Motorcycle.

0001The present invention relates to a motorcycle and more particularly to a motorcycle having a fairing means designed for efficiently cooling an engine and associated components.

0002Known road-going sporting motorcycles have a fairing means covering the opposite sides of a front motorcycle area from a position in front of the instrument panel to the engine located between front and rear wheels for reducing air resistance and lift while running at high speed. One such a motorcycle is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Application No. 60-45284, for example.

0003The disclosed motorcycle has a radiator and an engine positioned between front and rear wheels, the radiator being located in front of the engine. The motorcycle also has a fuel tank disposed above the engine and a rider's seat or saddle positioned behind the fuel tank. The fairing means of the motorcycle comprises a front fairing covering the radiator and the engine, and a seat fairing or side cover covering an area behind the seat and opposite sides below the seat.

0004The motorcycle also includes an air passage duct disposed longitudinally in the motorcycle body. The air passage duct has an inlet port positioned in a space between the fuel tank and the engine closely to a rear portion of the radiator and is branched into two lateral members having outlet ports opening as nozzles on the opposite sides of the seat fairing positioned rearwardly of the legs of the rider.

0005Air flowing from behind the radiator is guided through the air passage duct and smoothly discharged therefrom on the opposite sides of the seat fairing without impinging upon the engine and related components. Therefore, air resistance arising from the air flow from behind the radiator is reduced. The seat fairing behind the seat is narrower than the rider, forming steps between itself and the seat. Air discharged from the outlet ports acts on and stabilizes ram air flowing along the fairing means. Therefore, air resistance can be lowered while keeping a preferred sheet fairing configuration.

0006Since, however, the air passage duct is accommodated in the fairing means or the motorcycle body, it is subject to space limitations imposed by other components. The air passage duct serves primarily to cool the radiator, and, for this purpose, has a flange-shaped guide disposed on the inlet port in covering relation to the entire rear surface of the radiator. Therefore, no sufficient ram air is supplied to the cylinder portion of the engine which is positioned behind or below the flange-shaped guide.

0007Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 60-­67280, for example, discloses a motorcycle fairing means which does not have an air passage duct that would be subject to the aforesaid space limitations.

0008More specifically, the disclosed fairing means is mounted on a motorcycle having an engine positioned between front and rear wheels and having cylinders projecting upwardly from a crankcase and inclined forwardly, a frame having an engine hanger supporting the engine, and a radiator disposed in front of the engine. The fairing means includes a front fairing that covers an area from a front frame portion to the opposite sides of the engine, a ram air inlet port defined in a front surface of the fairing, and outlet ports defined in respective side surfaces of the fairing, each of the outlet ports having a rear edge displaced inwardly of the front edge thereof in the transverse direction of the motorcycle.

0009It is desirable that after the radiator and the engine have been cooled by ram air, the ram air be immediately discharged out of the fairing means for increased engine cooling efficiency. However, inasmuch as the engine cylinder portion is positioned behind the outlet ports and no air passage duct or air guide for guiding ram air to the outlet ports is provided in the arrangement disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 60-67280, the ram air that has cooled the engine cylinders cannot immediately be discharged out of the fairing but tends to remain in the fairing. As a result, the engine cooling efficiency cannot be increased. The tendency for cooling air to remain undischarged is greater with a full fairing or full cover type in which the fairing is joined to other motorcycle members such as side covers disposed above the rear wheel and on opposite sides beneath the rider's seat.

0010In view of the aforesaid problems of the conventional motorcycle fairing means, it is an object of the present invention to provide a motorcycle having a fairing device which is capable of efficiently utilizing ram air introduced from a ram air inlet port to cool an engine and other associated members such as an exhaust pipe, and of discharging the ram air that has cooled the engine from outlet ports with high efficiency.

