Hi,
I’m new here, though I check out the forums occasionally. I am studying an MA in Industrial Design and need some survey input from male and particularly female riders . It is fairly short and anonymous, but would be great if I could get some feedback.
I would appreciate it if anyone can pass this on to fellow motorbike riders, many thanks ! Here is the link :
Survey
and some sketches - hand drawn and digi airbrush 
Female rider here. Do you now what type of bike you’re going to design yet?
I just took your survey… hope it was of some help. Unfortunately i am not female. I would think about adding another question to your survey to ask how long has the person been riding for. That in essence would allow for another insight into the user and their input.
As far as the open ended questions, people really dont like doing so many of them in a survey, although in an interview, yes they are the most effective.
What is your design direction so far?
Thanks to you both - it’s much appreciated.
I only asked for female riders particularly because I haven’t had many responses from female riders ! I don’t mind if you’re either as long as I get some feedback.
Yeah - I didn’t like the open ended set of questions either, but my course tutor wanted them in there - ah well !
Many thanks for your input…
I am designing a race/superbike which will essentially turn from a track day bike to a road bike, adjusting aerodynamics etc… i hope !
What school/year are you?
The project sounds very interesting… have you done any interviews?
What would change between my track bike and then my road bike… currently riding a “crotch rocket” I wouldnt mind it being a little more racy than anything else…
will it be a suspension change in height/ ride stiffness that you design into the bike where for track day you lower and elongate your bike to make it more agressive to the track, and pull the ride height up a bit afterward and softening the suspension to allow for normal street use (things such as potholes, speed bumps etc.)?
Who is your target rider/user?
Crotch Rocket, haha never heard that term before.
The direct Dutch translation would be ‘kruis raket’, which translated back to english means ‘cruise missile’.
Sorry to be offtopic 
nice sketches!
A very good question. I am a complete newbie and have a totally different perspective. Another question that relates to your rider safety questions may be to ask if the respondent has taken a motorcycle safety course.
Thanks for feedback,
Yes my aim is to have a ‘race mode’, which will stiffen suspension, change the steering sensitivity, bring the bike lower, rear view mirrors will fold into the fairings and some other aerodynamic systems that I don’t want to mention yet as I haven’t seen them on a motorbike before. It is also a styling project, so there will be a clay body 1:1 model if I have the time, with various body styling concepts I have in mind.
I am studying for an MA in Loughborough, UK and this is my final project. I also work full time in architecture and interior design and have an engineering degree ! oh yeah - and I am also starting my own design consultancy too…
I’ve done a few interviews and discussions with bikers at work. Unfortunately I was limited to the number of questions (10) online and I thought I had asked how long had people had bee riding ! I’ve had about 20 responses now, so its a bit late to change it.
I know of a couple female AMA road racers. I think they race kawasaki 600’s if it will help? Not designers tho
design-engine that would be great ! I’m not looking for designers per se, its just I’m studying design so its more beneficial to post here. I should really post on a motorbiker forum too, but I don’t like joining lots of forums 
I have an '07 CBR600RR that I ride on both the street and the track. My track day preperation consists of removing all of the stock bodywork, lights, signals, putting on aftermarket fiberglass, and changing tires to track day specific DOTs (I actually have an extra set of stock wheels and just swap them). Frame sliders and case cover protectors are also track bike necessities.
Your comment about lowering the bike for the track may not be a good idea. The way bikes are designed these days if you lower them they start grounding parts at max lean. If you design around the lowered suspension you will not be optimal when the suspension is jacked up. I think the aerodynamic improvements (assuming that is why you are doing it) are negligible compared to the can of worms you will be opening up trying to optimize the suspension geomentry and rest of the bike for two different ride heights. Just my 2 cents…
Thanks A-line,
Good feedback I’m still in concept stage at the moment so I can always discard ideas which don’t work - that’s the whole point of research and discussion after all ! Though aerodynamic and new styling concepts are the main feature - I will rethink the viability of suspension lowering, though there might be some set up as a concept where it is stiffened in a ‘race mode’.
The idea of having one set of suspension settings for street and one for track (and maybe others like street with a passenger) that change with the touch of a button would be awesome. Something that changes preload, low and high speed compression and rebound, and maybe even things like steering angle and swingarm pivot height, all controlled by computer (and optimized through software with inputs on rider weight, road surface type [bumpy or smooth, etc], passenger and/or lugguage weight, riding style, street or track, etc.), assuming it didn’t add excessively to weight, is what I see as the future of motorcycling.
And the more I think about it, maybe altering the ride height could be viable, assuming the suspension geometry and settings are optimized and ground clearance is taken into account. If you had control over all of the variables and were able to adjust for each ride height, it might work. I take back my previous statement…
Hi ID34
Sounds like a good project. Would be interesting to see progress.
Do not want to spoil your suspension dream but the Change on the push of a button is there. Made by WP (holland) and sold by BMW as an option called ESA.
About lowering the bike for track use…Well working 4 years for Hyperpro Suspension thought me a few things.
Lowering for track use is not good for clearance for 2 reasons.
1 it brings the bike closer to the track (as said above)
2 it brings the CG lower. good for cars on tracks BAD for bikes on tracks. Bringing the CG down makes need for a bigger lean angle (with same speed and corner radius) The are vector diagrams to make this clear.
What would be nice is getting your feet on the ground in street use.
And having a good turning bike on the track.
This can be done by Lowering the rear on the street and having it higher on the track.
As a suggestion.
B-art
Thanks for the feedback guys… I’m nearly at the proper design stage - not quite yet as I’m still getting feedback
There is obviously an issue with quite a few people (especially the girls) on not being able to put their feet down and they seem to drop the bike alot - from questionnaire feedback so that is a definite issue !
I will see how best to work all this into a good design…
Cheers everyone - and I’ll keep you posted on progress…
Warhead @ iD34 Ltd
Some update design concept sketches
First batch of sketches- Nice. I like the look and feel of most of the components. I would love to see how each components design language translates on the overall design.
On the second batch of sketches, I see a complete bike, but the feel is alot softer and more like the profile of a trike. I would make the tail a little higher to give it a more aggressive look and to help prevent wheelies.
The female sportsbike concepts I’ve seen in the past all have a softer feel to them, but most of the women I know who ride like the aggressive street bike look.
Those are some really nice sketches. Good focus and exploration of the details. I agree with Big Country and like the raised stance of the seat found in the first batch of sketches as well.
Good luck and great work.
I have been doing track days too. Yamaha R6
foot pegs where ends brake off and easy to screw a new peg end back in if that first one does not survive a low side.
I think the blow molded parts are often overkill. too thick and heavy but necessary to channel airflow to the airbox often under the tank.
stock bike should be easy to pass customs or code but also easy to make inexpensive set up for track days. For example: easy set up for front and rear suspension. Most racers replace to OLINS suspension right way because the japanise bikes are made for smaller people.