[FireFly]

Can Anyone Here Explain how Traction Control works on a BIke? I was reading an artical in one of my Bike mags, That talked about the progression of Honda's GP bikes over the years. Specifically The RC211v. ANyone shed some light on the topic??? Thanks

[double agent]

the bikes computer (traction control) has sensors that on the f/r wheels , when one spins faster (rear) or goes slower (front i.e. wheelie) the traction control retards the fuel and or spark . thats how Ive come to know it.

[OreoGitorio]

I've heard that the Yami's, or at least rossi's, has a few different power settings he can use. I'm sure the rest of the bikes have similar set-ups to electronically control power output.

I also remember hearing something about how Rossi's & probably Edwards' throttles don't control all the throttle bodies, they only have direct control over two. The computer controls the others.

Hopfully someone else will shed some more light on that, I'm obviously a little fuzzy on the details.

[akira700]

Pete, what you mention is being able to control the engine map
and also maybe tailoring the traction control for various
sets of conditions.

As far as I understand it...

Traction Control by itself is the whole system that monitors
the rotational speed of each tire and no doubt many other
things like lean angle, and also perhaps changes to
the front to rear alignment (via a gyroscope sensor?)
to detect a slide where the maybe the rear is breaking traction
while the front is not.

All the information is sent to a computer chip that has
the smarts to regulate the power delivery to the rear tire
regardless of the actual inputs by the rider, in real time.
So even if you are wringing the throttle and trying to break traction
on your rear tire the system will kick in fast enough to stop it.
This kind is active. Good systems maximize the drive yet give the
rider feel for the bike.

I guess you could call a slipper clutch, passive traction control.

Magnetti Marelli makes the system that most Moto GP teams use.
They co-developed the system with Ferrari that they
use on their F1 car effort. I know Ducati and Yamaha use this system.
Honda I think has developed thier system in house. Not sure about the
others.

Check this for better info...
for cars but the basic idea is the same
http://www.f1technical.net/articles/7

also Dennis Noyes had two really good articles on it in Moto GP
http://www.speedtv.com/articles/moto/motogp/25599/
http://www.speedtv.com/articles/moto/motogp/26146/

[double agent]

thats what I said -- in not so many words.

[Supah Dave]

It's been in use in MotoGP for quite a while now, Ducati's been using it in World Superbike for the past 2 year and now it's also legal to use in the AMA. It's funny though that in World Superbike, even with the option to use it, the fastest guy out there isn't using it (James Toseland). It comes down to the rider's style. The guys that like to rear wheel steer, don't like it so much. Like if Garry McCoy was still racing I'd bet he wouldn't be using it...

[stoinkythepig]

I was under the impression the computer monitored the rate of acceleration of the rear wheel and if it exceeded a specific threshold, the computer "knew" it was spinning up and dialed down the power until the wheel reagined traction. This eliminates the need to compare the front wheel speed to the rear.

Simpler traction control used in years past was a rapidly falling torque@RPM curve designed in to the engines power delivery. As the rear wheel would spin up, engine power would decrease and the engine would not be able to sustain the spin. Not nearly as reliable as electronic traction control, but a great idea regardless.

Been reading Kevin Cameron articles for years...

[hessogood]

Originally Posted by Supah Dave

It's been in use in MotoGP for quite a while now, Ducati's been using it in World Superbike for the past 2 year and now it's also legal to use in the AMA. It's funny though that in World Superbike, even with the option to use it, the fastest guy out there isn't using it (James Toseland). It comes down to the rider's style. The guys that like to rear wheel steer, don't like it so much. Like if Garry McCoy was still racing I'd bet he wouldn't be using it...

Wasn't McCoy testing the 800 at the last GP of the 2006 season? I was expecting to see him on the grid.

[benVFR]

The 2006 Yamaha R6 and now the 2007 R1 take control of some throttle bodies away from the rider just like GP bikes.

I haven't rode them but isn't it supposed to work extremely well?

The other really interesting thing on the Moto GP bikes is the computer adjusts the engine-braking on the fly based on lean angle. A 250hp bike has a ton of drag & resistance off the throttle, enough to lock up the rear tire while leaned over if you let off the throttle too much. So they started having the computer provide just enough power to allow the bike to coast along off-throttle. Then fuel was further restricted a few years ago, so now the bikes only reduce engine-braking when leaned over to save fuel.

[Tabby]

Originally Posted by stoinkythepig

Been reading Kevin Cameron articles for years...

Me too!