On Dec 20, 2019, at 11:08 AM, Peter L. Berghold <xxxxxx@berghold.net> wrote:

  I noticed after a few Google searches that high
speed motorcycles today tend to have the rider leaning forward and
sorta their body cradled.  Probably to keep them from flying off in a
high G turn….

Modern motorcycles are made that way because turning depends as much on the rider’s body position as anything else: https://www.designcorse.com/blogs/news/how-to-corner-faster-motorcycle-advanced

That riding position allows the rider to rapidly shift to the left or right side and alter the center of gravity, but this is all because the actual point of it all is to change the forces on the teensy bit of rubber hitting the road. Lots of videos on youtube showing that (and what happens when it goes wrong, too.

Now a grav bike is more akin to a minimal jet fighter, and the reclining position of the pilot is in aid of maintaining vision and withstanding higher g-forces. (and negative gee forces, which would make controlling a motorcycle nearly impossible)

Here’s where something like the Akira bikes (which would be utterly impractical as high-speed motorcycles, but would be great mobile barcaloungers for long distance travel in mostly straight lines :-) might be a better design choice: https://www.technodk.com/the-akira-bike-in-real-life/ 

That said, a cafe-racer style grav bike might work for gonzo types with some appropriate control technology and sufficient disregard of riser safety.

Many moons ago (TNE era since it was made with FF&S, so late 90’s early ’00’s I think)) someone posted a design of such a minimal grav bike, with the notation it was banned on most planets in the Imperium, but hugely popular on some Vargr worlds….

(The author's name is escaping me right now but he was the genius behind all of Uncle Hengabar’s insane designs )