Suzuki has filed a patent for a hybrid motorcycle which will be powered by a four-cylinder engine and an electric motor. It will also get a semi-automatic transmission.
Superbikes have been evolving since years now. Different brands have come up with different ways to differentiate their products and up the power ratings of their offerings. From time to time people have felt that now that the bikes have become so advanced, what next? However, manufacturers are still able to come up with new and new technology which not only improves the performance but also makes these machines a lot more usable and practical. Suzuki is also planning to do the same now by coming up with a superbike with a hybrid powertrain.
Suzuki has filed a patent in Japan for a hybrid superbike recently. The images reveal that it will feature an inline four-cylinder motor coupled with an electric motor transferring the power to the rear wheel through a semi-automatic transmission. The electric motor looks neatly incorporated very close to the engine with the inverter and the battery finding place under the seat. When the bike is running on petrol engine only, the transmission keeps spinning the electric motor to keep it at the optimum charge level so as to let it provide the needed boost in hybrid mode.
Another great piece of technology to feature on the new Suzuki superbike would be the semi-automatic transmission. It allows manual shifting of gears without pulling the clutch lever making shifts faster and easier. While the shifting is still done via the rider’s left foot, it is controlled electronically via sensors detecting the angle of the shift lever and deciding whether to upshift or downshift. The Transmission Control Unit (TCU) releases the clutch soon after and executes the gear change. It works in symphony with the ECU and controls the throttle input with gear changes. The Japanese superbike will also come with a mode selector switch which helps in choosing between pure electric, electric assist and power generation modes.
Source – Motorcycle.com
