STABILITY OF SINGLE TRACK VEHICLES

Abstract

The dynamic characteristics of single track vehicles depend on their various geometrical, mass, and inertia parameters and on the rolling characteristics of the tyres. A twelfth order mathematical model(up to second degree of non-linearity) of a single track vehicle has-been developed to quite realistically represent the vehicle. The stability of Bajaj scooter for the non-linear model has been studied by Liapunovis method. The linearized mathema-tical model has been used to study stability and relative stability of the vehicle and to determine the effects of changes of those design parameters, which can be easily incorporated in the vehicle design and to which the vehicle dynamics is particularly sensitive. In these investigations, vehicle parameters, tyre parameters, and wind drag have all been determined by actual experimental measurements on specially designed set-ups. The results of the theoretical investigations have been compared by the findings of experi-mental road tests carried out on a vehicle modified for test runs.