PNW Riders

theJrod · 09-03-2008, 08:03 PM

Yup, you read that right.

Haga and Corser to try out Ohlins new active suspension in a race setting at Donington.

http://www.totalracingsolutions.com/964/

“We will have one important technical advance to try at Donington, because we will have Öhlins electronic suspension to use for the first time in a race scenario. The feeling we had with the suspension in Vallelunga during a summer test was very good, so we asked Öhlins for the possibility to get two sets for the last few races of this season. They have gone ahead and made it happen. In the end they have completed a great job to make us not only two sets but also some spares, so we can use them right through from Donington to the end of the season. We are expecting that we can do better with this suspension than the conventional set-up. They should assist Troy in particular, as he used this system at Vallelunga and he was very happy with it. It should be good at some braking points at Donington, where we should really find an improvement with this type of system. We will run one bike for each rider on normal suspension and one with the new electronic system. We left all our equipment and machines with Yamaha UK after the previous round at Brands Hatch, so other than the suspension the only new things to see this weekend will be our unique race day livery, designed by a Yamaha Livery Design competition winner in partnership with MCN. The winning Yamaha livery design will be revealed in the WSB paddock on Saturday evening at 18.00pm. We are all rested and ready to fight after our summer break, and keen to get back to business.”

Active suspension isn't really new - it was used on F1 cars years ago. They supposedly had specific damping for each wheel, for each corner, for each track. The m/c application most definitely doesn't go that far (yet), but probably is stiffer on smooth pavement, softer on rough pavement, doesn't dive under braking, and squats on acceleration.

Thing I'm wondering is - why is a WSB application the first we've heard of it? You'd think MotoGP has been running this for a while now maybe...

theJrod · 09-03-2008, 08:16 PM

http://issuu.com/motorcyclenews/docs/mcnsampler060808

Page 13.
Turns out it's not as high tech as I thought. An electronic stepper motor adjusts the suspension on the fly, able to change the compression and rebound settings of the TTX fork and shock.
It's not the variable viscosity oil or continiously variable valving I figured it would be.

PeteN95 · 09-04-2008, 08:14 AM

I think the F1 systems were much higher tech, where the wheel would actually lift itself over a bump that the system detected coming? They weren't even spring/damper suspension any more.

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09-03-2008, 08:16 PM	#2
theJrod Moderator Joined: Feb 2006 From: Marysville, WA I Ride: '07 GSXR600, '05 DRZ400SM	http://issuu.com/motorcyclenews/docs/mcnsampler060808 Page 13. Turns out it's not as high tech as I thought. An electronic stepper motor adjusts the suspension on the fly, able to change the compression and rebound settings of the TTX fork and shock. It's not the variable viscosity oil or continiously variable valving I figured it would be.


09-04-2008, 08:14 AM	#3
PeteN95 Zone Head Joined: Jan 2008 From: Lake Stevens, WA I Ride: Suzuki SV1000N, CRF450R, XR100	I think the F1 systems were much higher tech, where the wheel would actually lift itself over a bump that the system detected coming? They weren't even spring/damper suspension any more.