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November 27, 2018

A Look at Recent Advances in Motorcycle Technology



Do you love biking? There are millions just like you out there.

Motorcycles have been around for a while, but not until recently was the fast-driving machine on two wheels truly developed and advanced for the usability, safety, and enjoyment of riders.  Recent advances in motorcycle technology means that you get faster pick up, increased safety and can ride on the road longer without a backache.



Five Amazing Technological Advances

Here we list the top five technological advances that have revolutionized motorbikes once and for all according to the American Motorcycle Trading Company .

  1. Fuel Injection

This process has been in use in cars for a long time, but it was only recently that motorcycles reached a level of complexity and efficiency as the ones in automobiles. The systems became widespread starting in early 2000. A fuel injector sprays the gasoline as a mist, which allows the combustion of the gas inside the engine to be more efficient. Its predecessor was the carburetor, which took longer before the gas combusted. Due to its complexity, it failed far more often, especially in cold weather. As a result, fuel injectors are preferred in modern motorcycles for their stability and responsiveness.

  1. RbW (Ride By Wire) Throttle

New motorcycle developments are all about implementing electronics and technology to make the ride seamless, and the RbW throttle is no exception. This technology was introduced in 2006 by Kawasaki, and has since been quietly added to almost all models on the market today. While all earlier motorcycles had a direct connection between the right hand throttle grip and throttle deep in the engine, “Ride By Wire throttle slots in simple terms, refer to the absence of mechanical linkage between accelerator and throttle. This is a new digital feature of motorcycles that can interpret your hand signals and adjust according to what you need. This system has been in use in professional racing and the Air Force, so it is a tried and tested alternative to manual throttling.

  1. Building Material

While we may feel that the material used for the frame is arbitrary, it is, in fact, one of the most important aspects to motorcycle development today. The sheer amount of time and research put into finding the perfect material is immense, and scientists have the compositions down to an exact science. Previous frames would be constructed with just any scrap metal found. Nowadays, motorcycle enthusiasts are acutely aware that the material used can make a motorcycle faster, lighter, and even more resistant to crashes or scratches.

The fastest bikes are constructed of carbon-fiber and other ultralight solids that can drastically improve the time performance and feel of riding a modern motorbike. Even the cheaper and budget-friendly bikes feature significantly lighter metal alloys than a decade or two ago thanks to chemical science.

  1. Perimeter Frames

Continuing our material discussion, we move on to the frames of these new motorcycles. Old motorbikes used cradle frames, which essentially carried the engine and almost everything else on the frame, requiring a very heavy and sturdy chassis made up of materials like iron and nickel. The new perimeter frames, otherwise known as dual-spar frames, completely stepped up the game.

Scientific developments in usage and reinforcement allow the use of aluminum, which can be over two times lighter than conventional materials. In addition, all the weight of the bike is supported throughout the entire frame, doing away with the need for intensely strong supports.

  1. Semi-Active Suspension

Before semi-active suspension, there was a full-active suspension. This was the choice for all four-wheeled automobiles including cars and trucks. However, full-active was only efficient in these vehicles due to their large size and ability to take the most force. These suspension systems were thus bulky and heavy, something a motorbike cannot afford when looking for the smoothest and fastest ride available.

At the same time, motorcycles also needed the suspension that could absorb shock safely for most situations, primarily on paved roads. As a result, the semi-active suspension was developed. This system is the best of both worlds. While it maintains a smooth ride for the rider on almost any surface a bike may encounter, it is also sufficiently light and small enough that it can fit on the chassis and take up minimal space. Among the technologies implemented in semi-active suspension systems are hydraulics, which are renowned for their resilient yet simple design.

Final Thoughts

All in all, it is clear that motorcycles have come a long way from their primitive state of a simple motor chain on a bike to full-on speed machines that are optimized for an exhilarating ride in every single aspect. However, this transition could only have been brought forth by these recent technological advances, which improved everything from gas efficiency in the engine to the material composition and formatting of the frame on which the engine sits.


 
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