Experimental Investigations on Appendages of a Racing Motorcycle

In this experimental work, a detailed analysis of the wind tunnel measurements on scaled motorbike models equipped with different front wings was performed considering four wing configurations operating at different Reynolds numbers and roll angles. Global forces acting on the models were measured by a high-resolution dynamometric balance, while velocity fields in the wake were measured by means of the Particle Image Velocimetry technique. Throughout the paper, overall models’ performances are investigated, demonstrating similar behavior for drag coefficients and various trends for lift coefficients. The without- and single-wing configurations were shown to have positive sign, and conversely, the double- and closed-wing cases—with negative sign—generated downforce due to the presence of significant upward velocities, which in turn modified the wake shape. Furthermore, the improvements in closed-wing configuration compared to without- and single-wing ones were noticeable, while slight enhancements were observed for the double-wing case.

It is evidenced how PIV technique can be used to advance the wing design by capturing the wake velocity and circulation. The proposed simple geometrical configurations are feasible at low costs and with easy manufacturing.