Saddle-type vehicle

Abstract

The present invention provides a saddle-type vehicle with meters positioned to minimize their impact on handling stability. [Solution] The saddle-type vehicle comprises a vehicle frame (11) with a head pipe (18), a front fork (14), and a meter (70) fixed to the front fork (14). The front fork (14) comprises a top bridge (55), a bottom bridge (60), and a pair of left and right fork pipes (30) supported by the top bridge (55) and the bottom bridge (60). The meter (70) and the top bridge (55) overlap in a fork-direction view taken along the direction in which the fork pipes (30) extend, and also overlap in a meter-orthogonal view taken from a direction perpendicular to the display surface of the meter (70). The meter (70) and the top bridge (55) do not overlap in a vehicle-plan view.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a saddle-type vehicle.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, in a saddle-type vehicle, a meter is disposed in front of a top bridge (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Patent Document 1 describes a meter having a meter display portion provided on an upper surface and a coupler support portion that extends rearward from the meter display portion and supports a meter-side coupler. The meter described in Patent Document 1 is supported by the top bridge in a state where the coupler support portion enters below the bottom bridge and can be steered integrally with the top bridge. In the meter of Patent Document 1, a wiring-side coupler is connected to the coupler support portion, and a wiring extending from the wiring-side coupler is close to a peripheral portion of a head pipe.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Generally, when a meter is steerable together with a front fork, if the meter is too far from the head pipe, the weight of the meter is likely to affect the steering stability. On the other hand, if the meter and the head pipe are too close, a harness or the like extending from the meter becomes dense around the head pipe, which is likely to affect the air bleeding during running and has an impact on the steering stability. That is, the positional relationship between the meter and the head pipe affects the steering stability. The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a saddle-type vehicle in which a meter is disposed so as to suppress the influence on the steering stability.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] A saddle-type vehicle comprises a vehicle frame with a head pipe, a front fork steerably supported by the head pipe, and a meter fixed to the front fork, wherein the front fork comprises a top bridge positioned above the head pipe, a bottom bridge positioned below the head pipe, and a pair of left and right fork pipes supported by the top bridge and the bottom bridge, and the meter and the top bridge overlap in a fork-direction view taken along the direction in which the fork pipe extends, and also overlap in a meter-orthogonal view taken from a direction perpendicular to the display surface of the meter, and the meter and the top bridge do not overlap in a vehicle-plan view. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] According to the present invention, the meter and the top bridge do not overlap in a plan view of the vehicle, thus preventing the meter from being too close to the head pipe. Therefore, it is possible to prevent harnesses and other components extending from the meter from becoming densely packed around the head pipe, making it easier to prevent airflow from accumulating around the head pipe. Furthermore, the meter and the top bridge overlap in a view towards the fork, as well as in a view perpendicular to the meter, thus preventing the meter from being too far from the head pipe. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the heavy meter from being too far from the steering axis, thus preventing steering from becoming heavy. Therefore, it is possible to provide a saddle-type vehicle in which the meters are positioned in a way that minimizes the impact on handling stability. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] This is a side view of a saddle-type vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a side view showing the frame of a saddle-type vehicle. [Figure 3] This is a perspective view showing the frame of a saddle-type vehicle. [Figure 4]This is a front view showing the area around the headlights of a saddle-type vehicle. [Figure 5] This is a plan view showing the area around the meter of a saddle-type vehicle. [Figure 6] This is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VI-VI in Figure 5. [Figure 7] This is a cross-sectional view taken along line VII-VII in Figure 5. [Figure 8] This diagram shows the relative positions of the meter, top bridge, and bottom bridge in a side view of the vehicle. [Figure 9] This diagram shows the relative positions of the meter, top bridge, and bottom bridge when viewed from the fork direction. [Figure 10] This diagram shows the relative positions of the meter, top bridge, and bottom bridge when viewed perpendicularly from the meter. [Figure 11] This diagram shows the relative positions of the meter, top bridge, and bottom bridge in a top view of the vehicle. [Figure 12] This diagram shows the relative positions of the meter, top bridge, and bottom bridge when viewed from the front of the vehicle. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the description, directions such as front, back, left, right, and up and down refer to directions relative to the vehicle body unless otherwise specified. In each figure, the symbol FR indicates the front of the vehicle body, the symbol UP indicates the top of the vehicle body, and the symbol LH indicates the left side of the vehicle body.

