Braking Sensation Analysis for Scooter

Much of the development of a motorcycle is devoted to the rider's “kansei” or sensitivity. For the development of a brake system, absolute braking power is not enough to bring a motorcycle to a safe and accurate stop; it is necessary to match the braking force to the user's “kansei.” Thus, a clear understanding of the essence of the user's evaluation is a prerequisite for making a motorcycle that satisfies users.

When evaluating brake performance, development engineers use terms such as “controllability”, “stability”, and “braking power” to describe the user feel. However, not much study has been made as to what image users hold of these terms. We have, therefore, made a comparison between a panel of development engineers and a panel of general users as to the different images of such feeling terms held by them respectively. As a result, we have found major differences between the two groups in the way they derive the feeling terms and in the factors that lead to their overall feeling evaluation.