THE EFFECT OF HANDLEBAR FAIRINGS ON MOTORCYCLE AERODYNAMICS

A series of wind tunnel experiments were used to quantify the mean and unsteady aerodynamic forces on a motorcycle fitted with a handlebar fairing and a handlebar windshield. The results have shown that the positive aerodynamic yaw damping of the steerable front frame tends to stabilize wobble mode when a handlebar device is present. The mean front-frame yawing moments as a function of yaw angle were harder to interpret without use of a dynamic simulation. Static arguments were advanced to suggest that cross-wind response may be reduced with a fairing or windshield mounted.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/01487191
• Supplemental Notes:
  • International Congress and Exposition, Detroit, Michigan, February 28-March 4, 1983.
• Corporate Authors:

  Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE)

  400 Commonwealth Drive
  Warrendale, PA  United States  15096
• Authors:
  • Cooper, K R
• Publication Date: 1983

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 13 p.
• Serial:
  • SAE Technical Paper
  • Publisher: Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE)
  • ISSN: 0148-7191
  • EISSN: 2688-3627
  • Serial URL: http://papers.sae.org/

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Aerodynamics; Motorcycles; Windshields; Yaw
• Old TRIS Terms: Handlebar fairings
• Subject Areas: Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00379591
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
• Report/Paper Numbers: SAE 830156, HS-034 972
• Files: HSL, USDOT
• Created Date: Nov 30 1983 12:00AM