TEST RIDE P96 MOTOINNO TS3

FUNCTIONAL, NOT FUNNY BUILDING A BETTER FRONT END VOL. 52 ISSUE 37 SEPTEMBER 15, 2015 P97

Telescopic forks have been the norm for BY ALAN CATHCART years but are far from perfect. The latest PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEPHEN PIPER attempt to build the better fork is this ver since the telescopic triangulated steering fork was invented back and suspension system in 1908 by Britain’s Alfred found on the prototype E Motoinno TS3. Angas Scott, founder of the Scott Motor Cycle Company, engineers have been looking for an alterna- tive means of mounting the front wheel in a frame, while at the same time steering the vehicle with it. Scott’s tele fork was undamped, but in the 1930s, BMW took the concept to the next level, and the first production carrying a hydrauli- cally damped telescopic fork were its R12 and R17 models, which debuted in 1935. Soon after, in 1939 Denmark’s Nimbus concern introduced hydraulic damping on its four-cylinder models, which since 1933 had been equipped with an unsprung tele fork, and after the hiatus caused by WWII, in the late 1940s telescopic fork front suspension rapidly became the norm globally. It did so complete with all the drawbacks that a telescopic fork is known to suffer from, includ- ing stiction caused by increased friction driven by the fork tubes bending slightly, aka deflection. This happens most commonly under heavy braking, when, more- over, excessive brake dive will use up wheel travel and thus dimin- ish damping capability, as well as delivering inconsistent steer- ing geometry during turn-in to a bend. This happens when braking forces fed through the suspen- TEST RIDE P98 MOTOINNO TS3 sion cause it to compress under Alan Cathcart got the chance load, and thus to reduce rake recently to test and trail, making the handling the latest—and more nervous, while conversely much improved— assisting with turn-in to the apex version of the of a given bend. Furthermore, Motoinno TS3. the fact that steering and sus- pension are coupled together means that one influences the other to the detriment of each, especially, once again, under braking. But the fact that a tele fork is still today the go-to option for motorcycle manufacturers in ev- ery single continent—irrespective of price or performance—results from technology having been de- veloped to paper over these de- ficiencies, even if some of these solutions bring added problems in their wake. So, an upside- down fork is not only heavier and more costly to manufacture, but also has the propensity to lose all its damping oil should a fork seal fail—although its increased torsional stiffness can improve handling by reducing or eliminat- ing deflection, while also de- creasing the unsprung weight, which enhances suspension compliance. The reluctance of manufacturers—with the notable today remains the only volume duplication of the Saxtrak front exception of BMW—to risk public production manufacturer to fit suspension design created by disapproval by adopting avant- what mechanical luddites term a British engineer Nigel Hill for garde technology for the highly funny front end to their customer the Motodd and Saxon visible front end of their models, models. Still, so far the German Triumph road racers a decade has meant that, more than a company’s engineers have yet before BMW dreamt up their century on from when Scott in- to display much original thought copy, but which he unfortunately vented it, the tele fork still rules. in concocting an alternative omitted to patent. Conversely, That isn’t for lack of trying front suspension design, since the Duolever fork BMW fits to its to find an alternative, though— the Telever front end adorn- K-series models is a copy of the and not just from BMW, which ing their range of mainstream fourche Fior invented by maver- Boxer models is an outright ick French designer Claude Fior VOL. 52 ISSUE 37 SEPTEMBER 15, 2015 P99