[0009] [Embodiment] Figure 1 is a side view of a saddle-type vehicle 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The saddle-type vehicle 10 is a vehicle that comprises a body frame 11, a power unit 12 supported by the body frame 11, a front fork 14 that supports the front wheel 13 in a steerable manner, a swing arm 16 that supports the rear wheel 15, and a seat 17 for the rider. The straddle-type vehicle 10 is a vehicle in which the occupant sits astride the seat 17. The seat 17 is provided above the rear part of the vehicle body frame 11.

[0010] The vehicle body frame 11 includes a head pipe 18 provided at the front end of the vehicle body frame 11, a front frame 19 located behind the head pipe 18, and a rear frame 20 located behind the front frame 19. The front end of the front frame 19 is connected to the head pipe 18. The seat 17 is supported by the rear frame 20.

[0011] The front fork 14 is supported by the head pipe 18 so as to be steerable left and right. The front wheel 13 is supported by an axle 13a provided at the lower end of the front fork 14. The steering handle 21 gripped by the occupant is attached to the upper end of the front fork 14.

[0012] The swing arm 16 is supported by a pivot shaft 22 supported by the vehicle body frame 11. The pivot shaft 22 is a shaft that extends horizontally in the vehicle width direction. The pivot shaft 22 is inserted through the front end of the swing arm 16. The swing arm 16 swings up and down about the pivot shaft 22. The rear wheel 15 is supported by an axle 15a provided at the rear end of the swing arm 16.

[0013] The power unit 12 is disposed between the front wheel 13 and the rear wheel 15 and is supported by the vehicle body frame 11. The power unit 12 is an internal combustion engine. The power unit 12 includes a crankcase 23 and a cylinder portion 24 that houses a reciprocating piston. An exhaust device 25 is connected to the exhaust port of the cylinder portion 24. The output of the power unit 12 is transmitted to the rear wheel , by a driving force transmission member that connects the power unit 12 and the rear wheel 15.

[0014] In addition, the saddle-type vehicle 10 includes a front fender 26 that covers the front wheel 13 from above, a rear fender 27 that covers the rear wheel 15 from above, a step 28 on which the rider places their feet, and a fuel tank 29 that stores the fuel used by the power unit 12. The front fender 26 is attached to the front fork 14. The rear fender 27 and the step 28 are provided below the seat 17. The fuel tank 29 is supported by the vehicle body frame 11.

[0015] FIG. 2 is a side view showing the vehicle body frame 11 of the saddle-type vehicle 10. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the vehicle body frame 11 of the saddle-type vehicle 10. In the present embodiment, the front frame 19 includes a main frame 31 that extends rearward and downward from the head pipe 18, a pair of left and right pivot frames 32 that extend downward from the rear end of the main frame 31, a down frame 33 that extends downward from a position below the front end of the main frame 31 in the head pipe 18, a pair of left and right lower frames 34 that extend rearward and downward from the lower end of the down frame 33 and then extend rearward and are connected to the lower end portions of the pivot frames 32, and a plurality of unit support portions 35 that extend in the vehicle width direction. The power unit 12 is supported by the unit support portion 35.

[0016] The rear frame 20 includes a pair of left and right seat frames 36 that extend rearward from the upper end portions of the respective pivot frames 32, and a pair of left and right rear sub-frames 37 that extend rearward and upward from the middle portions in the longitudinal direction of the pivot frames 32 and are connected to the middle portions in the longitudinal direction of the seat frames 36.

[0017] FIG. 4 is a front view showing the periphery of the headlight 41 of the saddle-type vehicle 10. FIG. 5 is a plan view showing the periphery of the meter 70 of the saddle-type vehicle 10. FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line VI-VI of FIG. 5. FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line VII-VII of FIG. 5. The front fork 14 includes a steering shaft 43 (see Figure 7) rotatably supported by the head pipe 18, a top bridge 55 supported by the upper end of the steering shaft 43 and positioned above the head pipe 18, a bottom bridge 60 supported by the lower end of the steering shaft 43 and positioned below the head pipe 18, and a pair of left and right fork pipes 30 supported by the top bridge 55 and the bottom bridge 60.

