A motorcycle includes an electric motor having an output shaft defining a motor axis, a rear wheel drivably coupled to the electric motor to propel the motorcycle, a swingarm rotatably supporting the rear wheel, and a frame. The frame includes a main frame member supporting the electric motor and the swingarm. A case of the electric motor is a stressed member of the frame between the main frame member and the swingarm. The swingarm is coupled to the case of the electric motor to define a swingarm pivot axis that is co-axial with the motor axis.

A vehicle suspension pre-load management system is disclosed. At least one suspension component, such as a motorcycle shock absorber, has an expandable chamber that with increased volume of a nearly incompressible fluid increases the suspensions pre-load. In one embodiment the system utilizes a controller, a pressure sensor, a pump, and a number of solenoids in a manifold block to allow a user to set a desired pre-load level. In another embodiment the controller monitors the pressure of the chamber and maintains a desired pre-load setting. In yet another embodiment, the controller identifies a hard braking event such that would cause a brake dive and increases the pre-load to counter act the dive.

A vehicle includes: an electric prime mover; a frame member acting as a load bearing member of the vehicle; and a structural member functionally connected to the frame member. The structural member is capable of supporting the electric prime mover rotatably. The electric prime mover includes a shaft fixedly mounted to the structural member and that is disposed substantially in a lateral direction of the vehicle. The shaft fixedly supports a stationary member of the electric prime mover and the shaft rotatably supports a rotating member of the electric prime mover. A cable assembly extends outward from the stationary member through a cable path defined by the shaft. The cable path includes a portion provided with a caulking member capable of securely holding the cable assembly thereat. The cable assembly includes an external sheath forming at least an outer periphery of the cable assembly.

A vehicle with a power unit includes: a body frame with said power unit mounted to said body frame; at least one front wheel supported by the body frame in a front portion, and at least one rear wheel supported by the body frame in a rear portion; an electric machine capable of assisting said power unit; and an auxiliary power source electrically connected to said electric machine. The vehicle further includes a first set of foot pegs for a rider and a second set of foot pegs for a pillion. A quadrilateral region is defined between said first set of foot pegs and said second set of foot pegs, and said electric machine and said auxiliary power source are disposed substantially within said quadrilateral region when viewed from vehicle top.

A cargo-carrying wheeled vehicle comprising: at least a cargo hold chassis (10); at least a battery support chassis (30) configured to be operatively behind or operatively ahead or operatively underneath said cargo hold chassis (10); and at least a rider and pillion support chassis (20) configured to be operatively behind said battery support chassis (30) and operatively behind said cargo hold chassis (10), in that, said cargo hold chassis (10), said battery support chassis (30), and said rider and pillion support chassis (20) cooperate to maintain centre of gravity of said vehicle, after addition of cargo and rider and pillion, relatively lower (closer to ground) and substantially on or very near to the centerline of the wheelbase of this vehicle (between 10a and 12a).

A shock absorber includes a hollow cylinder body extending in an up-down direction, a rod pipe located on an axis of the cylinder body, provided to be relatively movable in an axial direction of the cylinder body with respect to the cylinder body, and provided in a form of receiving a force in the axial direction, a rod-shaped support body extending inside the rod pipe with an upper end fixed, a stroke sensor including a coil and a conductor provided to be able to detect relative displacement of the rod pipe with respect to the support body, and a hollow intermediate member provided between the inner peripheral surface of the rod pipe and the support body to allow movement in the axial direction.

A two-wheeled vehicle includes a frame assembly, a plurality of ground-engaging members for supporting the frame assembly, and a cooling assembly positioned below a head portion of the frame assembly and intermediate vertically-extending frame tubes of the frame assembly. A lower end of the cooling assembly is coupled to a lower end of the vertically-extending frame tubes, and an upper end of the cooling assembly is frictionally retained at an upper end of each of the vertically-extending frame tubes.

A cushion connecting rod of a saddled vehicle is configured in such a manner that an initial failure condition can be visually recognized in combination with fiber composite material and metal without using a special adhesive. A cushion connecting rod as a long member applied with a load when a swing arm is swung against a springing force of a rear cushion is configured in such a manner that a part of a surface of a metallic member is covered with an endless fiber-reinforced plastic. The fiber-reinforced plastic adheres to the surface of the metallic member with a film adhesive. Supporting portions applied with the load are provided at both ends in a longitudinal direction of the metallic member. A recessed portion and a plurality of lightening holes are formed between the supporting portions at both the ends, the recessed portion being configured in such a manner that a thickness dimension of the metallic member is set to be smaller than a thickness dimension of the supporting portions. The fiber-reinforced plastic covers surfaces of the supporting portions and the recessed portion.

In a saddle riding vehicle including: a sprocket driven by a power transmission member; a sprocket support member that supports the sprocket and that is connected with a wheel; a damper member that is housed in a recessed portion in a hub of the wheel and disposed between the hub and the sprocket support member, the damper member being deformed through a relative rotation between the hub and the sprocket support member; and a resistance mechanism that dampens the relative rotation between the hub and the sprocket support member, the sprocket support member includes an extension portion that covers an outer periphery of the hub from an outside in a radial direction, and the resistance mechanism is disposed between an inner periphery of the extension portion and the outer periphery of the hub.

The integrated tank and compressor mounting system for a motorcycle has a mount block which has a mounting face, and a compressor clamp. The mount block has a threaded cylindrical section which forms a tank mount for mounting a tank. The tank has a cylindrical tubular section closed at one end and threaded at the other end such that the tank threads correspond to the mount block threads. The tank provides air for an air suspension which includes a forward suspension unit activated by air and an aft suspension unit activated by air. A supply line connects the tank air volume to an inlet valve on the suspension control unit. The suspension control unit has a cylindrical forward control valve passage and the forward control valve passage has a forward transfer chamber.