over seven days on a device powered by a tiny 221cc engine. Comparable hub-center systems were developed by Britain’s Jack Difazio in the 1970s, as used most famously on the Mead & Tomkinson Kawasaki endurance racer nicknamed Nessie, then by French designers Alain de Cortanze and Daniel Trema on the myriad different versions of the ELF 500GP and FIM Endur- ance racers, through to the mod- ern day Bimota Tesi and its cousin. Radically different non- tele fork designs have also come from, among many others, Ernie Earles, Jean-Bertrand Bruneau of @ToMo fame, Phil Irving of Vincent, Andy Stevenson of ASP, John Britten—whose later bikes carried what is essentially a Fior fork made in carbon fiber—and of course US engineer James Parker, whose RADD front end equipped the avant-garde Yama- ha GTS1000 introduced in 1993. Sadly for those who believe that motorcycle chassis designers shouldn’t stay rooted in the past, but instead invest in the future, the Yamaha wasn’t a commercial success, and no other volume back in 1978, only it wasn’t him of charge. Nice work if you can manufacturer—apart from BMW— who patented it. Zimbabwean get it! has dared since then to swim F1 mechanic Norman Hossack But there have been literally against the tide of convention. had the same idea a couple of dozens of other attempts to build But that hasn’t stopped years later, and this time he did a better front end over the past smaller companies like Ariel, patent, even though by rights he century, starting with the hub- with its new girder-fork Ace GT should never have been granted center Ner-A-Car produced on that’s just reached production, that, since Fior had the idea first. both sides of the Atlantic after its or enthusiastic engineers from But Hossack forgot to keep up 1921 debut, on which Cannon- outside the industry, from trying the payments needed to renew ball Baker rode from New York to develop a better front end the patent, leaving BMW free to to Los Angeles in 1922, covering that isn’t just funny, but also jump in and appropriate it free more than 3,300 miles in just TEST RIDE P100 MOTOINNO TS3 functional. The most recent such attempt has emanated from Australia, where Queenslanders Ray Van Steenwyk and Colin Oddy have founded Motorcycle Innovation Pty Ltd. in Brisbane to develop their hub-center proto- type named the Motoinno TS3— standing for triangulated steering and suspension system. This proof-of-concept prototype uses a stock 2002 Ducati 900SS motor, fitted with a Power Com- mander to optimize the modi- fied shorty exhaust, in a radical chassis that’s essentially been milled from solid alloy billet, as the platform to develop their decidedly unique front-end sus- pension and separate steering system, for what they hope will be eventual worldwide sale. And since I may immodestly claim to have quite extensive experience

(Above) Despite looking heavy, the TS3 front- end design results in a lighter overall motorcycle. (Left) Leaned over or on the brakes, rake and trail stay the same. VOL. 52 ISSUE 37 SEPTEMBER 15, 2015 P101

