Guide
Lean angle app: measure how far your motorcycle leans
How far do you really lean in that favourite corner? A lean angle app turns the phone on your handlebars into a lean angle meter. Heading records your maximum lean left and right on every ride and graphs it over the whole route.
How a phone measures lean angle
You might expect a phone to measure lean with its accelerometer, like a spirit level. On a motorcycle that does not work. In a steady corner, gravity and the cornering force add up to a force that points straight down through the bike. To the accelerometer, a bike leaning 40 degrees in a corner feels almost upright.
That is why Heading uses the gyroscope, which measures how fast the phone rotates, combined with the accelerometer. Together they track the actual roll of the bike through the corner. Heading auto-calibrates to the angle your phone is mounted at, so it works with any mount.
What Heading records
Lean angle is part of Heading Pro, next to the rest of your ride data:
- Maximum lean left and right for every ride
- Lean angle chart: your lean over time for the whole ride
- Personal bests: your all-time max lean, top speed, fastest sprint and strongest braking
- Sprint time (0-100 km/h or 0-60 mph) and acceleration and braking in g-force
- GPX and JSON export including lean angle, for your own analysis
Getting accurate lean angle readings
The phone has to move with the bike. Use a rigid handlebar or stem mount, not a tank bag or your jacket pocket, because those move independently of the motorcycle. Start recording while the bike is upright, and do not reposition the phone during the ride. A vibration damper protects your camera without affecting the measurement.
What lean angles are normal?
Most everyday riding happens well below 30 degrees. Brisk riding on twisty roads often ends up in the 30 to 40 degree range. Many road bikes start touching footpegs or hardware somewhere between 40 and 50 degrees, depending on bike and setup. MotoGP riders go past 60 degrees on purpose-built bikes, tyres and tracks.
Use your lean angle data to understand your riding and see your progress, not as a challenge. On public roads, ride within your limits and leave margin for gravel, wet patches and the unexpected.
Free download, Pro once
Heading is free to download with compass navigation and ride recording. Lean angle tracking comes with Heading Pro: a one-time purchase of €9.99, no subscription. Pro also unlocks unlimited ride history, speed and altitude charts, speed limit display and cloud backup.
Lean angle app FAQ
Can my phone measure motorcycle lean angle accurately?
Yes, as long as it is mounted rigidly to the bike. Heading combines the gyroscope and accelerometer and auto-calibrates to your mount angle. A phone in a pocket or tank bag moves on its own and gives unreliable readings.
Is lean angle tracking free in Heading?
Lean angle tracking is part of Heading Pro, a one-time in-app purchase of €9.99 with no subscription. Compass navigation and ride recording are free.
Can I export my lean angle data?
Yes. Heading Pro exports your rides as GPX and JSON, including GPS track, lean angle, sprint time and waypoints.
Does the lean angle app work on iPhone and Android?
Yes. Heading is available on the App Store and Google Play, and lean angle tracking works on both.