0011Viewed from one aspect the present invention provides a motorcycle comprising:     a substantially longitudinal frame; front and rear wheels rotatably supported on said frame;     an engine mounted on said frame between said front and rear wheels;     a rear fork supporting said rear wheel and vertically swingably mounted on a rear end of said frame;     a rear fender disposed in the vicinity of an upper portion and opposite side portions of said rear wheel and covering said portion of the rear wheel; and     a fairing means having a ram air inlet port defined in a front portion thereof and extending from a position in front of said frame in covering relation to said engine toward a position above the rear wheel where the fairing means covers said rear fender in surrounding relation thereto, said fairing means cooperating with said rear fender is providing a discharge duct defining a discharge air passage therein and having an air discharge port defined in an open end portion thereof.

0012Viewed from another aspect the invention provides a motorcycle comprising fairing means having a ram air inlet port defined in a front portion thereof and extending from a position in front of the motorcycle frame in covering relation to the engine toward a position above the rear wheel where the fairing means covers the rear wheel fender in surrounding relation thereto, said fairing means cooperating with said rear fender in providing an air discharge duct.

0013Some embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying, drawings in which:- <ul id="ul0001" list-style="none"><li>FIG. l is a side elevational view of a motor­cycle according to a first embodiment of the present invention;</li><li>FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II - II of FIG. l;</li><li>FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III - III of FIG. l;</li><li>FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a fuel tank, a front fairing, and a side cover, as assembled together, of the motorcycle according to the first embodiment;</li><li>FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of a motor­ cycle according to a second embodiment of the present invention;</li><li>FIG. 6 is a plan view of the motorcycle shown in FIG. 5;</li><li>FIG. 7 is a front elevational view of the motorcycle of FIG. 5;</li><li>FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of the motorcycle of FIG. 5, with a front fairing and a side cover omitted from illustration;</li><li>FIG. 9 is a plan view of the motorcycle illustrated in FIG. 5;</li><li>FIG. l0 is a cross-sectional view taken along line X - X of FIG. 5;</li><li>FIG. ll is a cross-sectional view taken along line XI - XI of FIG. 5;</li><li>FIG. l2 is a perspective view of a fuel tank, a front fairing, and a side cover, as assembled together, of the motorcycle according to the second embodiment;</li><li>FIG. l3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XIII - XIII of FIG. l2; and</li><li>FIG. l4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of an engine hanger and members around an outlet port.</li></ul>

0014Like or corresponding parts are denoted by like or corresponding reference numerals throughout the several views.

0015A first embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. l through 4.

0016FIG. l shows a motorcycle l according to the first embodiment of the invention.

0017The motorcycle l includes a frame 7 with a head pipe 9 fixed to the front end thereof. A handlebar l7 is angularly movably supported on the head pipe 9 and coupled to a front fork l5 on which a front wheel 3 is rotatably supported. A rear fork 2l on which a rear wheel 5 is rotatably supported is vertically swingably supported on a support shaft l9 mounted transversely on a rear portion of the frame 7.

0018Seat rails 55 extend rearwardly from a substan­tially longitudinally intermediate portion of the frame 7 slightly obliquely upwardly toward a position above the rear wheel 5. The rear ends of the seat rails 55 are coupled to the rear ends of rear stays 57 extending rearwardly from the rear end of the frame 7 more obliquely upwardly than the seat rails 55.

0019A fuel tank 59 is mounted on an upper surface of the frame 7 and front upper surfaces of the seat rails 55. A rider's seat or saddle 6l is disposed on and astride the seat rails 55 rearwardly of the fuel tank 59.

0020An engine 33 and a radiator 53 positioned in front of the engine 33 are installed in a lower portion of the frame 7 between the front wheel 3 and the rear wheel 5. The engine 33 has an exhaust pipe 49 extending from a front portion thereof obliquely downwardly and then below the engine toward the rear wheel 5 where the exhaust pipe 49 is coupled to a muffler 5l located on the righthand side of the rear wheel 5.

