In the drag racing environment, maximizing tractive effort is essential to competitive performance. Anti-squat is a transient vehicle suspension parameter which can dramatically affect tractive effort available at the motorcycle drive tire. This paper addresses the design of a four-link rear suspension for a drag racing motorcycle to provide anti-squat, which increases rear tire traction, thereby improving vehicle acceleration performance. Utilizing PC based CAD, finite element analysis and dynamic system analysis software, a motorcycle rear suspension system was designed, built and tested under actual racing conditions. Parametric studies using dynamic theoretical models were conducted for both unsuspended and four-link equipped versions of the same vehicle. Based on the results, it is shown that the four-link suspension, when applied to a drag racing motorcycle, does provide opportunity for improving tractive effort at the beginning of a race which will improve overall drag racing performance.
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March 2002
Technical Papers
On the Beneficial Effects of Anti-Squat in Rear Suspension Design of a Drag Racing Motorcycle
Paul C. Wiers, Director,
Paul C. Wiers, Director
Product Development Office, Harley Davidson Motor Company, Wauwatosa, WI 53225
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Anoop K. Dhingra
Anoop K. Dhingra
Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI 53201
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Paul C. Wiers, Director
Product Development Office, Harley Davidson Motor Company, Wauwatosa, WI 53225
Anoop K. Dhingra
Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI 53201
Contributed by the Mechanisms Committee for publication in the JOURNAL OF MECHANICAL DESIGN. Manuscript received Jul. 2000; Associate Editor: J. S. Rastegar.
J. Mech. Des. Mar 2002, 124(1): 98-105 (8 pages)
Published Online: July 1, 2000
Article history
Received:
July 1, 2000
Citation
Wiers, P. C., and Dhingra, A. K. (July 1, 2000). "On the Beneficial Effects of Anti-Squat in Rear Suspension Design of a Drag Racing Motorcycle." ASME. J. Mech. Des. March 2002; 124(1): 98–105. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.1431261
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