[0018] As shown in Figure 5, the fork pipes 30 are positioned on both the left and right sides of the head pipe 18. The upper part of the fork pipes 30 is supported by the top bridge 55. The lower part of the fork pipes 30 is supported by the bottom bridge 60. More specifically, the fork pipes 30 are inserted through the round holes 55b provided in the top bridge 55. The split groove 55a is then tightened by a fastening member. This attaches the upper part of the fork pipes 30 to the top bridge 55. Similarly, the fork pipes 30 are inserted through the round holes 60b provided in the bottom bridge 60. The split groove 60a is then tightened by a fastening member. This attaches the lower part of the fork pipes 30 to the bottom bridge 60.

[0019] Between the top bridge 55 and the bottom bridge 60, a turn signal stay 38 is provided on the fork pipe 30, close to the bottom bridge 60 (see Figure 4). The turn signal stay 38 extends outward in the vehicle width direction. A front turn signal 39 is supported at the outer end of the turn signal stay 38 in the vehicle width direction.

[0020] A pair of left and right light support stays 40 are provided at both the left and right ends of the top bridge 55. The light support stay 40 consists of a protruding stay 40a (see Figure 1) that protrudes forward from the front end of the top bridge 55, and a fixed stay 40b that is triangular in side view and fixed to the protruding stay 40a (see Figure 1). The fixed stay 40b is fixed to the protruding stay 40a at two points, top and bottom. The headlight 41 is also fixed to the fixed stay 40b at one point on the triangular top. As a result, the headlight 41 is supported at the front end of the light support stay 40, as shown in Figure 5. In this embodiment, the headlight 41 is monocular. The headlight 41 is a round-type headlight that is circular in front view. The headlight 41 is fixed to the respective fixed stays 40b on the left and right.

[0021] As shown in Figure 6, a recessed area 41a is formed on the upper surface of the headlight 41. The recessed area 41a is formed on the upper surface of the headlight 41 where the meter 70 overlaps in a plan view of the vehicle.

[0022] A pair of handle holders 42 are supported on the upper surface of the top bridge 55. The handle 21 is supported by the pair of handle holders 42. The handle 21 has handle grips 44R and 44L at both ends. The driver steers the front wheel 13 by holding the handle grips 44R and 44L and operating the handle 21.

[0023] A right handlebar switch 45R is provided to the left of the right handlebar grip 44R. A harness 46 extending toward an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) (not shown) is connected to the right handlebar switch 45R. The harness 46 extends forward and to the left from the right handlebar switch 45R and is routed in front of the head pipe 18, crossing the right fork pipe 30.

[0024] To the left of the right handlebar switch 45R, the right lever holder 47R is provided. The master cylinder 48, brake lever 49, and right rearview mirror 50R are supported by the right lever holder 47R.

[0025] A brake hose 48a is connected to the master cylinder 48 (see Figure 4). The brake hose 48a is routed to the lower side of the top bridge 55 via a brake hose stay (not shown) which is fixed to the right-side headlight support stay 40. This brake hose stay is fixed to the inside of the right-side headlight support stay 40 in the vehicle width direction.

[0026] To the right of the left handle grip 44L, there is a left handle switch 45L. A harness (not shown) extending towards the ECU is connected to the left handle switch 45L.

[0027] To the right of the left handle switch 45L is the left lever holder 47L. The clutch lever 51 and the left rearview mirror 50L are supported by the left lever holder 47L.

[0028] The clutch lever 51 is connected to a cable (not shown) that extends to a transmission (not shown) of the power unit 12. The cable passes in front of the top bridge 55 and extends below the top bridge 55.

[0029] As shown in Figure 5, a key cylinder 56 into which a key can be inserted is located at the front of the top bridge 55. In this embodiment, the key cylinder 56 is located between the head pipe 18 and the right side of the handlebars 21 in the vehicle width direction. In the front-rear direction, the key cylinder 56 is located in front of the fork pipe 30. Thus, in this embodiment, the key cylinder 56 is offset to the right from the center line (center of the vehicle width) CL in the vehicle width direction.