0021The rear wheel 5 is rotatably supported by a rear axle 2 on the rear fork 2l. A driven sprocket 24 is fitted over the lefthand end portion of the rear axle 2. The rear wheel 5 can be driven by a drive chain 25 trained around the driven sprocket 24 and a driver sprocket (not shown) connected to the crankshaft of the engine 33.

0022The drive chain 25 has its upper portion covered with a chain case 26 fixed to the rear fork 2l, the chain case 26 being integral with or tightly united with a rear fender 90 disposed closely to the rear wheel 5 in covering relation to the upper portion and both side portions of the rear wheel 5.

0023The motorcycle l of the present embodiment has a fairing means including a front fairing 63 covering a front half portion of the motorcycle and a side cover 65 covering opposite side areas below the seat 6l which covers a rear half portion of the motorcycle.

0024The front fairing 63 extends from a position in front of an instrument panel 9l positioned forwardly of the handlebar l7 over opposite sides of the engine 33 toward a position below the exhaust pipe 49. The fairing 63 includes upper rear edges 63a covering a rear portion of the frame 7 and joined respectively to front edges 65a of the side cover 65 which covers the upper portion of the rear wheel 5 on the opposite side areas below the seat 6l.

0025As shown in FIG. 2, the front and rear edges 63a, 65a have their ends curved inwardly and held in abutment against each other such that their outer surfaces lie flush with each other.

0026The fairing 63 has a ram air inlet port 66 defined in a front panel 67 thereof for introducing ram air into the fairing 63. The fairing 63 has ram air outlet ports 75 defined in opposite rear side panels thereof for discharging, as smooth air streams, part of the ram air introduced through the ram air inlet port 66, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4. The fairing 63 also has a pair of opposite bulging portions 63b projecting laterally outwardly and covering the opposite lateral sides of the engine 33.

0027As illustrated in FIG. 3, the side cover 65 has a pair of opposite bulging portions 65b surrounding the upper portion of the rear fender 90 in widely spaced apart relation thereto.

0028The bulging portions 65b of the side cover 65, the rear fender 90, and the lower surface of the seat 6l jointly constitute an air discharge duct defining an air discharge passage l0l, as shown in FIG. 3. The air discharge duct has an open rear end serving as an air discharge port l00 (FIGS. l and 2). The space around the air discharge port l00 allows the rear fender 90 and the rear wheel 5 to swing together vertically therein. The air discharge port l00 has a large vertical dimension since the rear fender 90 is disposed closely to the rear wheel 5.

0029As illustrated in FIG. 2, the motorcycle l has a reduced width where the fairing 63 and the side cover 65 are joined and also has progressively increased widths at the bulging portions 63b of the fairing 63 and the bulging portions 65b of the side cover 65, the bulging portions 63b, 65b being located forwardly and rearwardly of the reduced-width portion.

0030As described above, the front fairing 63 and the side cover 65 jointly constitute the fairing means of a full fairing design which substantially fully covers the motorcycle frame. The front portion of the fairing 63 has the ram air inlet port 66, and at least the bulging portions 65b of the side cover 65 and the rear fender jointly define the air discharge passage l0l with its rear open end serving as the air discharge port l00. While the motorcycle l is running, ram air is introduced through the ram air inlet port 66, and, after having cooled the radiator 54, the engine 33, and the exhaust pipe 49, passes through the air discharge passage l0l and is discharged from the air discharge port l00. The engine 33 and the other components which are heated to high temperature can be cooled highly efficiently by the ram air flowing through the fairing means. The engine 33 is therefore prevented from malfunctioning due to heat, and this enables the motorcycle l to have sufficient running performance.

0031Since the width of the fairing means is smaller in the area where the fairing 63 and the side cover 65 are joined, and larger at the bulging portions 63b, 65b in front of and behind the joined area, the joined area exhibits a venturi tube effect by which the air pressure in the joined area is low and the speed of air flow in the joined area is high. The high speed of air flow through the joined area of the fairing means reduces resistance to air flow and increases the cooling efficiency of the engine 33 and the exhaust pipe 49.