tion to develop a radically differ- But there ent motorcycle front end. have been “I started riding bikes when I was just 16,” says BMW K1200R literally owner Van Steenwyk, “but with- dozens out much understanding of how they worked. But in 1995 after of other finishing up a really tough movie attempts to shoot, I got laid low with chronic fatigue that put me in bed for build a better eight months. During that time I front end had nothing to do except think, and since one of my passions over the past was restoring old motorcycles, century. I’d started to notice all the dif- ferent fork designs and steering geometry of various bikes. But I Okay, but first off: What led also became aware of the copi- to this? Van Steenwyk, 53, has ous drawbacks of tele forks, so over 30 years of advertising, fea- I figured there must be a better ture film and TV production work way to do this. After gathering to his credit, meaning he has a up everything I could find written solid background in art direction, about alternative front suspen- 3D animation, and media design sion, I started work on designing and production. He’s also a something different than teles. of both riding and racing mo- self-taught mechanical engineer But this had to be squeezed in torcycles with alternative front- who’s proficient in CAD, and has between my film industry work, end designs, they invited me to studied motorcycle dynamics as so it actually took me 10 years come and sample the result, and well as much of the relevant data to figure out this current design. not just once, either. First time on alternative two-wheeled steer- Having done so, my business around was at a private test track ing and suspension systems, partner Colin urged me to quit near Brisbane, but then when I with the of bringing the TS3 playing with the CAD mouse, encountered a major fault in the to fruition. Business partner and actually build the bike. I was design, I got a second ride on Colin Oddy, 64, is also a veteran up in Canada working on the the TS3 Evo2 version earlier this of the TV and movie sector, Incredible Hulk movie when he year 1,000 miles further south, having enjoyed a 20-year career convinced me to give it a shot, at the Broadford track in rural bringing high-end productions so I quit the same week and Victoria. To experience firsthand of the Australian film industry to came back to Australia to set the effective way in which Van fruition. Proficient as he there- up Motorcycle Innovation with Steenwyk, the system’s inventor, fore is in sourcing both finance Colin. The TS3 is the result.” addressed the fault and com- and hardware to make abstract Since then the Motoinno pletely corrected it, gave every concepts achieve reality, Oddy TS3 has been developed over confidence that he’s on the right makes an effective partner in a seven-year period, with CAD path with the TS3. pursuing Van Steenwyk’s ambi- designs and FEA component TEST RIDE P104 MOTOINNO TS3 simulations completed early in trying to make the factory Ducati 2009, then fed to a CNC fabri- Desmosedici handle properly cator who unfortunately made for Valentino Rossi, worked with them lose momentum by doing the duo to produce a compliant nothing at all for twelve months. and stable handling bike which “We lost $20,000 in parts and delivered impressive results in a materials to this man of daily same-day comparison test with excuses,” says Colin Oddy. “We a GSX-R750. This was finally had to pull the plug on conducted by Greg McDonald him after only two finished and using his Track Motion telemetry usable components were made system with a sampling rate of within the space of a year. We 100 times per second (three were hemorrhaging money, so times greater than the MoTeC we borrowed a UTE and arrived norm), and analysis of the data at the workshop unannounced, gathered identified the Motoinno loaded the engine and left with- TS3 as having a consistently out retrieving any of our raw ma- higher turn rate than the Suzuki, terials, which had somehow got for less lean. It was able to enter used for other people’s jobs.” a corner faster under brakes, Still, this meant that Van hold a tighter line through the Steenwyk was forced to adapt turn, and could be picked up his film industry talents to faster on the exit of the corner. become a self-taught expert in Each test recorded showed CNC machining and chrome- that the Motoinno gained up to one second per corner over the moly welding. “It wasn’t a total (Above) Aussies Ray Van Steenwyk loss in the end,” says Ray. “My GSX-R750 in the hands of the (left) and Colin Oddy founded bullshit meter is now very well same rider. That’s a lot! Motorcycle Innovations Pty Ltc. in refined, and I got an apprentice- At this stage the Australian Brisbane to develop their hub-center prototype Motoinno TS3. ship in fabrication, even though Federal Government stepped it was an expensive and frustrat- Looks complicated but it works. ing one.” In 2011 the TS3 was finally as- sembled on behalf of Motorcycle Innovation by Sydney-based Ar- thur Spink, whose MecFX com- pany builds all manner of com- plex machinery for the Australian film and TV industry. Initial track testing got under way in Novem- ber 2011, with eminent expertise on hand to dial in the suspen- sion in the shape of MotoGP setup guru and former star rider Warren Willing, who in between VOL. 52 ISSUE 37 SEPTEMBER 15, 2015 P105