[0030] A meter 70 is positioned on the left front side of the key cylinder 56. In the vehicle width direction, the meter 70 is positioned on the opposite side (left side) from the key cylinder 56 with respect to the center line CL in the vehicle width direction. In other words, in this embodiment, the meter 70 is offset to the left with respect to the center line CL in the vehicle width direction. This allows the meter 70 and the key cylinder 56 to be positioned side by side rather than in a vertical line front to back. Therefore, it prevents the meter 70 and the key cylinder 56 from being positioned too far from the steering shaft 43 in order to avoid interference between them. In other words, the key cylinder 56 and the meter 70 can be positioned so that they are not too far from the steering shaft 43.

[0031] Figure 8 shows the relative positions of the meter 70, top bridge 55, and bottom bridge 60 in a side view of the vehicle. Figure 9 shows the relative positions of the meter 70, top bridge 55, and bottom bridge 60 in a view towards the fork. Figure 10 shows the relative positions of the meter 70, top bridge 55, and bottom bridge 60 in a view perpendicular to the meter. Figure 11 shows the relative positions of the meter 70, top bridge 55, and bottom bridge 60 in a top view of the vehicle. Figure 12 shows the relative positions of the meter 70, top bridge 55, and bottom bridge 60 in a front view of the vehicle.

[0032] Note that in Figures 8 to 12, only the head pipe 18, top bridge 55, bottom bridge 60, and meter 70 are shown; other components are omitted. In this embodiment, the fork direction view is the direction in which the center line of the fork pipe 30 extends, as shown by arrow S1 in Figure 8. The meter perpendicular view is the direction perpendicular to the display surface 71a of the meter 70, as shown by arrow S2 in Figure 6.

[0033] As shown in Figures 8 to 12, the meter 70 is positioned in front of the top bridge 55. The meter 70 is supported by a meter stay (not shown) extending from the top bridge 55. The meter 70 is supported on its underside by the meter stay.

[0034] As shown in Figure 9, the meter 70 has a display unit 71 that displays the speed, and an extension unit 72 that extends from the outer periphery of the display unit 71 toward the outer periphery of the display unit 71. The display unit 71 has a roughly cylindrical shape. The display unit 71 includes a meter device body 71b (see Figure 6) which houses a drive unit for driving the meter 70 and a control board. A flat display surface 71a is provided on the upper surface of the meter device body 71b. An indicator 73 for displaying various information is provided on the display surface 71a. The indicator 73 displays, for example, the engine speed, shift pattern, fuel level, and the status of various lights. The display unit 71 includes a transparent cover member 74 to protect the display surface 71a.

[0035] The extension portion 72 accommodates the meter device body portion 71b that cannot be housed in the display portion 71. A meter-side coupler 72a is provided on the lower surface of the extension portion 72 (see Figure 8). The meter-side coupler 72a protrudes forward as it extends downward from the lower surface of the meter 70. In this embodiment, the meter-side coupler 72a is L-shaped when viewed from the front (see Figure 12). That is, the harness 76 is connected to the meter-side coupler 72a from the right side.

[0036] The meter-side coupler 72a is positioned in a location that overlaps with a recess 41a provided on the upper surface of the headlight 41 when viewed from above (see Figure 6). The meter-side coupler 72a enters the recess 41a of the headlight 41 from above. Therefore, the entire headlight 41 and meter 70 can be arranged compactly, and at the same time, the harness 76 is covered by the headlight 41, improving the appearance of the saddle-type vehicle 10 and protecting the harness 76 from the outside.

[0037] In this embodiment, the top bridge 55, bottom bridge 60, and meter 70 are positioned at an angle with respect to the horizontal line L1 when viewed from the side of the vehicle. More specifically, as shown in Figure 8, when viewed from the side of the vehicle, the angle of inclination θ2 formed by the horizontal line L1 and the imaginary line L3 extending longitudinally through the extension portion 72 of the meter 70 is larger than the angle of inclination θ1 formed by the horizontal line L1 and the imaginary line L2 extending longitudinally through the top bridge 55. In other words, the inclination of the meter 70 by the imaginary line L3 with respect to the horizontal line L1 is steeper than the inclination of the top bridge 55 by the imaginary line L2 with respect to the horizontal line L1. Therefore, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 8, the inclination of the display surface 71a of the meter 70 with respect to the horizontal plane L1 is steeper than the inclination of the upper end surface of the top bridge 55 with respect to the horizontal line L1.

