First I need to preface this by recognizing that there is no such thing as a Lightcycle outside of fiction. Since they don't exist and are not subject to physical limitations, why bother imposing any? Because some physics are implied. Given this, I provide you with Exhibit A: Sparks and leaning.

Armagetron cycles respond to their environment. Maybe you never looked closely, but when a cycle comes in contact with a wall it is forced into a lean and sparks start flying. What this means is, "Hey you are so close to the wall that your cycle is shredding it (or getting shredded). It doesn't make any sense that you should be able to turn against something you are already grinding!
Exhibit B: Cycle length.

Cycles should never be able to turn into an area smaller than the length of the bike. You should explode instead. I understand that bikes in the game have zero width, but I am also the kind of person who thinks that setting (CYCLE_WIDTH) should be utilized more. Now that I think of it, I might convert one of my servers to include that setting.
Exhibit C: It's not canon.
We all know this is what happened in TRON...

...Not this...