0032A motorcycle according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 through l4.

0033The motorcycle, denoted at l, has a frame 7 comprising a head pipe 9, a pair of lateral main pipes ll extending rearwardly from the head pipe 9, and a pair of lateral joint plates l3 depending from the rear ends of the main pipes ll.

0034A front wheel 3 is steerably supported on the frame 7 by a pair of laterally spaced front fork members l5 coupled to the head pipe 9 and a handlebar l7.

0035A rear fork 2l is connected to the joint plates l3 by a pivot shaft l9. A rear wheel 5 is rotatably supported on the rear end of the rear fork 2l. The rear wheel 5 is suspended by a damper 23 and a link mechanism 25 coupled between the frame 7 and the rear fork 2l.

0036As shown in FIG. l0, each of the main pipes ll is in the form of a tubular member of rectangular cross section with two parallel spaced reinforcing plates disposed therein. The main pipes ll are reinforced by being interconnected by cross pipes 27, 29 joined to longitudinally intermediate portions of the main pipes ll, as shown in FIG. 9. Engine hangers 3l depending respectively from front portions of the main pipes ll comprise extensions by which an engine 33 is hung.

0037The engine 33 is a four-cycle engine, for example, which is supported on a support shaft 37 coupled to the engine hangers 3l and a support shaft 35 coupled to the joint plates l3.

0038As illustrated in FIG. l0, the engine 33 has a cylinder assembly 4l having four cylinders projecting obliquely forwardly from a front portion of a crankcase 39, the cylinders being laterally arranged. As shown in FIGS. l0 and ll, the engine hangers 3l are disposed close to opposite sides 4lB of an upper portion 4lA of the cylinder assembly 4l.

0039The upper portion 4lA of the cylinder assembly 4l has a cylinder head having an upper surface 4lC inclined rearwardly and defining a valve operating chamber therein. Air intake pipes 43 project from a rear portion of the cylinder head and are connected at rear ends thereof to a carburetor 45 connected to an air cleaner 47 positioned rearwardly and obliquely upwardly of the cylinder assembly 4l. The rearwardly inclined upper surface 4lC of the cylinder head and a front surface of an intake assembly 48 comprising the air cleaner 47 and the carburetor 45 and serving as an engine associated mechanism are used as guide surfaces for guiding ram air.

0040An exhaust pipe 49 coupled to the engine 33 extends forwardly and obliquely downwardly from a front portion of the cylinder assembly 4l and then rearwardly along front and lower portions of the crankcase 39. The exhaust pipe 49 has a rear end joined to a muffler 5l.

0041A radiator 53 is disposed substantially vertically between the front ends of the main pipes and the lower end of the rearwardly inclined upper surface 4lC and positioned in front of the upper surface 4lC.

0042Seat rails 55 extend rearwardly from rear portions of the main pipes ll. The rear ends of the seat rails 55 and upper portions of the joint plates l3 are coupled to each other by rear stays 57.

0043A fuel tank 59 is disposed on and astride the main pipes ll in covering relation to the air cleaner 47. A rider's seat or saddle 6l is mounted on the seat rails 55.

0044Front and side portions of the frame 7 are covered with fairing means comprising a front fairing 63 and a side cover 65.

0045The fairing 63 has a front panel 67 with a ram air inlet port 66 defined therein, a pair of laterally opposite side panels 69 contiguous with the front panel 67 and covering the main pipes ll and opposite sides of the engine 33, and a bottom panel 69B contiguous to the side panels 69 and covering a lower surface of the engine 33, as shown in FIG. l2.