[0038] Furthermore, the acute-angle inclination angle θ2 formed by the virtual line L3 of the meter 70 and the horizontal line L1 is greater than the acute-angle inclination angle θ3 formed by the virtual line L4 extending in the longitudinal direction of the bottom bridge 60 and the horizontal line L1. In other words, the inclination formed by the virtual line L3 of the meter 70 is steeper than the inclination formed by the virtual line L4 of the bottom bridge 60 and the horizontal line L1. Therefore, in this embodiment, the inclination formed by the display surface 71a of the meter 70 and the horizontal plane L1 is steeper than the inclination formed by the upper end surface of the bottom bridge 60 and the horizontal line L1. Note that horizontal line L1 is used when the saddle-type vehicle 10 is moving straight and upright.

[0039] As a result, the meter-side coupler 72a moves away from the head pipe 18 as it extends downwards. In other words, the meter-side coupler 72a extends in a direction away from the head pipe 18. Therefore, the harness 76 extending from the meter-side coupler 72a extends in a direction away from the vicinity of the head pipe 18, thus preventing the harness 76 from becoming densely packed around the head pipe 18.

[0040] As shown in Figure 8, in this embodiment, the extension portion 72 is located between the top bridge 55 and the bottom bridge 60 in the vertical direction. More specifically, the extension portion 72 is located between the top bridge 55 and the bottom bridge 60 in the fork direction, which is the direction in which the centerline of the fork pipe 30 extends. That is, the meter 70 is located between the top bridge 55 and the bottom bridge 60 in the fork direction. Furthermore, the top bridge 55 and meter 70 are positioned based on a predetermined relative position when viewed from a specific direction.

[0041] First, in the fork-direction view shown by arrow S1 in Figure 8, the top bridge 55 and the meter 70 are positioned to overlap (see Figure 9). Secondly, in a view of the meter perpendicular to the arrow S2, the top bridge 55 and the meter 70 are positioned to overlap (see Figure 10). In this way, the meter 70 and the top bridge 55 overlap when viewed from the fork direction and also when viewed perpendicular to the meter, which prevents the positional relationship between the head pipe 18 and the meter 70 from being too far apart. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the steering from becoming heavy and affecting handling stability by preventing the heavy meter 70 from being placed too far away from the steering shaft 43.

[0042] As shown in Figures 9 and 10, in this embodiment, the top bridge 55 is positioned so as to overlap only with the extension portion 72 of the meter 70 when viewed from the fork direction and when viewed perpendicular to the meter. In other words, the top bridge 55 does not obstruct the visibility of the display surface 71a. Therefore, the visibility of the driver of the saddle-type vehicle 10 is not impaired.

[0043] Thirdly, in the vehicle plan view shown by arrow S3 in Figure 8, the meter 70 and the top bridge 55 are positioned so as not to overlap (see Figure 11). By ensuring that the meter 70 and the top bridge 55 do not overlap in a top view of the vehicle, the relative positions of the head pipe 18 and the meter 70 can be kept from being too close. In other words, the harness 76 can be routed so that it is not too close to the head pipe 18. Therefore, the harness 76 does not become densely packed around the head pipe 18 due to the meter 70 being positioned too close to the head pipe 18, which would cause airflow to stagnate around the head pipe 18 and affect handling stability.

[0044] In this way, by defining the positional relationship between the top bridge 55 and the meter 70 from multiple directions, the influence on the handling stability of the saddle-type vehicle 10 is suppressed, taking into account the effects on airflow and steering.

[0045] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the meter 70 and the bottom bridge 60 are also positioned based on a predetermined positional relationship when viewed from a specific direction.

[0046] First, the bottom bridge 60 and the meter 70 are positioned so that they overlap in a top view of the vehicle and in a fork-direction view (see Figures 8 to 10). This allows for a more compact overall configuration of the front fork 14 compared to the case where the meter 70 and the bottom bridge 60 do not overlap in a top view of the vehicle and in a fork-direction view, while suppressing the impact of the aforementioned meter 70 placement on handling stability.