able to put the design of the TS3 straight into production.” So that’s the future, but now how about the present? What are we dealing with here? What is the objective of this design? “Telescopic forks are plagued with many well-known problems including stiction, fork collapse under heavy braking, incon- sistent steering geometry in braking and acceleration, a long shock load path from the front wheel to the [center of grav- ity] of the motorcycle, and so on,” says Ray. “But the biggest problem with any fork, including even Telelever or Duolever, is oscillation harmonics, which is a sometimes imperceptible vibra- tion frequency that unsettles the front of the bike. The most well- known of these, because it’s the most violent and obtrusive, in with a Skills and Knowledge ested in turning back the tide of is the dreaded tank slapper, but Commercialization grant amount- manufacturing that right now has many smaller frequencies can ing to $50,000. “This essentially been leaving Australia, and will also lead to instability as well, funded our patent protection back us to get started. We want as in a commonplace front end process on the front end de- to build a sportbike powered by low side. Oscillation harmonics sign,“ says Van Steenwyk. “The the 2014 Ducati Testastretta 11º will occur to some extent on all next step will be a $250,000 Monster 1200 powerplant. Even bikes with the steering pivot set manufacturing grant, to enable though this engine is down on or held above the front axle and us to start producing bikes for horsepower compared to other which retain any form of stan- sale, and they’re relatively rare; Ducati engines, with only around chions, tubular or otherwise, with the decline in Aussie manu- 150 bhp compared to the top to hold the front axle. That’s facturing, only two or three other end 200 bhp Panigale 1300, the because the stanchions or fork manufacturing people have ap- TS3’s great power-to-weight ratio tubes act as unbalanced levers plied for such a grant, compared will easily make up for this, and up to 30 inches long in the to IT and suchlike. We have to this engine has great midrange case of some telescopic forks, bring an investor to the party to torque, exactly what’s needed which flex both horizontally and obtain that, so that the govern- for a well-balanced motorcycle laterally when the front wheel ment will effectively match their that is safe and fun to ride. The encounters either a road force investment, but we’re hopeful of Testastretta engine retains all deflection through the tire, or finding someone who’s inter- the necessary hard points to be braking forces are applied to the TEST RIDE P106 MOTOINNO TS3 contact patch in any of several scenarios, such as inline accel- eration, corner lean, or braking. These forces can be multiplied three-fold to the steering head- stock, before traveling down to the center of gravity of the machine. A hub-center system like ours can overcome most of these vibrational frequencies by separating steering from suspen- sion and braking, and by placing the steered kingpin in the center of the front wheel.” “However, there are still substantial loads placed on these kingpins at the center of the wheel hub,” continues Ray. “These create oscillation har- monics due to the commonplace 600mm diameter of the front wheel fitted with a tire that sur- rounds it. This is where our TS3 technology comes into its own,

Here is the preliminary design of the TS3.

(Above) Will the Motoinno TS3 chassis ever see production? It’s still too early to tell but its certainly heading in that direction. VOL. 52 ISSUE 37 SEPTEMBER 15, 2015 P107

aluminum swingarm pivoting in Apart from the Ducati engine’s crankcases, looking via a direct-action cantilever. The unusual format the pretty partners have chosen sees good in the TS3’s front swingarm pivot directly off the Ducati engine’s a completely front mounting lug, making the engine a fully stressed chassis radical kind member. Because steering is of way, my separated from the suspension and braking force, there’s no hands-on need for a bulky, strong and assessment heavy chassis such as those required on normal designs with is that the telescopic or BMW-type steered Motoinno stanchion systems. This reduces the overall weight considerably, concept has a so in spite of being over-engi- neered and therefore heavier lot going for it. in prototype form than it would be in production, the TS3 has a and trail geometry constant dry weight of just 354 pounds, throughout suspension travel, as with a 52/48% split on a tight as the only system with a virtual well as providing inbuilt pro-dive 54.9-inch wheelbase. This is kingpin that starts at the contact or anti-dive, and speedy rake 66-pounds lighter than the stock patch of the tire, travels through and trail as well as damping and 437-pound Ducati 900SS, which the hub center along the steer- preload adjustment all very read- the engine unit and not much ing axis, and ends above the ily. And with braking separate else was sourced from, thanks front wheel. The whole system from suspension, it means you not only to the aviation-grade is perfectly triangulated from the can also trail-brake deep into the aluminum chassis and swingarm, wheel axle back to the suspen- apex of a turn, because there’s but also the eventual substitution sion arms, and then to a point only as much front-end dive of the original metal wheels by above the front wheel, making it as you choose to dial into the South African-made BST carbon extremely strong and reducing setup, meaning the fork doesn’t wheels. These notably reduce the chance of oscillation har- freeze because of excessive rotational mass as well as monics arising from the wheel or dive, but suspension continues unsprung weight, meaning they the kingpin to almost zero.” to be provided as per normal by help the bike accelerate and But that’s not all, because in the fully adjustable front shock. brake better, and also lighten addition to separating steering On the TS3, a pair of fully adjust- up the steering because of their and suspension, the TS3 has able AFCO T2 shocks specially reduced weight and mass. That parallelogram swingarms, which developed for the radical chassis also comes from the bike’s radi- together with the triangulated package are fitted, the rear one cal steering geometry, currently steering mechanism, keep rake operated by the machined billet- set at 19º of rake with 3.9 inches TEST RIDE P108 MOTOINNO TS3 Currently, the TS3 is powered by a stock 2002 Ducati 900SS motor.

