JP2019116260A - Straddle type vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a straddle type vehicle including a light-weight under cowl (46) that easily takes a height from a ground surface.SOLUTION: A straddle type vehicle includes an under cowl (46) arranged at a front lower side of an engine (11). The under cowl (46) includes an under cowl main body (61) adapted to cover at least front and right and left sides of the engine (11) and a lower surface cover (64) corresponding to a separate member from the under cowl main body (61), connected to the under cowl main body (61), and arranged below the engine (11).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

  The present invention relates to a straddle-type vehicle.

Conventionally, as a saddle-ride type vehicle, a left and right split under cowl covering the front and left and right of the engine is disclosed, and an under cowl is provided on the left and right of the engine, and an engine guard is disposed therebetween (for example, Patent Document 1).
Then, there is one that covers the lower side of the engine by a left and right split type under cowl generally formed of FRP resin or the like.

JP, 2016-168948, A

Since the undercover described in Patent Document 1 covers the front and the left and right of the lower part of the engine with two cover parts, the cover parts become large. Also, the front lower and lower surfaces of the engine are attached to the engine with an engine guard made of a rigid material such as metal.
A general left / right split type under cowl is produced by a hand lay-up molding method or the like, so it is difficult to improve manufacturing efficiency. In addition, in the case of using mold forming, etc., there is a limitation in forming, and in consideration of manufacturing efficiency, the bent portion is reduced, and in order to prevent heat from the engine, It has a shape that protrudes below the engine.
As described above, it is difficult to secure the height of the under cowl from the ground while configuring the under cowl in a lightweight and inexpensive manner in the prior art. In addition, when a part of the under cowl is broken, it is necessary to replace large parts.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to make an under cowl lightweight and inexpensive for an under cowl used in a straddle type vehicle, and to make it easy to take the height of the under cowl from the ground. Another object of the present invention is to provide a saddle-ride type vehicle having an improved under cowl appearance and high running performance by improving the degree of freedom in the design of the under cowl appearance.

  The present invention relates to a straddle-type vehicle including an engine (11) and an under cowl (46) disposed on the front lower side of the engine (11), wherein the under cowl (46) is disposed in front of the engine (11). And an under cowl main body (61) covering at least a part of the left and right side surfaces, and the under cowl main body (61), which are separate bodies and connected to the under cowl main body (61); And a lower surface cover portion (64) disposed under the

  In the above invention, the under cowl body (61) includes side portions (62, 63) covering the left and right sides of the engine (11), and the height of the lower end of the side portion (62, 63) and the lower surface The heights of the cover portions (64) may be the same.

  In the above invention, the joint surface of the under cowl main body (61) and the lower surface cover (64) becomes wider toward the rear of the exhaust device (33) of the engine (11). A notch (46a) may be provided.

  Moreover, in the said invention, it comprises as follows. That is, in the front of the lower surface cover (64), a protrusion (61f) is provided which protrudes to one of the under cowl main body (61) and the lower surface cover (64). And, the other may be provided with an opening (64e) that mates with the projection (61f).

  Further, in the above invention, the material of the lower surface cover portion (64) may be polypropylene.

  Moreover, in the said invention, the surface of the said lower surface cover part (64) does not need to be painted.

The present invention relates to a straddle-type vehicle including an engine and an under cowl disposed below the front of the engine, wherein the under cowl covers an under cowl main body that covers at least a portion of the front and left and right sides of the engine. The under cowl main body is separate from the under cowl main body, and is connected to the under cowl main body, and is provided with a lower surface cover part disposed below the engine.
According to this configuration, the lower cover portion connected to the under cowl main body portion is provided with respect to the left and right divided under cowl covering the lower side of the engine. For this reason, the height from the ground to the under cowl can be secured, and a clean (streamlined) external shape can be obtained without a complex shape such as an engine being exposed below the center of the vehicle. In addition, in various road surface shapes such as steps and uneven lands, it is possible to prevent the contact of stepping stones and steps to the engine with an under cowl, and to secure running performance.
Further, by connecting the under cowl main body and the lower surface cover, an impact due to contact with stepping stones or uneven ground is received by the under cowl, and an impact received by the lower surface cover is connected to the under cowl main body and the connection site It becomes difficult to transmit. For this reason, it is difficult to transmit an impact to an engine or a frame. As a result, it is possible to reduce deterioration in the appearance and performance of the engine due to traveling on uneven terrain and the like.
Since only the bottom cover portion, which is frequently damaged, can be replaced, the appearance of the saddle-ride type vehicle can be easily maintained, and the maintainability can be improved.

In the above invention, the under cowl main body portion includes side surface portions covering the left and right side surfaces of the engine, and the height of the lower end of the side surface portion is the same as the height of the lower surface cover portion.
According to this configuration, it is easier to secure the clearance between the engine and the undercover compared to the left and right split under cowl, and the contact frequency with the road surface can be reduced in traveling on uneven terrain, etc. It can be protected. Furthermore, the area required for protection of the underside of the engine can be reduced compared to the left and right split under cowl, and the engine can be protected efficiently.