[0047] Figure 8 shows a virtual line L5 extending from the rear end of the meter 70 in a direction perpendicular to the display surface 71a of the meter 70. That is, the virtual line L5 is a line extending in the direction of arrow S2. As shown in Figure 8, the imaginary line L5 does not come into contact with the bottom bridge 60. That is, the meter 70 and the bottom bridge 60 are positioned so that they do not overlap when viewed perpendicular to the meter. Because the meter 70 and the bottom bridge 60 do not overlap when viewed perpendicular to the meter, the relative positions of the head pipe 18 and the meter 70 are not too close compared to when they overlap when viewed perpendicular to the meter. Therefore, the harness 76 and the like do not become densely packed around the head pipe 18, and the resulting accumulation of airflow around the head pipe 18, which affects steering stability, can be suppressed.

[0048] As described above, conventionally, cables and harnesses for brakes, clutches, meters, etc., were densely packed around the head pipe 18, and airflow tended to stagnate due to these cables and harnesses. However, by arranging the top bridge 55, bottom bridge 60, and meter 70 based on a predetermined positional relationship when viewed from a specific direction, the density of the harness can be suppressed, and since the meter 70 is not positioned too far from the head pipe 18, the impact on handling stability due to heavier steering can also be suppressed.

[0049] As described above, according to this embodiment to which the present invention is applied, the saddle-type vehicle 10 comprises a vehicle frame 11 having a head pipe 18, a front fork 14 steerably supported by the head pipe 18, and a meter 70 fixed to the front fork 14. The front fork 14 comprises a top bridge 55 positioned above the head pipe 18, a bottom bridge 60 positioned below the head pipe 18, and a pair of left and right fork pipes 30 supported by the top bridge 55 and the bottom bridge 60. The meter 70 and the top bridge 55 overlap in a fork-direction view taken along the direction in which the fork pipes 30 extend, and also overlap in a meter-orthogonal view taken from a direction perpendicular to the display surface of the meter 70. The meter 70 and the top bridge 55 do not overlap in a vehicle-plan view. With this configuration, the meter 70 and the top bridge 55 do not overlap in a top view of the vehicle, thus preventing the meter 70 from being too close to the head pipe 18. Therefore, the harness 76 extending from the meter 70 is prevented from becoming densely packed around the head pipe 18, making it easier to prevent airflow from accumulating around the head pipe 18. In addition, the meter 70 and the top bridge 55 overlap in a view towards the fork and also overlap in a view perpendicular to the meter, thus preventing the meter 70 from being too far from the head pipe 18. Therefore, the weight of the meter 70 is prevented from being too far from the steering axis, thus preventing steering from becoming heavy. Therefore, it is possible to provide a saddle-type vehicle 10 in which the meter 70 is positioned in a way that minimizes the impact on steering stability.

[0050] In the saddle-type vehicle 10, the meter 70 and the bottom bridge 60 overlap when viewed from above and in the direction of the forks. This configuration allows for a more compact overall front fork 14 compared to the case where the meter 70 and bottom bridge 60 do not overlap in a top view of the vehicle and a fork-direction view, while suppressing the impact of the meter 70's placement on handling stability.

[0051] In the saddle-type vehicle 10, when viewing the meter straight ahead, the meter 70 and the bottom bridge 60 do not overlap. With this configuration, the meter 70 and the bottom bridge 60 do not overlap when viewed perpendicular to the meter, thus preventing the meter 70 from being too close to the steering shaft. Therefore, the harness 76 and other components extending from the meter 70 are prevented from being densely packed around the steering shaft, making it easier to prevent airflow from accumulating around the steering shaft.

[0052] The saddle-type vehicle 10 has a meter 70 which includes a display unit 71 that displays speed and an extension unit 72 that extends from the outer periphery of the display unit 71 toward the outer periphery of the display unit 71. The display unit 71 includes an indicator 73, and a circuit board is housed in the extension unit 72. The meter 70 overlaps with the top bridge 55 at the extension unit 72. This configuration makes it possible to minimize interference with the visibility of the display unit 71 while suppressing the impact of the meter 70's placement on steering stability.

