DEPENDENCE OF MOTORCYCLE BRAKING EFFICIENCY ON TIRE PRESSURE AND TOTAL MASS

Abstract

This article presents the results of a study examining motorcycle braking efficiency. The study has examined the effects of two variables: the total weight of the motorcycle and the pressure of tires. By increasing the overall mass of the motorcycle, the aim was to replicate a real-life situation of a rider carrying additional load on the motorcycle tail. With regards to tire pressure, it was reduced from the nominal 2 bar to 0.5 bar.

The results of the study showed that when the total mass of the motorcycle increases, its deceleration decreases. When analysing the influence of tire pressure, it was observed that decreasing tire pressure leads to better adhesion to the road surface, which makes braking more efficient. However, it should be noted that the tests were performed not at the maximum braking force. Consequently, when the tire pressure was less than 1 bar,  the decrease in acceleration was observed instead of steady increase.