In the above invention, the joint surface between the under cowl main body portion and the lower surface cover portion is provided with a notch which becomes wider toward the rear of the exhaust device.
According to this configuration, the influence of heat from the exhaust system on the under cowl can be mitigated. In addition, a space can be secured around the exhaust device, and maintainability such as cleaning with the under cowl attached can be secured. Furthermore, the under cowl can be disposed close to the exhaust system while maintaining a space between the under cowl and the exhaust system, and the height from the ground to the under cowl can be increased.

In the above invention, a protrusion projecting to either one of the under cowl main body and the lower surface cover is provided in front of the lower surface cover, and an opening that engages with the protrusion is provided on the other.
According to this configuration, since the projection and the opening can be assembled in the front-rear direction, it is possible to reduce an assembly error due to parts. In addition, the assembly of the under cowl parts is easy, the maintainability can be improved, and the change in the appearance due to the user's maintenance hardly occurs.

In the above invention, the material of the lower surface cover portion is polypropylene.
According to this configuration, the weight of the lower surface cover portion can be reduced as compared with materials such as metal, and the traveling performance can be improved. Then, by reducing the weight of the lower surface cover portion located at the lower part of the vehicle, the center of gravity position of the vehicle is raised, and the maneuverability is improved.
In addition, since polypropylene which is easy to process is used, the efficiency of molding of parts can be improved. As it deforms in a much lower temperature range compared to metal, molding and repair of the lower surface cover portion is facilitated. As a result, the energy efficiency at the time of molding can be improved, and the amount of CO 2 emission in the manufacturing process can be reduced. As it is used for the lower surface cover part located below the engine, the influence of ultraviolet light can be greatly reduced. Furthermore, the lower surface cover portion is less likely to be broken due to the flexibility of the polypropylene resin at the time of contact with the stepping stones and the step, and the durability of the lower surface cover portion is improved. When mud or the like adheres to dryness, the bottom cover portion is lightly tapped to cause small deflection, so that the mud which has been dried and adhered can be easily dropped. Since the sound quality of the sound generated at the time of contact with the stepping stone or the step is different, the user can easily recognize whether the contact with the lower surface cover portion or the contact with another member such as a metal member. Even if the lower surface cover is damaged, spattering of fragments can be reduced.

In the said invention, the surface of the said lower surface cover part is not painted.
According to this configuration, the painting process of the parts can be omitted, and the parts can be manufactured efficiently. When the lower surface cover contacts a rough road surface, the coating film is less likely to scatter, and the influence on the environment can be reduced.
Further, since the characteristics of the material of the lower surface cover portion can be used as it is, when polypropylene having no water absorbability is used, it is possible to reduce stains due to rain water and muddy water, cleaning of the lower surface cover becomes easy, and maintainability can be improved.

FIG. 1 is a right side view showing a motorcycle to which an embodiment of the present invention is applied. It is a left view which shows the mounting state to the vehicle of an under cowl. It is the figure seen from the left rear which shows the mounting state to the vehicle of an under cowl. It is a partial sectional view seen from the left rear showing the attachment structure to the vehicle of an under cowl. It is a disassembled perspective view which shows the attachment structure to the vehicle of an under cowl. It is the perspective view seen from the left rear which shows the assembly structure of an under cowl. It is the figure seen from the back which shows the assembly structure of an under cowl. It is a bottom view which shows a lower surface cover. It is a left side which shows a lower surface cover.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the description, the directions of front, rear, left, right and up and down are the same as the directions with respect to the vehicle body unless otherwise specified. Further, a symbol FR shown in each drawing indicates the front of the vehicle body, and a symbol UP indicates the upper portion of the vehicle body.
FIG. 1 is a right side view of a motorcycle 1 according to the present invention.
The motorcycle 1 includes an engine 11 supported by a vehicle body frame 10, a front wheel 2 steerably supported by a front fork 12 at a front end of the vehicle body frame 10, and a swing arm 13 below a vehicle body frame 10. And a rear wheel 3 supported so as to be vertically movable.
The motorcycle 1 is a straddle-type vehicle in which an occupant sits on a seat 14.

The body frame 10 includes a head pipe 15, a pair of left and right main frames 16, a center frame 17, a down frame 18, a pair of left and right seat frames 19, and a pair of left and right sub frames 20. The front end of the engine 11 is connected to the lower end of the down frame 18 via the engine bracket 18 b.
The head pipe 15 constitutes a front end portion of the vehicle body frame 10. The main frame 16 extends rearward and obliquely downward from the head pipe 15. At the lower part of the center frame 17, a pivot support (not shown) made of a press material is provided. The down frame 18 extends rearward and obliquely downward from the head pipe 15 below the main frame 16.
The left and right seat frames 19 extend rearward from the rear end of the main frame 16 respectively. The left and right sub frames 20 are passed to lower portions of the left and right center frames 17 and the left and right seat frames 19.

Further, the vehicle body frame 10 includes a gusset 21, a cross frame 22, a pair of left and right step frames 23, and a pair of left and right reinforcing frames 24.
The gusset 21 connects the left and right front ends of the main frame 16 with the front end of the down frame 18. The cross frame 22 connects the left and right seat frames 19 in the vehicle width direction. The left and right step frames 23 extend rearward from the lower sides of the left and right center frames 17, respectively. The left and right reinforcing frames 24 extend along the rear lower surface of the left and right seat frames 19. The front ends of the left and right reinforcing frames 24 are respectively connected to the lower surfaces of the rear portions of the left and right sub-frames 20.

