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This paper describes modeling methods used in the commercial BikeSim® simulation package to represent alternative suspension design concepts. The modeling method used for automotive suspensions is applied to define generic suspensions for motorcycles. This method can represent multi-link suspension systems as well as traditional motorcycle suspensions with telescopic front forks and rear swing arms. Comparisons of two suspension types show a multi-link suspension can provide advantages over the traditional system for braking, acceleration (throttle), and cornering. Similar comparisons made with a chain-drive powertrain and a shaft-drive powertrain show less jacking with the chain-drive design. Although the math models include complex nonlinear motions, the computational efficiency supports fast operation; on a 2.8 GHz PC the simulation runs eight times faster than real time.

Alcohol-blended fuel is receiving increasing attention for its ability to provide cleaner automotive exhaust gas. Alcohol-blended fuel is however more corrosive than conventional gasoline and tends to corrode the materials of a fuel system. Use of nylon tubes or stainless steel tubes is now studied but is still accompanied by the unsolved problems of gas penetration and higher cost. As a technique pertaining to alcohol-blended fuel, single-wall tubes having excellent corrosion resistance have been developed by forming a Ni-base double plating layer on the inner walls of fuel pipes. Their corrosion resistance was evaluated using alcohol-blended fuel and the like.

Methods to evaluate the light degradation environment of automotive interior materials in the market have been studied. The aim for this study was calculating the light degradation environment quantitatively on the basis of meteorologically observed value. For the quantitative light degradation factor, Equivalent Total Sunshing Energy (ESE) was used. ESE was a value presented by the authors in 1982. Although ESE correlates closely with the degradation, it takes more than one year to determine at a given resion. With this new method, a monthly average daily ESE at the gien resion was estimated numetically based on the meteorologically observed monthly average solar radiation and monthly maximum air temperature at the resion. The calculated value in relation to actual measured value were accurate to within 10%.

A method of making light durability estimation of automotive interior materials has been investigated, and the Equivalint Total Sunshine Energy (ESE) is obtained to combine the detrimental factors during outdoor use, e.g., light intensity, exposure period, and thermal conditions. Outdoor exposure tests and measurement of ESE are carried out with the same materials using many different exposure conditions, for example, three exposure sites, three exposure periods and four seasons. All observed deterioration characteristics caused by the outdoor exposure tests show excellent correlation with the ESE value.