Design of a Multi-link Suspension for Motorcycles with a Sidecar

Abstract

For motorcycles, various suspension concepts for the front steerable wheel have been developed over decades. Even if the telescopic front fork has been eventually established as a common design, other alternative designs are still being evolved. A design of such an alternative -a multi-link suspension, particularly utilised for motorcycles with a sidecar, is discussed in the present paper. Beside some modelling aspects, optimisation of suspension's kinematics and benefits of an asymmetric layout for left and right cornering are elaborated.