Experimental analysis of a motorcycle semi-active rear suspension

The topic of this paper is the experimental analysis and development of a control system for a semi-active suspension in a 2-wheel vehicle. The control system is implemented via a semi-active electro-hydraulic damper located in the rear suspension of a motorbike. The entire design and analysis procedure is carried out: the semi-active damper is characterized; a wide range of control strategies is recalled and an innovative semi-active algorithm (Mix-1-Stroke) based on a single-sensor layout is proposed. The strategies are then implemented in the Electronic Control Unit of the motorbike. Tests, both on test-bench and on-road, are presented. The result is the comparative analysis of a wide portfolio of different suspension control strategies, which shows the effectiveness of the Mix-1-Sensor rationale.