- The suspension adjusts the pre-load according to the riding terrain
- Lowers down the height on slowing down
- Uses a stroke sensor to collect data while on the move
Showa Corporation, a renowned Japanese suspension manufacturer, has developed an automatic height adjustable suspension system for motorcycles which is called the EERA Heightflex. The company recently demonstrated the technology at the Human and Car Technology Exhibition 2019 Yokohama and, has confirmed that the development has reached a stage where mass production is feasible.
Talking about the working mechanism of the EERA Heightflex, the setup adjusts the seat height of the motorcycle depending on the road surface while it’s being ridden and, resets it back to the selected height just before stopping the motorcycle. To achieve this, Showa uses a stroke sensor which collects data as the bike starts moving for appropriate damping, based on the type of terrain it is ridden on. With the help of this accumulated data, a hydraulic pump adjusts the pre-load accordingly in order to make the ride smoother for different terrains. Moreover, the drop in height on reducing the pace makes it easier for the rider to place the feet down on coming to a halt.
The electronic suspension has been adopted by various premium motorcycle brands such as Aprilia, Ducati and BMW. However, these setup require selection of damping parameters from the rider’s end while EERA Heightflex selects the pre-load automatically which makes it more futuristic. Reports suggest that Showa will get this suspension setup into mass production by 2021.
