Harley-Davidson working on self-balancing motorcycle technology

- Harley-Davidson’s self-balancing technology patent leaked

- Employs a mechanical gyroscope to prevent the bike from tipping

- Will be mounted in the motorcycle’s top box

As attractive and appealing Harley-Davidson motorcycles are, they could be equally tough to handle due to their heavy weight, especially at low speeds. Also, once tipped over, picking up a Harley requires a lot of strength and technique which we all may not perfectly possess. However, the American bike maker is working on a solution for this by developing a self-balancing technology which will aid in preventing the motorcycle from toppling over.

The whole system which will be working as a self-balancing mechanism will be mounted inside the motorcycle’s top box. It comprises of a gimbal which houses a high-speed flywheel for allowing the former to rotate in two axes. The flywheel, in essence, is a mechanical gyroscope – the main component in keeping the bike upright. 

The heavy flywheel is spun by an electric motor at up to 20,000rpm after the bike slows down below a certain speed. This is followed by the gimbal’s roll axis being locked which is then connected to an actuator for moving the gimbal on the roll axis. Controlled by a computer, the actuator tilts from left to right and creates a force against the direction of the bike’s tilt to avoid it from tipping. 

The system, once starts being offered with Harley-Davidson models, will be a great boon for riders who find the heavy weight of the Harleys difficult to handle. 

Patent Source

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