The front fork 12 is swingably supported by the head pipe 15.
The front fork 12 includes a steering shaft (not shown), a pair of left and right fork pipes 26, a top bridge 27, and a bottom bridge 28.
The steering shaft is rotatably supported by the head pipe 15. The left and right fork pipes 26 are disposed on the left and right sides of the front wheel 2, and the front wheel 2 is rotatably supported by an axle 2 a passed between lower ends of the left and right fork pipes 26. The sliding portions of the left and right fork pipes 26 are covered by tip guards 25 attached to the fork pipes 26 from the front. The top bridge 27 is fixed to the upper end of the steering shaft to connect the upper portions of the left and right fork pipes 26. A handle 29 is fixed to the top of the top bridge 27. The bottom bridge 28 is fixed to the lower end portion of the steering shaft to connect the left and right fork pipes 26.

The front wheel 2 is braked by the front wheel disc brake 37. The front wheel disc brake 37 includes a brake disc 37 a integrally attached to the front wheel 2 and a brake caliper 37 b for braking the brake disc 37. The brake caliper 37b is attached to the lower rear of one of the left and right fork pipes 26 (right side).
The swing arm 13 is pivotably supported at its front end by a pivot shaft 30 supported by the pivot support, and the rear wheel 3 is rotatably supported at its rear end via an axle 3a.

The engine 11 is disposed below the main frame 16 between the center frame 17 and the down frame 18.
The engine 11 includes a crankcase 31 supporting a crankshaft (not shown) extending in the vehicle width direction, and a cylinder portion 32 extending upward from a front upper portion of the crankcase 31. At the rear of the crankcase 31, a transmission (not shown) is incorporated. The cylinder axis 32 a of the cylinder portion 32 extends obliquely upward and forward.
An intake device (not shown) is connected to the rear of the cylinder portion 32 and an exhaust device 33 is connected to the front.
The exhaust device 33 is connected to an exhaust pipe 34 drawn downward from the front surface of the cylinder portion 32 (specifically, a cylinder head (not shown)) and a rear end of the exhaust pipe 34 and disposed on the right side of the rear wheel 3 And a muffler 35.

In front of the seat 14 and behind the head pipe 15, a fuel tank 38 mounted on the top of the main frame 16 is disposed.
The seat 14 includes a driver's front seat 14a and a passenger's rear seat 14b provided behind the front seat 14a.
A pair of left and right steps 39 for the driver are respectively provided at the front of the left and right step frames 23. A pair of left and right pillion steps 40 for the passenger are respectively provided at the rear ends of the left and right step frames 23.

The motorcycle 1 includes a vehicle body cover 41 that covers the vehicle body frame 10 and the vehicle body such as the engine 11 or the like.
The body cover 41 includes a front cover 42, a tank cover 43, a center cover 44, a rear cover 45, and an under cowl 46.
The front cover 42 covers the top of the head pipe 15 and the left and right fork pipes 26 from the front. The tank cover 43 covers the front of the vehicle body frame 10 and the fuel tank 38. The center cover 44 covers the lower side of the front side sheet 14a. The rear cover 45 covers the lower side of the seat 14 at the rear of the center cover 44. The under cowl 46 covers the front and lower portions of the crankcase 31 of the engine 11 from the front and the bottom.
A pair of left and right front side covers 36 that cover the left and right sides of the down frame 18 are provided at the lower front portion of the tank cover 43. The pair of left and right front side covers 36 constitute a part of the vehicle body cover 41.

The motorcycle 1 is provided with a main stand 47 at the lower part of the center frame 17.
The front wheel 2 is covered from above with a front fender 48, and the rear wheel 3 is covered from above with a rear fender 49 extending rearward from the rear end side of the left and right seat frames 19.
Further, below the rear fender 49, a fender 50 covering the rear wheel 3 is provided. The fender 50 is composed of a front fender 55 that covers the rear wheel 3 from the front upper side, and a rear fender 56 that covers the rear wheel from the rear upper side.

[Under cowl]
The mounting state of the under cowl 46 on the motorcycle 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 to 5.
The under cowl 46 is disposed so as to cover the front lower side, the lower side, and the lower side of the front lower portion of the engine 11, and is attached to the motorcycle 1 so as to make a space between the engine 11 and the under cowl 46.

