It's a combo of slacker HTA, longer fork trail, and longer wheelbase (front center specifically, or rather front center to rear center ratio) changing the weight distribution that can make slow speed stuff feel awkward on modern bikes.
The slackness means more bar turn is needed for a given direction change, but then more trail means that bar movement also causes more counter-leaning force (wheel flop feeling?), and then less weight on the front wheel (relative to a shorter front-center and a neutral stance) giving a less direct feel of what the front wheel is doing and less immediate ability to drive the front wheel into the ground for traction.
Unless you ride mostly skinnies though, the trade-off of all that vs the stability at speed and larger window of forgiveness provided by longer and slacker is worth it everywhere else.
Nov. 22, 2021, 3:25 p.m. - Justin White
It's a combo of slacker HTA, longer fork trail, and longer wheelbase (front center specifically, or rather front center to rear center ratio) changing the weight distribution that can make slow speed stuff feel awkward on modern bikes. The slackness means more bar turn is needed for a given direction change, but then more trail means that bar movement also causes more counter-leaning force (wheel flop feeling?), and then less weight on the front wheel (relative to a shorter front-center and a neutral stance) giving a less direct feel of what the front wheel is doing and less immediate ability to drive the front wheel into the ground for traction. Unless you ride mostly skinnies though, the trade-off of all that vs the stability at speed and larger window of forgiveness provided by longer and slacker is worth it everywhere else.