[0053] In the saddle-type vehicle 10, the meter 70 is positioned vertically between the top bridge 55 and the bottom bridge 60. With this configuration, the extension portion 72 of the meter 70 is positioned between the top bridge 55 and the bottom bridge 60, which makes it less likely to obstruct the visibility of the display unit 71 while suppressing the impact of the meter 70's position on steering stability.

[0054] The saddle-type vehicle 10 has a meter 70 equipped with a meter-side coupler 72a protruding from the bottom surface, and in a side view of the vehicle, the inclination angle θ2 of the meter 70 with respect to the horizontal plane L3 is steeper than the inclination angle θ1 of the top bridge 55 with respect to the horizontal plane L2 and the inclination angle θ3 of the bottom bridge 60 with respect to the horizontal plane L4. With this configuration, the meter-side coupler 72a protruding from the bottom surface of the meter 70 is likely to be at a steeper angle than the tilt angle of the steering shaft, and the meter-side coupler 72a can be moved away from the steering shaft as it moves downward. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the concentration of harness 76 around the steering shaft.

[0055] In the saddle-type vehicle 10, a key cylinder 56 is provided on the top bridge 55, and the key cylinder 56 is offset to one side in the left-right direction relative to the center of the vehicle width, while the meter 70 is offset to the other side in the left-right direction relative to the center of the vehicle width. With this configuration, the meter 70 and the key cylinder 56 are not arranged in a longitudinal order, so the key cylinder 56 can be positioned around the steering axis while the meter 70 can be positioned so as not to be too far from the steering axis.

[0056] [Other embodiments] The embodiments described above represent only one aspect of the present invention and can be modified and applied as needed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0057] In the embodiment described above, a saddle-type vehicle 10 having a power unit 12 which is an internal combustion engine was exemplified. However, the power unit 12 may also be an electric motor driven by electricity. Therefore, the saddle-type vehicle 10 may also be an electric vehicle powered by an electric motor driven by a battery.

[0058] [Configurations supported by the above embodiment] The above embodiment supports the following configuration:

[0059] (Configuration 1) A saddle-type vehicle comprising a vehicle frame having a head pipe, a front fork steerably supported on the head pipe, and a meter fixed to the front fork, wherein the front fork comprises a top bridge positioned above the head pipe, a bottom bridge positioned below the head pipe, and a pair of left and right fork pipes supported by the top bridge and the bottom bridge, the meter and the top bridge overlap in a fork-direction view taken along the direction in which the fork pipe extends, and also overlap in a meter-perpendicular view taken from a direction perpendicular to the display surface of the meter, and the meter and the top bridge do not overlap in a vehicle-plan view. This configuration prevents the meter from being too close to the head pipe because the meter and the top bridge do not overlap in a top-down view of the vehicle. Therefore, it is possible to prevent harnesses and other components extending from the meter from becoming densely packed around the head pipe, thus making it easier to prevent airflow from accumulating around the head pipe. Furthermore, because the meter and the top bridge overlap in a view towards the forks and also in a view perpendicular to the meter, it is possible to prevent the meter from being too far from the head pipe. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the heavy meter from being too far from the steering axis, thus preventing steering from becoming too heavy. Therefore, it is possible to provide a saddle-type vehicle in which the meters are positioned in a way that minimizes the impact on handling stability.

[0060] (Configuration 2) The saddle-type vehicle according to Configuration 1, characterized in that the meter and the bottom bridge overlap in the vehicle's plan view and the fork-direction view. This configuration allows for a more compact overall front fork design compared to cases where the meter and bottom bridge do not overlap in both a top-down view of the vehicle and a fork-direction view, while also suppressing the impact of the meter placement on handling stability.

[0061] (Configuration 3) The saddle-type vehicle according to Configuration 2, characterized in that the meter and the bottom bridge do not overlap when viewed perpendicularly from the meter. This configuration prevents the meter and the bottom bridge from overlapping when viewed perpendicular to the meter, thus preventing the meter from being too close to the steering axis. Therefore, it is possible to prevent harnesses and other components extending from the meter from becoming densely packed around the steering axis, making it easier to prevent airflow from accumulating around the steering axis.

