Ducati

Abstract: The ergonomic manual switch arrangement for motorcycles and the like comprises a left-hand section (1) and a right-hand section (2) mounted next to a respective handgrip (3a, 4a). Each section (1, 2) comprises a box (3, 4) to house electrical switch contacts, or data transmission means and mounts a set of pushbutton switches (9, 10 ,11, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 22, 23) with a triangular, elongated or round shape. The housing box (3, 4) is divided into an upper area (5, 6) and a lower area (7, 8) that is recessed with respect to the upper area. The ergonomic manual switch arrangement according to the invention further comprises rocker switches (22, 23) used to change the gears of the motorcycle. The pushbutton switches may be of the illuminated type and may comprise a multiplex wiring system through which information used to control the motorcycle is sent and received.

Abstract: A progressive suspension device (1) for the rear wheel of a motorcycle, includes a swinging fork (2) that has a central section (10) to which one or two arms (8, 9) carrying a wheel (7) are connected. The suspension device further comprises a spring-damper assembly (14) connected at one end to a support (13) for the central section (10) of the fork (2), a rocker or lever (15) having a first end (16), with axis (16 a), pivoted in seats (17) made in the engine crankcase (12) or in the motorcycle frame, the lever (15) also having a second end (18), with axis (18 a), connected to the spring-damper assembly (14), A connecting rod (19) of adjustable length (C) joins the fork (2) to the lever (15). The connecting rod (19) comprises a first end (20) pivoted at an intermediate mounting point (21) between the first end (16) and the second (18) of the lever (15), and a second end (22) pivoted in a seat (23) made in the central section (10) of the fork (2). At the lever (15), between the mounting point (21) where the connecting rod (19) is pivoted and the axis (18 a) of the second end (18), there is an angle (α) that may be varied to adapt the suspension device (1) to different progressive suspension needs.

Abstract: A motorcycle (1) having a frame (2) mounted on a front wheel (3) and on a rear wheel (4), each wheel (3, 4) operationally cooperating with a corresponding suspension unit (5, 6) connected to the frame (2), the wheels (3, 4) resting on a support surface (S); the rear suspension unit (6) including a reaction rod (15) selectively yieldable along a longitudinal axis (W) and having two opposing ends (15A, 15B), the ends (15A, 15B) being selectively approachable to each other when the vehicle (1) is braked in order to obtain lowering of the barycenter of the motorcycle (1) towards the support surface (S) to enable greater braking of the vehicle (1) and greater vehicle stability during this braking

Abstract: In this work, three motorcycle models of increased accuracy are presented. They were developed as a tool for investigating how the level of accuracy, for example, in the front kinematics, affects the handling judgment, as obtained on the basis of some handling indexes taken from the technical literature, in some typical manoeuvres. A simple driver model was also employed, which, by controlling the steering torque and the longitudinal force, makes the vehicle to follow a desired trajectory at a constant forward speed. Both models, the vehicle and the driver, were implemented in the Matlab/Simulink® environment. Results are presented and discussed in detail for a U-turn manoeuvre.