Influence of driving duration on static factors of seating comfort in motorcycles

Abstract

The driving duration is an important consideration for the design and development of automobile seats. Seating comfort consists of two factors, static and dynamic, and research on passenger cars shows both these factors are influenced by driving duration. However there is limited research to understand the influence of driving duration on seating comfort in motorcycles. This study investigates the influence of driving duration on static factors of seating comfort in motorcycles. Motorcycles from India that are typically used for commuting are considered in this study. The study is carried out with the help of 13 male volunteers and involves subjective rating of seating comfort in a static lab based set up of the motorcycle. The evaluation is carried out for 60 min and the rating of seating comfort is obtained after every 10 min. The data is analysed statistically using ANOVA. The results show that there is a significant influence of time on seating comfort in motorcycles (p < 0.05). The seating comfort reduces with time, however the comfort rating saturates after a duration of 30 min to remain fairly constant. The results of this study provide useful inputs for further research on seating comfort in motorcycles.