Aerodynamic motorcycle cloth idea??

[jkv357]

Originally Posted by 2005_rs

I proposed a similar idea this summer for my CBR125. A couple of days later I commuted into work on a very windy day (crosswinds) and decided that this was an experiment that I didn't really want to follow up on.
I do however have the bike in my laundry room for the winter and I do see lots of potential for cleaning the bike up aerodynamically. I've seen aero mods make significant fe improvements in cars on this site; I think there is good potential for motorcycles in this regard.
I've found it interesting that my bike; a 2008 is slower than the newer bikes with the same engine even though they have bigger tires and are heavier. The newer bikes have a larger rear sprocket and better aerodynamics.
I've attached a picture of the front of my bike. It seems like a huge gap between the front fender and the front fairing. Granted, there is a radiator there that needs some air flow, but my coolant guage always is in the bottom quarter.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B2...2tPSEMxdlR5eDA

Your comment about the gap reminded me of this -

Ryno Fender: "One test result is worth 1000 expert opinions" – Wernher von Braun

Directs some air away from the radiator opening and to the side for improved aero.

[2005_rs]

That's actually pretty brilliant. Thanks for posting it

[jkv357]

It is an interesting idea. I'm surprised I haven't seen it on road race or land speed bikes. It looks like it's legal in "... most classes of CCS / WERA / USGPRU / ASRA / AFM / CMRA" according to their site.

[2005_rs]

Probably because it looks weird

[sendler]

Recumbent bicycles have been using fabric bodywork for decades.
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[Fingie]

I'd love to build something similar one day.

[freebeard]

I sort of stumbled into the thread.

What I have is a wakeboard control arm. It is an aluminum tube shaped into a 5ft teardrop. When the center front is 6" above the forks of my bicycle the tail rests on my hips. I want to someday glue a poncho to a bicycle helmet and attach the hem to the tube.




It's the blue one on the top. I've bought most of those. More for rain than aerodynamics; but I need a front mount that will let it rotate and store on the side so I can take it on the bus.

[Grant-53]

Attach a boom to the head tube using a U-bolt. Pivot the frame about a rod at the end of the boom. Put the hood of the poncho under your helmet to secure it.

[gregsfc]

I'm going to be very limited on what I can modify for the Vetter FE event this summer if I make it due to financial constraints and my lack of mechanical abilities, however, I'd previously had an idea for some kind of cloth or stretchy material to use between my lower torso half and a box that is behind me on the seat. The material would be semi-permanently attached to the front end of what ever box I use and then would attach to the sides of my suit or wrap around my waist after mounting the motorcycle. When I ride upright, the material would be loose but when I lean in and tuck, the material would take up the space between my lower torso and the box. I plan on a taller box (maybe a true, rectangular milk crate or something similar but not big enough to meet the 4-bag rule). What do you aero smart guys and gals think? Would it make it dangerous in a layover? It would pretty easily break away. I don't know...It was just a thought, as I'm not going to be able to do any real body work.

I'm also looking to maximize the windshield and mount for the event or maybe just take it off, but I don't have a clue other than to look at what some of you guys have and hope it helps for my style of bike that is an upright seater and puts my body far from the windshield even when I'm tucking, but that probably better for a separate post.

I rode at the 2014 event and somehow achieved 96.9 by my own records and 101.82 for the official records; this beat my own best record for a tank by 12 mpg and I still am not sure if that can be replicated or if it was some kind of anomaly, as I don't usually have mpg anomalies. Back then I had a large Dewalt tool box on there and my windshield mount fell down sort of at the last minute as there were some conical washers that broke. This caused the windshield to sit at a more obtuse angle and it put the air coming right at my face, but I wonder if this helped create some kind of streamline effect when I tucked in.

Any thoughts regarding some kind of material between my torso and the box and/or how to configure it would be welcomed

[freebeard]

Wear a long coat with weights in the hem and throw it over the box?