The under cowl 46 is, as shown in FIG. 2, in a side view, the front half is in the shape of a triangle with its corner facing the tip, and the height of its tip 46 b is approximately at the center of the height of the under cowl 46. ing.
The left and right center portions of the front area of the under cowl 46 have a height at the upper end thereof lower than that of the side of the under cowl 46 so as to avoid the engine bracket 18 b. Thereby, the under cowl can be disposed close to the engine 11. The rear half of the under cowl 46 decreases its height rearward and extends up to the middle of the front and rear width of the engine 11, and the rear end of the under cowl 46 is at the connection between the exhaust pipe 34 and the muffler 35. It has been reached.
The rear portion of the under cowl 46 is bent to the side close to the engine 11, and is fixed to the motorcycle 1 on the inner side of the shift pedal 81, the shift rod 82, the shift arm 83, and the brake pedal. The shift pedal 81 can be rotated at a fixed angle up and down by an axis provided in front of the step 39, and is connected to the rear end of the shift rod 82. The front end of the shift rod 82 is connected to the shift arm 83. Thus, the movement of the shift pedal 81 is transmitted to the shift arm 83, and the transmission of the vehicle can be operated.
Further, the under cowl 46 has a concave portion curved along the shape of the crankcase 31 in the vicinity of the crankcase 31 of the engine 11 and is disposed close to the crankcase 31. In addition, a front opening 62 a and a rear opening 62 b are provided on the side to promote the flow of air in the under cowl 46.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the under cowl 46 is attached to the engine bracket 18b at the front via the front stay 73 and at the rear via the rear stay 74 to the underside of the engine 11.
The under cowl 46 is fixed to the engine 11 and an engine bracket 18 b attached to the engine 11 via the front stay 73 and the rear stay 74. Therefore, the mounting accuracy of the under cowl 46 to the engine 11 can be improved, and even when the under cowl 46 receives an impact due to a stepping stone or the like, it is difficult to transmit the impact to the engine 11.

The under cowl 46 is composed of a front portion 61, a left side portion 62, a right side portion 63 and a lower surface cover 64.
The front portion 61 is a front left and right front portion of the under cowl 46 and covers the lower front side of the engine 11. The front lower portion of the front portion 61 is formed to have a front rising shape, and ribs 61 r that project forward and downward are provided in the front-rear direction along the surface of the front lower portion of the front portion 61 and are provided side by side in the left-right direction . The bottom portion 61u of the front portion 61 extends rearward from the lower end of the lower front portion, and is provided substantially horizontally in the vehicle mounted state, and the lower surface cover 64 is connected. In the present embodiment, the front portion 61 is an under cowl main body portion, and the left side portion 62 and the right side portion 63 respectively constitute left and right side portions of the under cowl.
The left side portion 62 is the left side portion of the under cowl 46, and the lower side portion 63 of the lower portion of the engine 11 covers the left side portion of the lower portion of the engine 11.
The lower surface cover 64 is a lower portion of the under cowl 46 and covers the lower surface of the engine 11. The left side 62 is provided with a front opening 62 a and a rear opening 62 b, and the right side 63 is provided with a front opening 63 a and a rear opening 63 b to promote the flow of air in the under cowl 46. Further, a curved portion 63 h is provided on the front upper portion of the right side portion 63 so as to avoid the exhaust pipe 34 of the exhaust device 33.

The front stay 73 is connected to the front 61 at the front end, and the rear stay 74 is connected to the left side 62 at the left end, the right side 63 at the right end, and the lower surface cover 64 at the lower end.
The front stay 73 is substantially V-shaped in a plan view, with the opening side facing forward and the two tips extending forward and downward. The front stay 73 is connected to the rear surface of the front portion 61 of the under cowl 46 at two front ends, and is connected to the engine bracket 18 b at the rear end of the front stay 73 by a bolt 73 b which is a fastener. The lower end of the down frame 18 is inserted into and fixed to the U-shaped upper portion of the engine bracket 18 b, and the rear of the engine bracket 18 b is fixed to the engine 11.
The rear stay 74 is I-shaped extending in the left and right direction in a plan view, and is substantially T-shaped in a front view. The rear stay 74 is connected to the left side 62 at the left end and to the right side 63 at the right end, and connected to the lower surface cover 64 at the lower end. The rear stay 74 is fixed at the upper portion thereof to a stay attaching portion 11a provided at a lower portion of the engine 11 by a bolt 74b which is a fastener.
The front stay 73 and the rear stay 74 have a shape in which a plate-like member is bent, and have a structure in which rigidity is given by bending the edge downward. On the lower surface of the rear stay 74, an extension portion 74d to which the insertion portion 74a is attached is fixed. The extension portion 74d is a plate-like member connected to the lower surface of a portion of the rear stay 74 extending to the left and right and extending downward, with the wide surface directed in the front-rear direction. Accordingly, the elastic deformation in the front-rear direction is facilitated, the mounting of the under cowl 46 is easy, and it is difficult to transmit the impact from the lower surface cover 64 to the engine 11.

  The insertion portions 73a and 73a are attached to the tip of the front stay 73, and the insertion portions 73a and 73a project forward. Further, on the left and right of the back surface central portion of the front portion 61, engaging portions 61b, 61b opened rearward are respectively provided. By inserting the insertion portion 73a into the engagement portion 61b, the engagement portion 61b and the insertion portion 73a are joined, and the front portion 61 is fixed to the front stay 73.

  The lower end of the rear stay 74 extends forward and is fitted with the insertion portion 74a, and the insertion portion 74a protrudes forward. Further, on the upper surface of the rear portion of the lower surface cover 64, an engaging portion 64a opened rearward is provided. By inserting the insertion portion 74 a into the engagement portion 64 a, the engagement portion 64 a and the insertion portion 74 a are engaged, and the lower surface cover 64 is fixed to the rear stay 74.

  When the under cowl 46 is attached to the motorcycle, the under cowl 46 is moved rearward from the front of the engine 11 to the engaging portions 61b, 61b and the engaging portion 64a, and the insertion portions 73a, 73a and the insertion portions 74a. Insert each one. This allows for easy installation. In addition, by using the insertion portion 73a and the insertion portion 74a as a resin material, it is possible to reduce wear and tear due to detachment and the like of the under cowl 46.

