The effects of aerodynamics on the terminal velocity, acceleration and fuel consumption of a motorcycle were investigated analytically using measured mean aerodynamic force data. These data were obtained for a variety of full-sized motorcycles with riders mounted in the National Aeronautical Establishment's (NAE) 6 ft.X 9 ft. working section wind tunnel. A four-degree-of-freedom model of the motorcycle dynamics, incorporating the measured mean aerodynamic forces and estimated unsteady lateral derivatives, were used to examine the role of aerodynamics in motorcycle stability.
Abstract