I read with interest Keith's recent missive regarding gyroscopic effect of wheels on a bike. He suggests, at least as far as the front wheel of a Kaw Z6R is concerned, there is little "effect" on turn-in.
I'm not sure that's right. For one thing, his admittedly inexact experiment doesn't seem to me to be measuring turn-in [or resistance thereto]. The gyroscope effect of the wheels turning in the fore/aft direction is to resist falling, or turning, in the lateral one.
The less mass one has rotating in the one direction, the less will be the resistance to turning [falling] in the other aligned 90 degrees to the direction of rotation. That is why great attention is paid to things like wheel/tire weight, other unsprung rotational masses, rotational masses in the motor, and so forth.
For example, everybody recognizes the benefit of lighter wheels; fewer understand that removing the charging system in the motor and lightening up the rotating drive line componetry has a similar effect.
Anecdotally, I can certainly attest to the dramatic improvement in turn-in quickness I experienced with my Buell when I put lighter forged wheels, removed the charging system, and fabricated a belt drive primary with dry clutch. Yes, some of the effect I noticed was most certainly due to overall reduction in bike weight, but the difference was too dramatic to be only that; I believe some of the improvement was reduced gyro effect.
So, Whaddaya' think boys 'n girls???