bike stops pivoting and enters what is known as the floating phase, an instant in which the suspension has exhausted its travel and the system is momentarily suspended between two states.
It is precisely at that threshold where tire bounce is born. The energy accumulated during the compression and extension of the swingarm does not disappear: it is transferred to the tire, which absorbs and returns it in the form of bounce.
A subtle but decisive phenomenon for the stability, grip, and dynamic behavior of the motorcycle over every meter of terrain.
