Measurement and identification of the vibrational characteristics of motorcycle riders

This paper shows the experimental responses of five riders to roll and steer oscillations. The analysis is carried out to identify the properties of a rider multi-body model, which can be useful for simulation. The riders have different physiques and riding experience and are excited by means of the motorcycle riding simulator developed at DIM. A stepped sine testing is performed. The results of the steer tests are presented in terms of FRFs between the angular acceleration of the steer and the steering torque. A multibody model is used to fit the experimental data. The results of the roll tests are presented in terms of FRFs between the accelerations measured at three point of the body of the rider (head, shoulders, torso) and the acceleration of a point placed at a fixed distance from the oscillation axis. To clarify the dynamic response of the rider, a relative motion FRF is calculated as well: it is the ratio between the relative tangential acceleration and the acceleration at the same point caused only by the roll angular acceleration.