Rider Cooperative Control of Rear-Wheel-Swing Motorcycle Based on Divergent Component of Motion

We previously proposed a motorcycle with a bal- ance assist function that can generate a self-balancing moment by changing the front wheel fork slant angle. Although this method reduces the risk of falling over, it makes it difficult for the rider to go in the desired direction due to interference by the front wheel assist. In order to solve this problem, this paper proposes a rear-wheel-swing assist mechanism that minimizes the influence on the front wheel steering operation. A method for realizing cooperative control with the rider using the divergent component of motion is also proposed. The results of an extremely low-speed U-turn test are used to show that the proposed methods provide stability while maintaining drivability.