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Chassis and Sub-systems

Motorcycle frames

Demands on frames:

A difference is made between pipe, pressed steel, light-metal pressure case

frames and light-metal frames with profile-section structure.
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Motor Cycle Chassis

• The chassis or frame is the important part in the vehicle.
• It holds the components of the motorcycle.
• The design and strength of the motorcycle relays on the frame.
• The frame protects the most sensitive part of the motorcycles during a
crash.
• The chassis acts as a base to motorcycles.
• The frame should be stronger than all components of motorcycle and it
should be light in weight.
• The engine nearly sits inside the frame and other components are attached
using bolts.
• Each motorcycle has its own design and type of frame.
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Types of frame: There are many Type of chassis

very different types of frames on 1. TUBULAR BACKBONE
FRAMES
motorcycles depending on the
2. PRESSED STEEL FRAME
requirements.
3. ENGINE BASED FRAME
4. SINGLE CRADLE FRAME
Type of chassis 5. DOUBLE CRADLE FRAME
1. Single-loop tubular frame 6. MONOCOQUE FRAMES
2. Double-loop frame 7. TRELLIS FRAMES
3. Bridge tubular frame 8. TWIN SPAR FRAMES
4. Bridge frame with box sections 9. OMEGA (Ω) FRAMES
5. Aluminum frame with box-section design 10. DIAMOND FRAME
(delta box frame) 11. PERIMETER FRAMES
6. Space frame
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Single-loop tubular frame

The single-loop tubular frame

shown in (Fig.) is made from
square-steel tube; the engine is
integrated as a supporting
element within the structure. An
additional frame truss
strengthens the construction.
Fig. Single-loop tubular frame

Double-loop frame: This is a welded structure

with steel tubes and steel cast elements and offers
higher stability than single-loop frames.

Fig. 2: Double-loop frame

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Bridge tubular frame: This is welded from

steel tubes and is often referred to as a naked
frame. Isolating the engine vibrations can be
very difficult.

Fig. 3: Bridge tubular frame

Bridge frame with box sections . This very flexible and

torsionally rigid structure consists of an aluminum welded cast
construction in a honey- comb design with webs and cavities. In
this way, the highest rigidity is achieved in a compact structure.

Fig: Bridge with box sections

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Aluminum frame with box-section design (delta box frame):

This design is optimized for weight and rigidity. The box-
section design means that the frame can be adapted optimally.

Fig: Aluminum frame

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Space frame : This is a welded space-frame

structure made from steel tubes and is thereby
extremely torsionally rigid.

Fig. 6: Space frame

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1.TUBULAR BACKBONE FRAMES

• Single and double down tube swing-arm
frames have emerged as the most accepted
type, especially for motorcycles with
engines over 200cc .
• The tubular frame is light yet strong, and
provides very good stability at high way
cruising speeds.
• It also seems to have more “eye appeal” to
most riders because of its leaner, racier look

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2.PRESSED STEEL FRAME

Ø Usually consists of two stamped –steel or sheet metal
halves welded together along a center seam.
ØFrom a manufacturing stand point this type of
construction is more economical than tubular construction
if many bikes of thee same model are to be made.
Ø The drawbacks are that the pressed- steel frame is
generally

Ø Of course ,these problems are less critical in the 50 to

150 cc machines where the pressed –steel frames have
been most popular.

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many

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MOTOR BICYCLE AND FRAME COMPONENTS

• Steering head
• Triple clamp
• Steering Dampening devices
• Handle bars , clamps, and cushions.
• Mounting Provisions
• Controls and pegs
• Rear Suspensions
• Tank, fender seats
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Wheel guidance (steering), springing and oscillation

damping technologies

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Introduction
• What is an Automotive Suspension?

• It is a 3 Dimensional Four Bar Linkage

A motorcycle without suspension moving over uneven ground presents difficulties
in steering because of the loss of wheel grip on the road, and because of rider
discomfort.
SUSPENSION SYSTEMS
There has been a slow but interesting evolution of engineering approaches to
motorcycle suspension. Early machines simply had no suspension; wheels were
rigidly mounted on the frame and had solid front forks much like a bicycle.

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• What does a suspension do?

