Motorcycle Dynamics PDF

9/7/2017 motorcycle dynamics, dinamica del motociclo, www.dinamoto.
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The trail
Motorcycle geometry
The trail and the directional stability of the vehicle
Trail changing during a curve
The motorcycle geometry
Commonly when we speak about the motorcycle geometry we refer to the following three geometric
parameters:
- the wheelbase;
- the castor angle;
- the trail.
Consider the vehicle in vertical position and with the steer rotation angle equal to zero. (fig.1).
Fig. 1 The motorcycle geometry
The wheelbase is the distance between the contact points of the tires with the road plane; the castor angle is
the angle between the vertical axis and the rotation axis of the front frame (steering head); the trail is the
distance between the contact point of the front wheel with the road plane and the point of intersection of the
steer axis always with the road plane.
The geometric parameters shown in the figure above represent:
p= the wheelbase;
d = the offset;
e = the castor angle;
Rr= rear wheel radius;
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Rf= front wheel radius;

tr= rear tire radius; tf= front tire radius>;
= rear radius of the tire section;
= front radius of the tire section;
The trail and the castor angle are very important because they define the geometric characteristics of the
steer. They are also determinant to define the handling and the stability of the vehicle.
During the motion the road-holding is due to the friction lateral forces that are perpendicular to the
intersection of the plane of the wheels with the road surface. The lateral forces lie on the road plane and
generate a momentum around the steer axis that is proportional to the distances an and bn; these
distances are linked to the trail and wheelbase through the following equations:
an represent the normal trail that is the distance between the contact point of the front wheel and the
steer axis. This simply consideration is sufficient to understand that the wheelbase and the trail are
linked among them and so they must be considered together. It is wrong speak about big or little trail if it
isn't referred to the wheelbase of the vehicle.
It is important to observe that the distance bn can be thought as the normal trail of the rear wheel.
Equal values of the trail can be obtained with different construction solutions.
In the most simply solution the fork axis is super-imposed to the steer axis. It is possible also use the
steering axis and the fork axis that have a different inclination between them. This solution haven't got
appreciable advantages.
Fig. 2 Trail obtained with the inclination of the front fork. Front fork with equal (on the left) and different slope
from the steer axis (on the right).
In most cases the trail is obtained inclining the steer axis (21-35°) and advancing the front fork and/or the
front wheel respect to the steer head.
Theoretical it is possible realize the trail with a zero degree steer slope; this solution has got some
disadvantage; in fact the front fork suffer a bigger stress and compression during the braking.
Fig. 3 Trail obtained withoff set of front fork and/or the wheel.
Now some consideration on the geometric values normally used are explain.
The next schedule shows the geometric values of some motorcycle.
(the values are been deduced by unofficial publications and so they me be incorrect)
wheelbase e a an load% Rn = kind of
Motorcycle Rp
[mm] [gradi] [mm] [mm] front/rear
an/bn % motorcycle
Kawasaki Muzzy
1395 24.5 100 91 54-46 6.69 7.8 S.B. race
-95-
51.5-
Ducati 916 -95 1428 24.5 100 91 6.54 6.95 S.B. race
48.5
Aprilia RSV250-
1340 21 76 71 53-47 5.37 6.05 race
95
Aprilia RSV400-
1368 21. 76 72.5 54-46 5.26 6.17 race
95
Yamaha 250-90- 1328 22.5 82 75.7 55-45 5.82 7.11 race
Honda NSR 500 1400 23 95 87.4 53-47 6.35 7.16 race
47.5-
Honda VTR1000F 1430 25 97 87.9 6.35 5.74 supersport
52.5
Honda CBR 900 50.5-
1405 24 90 82.2 6.02 6.14 supersport
RR 49.5
47.5-
SUZUKI TL1000S 1415 23.7 93.5 85.7 6.20 5.61 supersport
52.5
49.2-
Aprilia 1000rsv 1415 24.5 97 88.3 6.42 6.21 supersport
50.8
Suzuki GSX-R 50.4-
1395 24 96 87.7 6.44 6.54 supersport
750 49.6
50.7-
BMW R1100RT 1485 27.2 122 108.5 7.59 7.80 touring
49.3
Triumph Speed 1440 24 86 78.6 48-52 5.64 5.21 touring
Triple T509
Moto Guzzi
1475 26 90 80.9 46-5 5.75 4.90 touring
Centauro
Harley Davidson
1485 29.6 116.8 101.6 45-55 7.29 5.96 touring
1200 Sport
48.2-
Laverda 750S 1375 26° 103 92.6 6.97 6.4 touring
51.8
Yamaha TDM 850 1470 25 105 95.2 49-51 6.71 6.46 touring
50.3-
Buell S1 Lightning 1397 25 99 89.7 6.62 6.67 touring
49.7
45.2-
Ducati Monster 90 1430 23 104 95.7 6.78 5.59 touring
54.8
Suzuki Vx800 1555 31 142 121.7 44-56 8.37 6.57 touring
45.5-
Aprilia Motò 1460 26 108 97 6.89 5.75 touring
54.5
44.6-
Yamaha XT600 E 1440 27.75 120 106.2 7.69 6.19 off-road
55.4
Honda XL600V 47.4-
1505 28 108 95.4 6.70 6.03 off-road
Transalp 52.6
Suzuki VS600 43.6-