[0062] (Configuration 4) The meter has a display unit for displaying speed and an extension unit extending from the outer periphery of the display unit toward the outer periphery of the display unit, the display unit includes an indicator, a circuit board is housed in the extension unit, and the meter overlaps with the top bridge at the extension unit, as described in Configuration 1 or 2. This configuration makes it possible to minimize interference with the visibility of the display while suppressing the impact of meter placement on steering stability.

[0063] (Configuration 5) The saddle-type vehicle according to Configuration 4, characterized in that the extension portion of the meter is positioned between the top bridge and the bottom bridge. With this configuration, the overlapping portion of the meter is positioned between the top bridge and the bottom bridge, which minimizes obstruction to the visibility of the display while suppressing the impact of the meter placement on steering stability.

[0064] (Configuration 6) The saddle-type vehicle according to Configuration 5, characterized in that the meter is provided with a meter-side coupler protruding from the bottom surface, and in a side view of the vehicle, the inclination angle of the meter with respect to the horizontal plane is steeper than the inclination angle of the top bridge and the bottom bridge with respect to the horizontal plane. With this configuration, the meter-side coupler protruding from the bottom of the meter tends to be at a steeper angle than the tilt angle of the steering shaft, and the meter-side coupler can be moved further away from the steering shaft as it moves downward. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the concentration of meter harnesses and other components around the steering shaft.

[0065] (Configuration 7) The saddle-type vehicle according to Configuration 6, wherein the top bridge is provided with a key cylinder, the key cylinder is offset to one side in the left-right direction with respect to the center of the vehicle width, and the meter is offset to the other side in the left-right direction with respect to the center of the vehicle width. With this configuration, the meter and key cylinder are not aligned in a longitudinal order, so the key cylinder can be positioned around the steering axis while the meter can be positioned so as not to be too far from the steering axis. [Explanation of symbols]

[0066] 10. Saddle-type vehicles 11. Body frame 14 Front Fork 18 Headpipe 30 Fork Pipes 55 Top Bridge 56 Key Cylinder 60 Bottom Bridge 70 meters 71 Display section 72 Extension 72a Meter-side coupler 73 Indicators

Claims

1. In a saddle-type vehicle (10) comprising a body frame (11) with a head pipe (18), a front fork (14) steerably supported by the head pipe (18), and a meter (70) fixed to the front fork (14), The front fork (14) comprises a top bridge (55) positioned above the head pipe (18), a bottom bridge (60) positioned below the head pipe (18), and a pair of left and right fork pipes (30) supported by the top bridge (55) and the bottom bridge (60). The meter (70) and the top bridge (55) overlap when viewed in the direction of the fork pipe (30) along its extension, and also when viewed perpendicular to the meter when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the display surface of the meter (70). The meter (70) and the top bridge (55) do not overlap in a top view of the vehicle. A saddle-type vehicle characterized by its design.

2. In the vehicle plan view and the fork-direction view, the meter (70) and the bottom bridge (60) overlap. The saddle-type vehicle according to feature 1.

3. When viewed perpendicular to the meter, the meter (70) and the bottom bridge (60) do not overlap. The saddle-type vehicle according to feature 2.

4. The meter (70) has a display unit (71) for displaying speed, and an extension (72) that extends from the outer periphery of the display unit (71) toward the outer periphery of the display unit (71). The display unit (71) includes an indicator (73), The extension portion (72) houses the substrate, The meter (70) overlaps with the top bridge (55) at the extension portion (72), A saddle-type vehicle according to feature 1 or 2.

5. The extension portion (72) of the meter (70) is positioned between the top bridge (55) and the bottom bridge (60). The saddle-type vehicle according to feature 4.

6. The meter (70) is equipped with a meter-side coupler (72a) protruding from the bottom surface. In a side view of the vehicle, the inclination angle (θ2) of the meter (70) with respect to the horizontal plane (L3) is steeper than the inclination angles (θ1, θ3) of the top bridge (55) and the bottom bridge (60) with respect to the horizontal planes (L2, L4). The saddle-type vehicle according to feature 5.

7. The top bridge (55) is provided with a key cylinder (56), The key cylinder (56) is offset to one side in the left-right direction with respect to the center of the vehicle width. The meter (70) is offset to the other side in the left-right direction with respect to the center of the vehicle width. The saddle-type vehicle according to feature 6.

Images