• maximize the road holding,
• provides steering stability with good handling, and
• ensures the comfort of the passengers
Motorcycle Suspension has to satisfy the following three purposes:
üAllow the wheels to follow the profile of the road without transmitting
excessive vibration to the rider. This purpose concerns rider comfort, that is the
isolation of the sprung mass from the vibration generated by the interaction of the wheels with
road irregularities;
üEnsure wheel grip on the road plane in order to transmit the required driving,
braking and lateral forces;
üEnsure the desired trim of the vehicle under various operating conditions
(acceleration, braking, entering and exiting turns).
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The Roll of Suspension

• To provide Ride & Handling Performance-
• Ride - vehicle's ability to smooth out a bumpy road
• Handling - vehicle's ability to safely accelerate, brake and corner. (minimize
roll and pitch acceleration)
• This requires the suspension to have
• Vertical compliance providing chassis isolation
• Ensuring that the wheels
follow the road profile with very
little tire load fluctuation.

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The Roll of Suspension

• To ensure that steering control is maintained during maneuvering -
this requires
• Maintain the wheels in the proper steer and camber attitudes to the
road surface

• To support the vehicle static weight

• To provide isolation in high vibration arising from tire

excitation-
• this requires appropriate isolation in the suspension joints to prevent
the transmission of road noise to the vehicle body
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The Roll of Suspension

• React the control force produced by as a result of
• Longitudinal braking & acceleration forces
• Lateral (cornering) forces
• Braking & acceleration torques
• This requires the suspension geometry to be
designed to resist squat drive & roll of the
vehicle body
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Suspension Elements
• Suspension = a system of springs + dampers + linkages

All suspensions use:

Springs

- to absorb impacts and

Dampers (or shock absorbers)
- to control spring motions.

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Wheel location, suspension and damping

Drivability and ride comfort are dependent on the vehicle’s
design.
Tasks
Ø Reduce and dampen road bumps
Ø Locate wheels
Ø Transfer braking and acceleration forces to the frame
Front wheel location
The following designs are used:

Ø Springer Fork
Ø Telescopic forks
Ø Telelever system
Ø Upside down forks
Ø Steering knuckle
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Springer Forks
The first stages of suspension development
came at the front of the bikes.
The riding characteristics of rigid front
suspension were so hard at speed that
something simply had to be done. Thus
was born the "springer" front end.

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Earles Type
Another old design is the Earles type or
leading-link front suspension . This design
was developed in Europe.
Its most famous user is BMW. The leading
link is a strong, smooth-riding front end
though a bit slow in handling and awkward
looking.

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Telescopic fork
The steering tube is mounted in the steering pivot of the
frame. These forks have a high rigidity due to the fork bridge
and the clamped axle.
ü The two telescopic tubes are dampened by an integrated
spring, a small spring or a rubber buffer above the shock-
absorber rod prevents it from springing out.
ü The air cushion located above the piston is pressed
together on compression and results in progressive
suspension.
ü The hydraulic shock-absorber unit can be found in the
lower part of the forks.

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Upside down forks

This type of design is based on the same
principle but the other way around.
• The more stable outer takes on the role of
stanchion.
• The sliding tube, to which the axle is
attached, compresses on this version.
• It is used on scooters, motocross and
sports bikes.
• It has a high bending strength and rigidity
but a markedly lower un sprung mass.

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Telelever system
On this system, the fork bridge is
mounted at the top in a ball joint in the
frame. The swivel mounted trailing arm is
responsible for the location of the front
wheel. It is suspended by a damped
suspension strut.

• More sensitive response due to less

friction
• Greater directional stability on
compression by increase in castor
• Anti-dive effect when braking

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Steering knuckle
On this version, the wheel is located by
two swing arms.
• The suspension and damping work in
much the same way as a telelever
system via a central suspension strut.

• On compression, the castor is

increased and steering stability is
improved.

Fig: Steering knuckle

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Damping response of front forks

The spring compression/rebound and damping response
is influenced by the following components:
§ Spring length
§ Shock-absorber fluid
§ Spring characteristic
§ Un sprung mass of wheel and tyre
The longer the spring is, on front forks for example, the softer the
suspension response is adjusted by the manufacturer by altering the
spiral gaps for example, so that a progressive characteristic is achieved.
It is also possible by increasing the fluid to reduce the air chamber
volume in the front forks to attain a harder characteristic.

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Rear Suspension Evolution

1. Hard Tail
The hard-tail or rigid rear suspension was
characteristic of early motorcycles that relied on
the cushioning effect of the rear tire and the seat
springs to absorb road shock. The first popular
attempt at rear suspension was called the
"plunger" system.
This set-up used a set of small spring-shock
absorbing devices between the rear wheel and the
rigid rear section of the machine.

