Straddle vehicle
AssigneeKawasaki Motors, Ltd.
InventorHiroshi Takeuchi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Provided is a straddle vehicle that allows for high design flexibility, that can absorb strong shocks applied in the up-down direction, and that can avoid contacting obstacles on the ground. The straddle vehicle includes a supported structure and a shock absorber. The supported structure includes a first element that performs a first function and a second element that performs a second function, the second element being located above a rear of the first element. The shock absorber includes an upper mounting portion and a lower mounting portion. The lower mounting portion of the shock absorber is connected to a swing arm, and the upper mounting portion of the shock absorber is connected to the second element.
Claims16
A straddle vehicle comprising:
- a front wheel;
- a rear wheel;
- a vehicle body frame;
- a suspension structure including a swing arm rotatably supporting the rear wheel and a shock absorber to absorb shocks applied to the swing arm through the rear wheel, the swing arm being elastically suspended on the vehicle body frame via the shock absorber;
- a supported structure supported by the vehicle body frame;
- and
- a plate-shaped bridge structure extending in an up-down direction,
- wherein the supported structure includes a first element and a second element located above the first element,
- wherein at least one of the first element or the second element is a motor that produces rotational drive power to be transmitted to the rear wheel,
- wherein the bridge structure is located behind the first and second elements and mounted on both the first and second elements to bridge the first and second elements in the up-down direction,
- wherein the shock absorber includes an upper mounting portion and a lower mounting portion,
- wherein the upper mounting portion of the shock absorber is connected to an upper end of the bridge structure, and
- wherein the lower mounting portion of the shock absorber is connected to a lower end of the bridge structure via a link.
A straddle vehicle comprising:
- a front wheel;
- a rear wheel;
- a vehicle body frame;
- a suspension structure including a swing arm rotatably supporting the rear wheel and a shock absorber to absorb shocks applied to the swing arm through the rear wheel, the swing arm being elastically suspended on the vehicle body frame via the shock absorber;
- a supported structure supported by the vehicle body frame;
- and
- a bridge structure,
- wherein the supported structure includes a first element and a second element located above the first element,
- wherein the bridge structure is located behind the first and second elements and mounted on both the first and second elements to bridge the first and second elements,
- wherein the first element includes a crankcase enclosing a crankshaft that produces rotational driver power to be transmitted to the rear wheel,
- wherein the second element includes a motor that produces rotational drive power to be transmitted to the rear wheel,
- wherein the motor is located above the crankcase and supported by the crankcase, and
- wherein the shock absorber includes an upper mounting portion connected to the motor via the bridge structure, the upper mounting portion being connected to the bridge structure at a height such that the upper mounting portion as viewed in a front-rear direction of the vehicle overlaps a cylinder located above a front portion of the crankcase.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.