Side flanges 62c and 63c are provided at the rear ends of the left and right sides 62 and 63, respectively, and are screwed into the screw holes 74c and 74c at the left and right ends of the rear stay 74 by bolts 70 and 70 mounted with the bushes 71, respectively. Each is fixed. The side flanges 62c and 63c are provided on the inner side in the width direction of the vehicle in the left side portion 62 and the right side portion 63, respectively, from the brake pedal of the vehicle and the shift operating portion (shift pedal 81, shift rod 82 and shift arm 83). It is placed inside. As a result, the side flanges 62c and 63c do not interfere with the brake pedal or the shift operation portion while taking a shape projecting outward in the vehicle width direction of the left side portion 62 and the right side portion 63.
The screw holes 74 c and 74 c are provided at the left and right ends of the rear stay 74. The rear stay 74 extends in the left-right direction, extends downward, and then extends upward, and screw holes 74c and 74c are provided at the end extending upward. As a result, the screw holes 74c, 74c turn to the left and right, and the elastic deformation of the rear stay 74 can absorb the impact received by the under cowl 46. Furthermore, even if the mounting position of the under cowl 46 is slightly deviated, the under cowl 46 can be securely fixed to the vehicle.

Next, the under cowl 46 will be described using FIGS. 6 and 7.
The under cowl 46 is configured by assembling the front portion 61, the left side portion 62, the right side portion 63, and the lower surface cover 64. The left side 62 and the right side 63 are respectively connected to the left and right of the front portion 61, and the lower surface cover 64 is connected to the rear end of the lower portion of the front portion 61. By this configuration, even if any part of the under cowl 46 is damaged, it can be dealt with by replacing the corresponding part, and efficient repair is possible. By configuring the under cowl 46 covering the lower part of the complex shaped engine 11 by combining the four members, individual members can be made relatively smaller and simpler in shape, and the space of parts manufacturing and parts stock can be made more efficient Can be realized. In addition, the under cowl 46 can be configured to more conform to the shape of the engine 11, and the height of the under cowl 46 from the ground can be increased. In the under cowl 46, the height of the front portion 61 is lower than the heights of the left side portion 62 and the right side portion 63, and when viewed from the front of the vehicle, the under cowl 46 has a central portion recessed in the front upper portion It has a shape. However, even in such a shape, by configuring the left and right high portions with the left side portion 62 and the right side portion 63, and the low portion with the front portion 61, the large recessed portion is the individual parts front portion 61, left portion 62 And in the right side 63, it is not necessary to provide.

  The front upper portions of the left side portion 62 and the right side portion 63 are fixed to the front portion 61 by fasteners on the left and right of the upper portion on the rear surface of the front portion 61, respectively. The lower front portion of the left side portion 62 and the left front end portion of the lower surface cover 64 are both fixed to the front portion 61 at the lower left end portion of the rear surface of the front portion 61. The front lower portion of the right side portion 63 and the right front end portion of the lower surface cover 64 are both fixed to the front portion 61.

Engaging portions 61 d and 61 d are respectively provided on the left and right of the upper portion of the rear surface of the front portion 61.
The flange portion 62g provided on the front upper portion of the left side portion 62 and the flange portion 63g provided on the front upper portion of the right side portion 63 in the engaging portion 61d are fastened and fixed by screws 75, respectively. Further, stoppers 61s, 61s are provided at the left and right ends of the upper and lower centers of the front portion 61, and the claws 62e of the left side portion 62 and the claws 63e of the right side portion 63 abut each other. Thereby, the assembly | attachment precision of the left part 62 and the right part 63 with respect to the front part 61 improves.

  Further, at the left and right of the lower portion of the rear surface of the front portion 61, mounting portions 61m, 61m are provided. In the left mounting portion 61m, together with the flange portion 62f provided on the lower front of the left side 62, a stay 64b extending from the upper surface of the lower front of the lower surface cover 64 It is fastened and fixed. A stay 64b extending from the upper surface of the right front portion of the lower surface cover 64 is a fastener at the front portion 61 along with the flange portion 63f provided at the lower front portion of the right side portion 63 in the right attachment portion 61m. It is fastened and fixed by a screw 75.

Next, the configuration of connection between the lower end of the front portion 61 and the front end of the lower surface cover 64 will be described.
On the upper surface of the rear end portion on the lower side of the front portion 61, a plurality of insertion portions 61f extending in the rear direction are provided in the left-right direction. At the front end of the lower surface cover 64, a flange portion 64c is provided with a level difference on the upper side, and an opening 64e is provided in the flange portion 64c at a position corresponding to the insertion portion 61f of the front portion 61. The flange portion 64 c has a shape in which the front end portion of the lower surface cover 64 is raised by one step. That is, in a state where the lower surface of the flange portion 64c is in contact with the upper surface of the lower end of the front portion 61, the lower surface of the flange portion 64c is raised upward by the thickness of the lower end portion of the front portion 61 . The lower surface of the front portion 61 and the lower surface of the rear portion of the lower surface cover 64 with respect to the flange portion 64 c coincide with each other.
Thus, the flange portion 64c of the lower surface cover 64 is placed on the lower rear portion of the front portion 61, and the insertion portion 61f is inserted into the opening 64e to make the heights of the bottom surfaces of the front portion 61 and the lower surface cover 64 uniform. be able to. Further, the lower surface cover 64 can be easily assembled to the front portion 61 by the movement of the lower surface cover 64 in the front-rear direction.

