Superbike aerodynamic improvement

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LVDH
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Joined: 31 Mar 2015, 14:23

Re: Superbike aerodynamic improvement

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Hi, I like this thread here very much although it might get one of us hospitalized.
Once I was in my life actually very lucky and did a CFD investigation on a MotoGP bike. Now looking at the image of Lorenzo it reminded me of the most simple thing to improve I noticed when looking at the results:
The helmet!
This big round object up there creates a lot of lift and drag. A nice edge like on Lorenzo's helmet reduces that and should make the ride more comfortable for the neck.
Your green and black helmet looks very round on your images.

When reducing drag on the wheels what I said sometime earlier still holds true. The simplest way to do that is to have solid / covered spokes. But as soon as the air is not coming dead straight on to you anymore you will have issues with huge side forces. So my advice is to focus on the trailing edge of your main fairing. Adding a few cm rearwards and a guerney could improve drag a good bit.

Do you now have a good procedure to measure drag and top speed?

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turbof1
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Joined: 19 Jul 2012, 21:36
Location: MountDoom CFD Matrix

Re: Superbike aerodynamic improvement

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LVDH wrote:
When reducing drag on the wheels what I said sometime earlier still holds true. The simplest way to do that is to have solid / covered spokes. But as soon as the air is not coming dead straight on to you anymore you will have issues with huge side forces. So my advice is to focus on the trailing edge of your main fairing. Adding a few cm rearwards and a guerney could improve drag a good bit.
That'll be made even more complex when involving lean angles. In terms of aerodynamic stability, it might not pose a big problem, but the rider will have to work harder to cope with the increased side forces. There is an article around where Honda experimented with downforce on their bikes in the 90's. It made the bike 1s a lap faster, but the second lap the rider was completely exhausted.

Like LVDH, I want to press on it: be very careful. Use soft edges for winglets, VG's, anything that you add to the bike and sticks out. Yes, that is aerodynamically not optimal, but it's better than falling and having a deep slice in your leg through one of those VGs.
#AeroFrodo

agressor
1
Joined: 24 Aug 2016, 11:01

Re: Superbike aerodynamic improvement

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LVDH, thank You for great info, I know the helmet is major mod, this one on pictures is one of few I have.
Still didnt solve how to meassure drag and top speed. Turbof1 thank You for post, if You be so kind I have a favour to You to post here this Honda article.

Didnt ride my bike with VG at high speed, yet. Will be very careful.
Do You have any ideas or thoughts how to improve stability in corners?

Cheers
T

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turbof1
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Joined: 19 Jul 2012, 21:36
Location: MountDoom CFD Matrix

Re: Superbike aerodynamic improvement

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agressor wrote:LVDH, thank You for great info, I know the helmet is major mod, this one on pictures is one of few I have.
Still didnt solve how to meassure drag and top speed. Turbof1 thank You for post, if You be so kind I have a favour to You to post here this Honda article.

Didnt ride my bike with VG at high speed, yet. Will be very careful.
Do You have any ideas or thoughts how to improve stability in corners?

Cheers
T
http://www.sportrider.com/motogp-nakamo ... e-winglets

I don't have any great ideas concerning cornering stability with aerodynamics. Even Motogp struggled with it. A small thing you could do is angle the winglets a bit downwards:

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Image

This will ensure a better load vector in the corners when you have lean angle.
#AeroFrodo

agressor
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Joined: 24 Aug 2016, 11:01

Re: Superbike aerodynamic improvement

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Thank You very much, in next days will try to focus on those main winglets.


This article broke my heart :), nah was good, my bike is hard to ride even stock for inexperienced rider,
so I will see how it will perform with all those additions.

Frank06
0
Joined: 17 Dec 2016, 21:38
Location: Maine, USA

Re: Superbike aerodynamic improvement

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Most landspeed motorcycle racers use a front fender like this:

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Supposedly it is good for 2-3 mph at higher speeds. I am very interested in this topic also (I am a landspeed racer). =P~

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Pierce89
60
Joined: 21 Oct 2009, 18:38

Re: Superbike aerodynamic improvement

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agressor wrote:LVDH, thank You for great info, I know the helmet is major mod, this one on pictures is one of few I have.
Still didnt solve how to meassure drag and top speed. Turbof1 thank You for post, if You be so kind I have a favour to You to post here this Honda article.

Didnt ride my bike with VG at high speed, yet. Will be very careful.
Do You have any ideas or thoughts how to improve stability in corners?

Cheers
T
Measuring drag is easy. Go to a set speed, hit neutral and roll to a stop, do math. Next , make change and repeat.
“To be able to actually make something is awfully nice”
Bruce McLaren on building his first McLaren racecars, 1970

“I've got to be careful what I say, but possibly to probably Juan would have had a bigger go”
Sir Frank Williams after the 2003 Canadian GP, where Ralf hesitated to pass brother M. Schumacher

agressor
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Joined: 24 Aug 2016, 11:01

Re: Superbike aerodynamic improvement

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Thanks Pierce for advice. Frank I know people use this fender but its so ugly I can not accpet it :)
I made two carbon plates, will try to do something with bike this week.

Frank06
0
Joined: 17 Dec 2016, 21:38
Location: Maine, USA

Re: Superbike aerodynamic improvement

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Painted appropriately and consistent with the rest of the bike it can be attractive IMO. I don't worry that much about looks and try to keep things simple. Here's a pic of my bike with it:

Image

agressor
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Joined: 24 Aug 2016, 11:01

Re: Superbike aerodynamic improvement

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Yes in hayabusa it looks good, please dont get me wrong, I just have different vision of my bike.

Frank06
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Joined: 17 Dec 2016, 21:38
Location: Maine, USA

Re: Superbike aerodynamic improvement

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I understand! Also - I'm just trying to get my post count up, lol.

agressor
1
Joined: 24 Aug 2016, 11:01

Re: Superbike aerodynamic improvement

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Hey Guys, I was busy like hell during last weeks, but my project slowly moves forward. Big wing are almost done, need to do side covers. I resue cf from old spoiler. Its not the cleanest job, anyway its really stiff and I guess will perform good.
Any suggestions?

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Pierce89
60
Joined: 21 Oct 2009, 18:38

Re: Superbike aerodynamic improvement

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I'm not sure you'll be able to make anything useful from that "rescued" CF.
“To be able to actually make something is awfully nice”
Bruce McLaren on building his first McLaren racecars, 1970

“I've got to be careful what I say, but possibly to probably Juan would have had a bigger go”
Sir Frank Williams after the 2003 Canadian GP, where Ralf hesitated to pass brother M. Schumacher

agressor
1
Joined: 24 Aug 2016, 11:01

Re: Superbike aerodynamic improvement

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Dont worry I got porper skills. Thank for atention.