Comfort assessment of motorcycle saddles: a methodology based on virtual prototypes

This paper illustrates a research work carried out in order to allow a comfort-oriented optimization of motorcycle saddles. The aim of the work is to develop a numerical tool (CAD/FEM) to assist the designer willing to take comfort into account as a primary requirement for saddle design. This paper briefly illustrates the basic steps of the methodology. The authors, after obtaining a set of parametric CAD models of both saddle and rider, simulated the contact occurring between these components by means of a FE solver, thereby obtaining a comfort level estimate. The results, validated by a set of experimental tests, can be used both to evaluate the comfort level of an existing saddle and to improve the saddle design. The work demonstrated the feasibility of the proposed approach, capable of providing useful hints for a comfort-oriented design, already from the early stage of stylistic design of motorcycle saddles and, possibly, of other products.