of trail, though the effective head handles, and the TS3 is way on the TS3 by grounding either angle can be adjusted between more agile in changing direction. side of the articulated front 15º and 24º. According to Ray It’s flickable and highly maneu- swingarm, thanks to the shape Van Steenwyk, empirical track verable without feeling nervous, and location of the good-looking testing has indicated that when with a wide 54º steering lock vestigial piece of metallurgy on the steering rake is increased to compared to around 38º on a either side of the wheel. This its maximum of 24º the steering tele forked bike that results in encourages you to max out turn becomes lighter and quicker, an ultra-tight turning circle little speed via heaps of faith in the while conversely when set to more than twice the length of the front Pirelli Diablo Rosso, though its minimum of 15º rake with bike. This would be a great bike only after I’d corrected the tire decreased trail, the steering be- to use in city streets, and ideal pressures from the bone hard comes heavier and slower, quite for courier use! And compared 34/38 psi the team had started the opposite of a tele fork setup. to the Bimota Tesi I raced for out with, to the grippy 32/30 What struck me at once the Italian factory for three years psi we ended up with. This gave the first time I rode the TS3 (whose steering lock was ad- much more feel as well as im- in Queensland was how slim versely affected by the horizontal proved grip and compliance. and nimble it was. I had a swingarms either side of the However, that wasn’t apparent 900SS Ducati in my garage for front wheel), there’s no fear of first time of asking at my initial six years, so I know how that running out of ground clearance test of the bike in Queensland, VOL. 52 ISSUE 37 SEPTEMBER 15, 2015 P109

