Team Yamaha Sbk Debuts With Electronic Ohlins

[Doctor DOL 46]

Yamaha Motor Italia riders Noriyuki Haga and Troy Corser will have the option of running full electronic suspension for the first time at this weekend's Donington Park round of the World Superbike Championship.

 

The new Ohlins units use electronic damping control and performed admirably during July's Vallelunga test.

 

"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," confirmed team manager Massimo Meregalli. "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," he added.

 

Corser will start the weekend just 10 points behind second place Max Neukirchner, and has his heart set on an overdue first R1 win.

 

"I'm looking forward to Donington because our results there last year were quite good, and it's a track that I like. I had my first European wildcard ride there back in 1994 and I got two podiums there last year. Right now I am looking to Donington to get my first win for Yamaha, that's my aim this weekend," declared Corser, who took a double Donington podium in 2007. "We will be using Öhlins electronic suspension and I think it will be most useful for bump absorption."

 

Despite winning four races so far this season, Haga sits 12 points behind the ultra-consistent Corser - but still has a realistic chance of defending his championship runner-up position from 2007, with title leader Troy Bayliss now all but unstoppable.

 

"I'm relaxed and my battery is fully charged, so I'm looking forward to racing at Donington Park," said Nori. "I always like to race at British circuits, like Brands Hatch, Silverstone and Donington and I always seem to have very supportive fans. I also usually have good results in British races.

 

"Last year at Donington race one was very strange because after the first few laps I did not seem to have any grip, and by the time I did I could only finish fourth. Race two was special because it was my first win of 2007 as the race was held in April last year. I had a very exciting battle with Max Biaggi and I have a good memory of the last corner of the final lap.

 

"This year I will try to get maximum points from each Donington race," he concluded.

 

Yamaha Italia will run a special livery on race day at Donington Park.

[Doctor DOL 46]

JOSEPH LEE....

 

PLEASE ORDER ELECTRIC OHLINS FOR ME!!!!!

 

I WANT!!! I WANT!!! I WANT!!! :bounce:

[Aie]

I wonder what's the price of this electronic Ohlins. Tempting...

[redbeacon]

And for those who are tech or mechanic-savvy, a quick lookup on this active and predictive e-suspension reveals in brief on how it works:

 

Racing at Donnington carries with it a notorious compromise in suspension set up. Half of the circuit is composed of wide, sweeping curves requiring high speed stability at maximum lean angles, while the other half is made up of tight hairpins that require heavy braking, then massive acceleration, both carried out while the bike is completely upright.

 

Active suspension could make a bike more stable at speed, allow squat under acceleration for better traction, while helping to keep both wheels planted [on the track] under heavy braking, all independently optimized for each corner.

 

The Öhlins system will take advantage of existing onboard computers that measure suspension travel, three-axis acceleration (acceleration, deceleration and cornering) and track position, then use that data to determine which damping settings are appropriate at specific moments. Stepper motors capable of automatically adjusting the suspension [the equivalent of] one click at a time will then make instantaneous alterations to the rebound and compression damping.

 

The electronically controlled system is far less complex than true active suspension, which is capable of constantly moving the shock’s piston, as well as adjusting the damping, in response to bumps and performance needs in real time. Because Öhlins’ TTX suspension moves damping control to external adjusters mounted on the top of the shock and bottom of the forks, the company was able to create a system that retrofits to existing suspension.

 

Despite earlier trialing a similar system on the M1 MotoGP bike, Öhlins and Yamaha decided to debut it on the R1 SBK racer due to its similarity with the machines Öhlins does its own development on. If it proves successful this weekend and through the rest of the season, expect to see active suspension adopted in more race series and by more teams. Eventually, we could even see similar technology made available for road bikes.

~

Hellforleather Magazine

and

Total Racing Solutions

 

Interesting, but before you aftermarket parts aficionados go out to find this shock, it may not be as smart enough to be used on street bikes. Yet.

 

The Öhlins system will take advantage of existing onboard computers that measure suspension travel, three-axis acceleration (acceleration, deceleration and cornering) and track position, then use that data to determine which damping settings are appropriate at specific moments.

 

I think this suspension reads, then "lip synchs" to the tune of the cambers, uneven trails, and forces generated by hard braking and cornering, to put it into metaphorical terms. Proves useful if a computer-equipped R1 were to be used on the track, logging laps and gyroscopic forces, as compared to when it's used on a street, where unseen bumps and uneven ground may prove difficult if an active suspension like that were to be developed.

[diablo_gixxer]

electronics is spoiling all d fun. 1st traction control, now this.

[sandsurfer]

JOSEPH LEE....

 

PLEASE ORDER ELECTRIC OHLINS FOR ME!!!!!

 

I WANT!!! I WANT!!! I WANT!!! :bounce:

 

I think can if u RIDE YAMAHA!!!!

:angel:

[ehem]

got electronic rider or not?

[KOSMIK]

hello Dr DOL, when is the next Metz Track Clinic?...pm me. thanx.

[junkie]

hello Dr DOL, when is the next Metz Track Clinic?...pm me. thanx.

 

 

how about the 15th of sept bro @ sepang.....sounds like a plan eh dol????

[mieyam]

how about the 15th of sept bro @ sepang.....sounds like a plan eh dol????

 

wah3.....,bln posa pon jln tros nak pratice nmpk.......

[redbeacon]

got electronic rider or not?

Batteries not included for that one