Analytical, numerical and experimental study of the effects of braking on single disc motorcycle forks

This work deals with the development of an analytical model which allows to de-scribe the tensile state arising in single-disc motorcycle forks, during the brake. Stress and strain trends are computed as functions of some key parameters of the motorcycle (mass and centre of gravity location) and of the fork (lengths and diameters). The fork geometry is represented by a portal frame loaded out of its plane, whose axisymmetric elements represent the legs (pillars) and the wheel pin (transverse beam). Each of the three elements has material and inertia parameters variable along its axis, allowing for the actual mechanical properties of the component. Finally, the stress state of several fork models has been investigated either via Finite Element Analysis and with field tests, in order to support the validity of the proposed model.