Experimental analysis of alternative rider postures for low drag motorcycle design

IF 3.8 Q2 TRANSPORTATION

Transportation Research Interdisciplinary Perspectives Pub Date : 2025-07-01 DOI:10.1016/j.trip.2025.101533

Frederick Spaven, Yuanchang Liu, Mehdi Baghdadi

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Abstract

The aerodynamic drag of a motorcycle greatly affects its energy efficiency, with the rider’s posture being a key factor in determining overall drag. This study presents a systematic comparative analysis of various rider postures through a multi-phase experimental approach: modification of an electric motorcycle for a reclining rider posture, quantitatively measuring rider–vehicle interaction forces and developing an analytical framework that correlates rider posture with ergonomic factors and aerodynamic parameters.

The results show that aerodynamic drag can be reduced by up to 56% by changes to rider posture but viable applications are limited by the associated trade-offs, in particular a reduction in rider–ground interaction forces of up to 60%. Through this analysis, critical design constraints are identified and quantitative relationships between rider positioning, aerodynamic efficiency, ergonomic constraints and operational stability are established. The findings offer evidence-based design guidelines for optimising the balance between aerodynamic performance, rider control, and ergonomic considerations in motorcycle design.

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低阻力摩托车备选骑姿设计实验分析

摩托车的气动阻力对其能量效率有很大影响，而骑手的姿态是决定总阻力的关键因素。本研究通过多阶段的实验方法，对不同骑手姿势进行了系统的比较分析：对一辆电动摩托车进行改装，使其具有平躺的骑手姿势，定量测量骑手与车辆的相互作用力，并建立了一个分析框架，将骑手姿势与人体工程学因素和空气动力学参数联系起来。结果表明，通过改变骑手的姿势，气动阻力可以减少56%，但可行的应用受到相关权衡的限制，特别是减少高达60%的骑手-地面相互作用力。通过分析，确定了关键设计约束，并建立了骑手位置、气动效率、人体工程学约束和操作稳定性之间的定量关系。研究结果为优化摩托车设计中空气动力学性能、骑手控制和人体工程学之间的平衡提供了循证设计指南。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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