The left flange portion 64d is provided on the left side portion of the lower surface cover 64, and when the flange portion 64c is placed on the lower end portion of the left side portion 62 in the same manner as the flange portion 64c described above The bottom surface of the lower surface cover 64 is configured to coincide with the bottom surface of the lower surface cover 64.
Thus, the heights of the bottom surface of the lower surface cover 64 and the bottom surfaces of the front portion 61 and the left side portion 62 can be matched. Similarly, the right side portion 63 can be provided with a portion overlapping with the lower surface cover 64 so that the height of the bottom surface can be made to coincide. In the under cowl 46, by matching the heights of the bottom surfaces of the constituent members, the air flow near the bottom surface is less likely to be disturbed, and adhesion such as mud can be reduced.

Next, the shape of the under cowl 46 around the exhaust device 33 will be described. A notch 46 a is provided at the lower part of the right side of the under cowl 46 (on the side where the exhaust pipe 34 is extended in the motorcycle 1). The notch 46 a is formed of a notch 64 k provided on the right side of the lower surface cover 64 and a notch 63 k provided on the lower side of the right side 63. The notch 46a corresponds to the position where the exhaust device 33 is disposed, and is wider toward the rear.
Thus, a space is provided between the under cowl 46 and the exhaust device 33, and the influence of the heat from the exhaust device 33 on the under cowl 46 can be suppressed. In addition, air flowing between the exhaust device 33 and the under cowl 46 prevents the exhaust device 33 and the under cowl 46 from being heated excessively.
In the under cowl 46, the height of the bottom portion of the under cowl 46 can be arranged closer to the engine 11 by opening the portion close to the exhaust device 33, and the height of the lowest part in the vehicle mounted state of the exhaust device 33 Can be adjusted to Further, the bottom surface of the under cowl 46 (the bottom surface cover 64 or the bottom surface portion 64m of the bottom surface cover 64) can be aligned with the lowermost surface of the exhaust device 33 in a side view below the engine 11.

Next, the lower surface cover 64 will be described.
The lower surface cover 64 is a member which can be divided with the under cowl 46, and is connected to the under cowl 46 (the front portion 61, the left side portion 62, the right side portion 63) as described above. Then, it is disposed below the engine 11 and covers the lower surface of the engine 11. As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the lower surface cover 64 has a substantially plate-like shape, a substantially rectangular shape in a plan view (bottom view), and a shape extending in the front-rear direction in a side view. The code FR indicates the front of the vehicle body, the code UP indicates the upper side of the vehicle body, and the code LEFT indicates the left side of the vehicle body.
In the lower surface cover 64, flanges 64c and 64d are provided at the front end (the end in the traveling direction of the vehicle) and the left end, and an opening 64e is provided in the flange 64c provided at the front end.
The lower surfaces of the flange portions 64c and 64d are raised upward by the thickness of the connection portion of the front portion 61 or the left side portion 62 to be connected, respectively. The flanges 64 c and 64 d are configured such that the bottom surface of the lower surface cover 64 and the bottom surfaces of the front portion 61 and the left portion 62 coincide with each other in the assembled state of the under cowl 46.
In addition, an insertion portion 61 f that protrudes rearward from the front portion 61 of the under cowl 46 is inserted into the opening 64 e of the lower surface cover 64 to improve the assembly accuracy of the front portion 61 and the lower surface cover 64. Thus, foreign matter and the like can be prevented from entering the connection portion between the lower surface cover 64 and the front portion 61.
Then, an insertion portion 61 f that protrudes rearward of the front portion 61 is inserted into the front portion of the lower surface cover 64, and an insertion portion 74 a that protrudes forward from the rear stay 74 is inserted into the rear portion of the lower surface cover 64. Thereby, the lower surface cover 64 is reliably held by the under cowl 46. At the connection portion between the lower surface cover 64 and the front portion 61 located in front of the lower surface cover 64, a protrusion is provided from the lower surface cover 64 toward the front portion 61, and an opening is provided in the front portion 61. It can also be combined.

On the bottom surface portion 64m which is a main portion of the lower surface cover 64, a plurality of ribs 64r are provided along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The rib 64r is provided linearly from the middle part of the front part of the bottom surface part 64m toward the rear end part, and has a shape projecting downward from the bottom surface part 64m. The rib 64r is provided at a position where the rib 61r provided on the front portion 61 coincides with the lateral direction of the vehicle.
In addition, a drain hole is provided at the front end of the rib 64r, and water and the like in the rib 64r are discharged. The thickness of the member in the rib 64r is the same as that of the bottom surface portion 64m, and is shaped as if a plate having a predetermined thickness is bent. Thereby, in the bottom surface portion 64m which occupies a large area in the lower surface cover 64, the rigidity of the bottom surface portion 64m is increased without increasing the thickness of members, and deformation such as warpage or twisting of the lower surface cover 64 is prevented. it can.
Since the bottom surface portion 64m is configured by such a shape that can be easily molded, the weight of the lower surface cover 64 can be reduced, and the molding accuracy can be improved. Further, by providing the rib 64r on the bottom surface portion 64m, when the bottom surface portion 64m is deformed by an external force (e.g., when the central portion of the lower surface cover 64 is pushed up), the path of the deformation portion becomes longer by the rib 64r. Thereby, the displacement per unit length can be reduced, and the durability of the bottom portion 64m can be improved.

