Final answer:
Turning a bicycle or motorcycle involves balancing centrifugal and gravitational forces; a bicyclist leans to direct the force exerted by the ground through the center of gravity, and a motorcyclist turning uses gyroscopic precession.
Step-by-step explanation:
The process of a bicyclist making a turn involves a careful balance of forces. When a bicyclist leans at the correct angle during a turn, the force exerted by the ground must be directed through the center of gravity to maintain stability.
Additionally, the force on the bicycle wheel is resolved into two components: friction, which is parallel to the road surface supplying the necessary centripetal force, and the vertical normal force, which balances the system's weight.
Pulling back on one handlebar while riding a motorcycle induces a tilt and resulting turn in the opposite direction due to the conservation of angular momentum and the dynamics of gyroscopic precession. The physics behind the leaning and turning of bicycles and motorcycles can be complex, involving principles such as centripetal force, friction, and the manipulation of gravitational and inertial forces.