0046As shown in FIG. l3, the side panels 69 have upper edges 69A including flange members 7l directed transversely inwardly toward lower edges 59A of the fuel tank 59 which have recesses 73 in which the flange members 7l are positioned. Thus, the lower edges 59A of the fuel tank 59 and the upper edges 69A of the fairing side panels 69 are substantially continuously aligned with each other so that they lie substantially flush with each other. The fairing side panels 69 have ram air outlet ports 75 defined therein laterally of the cylinder assembly 4l.

0047As shown in FIG. ll, the ram air outlet ports 75 have rear edges 75A displaced transversely inwardly of the front edges 75B thereof. From the rear edges 75A, there extend rearwardly slanted surfaces 77 which are gradually spread transversely outwardly.

0048As illustrated in FIG. l4, each of the rear edges 75A is disposed near a side surface 3lA of one of the engine hangers 3l, and has a flange member 75C extending transversely inwardly in front of a front edge 3lB of the engine hanger 3l.

0049The fairing 63 has a recess 79 defined in a rear and lower portion thereof and having on its edges flanges 8l projecting toward the crankcase 39, as shown in FIG. l2.

0050The side cover 65 lies continuously between rear portions 69E of the fairing side panels 69, side rear ends 59E of the fuel tank 59, and lower edges 6lE of the seat 6l.

0051As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the motorcycle l has a pair of lateral footsteps 83 and a stand 85.

0052The fairing means of the motorcycle l according to the second embodiment is of a full fairing configuration which has its front fairing 63 continuously joined to the side cover 65 and other frame-mounted components. Ram air drawn from the ram air inlet port 66 first cools the radiator 53 and then the cylinder assembly 4l, while the ram air impinges upon the rearwardly inclined upper surface 4lC serving as a guide surface and the intake assembly 48 comprising the carburetor 45 and the air cleaner 47 and serving as an engine associated mechanism providing another guide surface. The ram air is guided by these guide surfaces toward the air outlet ports 75 from which the air is efficiently discharged.

0053Each engine hanger 3l is employed as a closure member which closes the gap between the side 4lB of the cylinder assembly 4l and the rear edge 75A of the air outlet port 75, as shown in FIG. l4, so that the ram air can be discharged from the air outlet port 75 highly efficiently.

0054The ram air introduced from the ram air inlet port 66 and flowing throuth a region below the air outlet ports 75 cools the engine 33, and is thereafter guided by the rear end 69E of the fairing 63 and the side cover 65 so as to be discharged from the rear end of the fairing means. The ram air that has cooled a lower portion of the crankcase 39 is discharged rearwardly from a lower rear end 69F of the fairing 63 below the footsteps 83.

0055A rear fender may be provided which is vertically swingable with the rear wheel 5 and located near an upper portion of the rear wheel 5 in covering relation thereto, as with the first embodiment. The rear fender cooperates with a lower rear portion of the side cover 65 in defining an air discharge port. The air outlet ports of the first embodiment may be defined in the same manner as those of the second embodiment. In particular, in order to sub­stantially cover an upper half portion of the rear wheel 5 by the rear fender 90, the rear fender 90 is desired to have an upper fender portion covering the upper portion of the rear wheel 5, a side fender portion tightly united with and upwardly extending the case 26 in covering relation to the corresponding side portion of the rear wheel 5, and an opposite side fender portion tightly united with and upwardly extending from the corresponding rear fork 2l in covering relation to the corresponding side portion of the rear wheel 5 as shown in FIG. 3.

0056With the arrangement of the present embodiments, ram air introduced from the air inlet port 66 into the fairing means comprising the front fairing 63 and the side cover 65 can efficiently be discharged from the air outlet ports 75 and the air discharge port l00. Thus the fairing means of the full fairing design can increase the cooling efficiency of the engine and other components.

0057It is to be clearly understood that there are no particular features of the foregoing specification, or of any claims appended hereto, which are at present regarded as being essential to the performance of the present invention, and that any one or more of such features or combinations thereof may therefore be included in, added to, omitted from or deleted from any of such claims if and when amended during the prosecution of this application or in the filing or prosecution of any divisional application based thereon.