where as I speeded up I began ferent situations dynamically. But dock entrance, or best of all the encountering a severe front end I needn’t have worried, because uphill turn one at the end of the shimmy if I hit a bump when even Van Steenwyk had done his pit straight, where holding off slightly leaned over from vertical. homework well. The near-termi- the brakes to a point that would This lack of stability was dra- nal shimmy had been replaced have been suicidal on a tele- matic enough to be frightening, by a great sense of stability and forked bike, allowed me to keep though fortunately not terminal, composure; the Motoinno was up hard-earned uphill momentum in my case, but was quickly di- now predictable in its behavior, as I rounded the turn onto the agnosed just by holding the front and thus confidence inspiring, top straight. There, the TS3 rode wheel between your legs and the bumps on what amounts to wiggling the handlebars, which a tarmac staircase really well, revealed a huge amount of slop Each test even with enough torque from the in the steering. Yet how could recorded desmodue motor to lift the front such an eminent technician as wheel over the first step, in which Warren Willing have given such showed case even though there was no a design the thumbs-up? Turned that the steering damper, it would only out the rose joint in the steer- flap the front wheel once very ing had worn quite dramatically, Motoinno quickly, before resuming normal necessitating a redesign as well gained up to service. And best of all it was very as upgrading the component to stable under hard braking from the best available off the shelf. one second high speed, even trailbraking into Ray Van Steenwyk redesigned per corner the off-camber right at the end the front wheel hub/kingpin unit of the straight, with not a trace of on the bike and addressed all over the the shimmy it had suffered from potential issues of bearing slop GSX-R750 in before. Job done. throughout the system, while The only slight initial quibble also adapting it to the use of the hands I had was that I got some bump BST carbon wheels, which he of the same steer descending through the calculates reduced the rotational esses, where the light, precise mass by 50% on the front wheel, rider. That’s steering of the TS3 came into and 30% at the rear. Ten months a lot! its own, as the quickest steering later it was time for me to try the hub-center bike of the many I’ve bike again, this time at Broadford sampled. That’s especially so with the supple suspension suf- where it immediately started tick- compared to the Bimota Tesi, ficiently well damped to absorb ing all the boxes. which thanks to the copious Broadford’s more significant I’ll admit to some trepidation links and changes of direction as I upped the pace at the tight, bumps on the angle. As I upped in the steering between the twisty Victorian track, which we the pace and gradually began front tire’s contact patch and the were able to use thanks to the using all of the front Pirelli’s con- handlebars definitely didn’t have support of track manager Nick tact patch to increase and hold the same front-end feedback Selleck. Broadford is in fact an turn speed, the TS3 responded that the Motoinno has. I doubt I excellent test venue in spite of its well. I could brake later and later ever went through the Broadford short length, since it allows you on the angle into a turn like the Esses quicker on any of the 50 to replicate a wide range of dif- 180º right-hander by the Pad- or so bikes I’ve ridden at Broad- TEST RIDE P110 MOTOINNO TS3 ford down the years than I did on the TS3 before that happened to of those, and has a better turn- the TS3, although it was repeat- be convinced that Oddy and Van ing circle, plus there may well edly briefly pushed off line riding Steenwyk are on to something be more suspension travel at the over a bump on the apex of the here. Apart from looking pretty front, though I didn’t measure right-hand exit while still off the good in a completely radical kind that. But I do think the system throttle, most likely due to too of way, my hands-on assessment that Ray Van Steenwyk has soft a setting on the front shock is that the Motoinno concept has come up with deserves to be to cope with the weight transfer tested on a faster, more potent going downhill. However, after platform, so I hope he and 25 laps or so I Colin Oddy are able to started getting source the third party the front end financial support that’ll chattering on the persuade the Govern- only true left-hand- ment giveaway mob to er on the circuit, uncork the taxpayer’s the last off-camber money bottle to bend before the finance the building pit straight. There of that Testastretta- wasn’t any trace of powered streetfighter, this on all the many and thus create a 21st right-hand bends, only century version of the late there. After narrowly and not entirely lamented avoiding hitting the dirt the second or third time of Bimota Tesi. asking, I stopped to investigate, With the TS3 design, there is no Australia is the can-do coun- and after some searching the chance of the front swingarm try, a nation where problems cause was identified by eagle- making contact with the tarmac. are opportunities, adversity a eyed Paul Barker, who’d brought challenge, and a glass is always the bike down from Queensland a lot going for it. The constant half full, rather than half empty, in his truck. The bolt holding front end geometry it offers at all a place where people don’t the upper triangular link where it times, even braking hard on the wonder if they can overcome pivots in the left frame spar had angle, means it has optimum sta- any problems or difficulties, only sheared in half, with imaginable bility yet a superior level of feel how that can be done. It makes compared to other hub-center consequences. Still, that’s test- you wonder why with the excep- ing! Ray Van Steenwyk reckons systems I’ve tried. This gives you tion of John Britten in New Ze- it should be made of high quality more confidence. A key problem land, nobody Down Under that steel rather than stainless, and I had in racing both the Tesi and that’s a given throughout such the Saxon Triumph was front tire I know of, at any rate, ever tried an unconventional bike as this, feedback, and I can honestly say to design an alternative-framed where unexpected forces are what I had in riding the Moto- motorcycle until now. But now being fed through so many dif- inno was comparable to a tele the partners in Motoinno have ferent components. forked bike’s. It’s more agile and gone and done it and good luck But I got enough seat time on lighter/quicker steering than one to them. CN