Next, the material of the lower surface cover 64 will be described. The lower surface cover 64 is made of polypropylene.
Polypropylene is a thermoplastic resin and is a material having a low melting point and high moldability. In addition, it has no water absorbability and it is difficult for muddy water to adhere to the surface. The lower surface cover 64 is configured in a complicated shape at its end as described above. By forming this member from a highly moldable polypropylene resin, the molding process of the lower surface cover 64 can be facilitated. And the energy which shaping | molding requires can be reduced and efficiency improvement in manufacture and the reduction of exhaust CO2 can be implement | achieved.
In addition, since polypropylene is a material having a low specific gravity, weight reduction can be achieved and traveling performance can be improved as compared with the case where a material having a higher specific gravity, such as a metal material, is attached to a vehicle. Then, the center of gravity of the vehicle is disposed at the upper side, and the maneuverability is improved.

Since the lower surface cover 64 is made of a polypropylene material different from the other portions of the under cowl 46, the degree of freedom in molding the lower surface cover 64 is increased. Variations of the under cowl 46 can be easily increased. The notch 64k for avoiding the exhaust device 33 provided in the lower surface cover 64 configures the notch 46a of the under cowl 46 together with the notch 63k of the right side 63.
The notch 46a of the under cowl 46 is divided and configured, and the material of the divided member is different. Therefore, the shape of the member can be set according to the material characteristic of the corresponding member. That is, the shape of the notched portion 64k can be set independently of the shape of the notched portion 63k of the right side portion 63, the degree of freedom in design is increased, and the shape can be easily made suitable for the material.
Further, since the notch 46a is formed by the lower surface cover 64 and the right side portion 63, in the lower surface cover 64 and the right side 63, the formation portion of the notch 46a can be made into a simple shape. Thereby, at the lower part of the under cowl 46, the notch 46a which is opened long from the rear to the front can be formed by a member having a simple shape.

Polypropylene is a material having excellent impact strength and flexibility. For this reason, it is difficult to transmit an impact to other members of the under cowl 46 by using polypropylene for the lower cover 64 of the under cowl 46 which is frequently damaged by collisions such as stepping stones, and the durability of the under cowl 46 is improved. Do. In addition, by not painting the surface of the lower surface cover 64, the manufacturing efficiency of the lower surface cover 64 can be improved, and the cost in replacing the lower surface cover 64 can be reduced. Furthermore, when the other portion of the under cowl 46 is made of a material different from that of the lower surface cover 64 such as ABS resin, the connection portion between the lower surface cover 64 and the under cowl 46 is discontinuous in material. Thereby, the impact received by the lower surface cover 64 is less likely to be transmitted to the other members of the under cowl 46.
In addition, the flexibility and water repellency of polypropylene can be maintained. Furthermore, since it is a site that is frequently damaged by rough ground or the like, it is possible to reduce the impact on the environment without scattering the coating pieces of the lower surface cover 64.

As described above, according to the embodiment to which the present invention is applied, the motorcycle 1 is provided with the engine 11 and the under cowl 46 disposed on the front lower side of the engine 11. The under cowl 46 is separate from the front portion 61 covering at least a part of the front and left and right sides of the engine 11 and is separate from the front portion 61 and connected to the front portion 61 and is a lower surface disposed below the engine 11 And a cover 64.
According to this configuration, the lower cover 64 connected to the front portion 61 is provided for the left and right split under cowl covering the lower side of the engine. For this reason, the height from the ground to the under cowl 46 can be secured, and a clean (streamlined) outer appearance shape in which complicated shapes such as the engine 11 are not exposed below the central portion of the motorcycle 1 in the front-rear direction. You can In addition, in various road surface shapes such as steps and uneven lands, contact of stepping stones and steps with the engine 1 can be prevented by the under cowl 46, and running performance can be secured. Further, since the front portion 61 and the lower surface cover 64 are connected to each other, the under cowl 46 receives an impact caused by contact with the stepping stones or uneven ground. For this reason, since it becomes difficult to transmit the impact received by the lower surface cover 64 at the connection portion with the front portion 61, it is difficult to transmit the impact to the engine 11, the vehicle body frame 10 and the like. Thereby, the fall of the external appearance and performance of the engine 11 by driving | running | working, such as a rough ground, can be reduced. Since it is possible to replace only the bottom cover 64 which is frequently damaged, it is easy to maintain the appearance of the motorcycle 1 and the maintainability is also improved.

Further, the front portion 61 includes a left side portion 62 and a right side portion 63 covering the left and right side surfaces of the engine 11, and heights of lower ends of the left side portion 62 and the right side portion 63 are equal to heights of the lower surface cover 64.
According to this configuration, the clearance between the engine 11 and the under cowl 46 can be easily secured compared to the left and right split under cowl, and the contact frequency with the road surface can be reduced in traveling on uneven terrain, etc. The engine 11 can be protected. Furthermore, the area of parts required for protection of the lower surface of the engine 11 can be made smaller than that of the left and right split under cowl, and the engine 11 can be protected efficiently.

