In the drag racing environment, maximizing tractive effort is essential to competitive performance. Anti-squat is a transient vehicle suspension parameter which can dramatically affect tractive effort available at the motorcycle drive tire. This paper addresses the design of a four-link rear suspension for a drag racing motorcycle to provide anti-squat, which increases rear tire traction, thereby improving vehicle acceleration performance. Utilizing PC based CAD, finite element analysis and dynamic system analysis software, a motorcycle rear suspension system was designed, built and tested under actual racing conditions. Parametric studies using dynamic theoretical models were conducted for both unsuspended and four-link equipped versions of the same vehicle. Based on the results, it is shown that the four-link suspension, when applied to a drag racing motorcycle, does provide opportunity for improving tractive effort at the beginning of a race which will improve overall drag racing performance.
Skip Nav Destination
Article navigation
March 2002
Technical Papers
On the Beneficial Effects of Anti-Squat in Rear Suspension Design of a Drag Racing Motorcycle
Paul C. Wiers, Director,
Paul C. Wiers, Director
Product Development Office, Harley Davidson Motor Company, Wauwatosa, WI 53225
Search for other works by this author on:
Anoop K. Dhingra
Anoop K. Dhingra
Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI 53201
Search for other works by this author on:
Paul C. Wiers, Director
Product Development Office, Harley Davidson Motor Company, Wauwatosa, WI 53225
Anoop K. Dhingra
Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI 53201
Contributed by the Mechanisms Committee for publication in the JOURNAL OF MECHANICAL DESIGN. Manuscript received Jul. 2000; Associate Editor: J. S. Rastegar.
J. Mech. Des. Mar 2002, 124(1): 98-105 (8 pages)
Published Online: July 1, 2000
Article history
Received:
July 1, 2000
Citation
Wiers, P. C., and Dhingra, A. K. (July 1, 2000). "On the Beneficial Effects of Anti-Squat in Rear Suspension Design of a Drag Racing Motorcycle." ASME. J. Mech. Des. March 2002; 124(1): 98–105. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.1431261
Download citation file:
Get Email Alerts
DeepJEB: 3D Deep Learning-Based Synthetic Jet Engine Bracket Dataset
J. Mech. Des (April 2025)
Design and Justice: A Scoping Review in Engineering Design
J. Mech. Des (May 2025)
Related Articles
A New Yaw Dynamic Model for Improved High Speed Control of a Farm Tractor
J. Dyn. Sys., Meas., Control (December,2002)
Adapting an Articulated Vehicle to its Drivers
J. Mech. Des (March,2001)
Influence of Road Camber on Motorcycle Stability
J. Appl. Mech (November,2008)
Initial Estimates in the Design of Rack-and-Pinion Steering Linkages
J. Mech. Des (June,2000)
Related Proceedings Papers
Related Chapters
Rationale for Human-Powered Vehicle Design and Use
Design of Human Powered Vehicles
Manufacturing Processes and Materials
Design of Human Powered Vehicles
Speed and Power Models
Design of Human Powered Vehicles