Rear extension on motorcycle?

Question

i've seen people extend the rear wheel on some custom sports bike. What is this and what is it called? does it affect performance? i was wondering if it made it more interesting to do a wheelie on one....

Answer 1

You are referring to an extended swing arm. Most riders do it to help getting a good launch during a drag race. With the wheel so far back the front won't come up so easy when you pound the throttle at the start line.

It has become a custom feature on most bike depending on the region. It decreases handling. Turning is more of a workout with the swing arm stretched.

It is usually a testament of a bike's power if you can manage a wheelie with 12+ inches in the swing arm.

It isn't VERY HARD to ride as another poster comments. I have 8" in my swing arm and I can still drag a knee. The edges of my pirelli diablos get plenty of attention.

Answer 2

They do it on bikes that are going to be drag raced with out  wheelie bars. It is to keep the front end down or limit how high it comes  up. It also makes normal street riding very hard and cornering rough.   On REAL RACE bikes like Gp bikes they have a short wheel base which helps them corner very well. but on REAL DRAG BIKES long and low helps them take off very fast and helps r****d or limit how high the front wheel goes up. There are a couple of classes for very highly modified street bikes and they are not allowed to have wheelie bars so they stretch the swing arm but they ride the rear wheel at triple digit speeds.  Would  not work well for the stunts that squids do on the street. and long low motorcycles are not the best to corner with.

Answer 3

Extensions are mostly for drag racing or hill climbing and in some cases may help stablize a machine as well.