Further, a notch 46a that is wider toward the rear of the exhaust device 33 is provided on the mating surface of the front portion 61 and the lower surface cover 64.
According to this configuration, the influence of the heat from the exhaust device 33 on the under cowl 46 can be mitigated. In addition, a space can be secured around the exhaust device 33, and maintainability such as cleaning with the under cowl 46 attached can be secured. Furthermore, the under cowl 46 can be disposed close to the exhaust system while maintaining a space between the under cowl 46 and the exhaust system, and the height from the ground to the under cowl 46 can be increased.

In addition, on the front of the lower surface cover 64, an insertion portion 61f is provided which protrudes to one of the front portion 61 and the lower surface cover 64, and an opening 64e is formed on the other so as to mate with the insertion portion 61f.
According to this configuration, since the lower surface cover 64 is assembled in the front-rear direction by the insertion portion 61f and the opening 64e, an assembly error due to parts can be reduced. In addition, the parts of the under cowl 46 (the front 61 and the bottom cover 64) can be easily assembled, the maintainability can be improved, and the change in the appearance due to the user's maintenance hardly occurs.

The material of the lower surface cover 64 is polypropylene.
According to this configuration, the weight of the lower surface cover 64 can be reduced as compared with materials such as metal, and the traveling performance can be improved. And by reducing the weight of the lower surface cover located at the lower part of the vehicle, the center of gravity position of the vehicle is raised, and the maneuverability is improved.
In addition, since polypropylene which is easy to process is used, the efficiency of molding of parts can be improved. As it deforms at a much lower temperature range than metal, molding and repair of the lower surface cover 64 is facilitated. As a result, the energy efficiency at the time of molding can be improved, and the amount of CO 2 emission in the manufacturing process can be reduced. Since it is used for the lower surface cover 64 located below the engine 11, the influence by ultraviolet rays can be greatly reduced. Furthermore, the lower surface cover 64 is less likely to be broken due to the flexibility of the polypropylene resin at the time of contact with the stepping stones and the steps, and the durability of the lower surface cover 64 is improved. When mud or the like adheres and dries, the bottom cover 64 is lightly hit to cause a small deflection, so that the mud or the like that has dried and stuck can be easily dropped. Since the sound quality of the sound generated at the time of contact with the stepping stone or the step is different, the user can easily recognize whether the contact with the lower surface cover or the contact with another member such as a metal member. Even if the lower surface cover is damaged, spattering of fragments can be reduced.

Further, the surface of the lower surface cover 64 is not painted. Without painting, the entire lower surface cover 64 is used with the molding material exposed.
According to this configuration, the painting process of the parts can be omitted, and the parts can be manufactured efficiently. When the lower surface cover 64 comes in contact with a rough road surface, the coating film is less likely to scatter, and the influence on the environment can be reduced. In addition, since the characteristics of the material of the lower surface cover 64 can be used as it is, when polypropylene having no water absorbability is used, it is possible to reduce soiling due to rain water and muddy water, cleaning of the lower surface cover 64 becomes easy, and maintenance can be improved. .

The embodiment described above is merely an aspect of the present invention, and can be arbitrarily modified and applied without departing from the spirit of the present invention.
Further, although the motorcycle 1 has been described as an example of the saddle-ride type vehicle in the above embodiment, the present invention is not limited to this, and the present invention has three front wheels or two rear wheels. The present invention is applicable to all straddle-type vehicles such as straddle-wheeled vehicles and straddle-type vehicles equipped with four or more wheels.

1 Motorcycles (saddle-type vehicles)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 2 Body frame 31 Crankcase 33 Exhaust system 34 Exhaust pipe 46 Under cowl 46a Notch part 61 Front part 61 f Insertion part 62 Left part 63 Right part 64 Bottom cover 64 e Opening part

Claims (6)

A straddle-type vehicle comprising: an engine (11); an under cowl (46) disposed below the front side of the engine (11);
Said under cowl (46) is an under cowl body (61) covering at least a part of the front and left and right sides of said engine (11);
And a lower surface cover (64) which is separate from the under cowl main body (61), connected to the under cowl main body (61), and disposed under the engine (11). A straddle-type vehicle.   The under cowl main body (61) includes side surfaces (62, 63) covering the left and right side surfaces of the engine (11), and the height of the lower end of the side surface (62, 63) and the lower surface cover (64) The straddle-type vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the heights are the same.   On the mating surface of the under cowl main body (61) and the lower surface cover (64), a notch (46a) that becomes wider as it approaches and aft the exhaust system (33) of the engine (11) The straddle-type vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising:   A protrusion (61f) which protrudes to one of the under cowl main body (61) and the lower surface cover (64) is provided in front of the lower surface cover (64) and the other has the protrusion (61f) 4. A straddle-type vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising an opening (64e) that mates with the vehicle.   The straddle-type vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a material of the lower surface cover portion (64) is polypropylene. The saddle-ride type vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein a surface of the lower surface cover portion (64) is not painted.

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