Editorial Type:
Article Category: Research Article
 | 
Online Publication Date: 01 Mar 2007

Transient Response Simulation of an Off-Road Motorcycle with Conventional and Multicell Tire Inflation Mechanisms3

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Page Range: 2 – 22
DOI: 10.2346/1.2698509
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Abstract

Resistance to complete loss of inflation pressure due to puncture is the primary purpose for using nonconventional multicell tire inflation mechanisms. However, recent subjective testing of one particular multicell mechanism also reveals beneficial ride performance characteristics. To gain scientific understanding of this additional benefit, an off-road motorcycle model is developed. Pneumatic stiffness behavior of a conventional inner-tube and the multicell inflation mechanism is described by a simplified tire model which has been shown to accurately predict experimentally measured static stiffness data. Numerically simulated transient response data from the vehicle model is used to evaluate ride performance characteristics when the two mechanisms are used for tire inflation. Data analysis is also performed to reveal why performance improves when the multicell mechanism is utilized. The procedure is validated using experimental data collected on a real vehicle under conditions similar to the numerical simulation.

Keywords: tire inflation mechanisms; ride; motorcycle performance
Copyright: The Tire Society
FIG. 1.
FIG. 1.

Motorcycle model.

FIG. 2.
FIG. 2.

Front and rear suspension stiffness curves.

FIG. 3.
FIG. 3.

Tire inflation mechanisms: (a) conventional inner tube and (b) multiple air cells.

FIG. 4.
FIG. 4.

Front tire pneumatic stiffness curves.

FIG. 5.
FIG. 5.

Vertical translation of motorcycle chassis from static equilibrium.

FIG. 6.
FIG. 6.

Rotation of motorcycle chassis from static equilibrium.

FIG. 7.
FIG. 7.

Displacement of handlebars from static equilibrium.

FIG. 8.
FIG. 8.

Snapshot of event animation.

FIG. 9.
FIG. 9.

Front tire deformation with obstacle.

FIG. 10.
FIG. 10.

Front tire force.

FIG. 11.
FIG. 11.

Rear tire deformation with ground.

FIG. 12.
FIG. 12.

Rear tire force.

FIG. 13.
FIG. 13.

Maximum vertical translation of chassis from static equilibrium.

FIG. 14.
FIG. 14.

Maximum rotation of chassis from static equilibrium.

FIG. 15.
FIG. 15.

Photograph of experiment.

FIG. 16.
FIG. 16.

Comparison of experiment versus simulated front suspension displacement for 216 mm obstacle.

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