So what is all this anti squat shenanigans that Ducati use on their GP bikes? How does it work and what advantage does it bring?
Nothing new about that. Position of chain, swingarm angle effects the load on rear suspension. Can be adjusted geometrically to make the rear squat under power or, conversely, rise under power.
It reduces or stops the rear suspension from compressing under acceleration making the bike more stable e.g. when accelerating out of corners.
From what I took from the article is was describing the original holeshot device used in the start of the race. The rider 'locked' the ride height after compressing the rear which then released when they first braked. But I'm sure when I watched the TV highlights they mentioned how low the Ducati was sitting when biffing up the start/finish straight. So have they managed to circumvent the "electronic adjustment of the ride height is explicitly banned" rule? This tickled me because I thought back to the Moto Guzzi (or was it the BMW) I had on which you could hold the brake and gently release the clutch to make the rear rise up & down at traffic lights...
Bikes are designed to squat under acceleration for drive grip, the device shortens the suspension linkage which pulls the bike down as low as it can, in effect it lowers the rotation inertia generated by the crank by 6 or more inches, which makes a massive difference to the bikes tendency to rotate around it (i.e. wheelie). The end result is essentially that the rear grip is enhanced, and the mass lowered, without effecting turning when it's needed. The front devices are designed out of corners to lower to allow even more use of the lowering device without risking the turning at the end of the corner. I like MotoGP being prototype, I like them trying all sots of whacky stuff, but for me the ride height stuff is just too much.
