Crank rotation...i've done a few experiments and what i found is gyroscopic precession of a forward spinning crank will help you save a front end slide , but not an off throttle back end slide.
a fairly heavy crank like on a multi twostroke that is forward spinning will transfer quite a bit of weight (and therefore traction) to the rear if it starts to spin but a backward spinning crank removes traction when you need it the most. Motogp is a different kettle of fish with there rearward spinning cranks for a few reasons -imagine you are designing one of those engines, you'll need an irregular firing interval for traction/feel so you'll need a balance shaft... to package it nice and compact the thing to do would be to run the crank backwards so the balance shaft runs forwards and the use the balance shaft to drive the clutch - i believe this is why those engines run backwards.not to mention fourstroke cranks are puny and with their irregular firing interval the (forward spinning) balance shaft will be negating a good percentage of the cranks negative effects. and of course the motogp bikes are electronically controlled so much that a computer will chip in to counter wheelspin (within limits i guess as occasionally someone manages a highside) if anyone knows a recent or current motogp engineer that is no-longer needing to be coy on technical detail it would be nice to have clarification...