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2. Swing-Arm Rear Suspension

The swingarm rear suspension type is
used almost universally today, so our
discussion of rear suspensions is
limited to this design.
It consists of a pivoting fork, or swing
arm, attached to the lower section of
the frame just behind the transmission
area and a spring-shock absorber unit
that vertically supports the top rear
section of the frame

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Rear wheel location

The wheels can be located by the following systems:
- Double swing arm
- Cantilever suspension
- Single swing arm
- Swing arm with lever

The swing arms are supported against the frame by

suspension struts. The relevant interplay between
suspension strut and lever influences the suspension
response, ride comfort and road hand-ling.

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Double swing arm

• This type of design can be either a welded tubular steel structure or, as
more commonly found these days, made from aluminum box sections.
• It is mounted via a swivel point in the frame and supports the
suspension strut centrally on a transverse strut and holds the wheel in
the rear part. This structure has a high level of rigidity.
• Removal of the wheel, however, is more complicated than on a single
swing arm design.

Fig: Double swing

arm
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Single swing arm

• The asymmetrical swing arm in aluminum box section
design is mounted in the frame or on the engine with a
swivel point and suspended via a central suspension strut.
The wheel is attached by a central bolt connection. Removal
of the wheel is therefore easier.

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Paralever system
• This comprises a single swing arm
and a compression rod.
• The swing arm locates the wheel and
the compression rod positively
influences suspension response
under load change.
• Large down forces are prevented
(elevator effect).
• A central suspension strut can be
infinitely adjusted in its characteristic
and damping.

Fig. 3: Paralever system

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Pro-Link system
•The swing arm of this suspension system is mounted in
the frame. The suspension strut supports it via a lever
system.
ü On compression, there is a small amount of spring
travel at the suspension strut bearing. If compression
increases, the lever system stretches and the excursion
and suspension characteristics thereby increase
progressively.

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Cantilever suspension
• This is a rear-wheel suspension system with angled swing arm and
a centrally located suspension strut in the tank tunnel.
• The rigid rear wheel swing arm results in stable directional guidance
of the motorcycle.
High spring travel is
possible on this system
and good damping of
the road imperfections
can be achieved.

Fig: Cantilever suspension

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On motorcycles, single-tube, gas-filled shock

absorbers or single-tube shock absorbers with
expansion tank are used mostly.
Single-tube shock absorber
• On this type, just the compression level of the
damper can be adjusted.
• On single-tube shock absorbers with
expansion tank, both the compression and
pull-stage level can be adjusted.
• Adjusting the compression level means the
downward response ( ) of the
suspension is affected,
• Adjusting the pull-stage level means the
upward response (elongation) of the
suspension is affected.

Fig: Single-tube gas-filled shock absorber

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Damping response on rear suspension struts

• The damping and spring compression/rebound response
can be influenced further by the following factors:
• Adjustment of the initial spring tension
Adjustment of compression and pull-stage level

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Steering system

• Both the steering and suspension systems work closely

together and even share some of the same parts.

• The steering system controls the car's left and right

motions (improve Handling Characteristics)

• The suspension controls the up and down motions of

vehicle. (improve Riding Characteristics)

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Main tasks of the steering system

• The main tasks of steering system are
• To turn the steered wheels in the desire direction.
• To allow different steering angles of the steered wheels during cornering.
• To amplify the torque generated manually by an adequate amount.
• Provide stability while running.
• Prevents vibrations from reaching the steering wheel.
• Minimize tire wear.
• Provides a straightening effect to the front wheels.

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Requirements for steering systems

• Direct steering response to even minor steering movements, due to a

very rigid system.

• The steering systems layout must satisfy the Ackermann conditions:

when the wheels are turned, the elongations of the axes of rotation of the
front left and right wheels must intersect with an elongation of the rear
axle (correct steering principle).

• When the steering wheel is released,

. (proper wheel
alignments: camber, caster, and toe)
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The Main parts of steering

• All the parts necessary to make the
front wheels turn in the direction we
wish to go.
• These parts include
• a steering wheel,
• a gearbox, and
• steering linkages and levers
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Steering Damping Devices

• A steering damper is a special device

that helps to manage the forces acting
on a motorcycle's front end.
• It's specifically designed to inhibit
undesirable, uncontrolled movement or
oscillation of a motorcycle's steering
mechanism.

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There are two popular types of steering vibration dampers.

• This unit is basically a shock absorber that dampens the

unwanted jolts and oscillations from the front wheel.
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