TWO WHEELED VEHICLE

• US 20080169148A1
• Filed: 01/17/2007
• Published: 07/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Polaris Industries Incorporated (Polaris Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Polaris Industries Incorporated (Polaris Inc.)
• Inventors: Vorndran, Ronald A., Chevalier, Mark W., Beiber Hoeve, Jason William
• Granted Patent: US 7,748,746 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/219
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 35/00 Fuel tanks specially adapted for motorcycles or engine-assisted cycles; Arrangements thereof fuel tanks forming part of cycle frames B62K11/00; tanks in general B60K ; closure caps for fuel tanks B60K15/0406
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 11/04 characterised by the engine being between front and rear wheels

Abstract

A two-wheeled vehicle, a touring motorcycle, is disclosed. The touring motorcycle may include multiple fuel storage tanks arranged in a split side-by-side configuration. The touring motorcycle may include a rear suspension having a linkage which moves in a direction not parallel with a centerline plane of the motorcycle. The touring motorcycle may include a tip-over structure which prevents unwanted tip-over of the motorcycle.

Claims

1. A two-wheeled vehicle, comprising

a front wheel;

a rear wheel generally positioned in line with the front wheel along a longitudinal plane of the two-wheeled vehicle;

a frame supported by the front wheel and the rear wheel;

an engine coupled to the frame and operably coupled to the rear wheel to power the rear wheel;

a steering assembly coupled to the front wheel, the steering assembly being moveable to steer the front wheel; and

a fuel storage tank supported by the frame and operably coupled to the engine, wherein the steering assembly includes an upper portion above a top horizontal plane of fuel storage tank and a lower portion below a bottom horizontal plane of the fuel storage tank, the lower portion being coupled to the upper portion through a middle portion, at least a portion of the middle portion being positioned rearward of a front vertical plane of the fuel storage tank.

2. The two-wheeled vehicle of claim 1, wherein the fuel storage tank is positioned laterally outward of the middle portion of the steering assembly.

3. The two-wheeled vehicle of claim 2, further comprising a second fuel storage tank having a portion positioned laterally outward of the middle portion of the steering assembly.

4. The two-wheeled vehicle of claim 3, wherein the fuel storage tank is positioned to a first side of the longitudinal plane of the two-wheeled vehicle and the second fuel storage tank is positioned to a second side of the longitudinal plane of the two-wheeled vehicle.

5. The two-wheeled vehicle of claim 4, wherein an interior of the fuel storage tank and an interior of the second fuel storage tank are in fluid communication.

6. The two-wheeled vehicle of claim 5, wherein a first fluid conduit connects in fluid communication a lower portion of the interior of the fuel storage tank and a lower portion of the interior of the second fuel storage tank and a second fluid conduit connects in fluid communication an upper portion of the interior of the fuel storage tank and an upper portion of the interior of the second fuel storage tank.

7. The two-wheeled vehicle of claim 1, wherein the middle portion is forward of a back vertical plane of the fuel storage tank.

8. The two-wheeled vehicle of claim 1, wherein the top portion includes handlebars.

9. The two-wheeled vehicle of claim 1, wherein the middle portion includes a lower portion of a handlebar member.

10. A two-wheeled vehicle, comprising

a front wheel;

a rear wheel generally positioned in line with the front wheel along a longitudinal plane of the two-wheeled vehicle;

a frame supported by the front wheel and the rear wheel;

an engine coupled to the frame and operably coupled to the rear wheel to power the rear wheel;

a steering assembly coupled to the front wheel, the steering assembly being moveable to steer the front wheel; and

a plurality of fuel storage tanks supported by the frame and operably coupled to the engine, wherein a first fuel storage tank and a second fuel storage tank are positioned forward of the rear wheel and in a generally side-by-side configuration.

11. The two-wheeled vehicle of claim 10, wherein the first fuel storage tank is positioned to a first side of the longitudinal plane of the two-wheeled vehicle and the second fuel storage tank is positioned to a second side of the longitudinal plane of the two-wheeled vehicle.

12. The two-wheeled vehicle of claim 11, further comprising a side stand coupled to the frame, wherein the two-wheeled vehicle leans towards the second side when the two-wheeled vehicle is positioned in a parked configuration with the side stand supporting the two-wheeled vehicle and wherein the first fuel storage tank includes a fuel inlet to which a fuel cap is removably coupled.

13. The two-wheeled vehicle of claim 12, wherein the first fuel storage tank is in fluid communication with the second fuel storage tank and one of the first fuel storage tank and the second fuel storage tank is in fluid communication with a fuel line which is in fluid communication with the engine.

14. A two-wheeled vehicle, comprising

a front wheel;

a rear wheel generally positioned in line with the front wheel along a longitudinal plane of the two-wheeled vehicle;

a frame supported by the front wheel and the rear wheel;

an engine coupled to the frame and operably coupled to the rear wheel to power the rear wheel, the engine being positioned between the front wheel and the rear wheel;

a straddle seat supported by the frame, the straddle seat having a support surface; and

a battery operably coupled to the engine, the battery located generally forward of the engine.

15. The two-wheeled vehicle of claim 14, wherein a center of gravity of the two-wheeled vehicle is generally balanced between the front wheel and the rear wheel.

16. The two-wheeled vehicle of claim 15, wherein the center of gravity is about 3 percent forward of a midpoint of a line connecting an axle of the front wheel and an axle of the rear wheel.

17. The two-wheeled vehicle of claim 16, wherein the center of gravity is about 487 mm above the ground.

18. The two-wheeled vehicle of claim 14, further comprising a steering assembly and a fuel storage tank supported by the frame and operably coupled to the engine, wherein the steering assembly includes an upper portion above a top horizontal plane of fuel storage tank and a lower portion below a bottom horizontal plane of the fuel storage tank, the lower portion being coupled to the upper portion through a middle portion, at least a portion of the middle portion being positioned rearward of a front vertical plane of the fuel storage tank.

19. The two-wheeled vehicle of claim 14, wherein the battery is accessible from an exterior of the two-wheeled vehicle.

20. A two-wheeled vehicle, comprising

a front wheel;

a rear wheel generally positioned in line with the front wheel along a longitudinal plane of the two-wheeled vehicle;

a frame supported by the front wheel and the rear wheel;

an engine coupled to the frame and operably coupled to the rear wheel to power the rear wheel;

an airbox in fluid communication with the engine; and

a plurality of fuel storage tanks supported by the frame and operably coupled to the engine, wherein the plurality of fuel storage tanks overlap at least two sides of the air box.

21. The two-wheeled vehicle of claim 20, wherein a first fuel storage tank is positioned laterally outward of the air box.

22. The two-wheeled vehicle of claim 20, wherein an air channel in an interior of the first frame member forms the air box.

23. The two-wheeled vehicle of claim 22, wherein a first fuel storage tank of the plurality of fuel storage tanks is positioned above a portion of the air box, below the portion of the air box, and to a first side of the air box.

24. The two-wheeled vehicle of claim 23, wherein a second fuel storage tank of the plurality of fuel storage tanks is positioned generally to a second side of the air box opposite the first side.

25. The two-wheeled vehicle of claim 24, wherein the first fuel storage tank is positioned to a first side of the longitudinal plane of the two-wheeled vehicle and the second fuel storage tank is positioned to a second side of the longitudinal plane of the two-wheeled vehicle.

26. The two-wheeled vehicle of claim 25, wherein an interior of the first fuel storage tank and an interior of the second fuel storage tank are in fluid communication.

27. The two-wheeled vehicle of claim 26, wherein the first fuel storage tank and the second fuel storage tank are supported by the air box.