Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha

Toshiharu Yoshioka

Minoru Morioka

Toshiaki Kishi

Kanau Iwashita

Hideaki Suzuki

Kiyoshi Nakajima

Takashi Ohzeki

Hideaki Shibue

Takumi Tottori

Norikazu Kurosu

Mamoru Matsui

Munehito Nakamura

Michio Ohkubo

Satoru Takeishi

Hideki Mizutani

Yasuo Nakano

In a suspension system, a trailing arm and a knuckle are interconnected by a first rubber bush joint located in front of and below an axle, a second rubber bush joint located above the axle, and a third rubber bush joint located in back of and below the axle. Each of the rubber bush joints has a characteristic such that it is soft in a direction of an axis thereof and hard in a direction perpendicular to the axis in order to ensure a longitudinal compliance. The rigidity of the first rubber bush joint in the direction perpendicular to its axis is set lower than that of the third rubber bush joint in the direction perpendicular to its axis in order to produce inward towing of the outer wheel as viewed in the turning direction. Rear sides of the axes of the second and third rubber bush joints are inclined outwardly of the vehicle body in order to generate inward towing during braking. Thus, it is possible to insure a high longitudinal compliance to provide an excellent stability during turning and during braking of the vehicle.

Vehicle suspension having bushings with different rigidities

An upper arm in a suspension system for a vehicle includes a substantially plate-like body portion which is bifurcated in a longitudinal direction of a vehicle body from a tip end side of the upper arm connected to a knuckle toward a base end side of the upper arm connected to a vehicle body frame, an outer flange extends downwardly from an outer edge of the body portion and then extends outwardly, and an inner flange extends downwardly from an inner edge of the body portion and then extends inwardly. The body portion and the outer and inner flanges are integrally formed from a single material blank through pressing. The vertical dimension of the inner flange closer to load application lines which connect a mounting hole for a ball joint for connecting the upper arm to a knuckle with mounting holes for a pair of rubber bush joints for connecting the upper arm to a vehicle body frame is larger than the vertical dimension of the outer flange farther from the load application lines. Thus, it is possible to increase the rigidity of the upper arm and reduce the weight thereof in comparison to known upper arms with similar bifurcated structures.

Upper arm in suspension system for vehicle

A snow vehicle of the saddle-riding type utilizes essentially the same upper structure as a motorcycle but mounts a ski on the front fork for steering and an engine-driven endless belt track assembly for powering the device. The endless belt track assembly is arranged for mounting on a rear arm structure in order to maintain surface contact between the endless belt and the snow and thereby improve the operating efficiency of the vehicle. The arm may be pivotally mounted or integral with a rear fork pivotally mounted to the vehicle. An improved endless belt construction is described in which the belt is strengthened by core members and the driving cogs of particular configuration and disposed at prescribed locations with respect to the propelling lugs in order to maintain surface contact between the belt edge and the snow surface during cornering. Also disclosed are various forms of cover structures for the track assembly that prevent the scattering of snow from the belt onto the rider or vehicle parts. Grab rails attached to the rear swing arm elements facilitate manipulation of the vehicle in confined spaces. A stopper belt adjustment is also shown mounted to a rear fork with the stopper belt extruding to an articulated rear swing arm structure. The adjustment accommodates for adjustments to the drive chain for tensioning.

Snow vehicle

In a motorcycle in which a rear-wheel supporting swing arm is vertically swingably supported by pivot bolts inserted in a swing arm pivot member provided on the motor cycle body, the swing arm pivot member is modified into a box-shaped one which is made up of the right and left side walls and the right and left partition walls provided between the side walls. Two pivot bolts are inserted respectively into the right side wall and right partition wall and into the left side wall and left partition walls to support the right and left arms of the swing arm, respectively, thereby to vertically swingably support the swing arm.

Swing arm supporting structure in motorcycle

A body structure for a motorcycle with a front wheel and a rear wheel, including a body frame assembly having an engine mounted thereon and having vertically swingably joined thereto a front leading arm for supporting the front wheel and a rear trailing arm for supporting the rear wheel. The front leading arm as viewed from the side thereof is curved upwardly in the direction of a steering axis of the front wheel. The body frame assembly is shaped in a concave form having front standing portions and rear standing portions to thereby surround the engine. The engine is a V-type with at least a pair of internal combustion cylinders substantially vertically arranged to be respectively forwardly and rearwardly inclined, and may be secured at a front part thereof to the front standing portions of the body frame assembly and at a rear part thereof to the rear standing portions of the body frame assembly. A shock absorber cooperation with the front leading arm and another shock absorber cooperating with the rear trailing arm are arranged under the body frame assembly which has the engine mounted thereon, to be oriented forwardly and rearwardly, respectively.

Motorcycle front and rear wheel shock absorber assembly

Motorcycle, and body structure therefor

An anti dive device for a motorcycle having a front wheel supported by front forks, each fork having an inner pipe and an outer case. The outer case of each front fork has two chambers filled with working fluid, at least two working fluid passages of different sizes between the two chambers, and elements to select which passage is open between the chambers. The device further has two brake assemblies and a hydraulic pressure generator. When braking torque is applied to the first brake assembly, a caliper bracket connected to the first brake assembly activates the hydraulic pressure generator, causing the activation of the second brake assembly as well as the selection of the smaller working fluid passage. Restricting the size of the passage causes the fork suspension to stiffen, thus preventing the motorcycle from nosediving upon braking.

Anti dive devices for motorcycles

The mechanical strength and torsional rigidity of the front forks of a motorcycle are improved by a connector rigidly joining brackets attached to the lower casings.

Growing community of inventors

Saitama, Japan

Toshiharu Yoshioka