1560 33.25 145 121.26 8.50 6.81 custom
Intruder 54.4
Kawasaki VN800 1625 34 149 123.5 43-57 8.40 6.34 custom
45.5-
Aprilia Classic 125 1553 32 100 60.5 50.5 custom
54.5
Moto Guzzi 46.4-
1470 28 88 77.7 5.65 4.89 cruiser
California 53.6
Bmw R1200c 1650 29.5 86 74.8 49-51 4.95 4.75 cruiser
Honda F6C 1500 1690 32.33 152 128.4 47-53 8.36 7.41 cruiser
Aprilia Gulliver 50 1255 25.5 55 49.6 42-58 4.2 3.04 scooter

MBK Flame 125 1220 27 78 37-63 37-63 6.0 3.52 scooter
Honda Foresight 43.4-
1450 27.5 87 77.2 5.66 4.34 scooter
250 56.6
A parameter to make a comparison between the different motorcycle geometry can be the ratio between the
front and rear normal trail:
The front normal trail is variable in the field of 4-8% respect to the rear normal trail.
The racing motorcycles have got the value of the ratio that is about 6%; the sporting and super sport vehicles
have got the ratio that is from 6 to 6.5%; the touring vehicles have got the ratio that is from 6 up to 8%.
The motorcycles like cruiser (heavy vehicles ) are characterized by a ratio of 5-6%, then they have got little
trail respect to the wheelbase. It is due, probably, to the need to have a good handling when the speed is low;
since the load on the front wheel is high due to the heavy total mass of the motorcycle, the choice of a little
trail reduce the steering torque applied by the rider to drive the bike. It is to observe that the normal use of
these vehicles is at not high velocity and so it is not necessary a big trail that guarantee high stability at high
speed.
For the same reason the ratio is little also for the scooter.
At rigour the ratio may consider the mass distribution on the wheels; a vehicle with a big load on the front
wheel needs a lower trail. In fact big loads on the front wheel generate bigger lateral friction forces under the
same slip of the wheel. Therefore, to obtain the same recall torque around the steer axis it is necessary reduce
the normal trail.
The correct ratio in function of mass distribution on the wheel is:
Fig. 4 Vertical load and lateral force acting on the front wheel.
Back to index
>The trail and the directional stability of the vehicle
To develop this concept consider a motorcycle with a straight running motion at a constant speed. At a certain
point it suffers an external perturbation (for example an irregularity of the road surface or a gust of lateral
wind), that generates a little rotation of the steer on the left.
Leaving from the fact that the vehicle begins to turn on the left and then, because of the centrifugal force, it
starts to roll on the right, concentrate the attention on the lateral friction force F generated by the contact of
the tire with the road surface.
On the front tire is applied a friction force F that has got the same way of the slip, but opposite direction. Since
the trail is positive, the friction force F generates a momentum that tends to put the steer in equilibrium. The
torque is proportional to the normal trail (figure 5). Bigger is the normal trail, greater is the momentum that
tends to put the steer in equilibrium at the same slip.
Fig. 5 Stabilizing action f the normal trail.
If the trail is negative (contact point between wheel and ground set forward the intersection point of the steer
axis with the road surface), the friction force F, always opposite to the slip speed, generates a torque around
the steer axis that increases the steer rotation on the left. The friction force F amplifies the perturbation effect,
compromising the stability of the motorcycle (figure 6). amplifies the perturbation effect, compromising the
stability of the motorcycle (figure 6).
fig. 6 destabilizing action of negative trail.
It is important observe that the trail may became negative for the road surface when the wheel across a step
or a hump. This is frequent in off-road use. For this motive the off-road vehicles have a high value of the trail.
Fig. 7 Negative value of the trail generated by asperity of the road.
Now let we see what matter when the trail is zero. In this case the lateral force doesn't generate any
momentum around the steer axis; the directional stability is compromise.
Fig. 8 Value of the trail equal t zero
In conclusion it is possible to say that:

- little values of the trail generate little straighten momentum; the consequence is that the steer is very light
but the directional stability is modest. Small perturbations of the road surface generate steer rotation easily;
- big values of the trail generate elevated straighten momentum; the vehicle is stable but is necessary a bigger
steer torque under the same trajectory.
Back to index
Normal trail changing during a curve.

Up to now we made consideration about normal trail measured with the motorcycle in vertical position and with
steer rotation angle equal to zero.
The normal trail is important because the momentum due to the reaction forces (vertical load and lateral force)
around the steer axis is proportional to the normal trail. In fact the forces acting on the tire (figure 9) can be
divided in one force parallel to the steer axis and one force normal. The trail represents the arm of the normal
component.
Fig. 9 Reaction forces that generate a momentum around the steer axis
At this point it is important to see how the normal trail changes when the vehicle is curving.
The figure 10 shows the variation of the normal trail when change the roll and steer rotation angle. It is evident
that the normal trail decreases when the roll angle and the steer rotation angle increases. If we consider steer
rotation angles lower than 5° and variations of roll angle lower than 40°, the variation of the trail is less then
20%.
Fig. 10 Normal trail in function of the roll and steer rotation angle
The figure 11 shows that the increment of the radius of the toroid of the tire attenuates these variations; with a
steer rotation angle of 5° and a roll angle of 40° the variation is of 10%. The different front tire may change
the radius of the toroid and then the arm of the reaction force during the curve.
Since the rider "feels" the behaviour of the front frame through the torque applied on the handlebar, it is
evident that the variation of the toroid radius may change the feeling with the vehicle.
Fig. 11 Normal trail in function of the roll and steer rotation angle.
If the normal trail remains constant and the steer angle changes, doesn?t change the graphic in appreciable
way, that is the normal trail during a curve is quite insensitive to the steer angle.
In conclusion it is possible declare that, in the comparison between vehicles with different characteristics, is
preferable consider the normal trail.
For example in the figure 12 is shows the trail in function of the roll and steer rotation angle. It is possible to
observe that, contrary to the case of normal trail, when the roll angle increases, the trail may increases too.
Fig. 12 Trail in function of roll and steer rotation angle.
Back to index

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9/7/2017 motorcycle dynamics, dinamica del motociclo, www.dinamoto.

it, motorcycle books, motorcycle tyres, motorcycle simulator, motorcycle multi-body,…

The motorcycle geometry

Fig. 1 The motorcycle geometry

Rf= front wheel radius;

Suzuki VS600 43.6-

Aprilia Gulliver 50 1255 25.5 55 49.6 42-58 4.2 3.04 scooter

>The trail and the directional stability of the vehicle

Fig. 5 Stabilizing action f the normal trail.

fig. 6 destabilizing action of negative trail.

Fig. 7 Negative value of the trail generated by asperity of the road.

Fig. 8 Value of the trail equal t zero

In conclusion it is possible to say that:

Normal trail changing during a curve.

Fig. 12 Trail in function of roll and steer rotation angle.

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