Technical Evaluation

Geometry of the suspension

Moto Student FEUP

Hugo Fernandes

[email protected]

October 2024

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 Introduction to Motorcycle Geometry
Motorcycle geometry refers to how different parts of a motorcycle are set up and how this
affects the way the bike rides and handles. This includes key measurements like the rake, the
trail, wheelbase and suspension travel.

Key Components:
• Rake angle: This is the angle between the steering head and the vertical line in relation
to the ground that passes right through the centre of the front wheel.
• Trail: It’s the distance between the point of contact of the wheel with the ground and
where the steering axis meets the ground.
• Wheelbase: It’s the horizontal measurement from the front wheel contact point to the
rear wheel contact patch.

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 Understanding Geometry’s Role in Motorcycle Behaviour
Rake and trail

Rake and trail are crucial geometric parameters in motorcycle geometry that greatly impacts the
bike’s handling, stability and manoeuvrability.

As said before, the rake angle is the angle between the steering and the vertical line and it affects
how the front wheel interacts with the ground. A larger rake angle generally increases straight
line stability, making the motorcycle more feel at higher speeds. However, this stability comes
with the downside of making the bike feel slower when responding to steering inputs, degrading
its agility, especially in tight turns. Additionally, rake influences the lean require for cornering.
A steeper rake can lead to a higher lean angle for the same turn radius.

The trail, as mention before, is defined as the horizontal distance between the point of contact
of the wheel with the ground and where the steering axis interests the ground. It can be
influenced by the rake angle and fork offset. More rake angle creates more trail, while more
offset will generate less trail.

Trail is an important parameter because, like rake angle, it impacts bike stability. A positive trail
creates a self-stabilizing force because, whenever a disturbance tries to misalign the wheel,
lateral frictional forces act at the contact patch and creates the re-aligning torque which
generates the stabilising effect. The more trail the greater the stabilising effect will be beneficial
on the straight-line stability. However, more trail will decrease the bike’s agility, because, when
we want to steer the bike, the trail will generate a force contrary to stabilise the bike. This,
therefore, will hurt the bike’s ability to take tight turns.

Wheelbase

The wheelbase of a motorcycle will have an impact in its directional stability, with a longer wheel
base enhancing its straight-line ability, making it feel more secure at high speeds. However, a
longer wheelbase can make the bike feel less responsive and less agile, making it harder to take
tight turns. On the hand, a shorter wheelbase will have a weaker directional stability, but better
agility, being able to take tight turns more easily.

The relationship between wheelbase a load transfer during acceleration and braking is also
important. The load transfer is inversely proportional to the wheelbase, therefore, a longer
wheelbase will create less load transfer, while a shorter wheelbase will generate more load
transfer. A bigger load transfer to the front during braking will result in the bike pitching to the
front, which could make the bike turn more tightly; however, this is could create instability in
the rear tyre, because it would be applied less load to it reducing its grip.

Centre of Gravity (CG)

The centre of gravity of a motorcycle is a crucial factor that significantly influences its handling,
stability and overall performance.

A lower CG generally enhances stability and control, making the motorcycle feel more planted
during cornering and reducing the likelihood of tipping over. This is particularly important in

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racing and sport motorcycles, where quick manoeuvres and high-speed cornering are common.
A low CoG allows for better weight distribution, which helps maintain traction on both the front
and rear tires, improving overall grip and handling.

On the other hand, a higher CG can lead to increased instability, especially during sharp turns or
sudden changes in direction. Motorcycles with a high CoG may feel more top-heavy, making
them more challenging to control. This can result in a tendency to oversteer or understeer,
depending on the motorcycle's design and the rider's inputs.

Lastly, the CG also effects the load transfer during both acceleration and braking. The load
transfer is proportional to the CG, which could create more agility during braking and
acceleration. However, excessive load transfer could also create instability.

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 Analysis of Impact on Handling Performance
Cornering

As we can see, during cornering, we want to favor agility over stability, therefore we want a
small trail, short wheelbase and high centre of gravity, which creates agility making the bike be
able to turn tighter turns more easily. However, we also need just enough stability so that the
bike doesn’t feel super unstable.

Braking

Braking affects the motorcycle’s geometry, especially the suspension. When you press the
front brakes hard, the front suspension compresses—this is called fork dive. It pushes the
weight of the bike forward, lowering the front end and changing its balance. If the bike’s
geometry isn’t set up right, this dive can make the motorcycle harder to control, especially
during sudden stops. A good suspension system helps reduce this dive, keeping the bike more
level and easier to handle when braking. Also, as the front suspension compresses, the trail
becomes shorter, which can make the steering feel quicker but also less stable, so the rider
needs to adjust carefully to keep control.

Acceleration

When you accelerate on a motorcycle, the weight moves to the back, which makes the rear
suspension compress and the front end lift a little. This is called rear squat, and it can affect
how well the tires grip the road, especially if the bike's setup isn’t right. A longer swingarm (the
part that connects the back wheel to the frame) can help control rear squat and keep the bike
stable while accelerating. However, if the rear suspension compresses too much, the front
wheel might lose grip, making it harder to steer. The wheelbase (the distance between the
front and rear wheels) also plays a role in acceleration. Bikes with shorter wheelbases feel
more agile, making them easier to manoeuvre, while those with longer wheelbases are more
stable when speeding up at high speeds.

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 Geometric Adjustment for different track
When transitioning from a track with tight corners and minimal high-speed straights, like the
hungaroring, to one with longer high-speed straights, like Monza, its important to make key
suspension geometry adjustments:

• Rake and trail: For a high-speed track, we need a bike with a bigger rake angle and
trail create more stability on the long straights. On other hand, in tracks with a lot of
corners we need to reduce these parameters.
• Wheelbase: For high-speed track, we need a bike with a longer wheelbase which
enhances its stability. While for a track with a lot corners, its preferred a bike with a
shorter for its agility.

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 Impact of Rider ergonomics
Rider position and centre of gravity

The position a rider takes on the motorcycle greatly influences the motorcycle's CG-the bike's
balance point. A low, centred seated rider will help maintain a low CG and make the
motorcycle quite stable and manageable. That is very important if it deals with turns or riding
at higher speeds. Good ergonomics, or proper body position, helps the rider stay in the best
possible spot on the bike, which in turn keeps the CG in check. A low, central CG provides
better balance and makes the rider feel a lot more confident and in control out on the tarmac.

Weight distribution

Also, the sitting of a rider affects the distribution of weight between the front and rear wheels.
A riding position in balance distributes the weight appropriately, enhancing control over the
motorcycle. This will be crucial during rapid acceleration or hard braking, since having the
appropriate amount of weight on both wheels improves traction and grip. Good weight
distribution also affects how the suspension works. Weight in the right spot helps the
suspension act correctly to bumps and other road conditions. If the rider's weight is properly
positioned, it allows the suspension to better absorb impacts and thus creates a more smooth,
controlled ride.

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 Conclusion and recommendations
Conclusion, motorcycle suspension geometry represents a vital part of how a bike handles and
its overall stability, not to mention rider comfort. Among those basic essentials that come into
play are rake, trail and wheelbase, all critical to how a motorcycle corners, brakes, and
accelerates. Factors such as rider position, centre of gravity, and weight distribution become
responsible for the maintenance of balance and control. Therefore, it’s important, in the context
of racing, to find the perfect setup which can give the bike a balance between agility and
stability, allowing for sharp, responsive handling in corners while maintaining control and
traction at high speeds.

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Compreendendo o papel da geometria no comportamento da
moto

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